Mmmmmm... Dooooooughnuts

I don't have to explain this, do I?

No?

Good!

Thing is, though, I was so full last night, I couldn't partake. Somehow, having Five Guys & Fries and Krispy Kreme just seemed so wrong to my arteries and they rebelled. Mom and the sibs enjoyed imbibing, though.

It's probably a good thing that I live in the city and this shop of ambrosia is out on Route 1 in Alexandria.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 1/08

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz... Oh What a Relief It Is...

Oooooh.

I've just returned from Christmas dinner at my siblings' apartment. We had the traditional family feast we've had every year since I was at least 10 years old: Christmas Jell-o, Roladen, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered cabbage and carrots, homemade crescent rolls, and Black Forest Cherry Cake. (Our maternal ancestors are German, so we lean that way at the holidays.)

Christmas Jell-o is a tradition from my late maternal grandmother. It was her favorite and involves raspberry Jell-o, chopped celery, slivered almonds, and raspberries. I know. Gross, right? As I grew up with it, it's really not that bad. And it's Christmasy. Besides, you can't grow up Mormon and not have at least one Jell-o salad at events and holidays of significance.

The table set for a Christmas feast.
That's the Christmas Jell-o, by the way.

Roladen is a German dish with as many variations as there are varieties of spaghetti sauces. In our family, this hearty German dish involves thinly sliced beef filled with onions, mushrooms, and bacon. You roll it all up and tie it together with string. Then, you brown each roll, make a gravy, and let it simmer for five or six hours. It is total heart attack on a plate.

Couple that with good mashed potatoes and the gravy from making the Roladen, as well as several dozen of my mom's buttery crescent rolls and you're destined to find yourself on Crestor by the end of the holiday season. It's a vegan's worst nightmare and a meat and diary lover's utter bliss!

Black Forest Cherry Cake, sans Kirsch.
(If I wasn't serving it to my family, though, I'd add it.)

Once you've let all of that settle, you top it off with four layers of Black Forest Cherry Cake (more commonly known as Schwarzwälderkirsch Torte in the German-speaking Länder.) I made the BFCC this year; my first time. It turned out all right, although, I set my top cherries too close to the edge of the cake and they slid. Still, it was quite tasty.

And now, I'm full. And I'm going to bed! Guten Appetit und Gesegnete Mahlzeit!


Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 12/07

Old-Fashioned

Over Columbus Day weekend, Bee and I toodled off to Rehoboth for what was suppose to be a relaxing, cool, crowd-free weekend. Boy, were we wrong! Still, we made the best of it and even attended the Christmas show at the local convention center (think stake center-sized cultural hall. That's the size of the Rehoboth Convention and Visitors' Center.)

Anyway--one of the vendors was selling those trees your grandmother probably had that was made out of ceramic and had multiple plastic pegs you place in holes. There's a lightbulb in the center of it all and when you turn it on, you get a little piece of nostalgia in your living room. So, we bought one. And here it is.

Granny Tree

We have yet to put up the rest of the decorations (we've been in sort of separate-but-equal Grinchy funks the last couple of weeks, so nothing's been decorated), but we're going to do that tomorrow or Wednesday. I'll post pictures when we're done.

Here's the debate, though: to tree or not to tree? That is the question. At this late date (I normally decorate Thanksgiving weekend), if we do tree, it will be artificial. But I'm not keen on stringing lights. (Note to self: Next year, buy the artificial tree with the lights already on it!)

We're hosting a party on Saturday. I'm going to roast a turkey. Nothing big. Just a 12-pounder I picked up. And maybe a Honey Baked Ham. Oh, and some smoked salmon. We're hoping for a good sized gathering and are looking forward to seeing friends and catching up.

Rockin' Granny Tree!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 12/07

NaCl

I've ingested so much sodium chloride in the last 48 hours, if I died in Rock Creek Park, I'd be a salt lick for the deer.

I've had so much salt in the last 48 hours...

(How much salt have you had?)

I've had so much salt in the last 48 hours...

• if it rained, I'd melt.
• if this was the Bible, I'd be Lot's wife.
• if you hung me up in a smokehouse for three days, I'd become your winter salami.
• a trip to Krispy Kreme for a sugar transfusion is in order.
• if you dropped me in a fresh water lake, I'd float. For days.
• it's like it's that time of the month, but without all the mess.
• the dog won't stop licking me.
• the pepper is reporting me for neglect.

Okay, now I'm just being silly. Suffice it to say, I've had way too much salt in the last 48 hours. I think I'm going to go on a sugar-only diet for the next 48, just to balance it out.

Kidding. I'm just kidding. Really, I am.

Or, maybe I'm not... A trip to Krispy Kreme really might be in my future...

Good Lord, I need to go on a diet...


Photo copyright: Sea Salt Blend, From Nature With Love

Gobbler

If you live in the D.C. area and you haven't yet ordered your fresh turkey for Thanksgiving, it isn't too late. Be sure to call Melvin Inman at Market Poultry in the Eastern Market for your fresh bird. I'm calling today for mine!

Photo copyright: Kansas City, KS, Public Library