Last Weekend of 2013

Friday Night Lights

Yesterday, Friday, I got to come home early.  It has been a very odd work-week.  We worked Monday, had Tuesday and Wednesday off (yay!) and back to work Thursday and Friday.  There were precious few of us at work those two days and we were most assuredly not on all four burners.  Next year, I am taking the holidays off.  Period.  Thankfully I was able to leave early both days, thanks to my boss.  Friday, I was particularly antsy and bless my boss who picked up on my mood and told me to go home whenever I wanted.  Five minutes later, I was on my way home.  It was about 3:00, or so, traffic was blessedly light.  Lit my candles, popped a blueberry pie in the oven, ah, bliss.  No matter how bumpy the day, the minute I am home, I breathe peace.  My kits around me, pie bubbling in the oven, it started raining and I thought "Perfection!"  Wrote a bit.  Called some friends I hadn't called in a while.

 

Yummy Jammies

Is there anything more comfy than being in one's pajamas earlier in the day than usual?  I swear, I could LIVE in my pajamas.  Don't know who it was that said "All one really needs is a divinely appointed and comfortable bed!" but I so agree with that.  Took a few pictures.  Remembered the salmon I'd bought at the beginning of the week, with pesto basil butter, yum!  As soon as the pie was done, in went the salmon.  I made a lovely little tomato, spinach, mushroom salad with sun-dried tomato and garlic vinaigrette.  When the salmon was done, I arranged it prettily on top of the salad, then plated the other fillet and called my neighbor.  They are always feeding me, I figured it was time to repay their generosity with something from my kitchen that's not chocolate-covered!  I remembered a bottle of wine my friends from Talley, Miss Jodie and her hubby Alan, brought down when they visited in the Spring. Opened the bottle, let it breathe.  Made a note on my "To Buy" list to look for wine glasses like Olivia Pope has on Scandal.  Yes, I admit, I am obsessed with that show.  Tried the wine.  Oh, my!  So good!  Had a glass with dinner while watching Miracle on 34th Street, the black and white version with Natalie Wood.  I think there is a colorized version, but I prefer the original in black and white.  If that makes me an old fogey, so be it.

Java Love

Today I got up, had my first cafe con leche (have I said how much I absolutely LOVE my Keurig?), wrote, read, watched the latest 007, Skyfall (wow, intense).  I kept expecting one of the supposedly good guys turn out to be a traitor, but nope.  Didn't expect it to end the way it did though, although there was a good bit of foreshadowing, still I thought they were just throwing red herrings in.  But nope.  Those chase scenes, wow!  Spent a good bit of the afternoon going through Hollye's blog, http://www.thesilverpen.com, looking for recipes.  I love her "Friday's Fixin's" posts, they are delish and healthy.  Watched "The Secret" on NetFlix, it's really quite interesting and ties into my Mom's theory of projecting positivity and focusing on the positive, the good, the Light.  I really believe her attitude is what gave us a longer time with her than what was originally given.  She was, is and will always be a major source of inspiration for me.  
Anyway, dinner time rolled around and I thought, hmmm, I still haven't used all of those lovely mushrooms I bought earlier in the week, there's some spinach left and also lovely grape tomatoes, one salmon fillet from last night, I'm going to invent something!  Put on a pot of boiling water and pitched some pasta in there.  Chopped up the tomatoes, mushrooms, some onions, drizzled some EVOO into another pan and added them into it, shredded the salmon and added it in, remembered I had sour cream, boom!  A generous, VERY generous dollop, added to the pan with the mushrooms, salmon, etc. in it.  Some half and half and then I remembered the wine.  Ah!  The wine!  Poured myself a glass and added a good dose to the pan.  Let the whole thing simmer, scenting the cocoon, for a bit.  By now the pasta was al dente, drained it, tossed it into the pan with the salmon, mushroom, tomatoes, etc. and mixed it well.  Oh, my!



Miss Jodie's Cheesy Cornbread Muffins

I am planning a traditional Southern menu for New Year's Day, Hoppin' John, cornbread, along with brownies and cookies and cakes and pies, oh my! Because what would the Cozy Cocoon be without the scent of something sweet perfuming the air? New Year's Eve, however, it's a shrimp, cheese and fruit tray, along with champagne and bunches of grapes, 12 in each bunch.  I may do traditional Southern for New Year's Day, but New Year's Eve, it's Cuban tradition time, 12 grapes to be eaten precisely at midnight and a bucket of water pitched out the front door.  One year I doused a neighbor that was walking up to our front door, oopsies! I rarely talk about my memories of Cuba.  It is a feeling difficult to describe.  Those memories are preserved, if you will, like one of those perfect little scenes in snowglobes.  Only someone took my snowglobe and shattered it all to pieces and no matter how much my parents tried, they could never put it back together.  The strongest memories are those of the holidays.  I don't know why. But they are the best memories.  Of all my family gathered under one roof, sitting around the dining room table, talking, eating, passing plates of food around.  There was music and laughter.  Tobacco and lemony cologne scented the air, along with "lechon asado" and always laughter.  Rollicking, rolling laughter.  My parents dancing a "danson" down the hallway.  My grandparents joining them.  The huge tree in the living room twinkling with miniature, multi-colored lights.  Another one in my bedroom.  Both with these amazing Nativity scenes which encompassed entire little towns, sheep grazing on real grass and my Dad grumbling about how long it took to set it all up.  I am an American, but I do remember and hold fast to my Cuban roots. 

Well, I have rambled once again.  Tomorrow, it's off to market to pick up the New Year's Eve/Day ingredients.  Definitely will be buying more salmon, I'm making it a point to eat HEALTHY in 2014.  Lots of salads, fruit, zip red meat except for once in a blue moon.  More salmon.  More red wine.  Gallons of water.  Barbie Breakfasts on weekends.  Did I mention wine?  Mimosas are a menu staple.  Krispy Kreme donuts once in a blue moon.  I know, I know, not the healthiest of indulgences, but they take me back to a cold night long ago and far away, when I spoke English in public for the very first time ... to order "one dozen glazed donuts, please!" at this marvelous donut emporium in L.A. which had a huge donut on its roof.  I wonder if it's still there.  We got our treats and headed home to dunk them in my Mom's cafe con leche (she made the best).  In speaking with one of my friends this afternoon, we commented what a bumpy year it has been all around.  We've had health scares, lost loved ones, it's been like walking a tightrope at times, trying to stay focused on the good, the positive, the Light.  We both agreed it is way easier to drift into the dark, but we are too stubborn to give in, thank you very much.  Yep, it's been a bumpy year, but we have made it through.  God willing, we'll make it through 2014, may it be filled with health, joy, faith, laughter, good friends, good food (and wine!), chocolate (a must!), antiquing, adventures, learning, treasures yet to be discovered.

I've got my DVR set to record the Rose Parade.  I do hope everyone will be watching, it's a tradition at my home.  Wishing all the Happiest New Year.  Remember, be kind to each other, keep the faith, look for the Light, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming and BELIEVE!

Believe! Cookie Jar