Christmas Day at the farm was perfect. Lovely drive, beautiful setting, great hosts (my aunt Mary and uncle Bruce) and guests (aunt Marge, uncle Jim, cousins Kelly, Kim, and Craig). And the KILL meal - salad with berries and almonds, roast prime rib with pan juices, mashed potatoes with sour cream (oh yeah, they're as incredible as they sound; recipe posted in comments, below), Harvard beets, roasted vegetables, challah, and Marge's pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce. After opening presents, we played a boys-vs-girls game of Taboo (girls kicked butt, of course), and then John and I drove home, enjoying the festive small town Christmas lights and remembering how incredibly bright the stars are when you get out of the city. Beautiful!

And now, oh ho ho is it time for the holidays to go! At least the over-eating part, ack. DONE! So long coffee cakes and cheeses and potatoes and steaks and breads and wines and cookies. Had you all! Enjoyed every bite and sip! But am also enjoying my return to salads and veggies and fruits and soups and teas and fish and nuts, aka Normal Eating. Like last night, when I pulled leftover simple tomato-garlic soup out of the freezer, stirred in chipotle chili powder, canned black beans, and a few diced tender turkey meatballs. NICE! And filling and healthy too.

Or like tonight - sauteed chicken, big salad, a mug of hot tea for dessert, and a family game night including rounds of Blokus and Scrabble. It's still vacation for the kids, but feels good to get back a bit of our usual groove, too.

Big plans for the New Year? Not here, a quiet night is in order which is damn fine with me! We're thinking perhaps Indian takeout, requisite glass of bubbly, more board games, and BED! After all the December celebrating, and my 40th in mere weeks, a low-key New Year's Eve breather sounds positively lovely.

Santa came a little early for Nathan AND John and me. Yesterday, with Nathan spending the day with his dad's family, my Johnny and I had a romantic, wintery dinnner-and-a-movie holiday date. Movie first, the new Bond flick Casino Royale. What a totally raucous, sexy, clever, action-packed blast! (And nice blue eyes, James...)

Then on to dinner at the highly regarded Bayport Cookery, in pretty little Bayport, Minnesota, just-south of Stillwater on the St. Croix river. I'd not been there before and that's a damn shame, because it is extraordinary. Cozy and gorgeous, we were seated in front of a (real!) roaring fire in the beautiful Mission-style dining room. We opted for the 5-course dinner (choices are 9-, 5-, and 3-course) with wine pairings...truly outstanding. Opened with silky chestnut soup garnished with black truffles. On to grilled swordfish over braised saffron lentils. Then rosy pork tenderloin over creamy risotto with a few drops of garnet-red cherry port sauce. And then the "main course" of New York strip alongside a slice of crispy potato galette and garnished with bordelaise and a smidge of fresh crabmeat. I opted for the cheese course for dessert - raw milk manchego served with a tiny, warm, phyllo-wrapped fig. John chose - of course - the chocolate grand marnier creme brulee and loved it. At just a few special bites each, the courses were perfectly proportioned and we left feeling satisfied, not ill (novel thought in a restaurant these days, sadly). The service was friendly and top-notch. The pairing wines were thoughtfully chosen and delightful. In sum, we enjoyed a gorgeous, romantic night and a lovely way to ease into Christmas...

...which we kicked off this morning, allowing Nathan to open his Santa gifts (as I said, Santa came a bit early to this house since Nathan won't be here tomorrow morn). I baked Mom's Sour Cream Coffee Cake, dividing the batter between a pan of mini-muffins (for us) and a couple of small loaves (for Stace and my aunt Mary). Even ol' Sigs got in on the action! He's been pretty busy this year, celebrating his 15th Hanukkah/Christmas holiday season by knocking ornaments off the tree with his wagging tail, snagging hors d'oeuvres off party-guests' plates, and hosting a playdate (of sorts) with Digby. Rooooo!

And oh! I can't forget to say how much fun I had at dinner Thursday night with Suz, her Cousin Ann, and Kim at Salut Bar Americain! We had our pommes frites, as promised, and they rocked - of course! Bearnaise dipping-sauce could make damn near anything taste good, mmmm. (I think I'd eat cold pommes frites off a dirty floor if I had Bearnaise sauce alongside, ha.) I also opened with a couple of delicious raw oysters, followed by a yummy salad. I've certainly had my share of delicious holiday meals - and it's not technically even Christmas yet!

So another tonight - as I said earlier, beef stroganoff for John, Nathan, and me. And then tomorrow out to Mary and Bruce's for more family and feasting - NICE!

And although it's a day late - Happy Birthday Kathie!!!

As the year draws to a close, I want to say a great big thanks, my friends, for reading my blog and trying my recipes - it all makes me feel great! I am so grateful for the blessings of family, friends, health, and abundance. I hope you're having a lovely, peaceful holiday season! My best wishes to you and your families!

A White Almost-Christmas! How unexpected and charming! And dangerous, as it rained - and froze - for a few hours first. I lucked out and wrapped up my errands in just the rain, before the nasty freezing stage began. From the safety and warmth of my desk, I witnessed the rain crystallize on the tree branches, then miraculously transform into snow, all at once, like popping corn. So beautiful!

Speaking of popping corn...perhaps I'll have to make a big bowl when Nathan gets home from school. With some hot cocoa. And a crackling fire. Let it snow!

Only downside is that the slippery streets and sidewalks might - and only might - hamper my footwear choice for this evening's hijinxing and dining. I always go out at night in heels - always. With a spritz of Chanel Coco (my current warm, sexy crush), or Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese (mysterious), or Escada Magnetism (caramel sweetness), or perhaps Lanvin Arpege (lady-like). But always heels. Hmmm, I'd bet I go for the heels, ice be damned.


And for staying in? Specifically, staying in on Christmas morn? I don't know what I'll wear (slippers! flannel jammies!), but I do know what I'll want to eat! One, or more, of my four ultimate favorite breakfast pastries, all recipes previously posted here and all perfect for Christmas: Mom's Almond Puff Pastry, Mom's Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Blueberry Muffins, or my aunt Marge's Cranberry Cream Coffee Cake. Just thinking about them has sparked an intense craving for soft, warm pastry...ohhh, damn good stuff. With multiple cups of coffee? Perhaps some crispy sausage? With do-ahead brunch strata or even fluffy, buttery, scrambled eggs? Merry Christmas indeed!

Here I am, writing away...oh wait, no, I'm actually finishing my holiday shopping! Oh yeeeaahh, the internet RAWKS! Actually, I do have several errands that require driving all over the place tomorrow. But that's OK - I figure it's not really Christmas without fighting for at least a few parking spaces. Luckily the bulk of my shopping was just like this, baby, with a cup of coffee in one hand and a big ol' smile on my face.

I had a visit from my nephew Cooper today! He was looking way cool dressed like his favorite cousin Nathan - short-sleeve-over-long-sleeve (t-shirts). While his mommy went for a run, he hung out with me and played, and played, and played. Snacked on a few Cheerios. Enjoyed a few bites of peaches. Played some more. And then his mommy was here and it was time to go. Until next time, Cooper Cuteness...

Tomorrow night - holiday hijinxing with my minxes and Suz's Cousin Ann, followed by dinner for the four of us girlies at Salut Bar Americain. Pommes frites, here we come! In moderation, but of course...

And moooo oh my but Christmas is looking fabulously beefy! I'm preparing our traditional Christmas Eve fare - classic beef stroganoff, made with tenderloin. And Christmas Day, out at The Farm (my aunt Mary and uncle Bruce's home), Beef Redux - crispy, crackling roast prime rib. Rarrr!

What's your vote - naughty or nice? I say moderation means a little of both, right?!

Just a few things to pick up, gifts to wrap, cards to send...but for the most part, I'm ready. Bring 'er on! Definitely a trip to the grocery store at some point, keeping in mind that one needs to carefully plan a Christmas-week trip to the grocery store. One small miscalculation and there you are, standing like a miserable Grinchy Scroogeass in a line that stretches to the back of the store. No amount of caroling and cider can make that Merry, no, no, no, so I'll be avoiding that scenario.

But a Merry lunch today with my aunt Mary! Love that my aunts come in to the cities to get their hair cut - Marge on Saturday, Mary on Tuesday. NICE! And Happy 30th Anniversary Mary and Bruce!

And now, with cramped hand (holiday card writing), bleary eyes (too little sleep), stale breath (too much decaf), sore muscles (too many kettlebell reps), and smushy brain (too much of everything, all at the same time), I'm off to bed. Mmmmmm, bed! G'night...

Happy Hanukkah, everyone!

Parties and cocktails and shopping, oh my! Friday's dinner at 112 Eatery with Rudy & Ana and Stu The Wine Genius & Debbie was as fab as anticipated, thanks in no small part to wine, wine, and more wine - in other words, Our Usual! 2005 Novellum Chardonnay... 1995 Sina Qua Non (Syrah blend)... 1991 Nuit St. George Les Cailles (red Burgundy)... 2004 Martinelli G&S Zinfandel... Oh, and the food was damn good too, ha. In fact, we all sampled one of Food & Wine Magazine's Top Ten Dishes of 2006 - chef Isaac Becker's lamb scottadito, seared lamb chops in a sauce of goat's milk yogurt seasoned with a hint of pesto (scottadito means "scorched fingers" in Italian; the cut of this chop leaves a long bone for picking it up and eating with your - scorched, the chops are sizzling hot! - fingers). Oh god, it had it all, as you might imagine. Meaty, crispy, creamy, tender, salty, all the things that get me every single time. Every. Single. Time.

Other yummy highlights - the ever-popular-because-it-friggin-rocks roasted squash with maple syrup and blue cheese (recipe on Andrew Zimmern's blog); salad with seared foie gras and lardons (yep, both, and it's as over-the-top as it sounds); pommes frites; and pure-as-the-driven-snow-we-don't-have tres leches cake, tender and creamy with a hint of banana.

Did I forget to say that as always, it was great to see Rudy & Ana and Stu & Debbie? Me thinks I did - pardon! And of course it was, we had a total blast! After a nice, long chat, John and I said our good-byes, rolled on out into the night and back to our home...

...where I slept in a bit (!) Saturday morn, then was off to Nathan's basketball game, then to the Galleria for lunch with Stacey & Coop, my aunt Marge, and my dear friend Kathie (whom I haven't seen for ages. And Mary P., we missed you!) And then home for a second-day-of-Hanukkah celebration - tortilla soup and lots of presents...

...and last night, a lovely open house hosted by John's partner Clark and his wife Cindy. Plenty more delicious tasties (quite a gorgeous spread, in fact) and now...

...I'm here, Monday, reeling a bit and trying to eat like a normal person again! Going for as many walks as I can fit in! And feeling more than a little grateful for the "problem" of too much food in my life. I am not complaining, let me tell you, I am aware of the blessings of this abundance. It's been a very special holiday season so far, full of dear friends and plenty of good cheer. The countdown to Christmas is on, of course, but my plan is to enjoy this week.

I hope you enjoy yours as well. Peace, my friends.

Bought some anti-oxidant-packed pomegranate seeds today, in the berry section at the grocery store. Gorgeous (and delicious) little jewels in my lunch salad of greens, sliced Honeycrisp apple, and walnuts, with a lightly honeyed vinaigrette.

And for dinner, slow-baked salmon and roasted broccolini. I got the slow-bake idea from Jacques Pepin Fast Food My Way. It is a delicious and pretty much brainless way to cook salmon - turns out meltingly tender every time. As I've said many times before, Yay for Jacques Pepin! If you're looking for a holiday gift cookbook, Fast Food My Way is terrific. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

And for dessert? More gift wrapping! Woo hoo! I was a busy elf today, wrap, wrap, wrap. Once I get going it's actually quite fun...it's the getting-going part that I truly suck at. Procrastination is an ugly disorder from which I suffer miserably.

Tomorrow night, the partying resumes, this time at the lovely and luscious 112 Eatery, with Rudy & Ana and Stu & Debbie. Guaranteed fabulousness, stay tuned...

MMMediterraean Burgers, baby! Recipe (and actual burger!) from my neighbor Lindsay - she was telling me about them at our November neighborhood get-together, at which time she said she'd be making them soon and would run a sample over. And she did! And they rock! And are very nutritious to boot - whole-grain millet with onion, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and feta cheese stirred in. They brown beautifully with very little oil, and topped with chopped Kalamata olives, arugula, and a dollop of Greek yogurt, they are warm, crispy, tangy, melty, salty, creamy... In other words, absolutely killicious, rarrrr... (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

And check out Kim's Chops! The Maven is quite the cook these days - she and Brian took a few simple ideas from me and totally ran with them, whipping up healthy, lovely dinners and lunches for themselves. And sending me this photo, which (to steal Kim's phrase) "gives me heart eyes" for her - I loved getting this pic! These chops look way better than when I make them (compare below!) - right on, girlfriend!

What else am I eating lately, in my continued efforts to slim down, even through the hellidays? As I said below, lots of veggies, as many as I can think of to cook up. Nothing fancy, just simply sauteed, roasted, or steamed, made interesting with herbs, flavored salts, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and/or a drizzle of olive oil. Cabbage and nutmeg are a great combo. Kale and balsamic vinegar. Carrots and thyme. Squash and cinnamon. Fennel and tarragon. Eggplant and Greek seasoning - big roasted eggplant thing going these days, actually. Delicious on its own, fab (and fillilng) toasted inside a whole-wheat pita half, along with a crumble of feta cheese. (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

I've fallen into a routine of cooking big batches of various veggies about twice per week - then I'm set for a few days and all I have to add most days is quick, tasty protein (canned tuna, frozen cooked shrimp, frozen tender turkey meatballs, tofu, canned beans, Greek yogurt, hard cooked eggs). Or, a couple of times per week, I actually make a batch of soup or do a saute of chicken paillards, or thin pork chops (per Kim's pic!), or a lean steak, or a nice piece of fresh fish, perhaps a quick deglaze of the pan with broth for some pan juices, handful of fresh herbs, whisk in a little mustard or balsamic if I'm in the mood... Fresh fruit and a few raw cashews for something sweet... And that's dinner, my friends. AND lunch for the next couple of days! Cooking ahead = healthy, tasty eats. Not just once, but all week long!

Hope you're finding ways to stay healthy and slim through the holidays as well! And if not, that's cool too - 'tis the season for booze and refined carbs, after all! Remember: moderation, not deprivation...

How to bounce back from a weekend of partying? Vegetables! Lots of vegetables, in fact, yummy and so nutritious. The refined foods and alcohol present at every party wreak total havoc with my appetite. I was a hungry girl yesterday but I'm back to normal today. Thanks in no small part to roasted eggplant, sauteed cabbage, baked squash, steamed artichoke, raw spinach, and tomato soup, all prepped ahead so I have easy access all week. Lots of water and green tea help too - good depuffers. Fresh berries and cantaloupe for something sweet. And fresh air and exercise, of course, to put some color back in the ol' cheeks (nice days yesterday and today, huh? Not very Christmas-y, but lovely nonetheless). By tomorrow, I'll be good as almost-new!

Not that I had THAT much to recover from. I actually didn't make it to our neighborhood Yule Celebration last night - too tired, I'm a wuss! Sigh. I had so much fun with the Baseball Moms here on Friday. Everyone looked so beautiful! And brought the most amazing tasties to share! The amount of food we had - obscene, actually. Brownies, cookies, cheeses, dips, spreads, crackers, chips - all of it - and more! Everyone went wild over Sonja's gorgeous cheeseball, chock full o' pecans and scallions and topped with fruit jelly (sounds strange, but it's an incredible sweet complement to the soft, salty cheese and crunchy nuts; recipe posted in comments, below). Met some fun new-to-our-group moms, got to catch up with our "core" group, covered lots of gossip, laughed my ass off - the usual! Thanks ladies!

Little break from the festivities at least the first half of this week. Then back at it this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Ouch, says my butt. Doh!

Party, party, par-taaaay...woo hoo! Kicked up my (painfully, ouch!) high heels last night at John's office holiday party at the Walker. Lovely evening, filled with lots of good food, wine, and conversation. Opened with an ice-cold glass of Muscato, with Stu the Wine Genius, in the bar at 20.21. Then upstairs to find Debbie, cocktails, some seriously fun appetizers (including an itty-bitty cheeseburger; sounds potentially goofy, but it was pretty and delicious), and a lovely sit-down dinner. Closed with a slow, romantic dance with my honey (masochistic shoes way kicked off at that point), a fairy-tale beautiful drive home around Lake of the Isles, and beddy bye-bye-bye. Bye.

This morning, tired, pasty, sore-footed, with messy hair and black circles under my reddish eyes, I whined to John that I'm not really a Party Girl anymore. He said, awwww, it's OK honey, and gave me a big hug. Sigh. It's true, sniff. I'm not. However, I will try my best...

...tonight, Baseball Moms, here, so more food, drink, and FUN! Can I swing it? Stay tuned... Whipped up a few simple appetizers, including an antipasto platter for which I roasted asparagus, eggplant, and carrots; spicy sweet peppers and roasted cippolini onions snagged from Byerly's olive bar; paper thin slices of imported salami; crispy breadsticks; and a quick "aioli," basically mayo into which I stirred minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and herbs. Easy and pretty - good combo. I made up a recipe for savory olive muffins, enhanced with a touch of onion, garlic, and parmesan cheese. I'm setting out a couple of spreads with crackers - the blue-cheese walnut I posted a couple of weeks ago and a simple-as-sin shrimp. Last, I rolled up thin slices of salty, truffle-enhanced Italian ham in purchased puff pastry dough - I'll slice and bake right before everyone arrives. Few candles, little wine - bring on the moms and we'll call 'er a party! Yeah baby! (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

Guess who I babysat today? Coooooper!!! So fun! I got to feed him a tasty little lunch of a few bites each of plain yogurt, mashed avocado, mashed banana, and Cheerios. I love how babies fist those Cheerios and bite them with their little front teeth - crunch! We had a little bit of time to play, then I took him over to his soon-to-be new home to meet up with his mommy and check it out. It's fabulous, he'll love exploring his new digs - in fact, by the time he moves in he'll be walking and giving his mom and dad fits as he heads toward the stairs...

A very simple dinner tonight. Thin pork chops, sprinkled with a little salt and dried thyme, then sauteed until lightly browned. A quick splash of broth in the pan to stir up all the good browned bits, reduced a bit and finished with a swirl of Dijon mustard for a lovely (light) pan sauce, and voila, Dinner in 15. With a salad, maybe couscous, a fast, healthy, lovely meal. And isn't that how we want them all to be, especially during the week, especially on a chilly Tuesday evening after a long day at work? Yeah, I know...

And PS, damn Amy Brown for her incredible Christmas cookies. The. Best. EVAR. Every year. I tried, I tried so hard to not indulge...but I confess, I had a few for brekkie this a.m. Ohhh, so good (with my coffee? KILL!). I'm happy to say, however, that although I indulged when I hadn't planned on it, it was in the finest. I guess that's what being a moderate epicurean is all about. (And justifies completely my wish to not bake cookies this year - mine aren't nearly as good as hers, and now we've all had our tasties. Perf!)

Another cold Sunday in front of a toasty, crackling fire...man, I could get used to this! (Nice curls on the back of my Johnny's head, huh?)

And as you can see, the tree is officially decorated, completed last night. Hallelujah! I'm a real-tree girl...yeah, it's somewhat of a pain to get into the house, keep watered, and dispose of, but it is so pretty and smells divine. (Once the damn thing is up and decorated, bah.)

Maven of Mischief Kim came over for a chat in front of said fire this afternoon - NICE! We talked healthy food and cooking. Shocker, I know, me talking about food, but hey, we all gotta eat. And I of course am all about my latest, lighter experiments.

Like my simple little dinner tonight - remember the tender turkey meatballs I made awhile back and froze? Well, two of them, heated in the microwave and crumbled onto a crisp corn tortilla, topped with lettuce, sweet onion, a couple of avocado slices and a nice amount of chipotle Salsa Lisa, makes a KILL meal. Colorful, filling, healthy, and delicious - works for me!

Christmas tree on Wednesday, Nathan's class bowling party Thursday, Suz's jewelry party last night, Nathan's basketball game today - things are getting busy, busy, busy! Three holiday parties next week (!), couple more the week after...oh boy, 'tis not the season for weight loss, ack. The key, for me, is avoiding the alcohol as much as possible. As much as I love (love!) a glass of wine, it does wreak havoc with my appetite and the scale, even a glass. Even a half-glass, which I had last night at the jewelry party, with no food - effin scale bumped up this morning. Wine = whine! I know it's not a real weight gain, of course, but it's a day of un-losing, a stall as it were, and it ain't *&^%$* worth it (she growls).

Now, that said (whined, and growled), I'm not going through the holidays without enjoying a few glasses of wine - moderation, not deprivation, is the name of this game. But I will definitely have to be quite "present" at buffets and bars, asking myself, Do I Really Want This? A question to get in the habit of asking oneself all day long, it turns out. I'm pretty amazed at how often the answer is "no, not really." Get the hell out of the kitchen, Stephanie, and do something else enjoyable instead. Are there things I enjoy other than food and cooking? Why yes, there are, as shocking as that may sound. Read a book. Practice deep belly breathing (good for the metabolism, see below). Stretch. Check email. Make a cup of tea. Go for a walk. Chat with someone. Look at photo albums. Tidy up. Build a fire. Take a bath. Run an errand. Good thing I like to do so many fascinating things, huh?

Two interesting weight-loss books I've read recently, not the same old rehash, easy to incorporate, and effective, at least for me so far:
Jumpstart Your Metabolism by Pam Grout
Survival of the Thinnest by David Hariton

I'm hoping to get by without baking cookies this season - kinda Grinchy, I know. But I don't really want them, and no one else in this house particularly needs them (ahem), and the opportunities to eat others' creations (which always taste better anyhow!) are everywhere, so it's really no loss. Believe me, no one's going to be deprived of sweets this holiday season! I've been having holiday fun decorating with Nathan instead - I've put a serious amount of time into arranging tree-top pots, decorating wreaths, spiffing up inside, and now we're about to tackle the tree.

In fact, I'd better go and do just that - John's got a big fire crackling out there, some tunes playing, and the tree is a-calling...