Busy Bee

I feel overextended. Way too busy. Of course my measuring stick has changed since the days of working full-time. I like to have days that I barely get out of my nightie. Days filled with coffee, the crossword, soup simmering on the stove, Jeopardy and House of Cards. I get cranky when the phone rings or or my cat meows interrupting the silence, my book club tome or my favorite Ray La Montagne song. Sounds indulgent I know, but I earned it.

The busyness ebbs and flows. Right now I am volunteering once per week at Domestic Intervention Services on the Hotline. Dipping my toe into my old world but coming at it from a completely different perspective. My social work juices are flowing and it is good to be challenged again, to reach out and make a contribution. Those words are real and ring true. I need to do this. It needs to be done.

I volunteer at Overture in a couple of capacities. I usher and serve on the advisory board. The board focuses on accessibility, trying to reach those who generally do not come to the theater, do not feel welcome or just cannot afford the experience. I want to have a voice in the process and am finding my way. This is a new milieu for me and I like stretching my circle.

It seems that university teaching is behind me but my professional training activities continue. I just did a little curriculum writing for the first time. It was hard but something I would like to learn more about. I can do that in my nightie too.

After years of inactivity, I have been trying to move more. I joined "No Boundaries" at Fleet Feet a run/walk training program which ends with the Susan G Komen 5k on May 31. This has been very hard for me. I broke my ankle a few years back and that ankle doesn't appreciate the little running that I do do. The weather has been abysmal making our outdoor jaunts uncomfortable rather than fun. The program is excellent but would be a thousand times better in the sunshine or temps that are over 40. I am making progress and am proud of myself for taking this on.

Oh, yeah I also take an "aquacize" class...

With all this coming and going I have not been cooking as much as I would like. I eat out loads which is a mixed bag. Much of the the time I know I would eat healthier at home and likely a tastier meal. And the money spent could be used elsewhere. Despite the activity the weight stays on. Grrrrr....

I have had a few major food gatherings of late. Believe it or not I attended a "tongue dinner". Yes, a few of us were talking and realized that we had eaten beef tongue when growing up. So ten of us gathered and dug in. The tongue was boiled and roasted and topped with a black cherry sauce. Most of us ate the meal saying, "Ok, that was enough tongue to hold me for the next 30 years". It was not bad just not something I want to have again. I used to love it and even requested it for my birthday dinner. Weird.

I recently attended attended an Elite Yelp event at 4 & 20 Bakery and Cafe on 4th St near East High. It was a lovely event with incredible food. Locally sourced meats cured on the premises, ramps fresh from the fields. Baked goods are both sweet and savory. Great owners and stewards of the land. Try it, you'll like it. No, you will love it.

I was fortunate to be invited to Passover Seder. I was assigned the soup course. I was happy as I had just read a recipe in the Milwaukee Journal from famed Milwaukee chef  Sanford D'Amato. I adore tamarind and couldn't wait to try it. The soup was a huge hit and I plan to make it again today because I am cold and so sick of this crappy weather. I have a good friend coming for dinner. I am hoping we will play scrabble while we eat.

Garam Masala-Spiced Kohlrabi Soup with Tamarind-Glazed Almonds

A pureed soup just begs for some dimension in texture. This recipe from Sandy D'Amato's "Good Stock: Life on a Low Simmer" (Midway, 2013, $30) mixes the creaminess of the soup's base with soft, sauteed kohlrabi and crunchy, buttery tamarind-glazed almonds.

Makes 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground coriander
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 tablespoons (½ stick) plus 1 teaspoon butter (divided)
2½ pounds kohlrabi, peeled and cut into small dice (reserve 1 ½ cups for garnish)
3 ribs celery, cleaned and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 carrot, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch slices
1 large onion, diced small
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate (see note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bag (2¼ ounces) slivered almonds for garnish

Preparation

To make garam masala:
In a small bowl, mix ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves together and reserve.
Place a 1½-gallon pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and, when butter is melted and hot, add kohlrabi (less the reserved garnish), celery, carrot, onion and apple and sweat, covered but stirring frequently, 10 to 15 minutes (do not brown). Add garlic, bay leaves, prepared garam masala and salt and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add stock and 1 teaspoon of the tamarind concentrate, bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, until vegetables are well-cooked, about 20 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, then strain through a medium strainer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter and, when hot, add reserved 1½ cups kohlrabi garnish and sauté until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season garnish with salt and pepper and place in a bowl.
Wipe out the pan and over medium heat, add remaining 1 teaspoon butter and then the almonds. When butter is just starting to brown, after about 2 minutes, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add remaining 1 teaspoon of the tamarind concentrate, and cook 1 minute to glaze almonds. Let cool to room temperature.
For serving, divide soup among the bowls and garnish with the sautéed kohlrabi and tamarind almonds.
Note: Tamarind concentrate is available at Asian and Indian stores and the Spice House.

Escape Plan

OK, I give in. I am on the mat. My opponent gives me an icy stare as the ref raises my opponent's arm in victory. Yes, winter has won. Winter has over powered me with its extreme strength and endurance. Occasionally, winter would feign weakness, blow winds of 50 degrees just long enough for me to let my guard down. I am no fool but I had hope. Now, the hope is gone and I am running away. I can't take it. I am outta here!

Soon I will be off to Huatulco, Mexico. Sunny skies, the Pacific Ocean, nine bays, and a bit off the beaten path. Not a moment too soon. I pray I will return to Spring but I see nothing in our meteorological future to raise my hopes. At least I will be tan and chilly. The sun will feed my soul, the water will lighten my load, my time with Tariq will fill my heart and the landscape will open my mind. Huatulco is in the Oaxacan region of Mexico and is known for its moles. I love a good mole sauce and plan to return home ready to master such a challenge. I will ask loads of questions and taste test along the way. Tough challenge, I know.

I have done some cooking of late. My favorite dish by far was the "Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket Recipe" I made for an Oscar party. I found this recipe on CHOW and was attracted to the variety of spices used in the rub and the use of chipotles in adobe in the BBQ sauce. Despite the numerous ingredients, the prep was easy and did not take long. I rarely use my slow cooker and was happy to drag it out and give it a purpose in life. The rub was incredible, super smoky and multidimensional. I used smoked paprika which I believe truly made a big difference. The sauce was a bit spicy, maybe a 4 on a scale of 10. Next time I add a couple of extra peppers. I like to feel the burn.

I used a 2.5 pound brisket  and a two pound chuck roast. I applied the spice rub in the morning and left the meat in the fridge all day. I took the meat out of the fridge about 8 pm and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. During that time I assembled the sauce. I added the meat, plugged in the cooker and let it go til about 10 am the next morning. My house smelled amazing! I removed the meat to a board, placed the sauce in a bowl and stuck it in the fridge. After the meat cooled, I shredded it and put it back in the fridge.About 30 minutes before I left for the party, I skimmed the fat from the sauce, combined the meat and sauce in a pot and heated it on the stove. The dish was served with little potato rolls for those that wanted a sandwich. Everyone loved it. Both the brisket and the chuck roast performed well. Next time I would buy whatever was cheaper. This is no cheap meal. It cost about $28. FYI, my sister also prepared this dish but slow cooked it in the oven and had fabulous results.

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket Recipe

By Amy Wisniewski

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 10 hrs 30 mins | Makes: 6 servings

Beefy brisket is transformed into tender morsels of barbecue goodness. Rub the beef with a combination of chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, cayenne, and garlic, then slow-cook it in a sweet-savory sauce that includes smoky chipotle chiles. After 10 hours of gentle cooking, the meat can be sliced or shredded, tossed with the sauce, and stuffed into a sandwich. Serve some ranch-style pinto beans on the side.
This recipe was featured as part of our Slow Cooker Recipes for Hot Summer Days.

INGREDIENTS

For the barbecue sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the brisket:

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 (5-pound) beef brisket

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all of the barbecue sauce ingredients in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Place all of the measured brisket ingredients except the brisket in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
3. Place the brisket on a cutting board and cut it in half widthwise. Evenly coat it with the spice rub and place the 2 brisket pieces in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until fork-tender, about 10 hours.
4. Transfer the brisket to a clean cutting board. Pour the barbecue sauce from the slow cooker into a medium heatproof bowl and set it aside.
5. Remove the excess fat from the brisket and discard it. Slice the meat against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and return it to the slow cooker. (Alternatively, you can shred the meat with 2 forks.)
6. Use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the barbecue sauce. Return the sauce to the slow cooker and stir gently to combine it with the meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

SOURCE: http://www.chow.com/recipes/30796-easy-slow-cooker-bbq-beef-brisket

Gone Girl

Gone Girl

 Okay, so I disappeared for a while. Really, it was nothing personal. My mind took a long holiday vacation. No good excuse. Recently a couple of people asked about my silence. I was happy to know that someone even noticed.

This winter has been a killer. I struggle to stay active in the best of weather. The cold and snow has provided an excuse and I have reached a level of "slothdom" that is yet unrivaled. My pants are having trouble closing around my winter waist. It is time to turn this sinking ship around. On to another subject.

Over the years many people have asked, “How can you work in the field of child abuse”. I often replied that I loved my job but could never work with the elderly or in the field of domestic violence. We all have our experiences and beliefs that guide the choices we make. So… recently I felt ready to get down and dirty again and use my social work skills in direct service. I am currently in volunteer training at DAIS, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services. Yep, I decided to take on a field I thought I could never work in. A challenge seemed in order. So far I love the training and look forward to working the hotline, hopefully starting in March.

I have been “Yelping” a lot of late. I eat out a fair amount and really enjoy writing reviews. I am going to my first event as a Yelper which is being held at The Heritage. I am excited to visit this highly rated restaurant and sample a bit of their fare. As much as I love to cook, I love having someone else cook good food for me. That said, I hate paying for bad or unremarkable food.

I just finished lunch at Ha Long Bay. I think their food is excellent. I have had dishes I did not care for, but that was based on my personal preferences, not on their preparation.  I just ate Pad Thai, which I have not had in years. It was quite yummy. I asked for shrimp and they were moist and flavorful. The lunch serving was generous and reasonably priced. I brought home half my plateful which made the meal a true steal. 

I have been cooking up a storm in this cold weather. I had a party for my condo building and a dinner party for some friends. For the dinner party I used the Silver Palate Cookbook, of yore. I made the Chicken Marbella and Orange Carrot soup. These are older recipes so I found myself cutting back on the recommended amount of butter and sugar. The soup was fabulous and easy. The recipe asks that you pull out your 1000 pound food processor from your top cabinet. This being 2014, I used my immersion blender and it did the job with grace and easy clean up. I added some ginger and cayenne at the end as it needed a little kick. Both recipes are available on line.

For the condo party, I bought an Afghani bread from Kabul at Jenifer Street Market. A big rectangle of soft, tasty flat-bread. I brushed the bread with olive oil, covered it with loads of caramelized onions, roasted halved cherry tomatoes, arugula and goat cheese. I baked this beauty about 20 minutes in 400 degree oven and it was lovely.  It disappeared in minutes.

Hint: If you do not have an immersion blender, you should. Look for one that has the ability to eject the stick for proper washing. There are cheaper models which are not worth the savings. Mine, made by Cuisinart, came from Costco and included a small blade and processor bowl that is driven my the blender engine. I love it. I have limited space in my condo and the multi-use instrument that takes up little room is just what my little heart desired.

For those not familiar with "Gone Girl" it is a wonderful, dark and sometimes funny book written by Gillian Flynn. I loved it. Maybe you will too.

8 Degrees and Falling

It is 8 am. I want to cook but I do not want to go out to the store. So I rummage through the fridge and freezer. Not a whole lot to work with but there is ALWAYS something. This, I believe is my forte. Many years ago there was a show called "Door Knock Dinner" with chef Gordon Elliot. This early Food Network show inspired me more than any other. He'd show up at someone's door, camera crew in tow, and ask if he could prepare a meal just using the ingredients in their home. Some of the dishes really were quite unappealing but when all you have is processed food to work with, you can only do so much.

I admit to using Google to bolster my creativity. You just type in a few ingredients and numerous recipes appear. I never follow any of them but they provide fodder for thought and action. So I open up the freezer and see two 12 oz. unopened bags of cranberries.  I decide to make cranberry sauce.  For this I need no help. I find a orange in the bottom of the fruit bin. Cut it in half- juice one side, section the other. I dump one bag of the berries in a pot, add a little water, the juice and about a 1/4 c of sugar. I cook the mixture on medium heat. I hit the Penzey's drawers and root around. I decide to use cayenne, my expensive Vietnamese cinnamon, ginger and some whole nutmeg, which I will grate directly into the mixture. I wait to add the spices til almost all the berries burst. I cook it about 5 minutes more, add the orange segments and then let it cool. It turned out spicy and freakin' delicious.

Maybe you want me to tell you how much spice to put in. I just can't. I will say that all of these spices are very potent and too much could be a disaster. Too much ginger tastes acrid, too much cayenne and the other flavors fade away. That said, recipes that call for 1/8 teaspoon of something, are just being silly. Unless we are dealing with some atomic pepper you will never taste 1/8 teaspoon of anything. I generally double the suggested spice and herb measurements whenever I am using a recipe. In this case I could season and taste. I just added a little at a time and adjusted until I got it right. I can taste each spice and I can feel a little heat. I am done.

Cranberry sauce does not a meal make. What next? I have some cooked basmati rice in the fridge as well. I decide to make a vegetable fried rice. You might be thinking, "Fried rice and cranberry sauce?". Why not? I think they will work well together. I find aging broccoli, a few brussel sprouts, celery, carrots, onion and some frozen peas. I have hit the Mother Lode. I will not prepare this dish until it is dinnertime. It needs to be eaten hot right as it emerges from a scalding wok. I will prep my veggies now, cutting them into bite size pieces. I might beat an egg and cook it in a small frying pan like an omelet.  Once set, I will cut the round patty of eggs into strips. 

This evening, I will stir-fry the veggies in veggie oil, maybe add some garlic and freshly grated ginger (or you could used ginger and garlic from a jar). I will add the rice a little before the veggies are done. The frozen peas will be added last. I don't want them cold but I do want them to taste fresh, not mealy. At that point I will add some soy sauce and a little toasted sesame oil. These are also very potent ingredients. I always use San-J reduced sodium tamari (soy sauce). Everything else is just too salty for me. Go easy and taste. Too much sesame oil is impossible to rectify. In my ancient wok, I will stir my yummy concoction but not too much. I love when there are little crispy spots of browned rice, like you find in bimbibop (my favorite Koren dish). I like the textural contrast. I think the sweet/spicy cranberry sauce will complement the umami flavors of the soy/sesame infused rice. I just don't think I can go wrong.

In the time it took me to write this blog entry, the temperature dropped to 4 degrees. Now I will buckle down and finish "The Art of Fielding" and watch the last episode of House of Cards. What a lucky girl am I. I never forget that.

Thanksgiving

Some simple thoughts about the things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

• That folks love me in spite of my faults. I have some incredible friends, old and new.
• My retirement. I don't know what have happened to me if I didn't leave when I did. It was good for me and good for the Department.
• My home... I have waxed poetic about my lovely condo and the wonderful people who live here.
• My cat Greta who is almost 20 years old. She keeps me awake, carries litter all over the house, pukes on my carpet and meows incessantly. She loves to perch on my shoulder and sleep nose to nose with me. I simultaneously wish her dead and hope she will live forever.
• My cast iron pan, my wok, my Melita drip pot, my microplane, my All-Clad cookware and Penzey's.
• My health. I worry about my forgetfulness but beyond that I am good.
• My 2004 Toyota Corolla- I have hardly put in a dime in that thing and I can still reach the pedals despite my "shrinkage".
• My health insurance. When Bruce had his aneurysm he spent 6 weeks in neuro ICU following brain surgery. I paid $25 for the ambulance. I can only imagine the full cost of the bill.
• My guy, who I love to pieces and makes me crazy. I have some similar feelings towards him and my cat. Fortunately he does not try to perch on my shoulder. He is an incredible help to me, a treat to look at and smart as a whip.
• My son. I cannot write those words without tearing up. As my only child he holds a place in my heart that no one else can share. He is an extension of his dad and my connection to another time. All my feelings for him are larger than life; love, fear, pride. 

I am a whiner. Soon there will be a day when I look back at this blog entry in order to pull me out of some trite funk I have put myself in.

I am thankful that some of you actually read this. Much appreciation....

Apples and Oranges

Shall I wax poetic about a Fuji apple or a clementine? Maybe another day. I love fruit but that is not where I am headed.

Recently I had the pleasure of eating two expensive dinners. Each dinner cost $150 for two people. Not outrageous, but nothing to sneeze at. How did these meals fare when pitted against each other? Let's find out....

A good friend of mine has this thing about coupons. She cannot let one go to waste. She jokes that her grave marker will read, "I got this headstone with a coupon". I think that is true. Anyway, she received a coupon for Fleming's Steak House from American Express. The coupon was for $40 off the total bill. The coupon could not be used for the early dining special offer. We arrived at 5:30pm and the place was reasonably full. The crowd looked fairly young and we surmised these folks were here for the low priced special. The others diners may have been corporate, dining on the boss's dime. The dining room is large and  brightly lit. Many of the tables are round booths inviting you to have a romantic dinner with your honey. Despite the small crowd and lighting, the room was fairly quiet making you feel as if you were enjoying an intimate experience.

When we were first seated a young man came by and asked if we wanted to start with the "complimentary bread course". Since when has bread become a course? They wanted you to know how lucky you were to get free bread these days. We jumped on the offer knowing that this was the last complimentary thing to come our way. The bread was a crusty French bread and was really quite good. We each ordered a glass of wine.

Our waitress was new. She was friendly and helpful. It was clear she was practicing a specific patter she was to use when describing options and menu items. I ordered a wedge salad with blue cheese dressing and a petite fillet. My friend had mashed potatoes with Parmesan and peppercorn and the bone-in rib eye. Both of our steaks were prepared perfectly, medium- rare just as we had ordered. The meat was flavorful and tasted even better cold the next day. The serving size was reasonable. The mashed potatoes could have been shared with three people and the wedge salad was also a generous serving. The potatoes were "ok".  To put the costs in perspective, I will tell you that a baked potato is $9.50. Despite that fact, we shared a slice of cheesecake which I thought was "fine". I had coffee, she had tea. I kicked myself for not asking for a second cup but truthfully I was too full to swallow another thing.

In the middle of the meal the manager came by to see how things were going. His affect was so over-the-top we were speechless, a cross between Guy Smiley and The Joker. Made us want to cringe. The whole experience seemed staged... bright lights, pretty props and actors with a script. We had a good time (we generally have a good time no matter where we are) but it sure was clear who benefited from the coupon... Fleming's. $150, really?

Now on to dinner number two. Tariq promised me a special dinner a long time ago and finally came across... and boy did he! He surprised me by taking me to Sanford in Milwaukee. Sanford D'Amato is a CIA graduate and renown Midwestern chef. He has cooked, by request, for Julia Child and the Dalai Lama. His family owned a grocery store in Milwaukee for 80 years. When the store closed in 1989 he remodeled and opened his beautiful restaurant. In 2012 he sold his business to Chef De Cuisine Justin Aprahamian. Many of D'Amato's signature dishes remain on the menu.

The restaurant is small, elegant and intimate. Although you sit close to the table next to you, you do not hear the conversations of others. Everything appears to be muted by the excellent acoustics. The lighting is adequate but not harsh. The place has a modern, clean feel, with every detail adding to the ambiance. When we arrived for our 8:15 reservation we were cold and hungry. We were greeted warmly and provided with a little information about the restaurant and how our meal would proceed. On the table was the most lovely bread stick. It was so flavorful- not flavored but rather made with excellent flour and baked to perfection..

We were provided with an amuse-bouche, a tasting on a little china spoon. I cannot recall exactly what is was, but it included a trout foam and some other type of fish. That little morsel set the bar high for the rest of the meal. It was downright yummy.

I was shocked when I took my first look at the menu. There were some signature cocktails available for $7.50 and some wines for $8 per glass. They chose not to pad your bill by overcharging for your alcohol consumption. I was very impressed. Of course, there was an extensive wine list but I headed for the rye and ordered a Sazerac.  Tariq does not drink and often has to choose from a list that is mundane and without imagination. Here he ordered the most delicious ginger ale I have ever tasted. The bottle had bits of ginger at the bottom. Another check in the plus column.

The waiter then explained the menu. He asked us to first choose our dessert because each plate is prepared individually and will bake while you are eating. Oh my. We asked if we should share something, thinking this will be a small plate experience. He told us that most folks shared and were more than satisfied. After much discussion we ordered the Banana Butterscotch Toffee Tart with homemade Banana Rum ice cream.

Tariq started his meal with Slow Roasted Tomato Soup with Seared Shrimp and I had the Grilled Pear and Roquefort Tart with Caramelized Onions and Walnuts. Both dishes were bursting with flavor and screamed, "I am fresh, hot and made with love".

It took us a while to decide on the entrees because everything sounded wonderful. Salmon, sturgeon, duck breast, steak and elk were passed up for bass and scallops. The bass was caramelized served on a papaya salad with a green curry sauce. The scallops were seared with kale, wild mushrooms and poached apples in a chamomile broth. I moaned with every bite which for me is a sign that the food has exceeded my expectations. Tariq was thrilled with his meal as well. We both left some food on our plates and had a lovely treat to take home for another time.

The timing of the meal was impeccable. The service was fantastic and not over-bearing. Right on cue, came the long awaited dessert. Oh, yes, it was magnificent. The banana was the star but it magnanimously shared the spotlight with the butterscotch toffee and the rum flavored ice cream. Although we shared this incredible course we found the serving to be more than generous and the decision to share was certainly the right one.

So, this $150 felt like a bargain.

Like I said, apples and oranges.

Mishpocheh -Yiddish for Family

"Family"... 7 letters that pack a punch. Some folks are blessed and others are cursed. Some have none and others too many. It is what it is. Whatever, the word means, it is magnified during the holidays.

For me, the holidays can be a lonely time. However this year I hit the mother-lode. My brother and his wife, who live in Turkey, came to Philadelphia for a few days. I went to join them and had a wonderful time. It is a complicated story but my relationship with my brother started at age 16. He is a gift I never take for granted. For me, our visit was a holiday.

And here comes Thanksgiving. This year I have the rare pleasure of celebrating with my sister and her husband. We have only celebrated a few times together in our adult lives. They are coming here to visit and I am super excited. My sister and I get together about twice a year. I try to go to NYC and she always comes to see me. I adore her company. She fills a void that no one else can fill.  Although we are very different people, we have grown closer over time. It will be a treat to cook with her by my side. She inspired me to cook and love food when I was a young adult.

My Thanksgiving table will be filled with the rest of my "family". Tariq, my son Zack, my best friend since high school, her ex-husband and his mother and two dear friends. We will squeeze into my small dining room, pass plates, overeat and talk while chewing. Everyone will contribute to the meal, displaying their cooking prowess or ability to choose an incredible bottle of wine. These are people I hug and kiss. They make me laugh and cry. For Thanksgiving 2013, this is my family.

A funny thought just entered my mind.  We will be a gathering of the little people. Only three people will be over 5'6". In Wisconsin this is unheard of. Where I grew up it wasn't a big deal. Maybe I will rename the gathering, "Hobbit Hanukkah". It will be refreshing not to have to look up all the time.

Please leave a comment telling me about your Thanksgiving family and traditions. Maybe you can share a recipe too. I just might give it a try.

I plan to make these delicious molasses cookies right before my sister arrives. She is coming on the Monday before Thanksgiving so we can ease into sweets with these yummy concoctions. I love molasses cookies because of the ginger, cinnamon and clove infusion. The recipe is found online in "All Recipes".  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crackle-top-molasses-cookies/

I found the comments helpful and learned that if you want a chewy cookie don't cool them on a rack. I placed them on wax paper to cool and they were great! I increased the spices, cooked them for a little less time and I think I integrated some whole wheat flour.

OK- Before anyone tells me.... "family" has 6 letters. I never claimed to be a mathematician.
Crackle Top Molasses Cookies:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup vegetable oil 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup molasses 2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/3 cup white sugar

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl mix oil and 1 cup of sugar. Add egg, beat well. Stir in molasses, 2 cups flour, baking soda and spices. If necessary, add more flour to make a firm dough.
3.	Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll in 1/3 cup sugar. Place 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until tops crack. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack.