Ahh, Christmas

Made the best roast beef! Juicy, rare, tender, flavorful! So happy I didn't screw it up, actually. I found a recipe by Tyler Florence, and I think it sealed the juices inside. It was ten pound! Considering there were only four of us...well, we're going to have leftovers for some time. I was excited to use this new roasting pan I got really cheap. Good thing I checked. It didn't fit inside the oven with the cover on, and without the cover, it's the only thing that fits! What the hell? Who has an oven that big?

Now what do I do with this pan?

When you Christmas shop and buy things for yourself.

Made a lovely turkey soup last night and had some friends over to enjoy it. It's so challenging to find vegetables that are low in potassium, and still add variety to dishes! But I cheated a little, added some carrots (high) and parsnips (only kinda high). And not too much salt. Boy, I found the key to making a really good soup is to saute the vegees first...especially the onions, celery and garlic. What a magic elixir that is when in olive oil! Heady fragrance throughout the house.

So today, we were out Christmas shopping, and lo and behold, Linens and Things are going out of business. Another victim of this frightening economy. (What people don't realize is that this has been going downhill for these kinds of stores for more than a year.) Anyway, good for us, because I bought a soup terrine for $9.50!! Always wanted one of those. Now I probably won't have anybody over for soup for the next year. Also got a HUGE roasting pan for $20. I can't imagine how often I'll use that, but it will be worth it. I could cook two chickens and a bunch of vegetables in it. Really, I looked for Christmas presents, but only found presents for me!

Going to do something with some of that frozen pork we wrapped up from Costco. If it ever thaws. And a lovely salad with one of the new delightful dressings I bought! Recession? What recession?! I'm just trying to be a good consumer, isn't that what will bring back this economy? Right.

My very first blog

I had a really good time tonight making crepes with the left over Turkey. I realized I hadn't made crepes in ages. I used to make them for John and me when we were first married. My dear friend, Julia (or my sister Pam) gave me this cute little cook book. One of those double cookbooks that you flipped over for a whole different set of recipes. You know, on one cover it said "Omelets and Crepes", flip it over and the other cover says "Crepes and Omelets." I really took to the crepe side of that cookbook. The spine split in half, in fact, and I now really do have two cookbooks.

Back in the day I used up leftover turkey by mixing it up with some cream sauce (or cream of mushroom soup if I was lazy) and cheese, then put in a broccoli or two, and wrap up the whole thing in a crepe. Slosh some more sauce over the top, and throw it in the oven. Delish! Kind of comfort-food like.

One year, for Valentine's I made a chocolate crepe with hazelnut filling for dessert. I stumble upon Nutella. Oh. My. God. What a discovery. When we went to Italy last year, I saw jars of Nutella as big as your torso in a store window! But I digress.

I made the crepe batter in a blender...prepared the pan, and poured the batter in the pan. Not bad. But when I went to turn it...I had to use a spatula! You have to understand, that this is significant, because in the salad days of crepe-making, I would always use my fingers to flip the crepe, but alas...my fingers had lost their touch. Or their heat resistant calluses, apparently.

Nonetheless, the crepes turned out great. Delish! Even Mick liked them. Peas, though. No broccoli.