SNOW DAY SNOW DAY SNOW DAY
Dec. 17th, 2008 09:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicideExcept... there's no snow. YET.
There's supposed to be a lot of it. All the Seattle schools are closed! Which means it would be highly irresponsible for me to go to work and get stuck on the Eastside! YUP!
I have to say, my gloves are wholly inadequate. As a Californian, I always thought polar fleece would be good enough for anything. But the bus was late yesterday, so I was standing outside at the stop for about half an hour and by the end, I thought I might dissolve into hysteria. I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I was kitted out in two warm wool sweaters, a quilted jacket, scarf, hat, gloves. But I was so goddamn cold. The exposed parts of my face (which was a pretty narrow strip) and my hands. I tell you, I'm the biggest weather sissy on earth. I would DIE in a real winter. As it is, I just hunker down and try to never leave my house ever.
Speaking of. It's been such a nice goddamn day so far! Jeff and I sat and lingered on the couch this morning. I kept trying to convince him to stay home or to just go get his laptop and come back home. But he's not built for sloth the way I am. Poor dearie.
Last night was a total blast. Pete came over for a final visit before his two week vacation to visit his family in NJ. I made one of Pete's (and Jeff's) favorite dishes --Ina Garten's Mac and Cheese and some sauteed zucchini to go with it. I really recommend this recipe, except I want to note that it is pretty pricey. Gruyere is shockingly expensive. $30 worth of Gruyere (about 12oz) alone went into the dish. It staggers me every time I make it--which isn't frequent. But it's super easy to do and while I substitute panko for the breadcrumbs she recommends, it is always an enormous hit. I found this pasta shape that I particularly love for this dish. It's like a conch shell, a little smaller than a golf ball in diameter. It really holds that rich cheese sauce well. It makes a ton of pasta and it's just the best mac and cheese recipe I've ever found. (I made Alton Brown's once before and I thought it was pretty bland and mediocre. As pricey as it is, the flavor is all from that Gruyere, plus a smaller amount of sharp cheddar.) I sent some off with Jeff today for Amy T and Kirsten, too!
Then, Jeff lit a fire and turned on the Christmas tree and it was just a lovely lovely evening, sitting around and talking.
Pete brought us his amazing homemade chocolate caramels. And I got one of my Christmas presents from him! He knows I'm crazy about these Japanese gummy snacks and there are all these flavors that are hard to get and I've never been able to try. So he went to Ranch 99 and bought me ALL of them. Mango, apple, pineapple, melon, and orange because it's my favorite. I couldn't stop squealing for awhile over that. We sampled them all and omg it was so exciting!! I think pineapple may be my new favorite!! Also, he brought over his Wii Fit for us to borrow while he's out of town! Can't wait to try it!
Pete eventually left and we went to bed. I did, however, leave an epic mess in the kitchen. But it was so glorious to get to just clean it up this morning. Everything's loaded in the dishwasher. I went to the grocery store after work last night, so I have everything I need to make all the stuff I need to make. (Except frozen raspberries, goddammit! Must go buy those and some more eggs. DOH. I should go do that this morning before the predicted weather craziness starts.)
Today I'll work from home and start the cookie baking adventure. I have tons of exciting food options in leftovers. Is a taco salad weird to have for breakfast?
In other Christmas news, I just feel so behind already. How did this happen?
I need to write/mail some cards today. And at least plan how/when I'm going to mail the few gifts that require mailing. The timing is all off, because I leave for LA for a week on Tuesday. I see Judy/Ellen on Saturday and I'm worried their gift won't be ready by then either.
But, I need to remind myself that any pressure here is my own. I may be late this year, but no one is going to really care if they don't get their cookies until I get back from LA and can have more time to bake, right?
Though, I'm almost totally done with my Christmas shopping. And the rest should be finished in one more quick trip to U Village! In exciting news, I was able to get Jeff's Christmas present done yesterday on my lunch break. The smaller gift is en route from Amazon and the bigger one (which is sort of a Christmas/birthday hybrid gift, since his birthday is in January), is hiding in my car. I'd like to wrap them and stick 'em under the tree by tonight! I hope he likes!!
Sarah and I are exchanging gifts/having dinner on Friday, before she leaves town. I've asked for her big gift to be expedited; I just hope it gets here on time!!
Whee!! This is why I love the holidays!!
There's supposed to be a lot of it. All the Seattle schools are closed! Which means it would be highly irresponsible for me to go to work and get stuck on the Eastside! YUP!
I have to say, my gloves are wholly inadequate. As a Californian, I always thought polar fleece would be good enough for anything. But the bus was late yesterday, so I was standing outside at the stop for about half an hour and by the end, I thought I might dissolve into hysteria. I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I was kitted out in two warm wool sweaters, a quilted jacket, scarf, hat, gloves. But I was so goddamn cold. The exposed parts of my face (which was a pretty narrow strip) and my hands. I tell you, I'm the biggest weather sissy on earth. I would DIE in a real winter. As it is, I just hunker down and try to never leave my house ever.
Speaking of. It's been such a nice goddamn day so far! Jeff and I sat and lingered on the couch this morning. I kept trying to convince him to stay home or to just go get his laptop and come back home. But he's not built for sloth the way I am. Poor dearie.
Last night was a total blast. Pete came over for a final visit before his two week vacation to visit his family in NJ. I made one of Pete's (and Jeff's) favorite dishes --Ina Garten's Mac and Cheese and some sauteed zucchini to go with it. I really recommend this recipe, except I want to note that it is pretty pricey. Gruyere is shockingly expensive. $30 worth of Gruyere (about 12oz) alone went into the dish. It staggers me every time I make it--which isn't frequent. But it's super easy to do and while I substitute panko for the breadcrumbs she recommends, it is always an enormous hit. I found this pasta shape that I particularly love for this dish. It's like a conch shell, a little smaller than a golf ball in diameter. It really holds that rich cheese sauce well. It makes a ton of pasta and it's just the best mac and cheese recipe I've ever found. (I made Alton Brown's once before and I thought it was pretty bland and mediocre. As pricey as it is, the flavor is all from that Gruyere, plus a smaller amount of sharp cheddar.) I sent some off with Jeff today for Amy T and Kirsten, too!
Then, Jeff lit a fire and turned on the Christmas tree and it was just a lovely lovely evening, sitting around and talking.
Pete brought us his amazing homemade chocolate caramels. And I got one of my Christmas presents from him! He knows I'm crazy about these Japanese gummy snacks and there are all these flavors that are hard to get and I've never been able to try. So he went to Ranch 99 and bought me ALL of them. Mango, apple, pineapple, melon, and orange because it's my favorite. I couldn't stop squealing for awhile over that. We sampled them all and omg it was so exciting!! I think pineapple may be my new favorite!! Also, he brought over his Wii Fit for us to borrow while he's out of town! Can't wait to try it!
Pete eventually left and we went to bed. I did, however, leave an epic mess in the kitchen. But it was so glorious to get to just clean it up this morning. Everything's loaded in the dishwasher. I went to the grocery store after work last night, so I have everything I need to make all the stuff I need to make. (Except frozen raspberries, goddammit! Must go buy those and some more eggs. DOH. I should go do that this morning before the predicted weather craziness starts.)
Today I'll work from home and start the cookie baking adventure. I have tons of exciting food options in leftovers. Is a taco salad weird to have for breakfast?
In other Christmas news, I just feel so behind already. How did this happen?
I need to write/mail some cards today. And at least plan how/when I'm going to mail the few gifts that require mailing. The timing is all off, because I leave for LA for a week on Tuesday. I see Judy/Ellen on Saturday and I'm worried their gift won't be ready by then either.
But, I need to remind myself that any pressure here is my own. I may be late this year, but no one is going to really care if they don't get their cookies until I get back from LA and can have more time to bake, right?
Though, I'm almost totally done with my Christmas shopping. And the rest should be finished in one more quick trip to U Village! In exciting news, I was able to get Jeff's Christmas present done yesterday on my lunch break. The smaller gift is en route from Amazon and the bigger one (which is sort of a Christmas/birthday hybrid gift, since his birthday is in January), is hiding in my car. I'd like to wrap them and stick 'em under the tree by tonight! I hope he likes!!
Sarah and I are exchanging gifts/having dinner on Friday, before she leaves town. I've asked for her big gift to be expedited; I just hope it gets here on time!!
Whee!! This is why I love the holidays!!
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Date: 2008-12-17 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-17 11:19 pm (UTC)