Roku finally came through and thanks to Priority Overnight shipping Jason's Christmas present finally arrived today!
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
When No News is Not Good News
Still no word on Jason's package. It's looking like he will be opening a picture of his gift (a Roku XDS player, since many of you have asked...don't worry I told him not too read the blog until this weekend!). I'm getting kind of frustrated about it since I realized (somewhat belatedly) that I did, in fact, give Roku the correct apartment number (I went back and looked at the confirmation email for shipping/billing address) so if the package arrived without an apartment number (per my apartment complex's assertions), it seems to have been their fault...not mine! At this point I have resigned myself to the fact that Jason will not be receiving the one present he requested (and researched and agonized over for at least a month) on Christmas Day but I want to know when we can expect it! Despite going through all the proper channels with Roku and USPS, all I am still being told (a week into it at this point) is that they're looking into it. :(
On another note-- people have started receiving mail they sent to us back with "return to sender" marked on it, so it looks like it's not lost somewhere in the depths of the post office. I'm actually starting to think this is a good thing...aside from the other lost Christmas gift which we may have to re-order.
The good news is that work has been a little less stressful this week (so far anyway) and I've actually been able to try out a new recipe for dinner. Tonight I made Smitten Kitchen's Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree. It had all the makings of a great weeknight meal-- easy, relatively quick, and makes leftovers. But like SK noted in her write up of the recipe, I felt like it was missing something. Jason, on the other hand, seemed to love it as he ate three helpings (either that or he was just really hungry). I'd definitely recommend giving it a try, though I might up the cheese and/or red pepper flake quotient to give it a little something extra next time.
Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, whole
3 TBL olive oil
1 teaspoon (or more) dried red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound of rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
3 TBL olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan (plus for garnish if desired)
1 TBL balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, 3 TBL olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet and roast until tender and eggplant is golden, about 30-35 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain. Place pasta in a large bowl.
4. Transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add basil and remaining olive oil. Puree.
5. Add pureed vegetables to bowl with the pasta and add Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add some (or all) of the pasta liquid to loosen the sauce as desired. Top with balsamic vinegar and taste for seasonings. Serve with grated Parmesan on top (optional).
On another note-- people have started receiving mail they sent to us back with "return to sender" marked on it, so it looks like it's not lost somewhere in the depths of the post office. I'm actually starting to think this is a good thing...aside from the other lost Christmas gift which we may have to re-order.
The good news is that work has been a little less stressful this week (so far anyway) and I've actually been able to try out a new recipe for dinner. Tonight I made Smitten Kitchen's Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree. It had all the makings of a great weeknight meal-- easy, relatively quick, and makes leftovers. But like SK noted in her write up of the recipe, I felt like it was missing something. Jason, on the other hand, seemed to love it as he ate three helpings (either that or he was just really hungry). I'd definitely recommend giving it a try, though I might up the cheese and/or red pepper flake quotient to give it a little something extra next time.
Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, whole
3 TBL olive oil
1 teaspoon (or more) dried red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound of rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
3 TBL olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan (plus for garnish if desired)
1 TBL balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, 3 TBL olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet and roast until tender and eggplant is golden, about 30-35 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain. Place pasta in a large bowl.
4. Transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add basil and remaining olive oil. Puree.
5. Add pureed vegetables to bowl with the pasta and add Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add some (or all) of the pasta liquid to loosen the sauce as desired. Top with balsamic vinegar and taste for seasonings. Serve with grated Parmesan on top (optional).
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Christmas Cookies
It's hard to believe we are less than a week away from Christmas at this point! It's even harder for me to believe that 2011 is in spitting distance as well....where did this year go?!
With the exception of the day we put up our tree I haven't had much holiday spirit this year. Work has been busy and there have been a lot of other things that have caused me to feel somewhat overwhelmed. As a result I was late getting my Christmas cards out and just today finished the last of the Christmas shopping and gift wrapping. In order to try and foster some additional holiday cheer I decided to do one of my favorite things this time of year-- make Christmas cookies.
When I was growing up my mom made a number of different cookies and treats around the holidays, but the ones that stick out in my mind the most are her Thumbprint Cookies. Nothing says "Christmas" to me like these buttery cookies coated in nuts and topped with a dollop of sweetness. My mom always filled them with red and green icing but I've made them my own by switching out some of the icing for raspberry jam. However you choose to eat them, I hope they will help make your holiday season merry and bright!
Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted from my mom
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, unbeaten
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TBL butter, melted
1/2 TBL milk
food coloring
Seedless raspberry jam (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line one or more rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix until soft dough has formed.
3. Shape into one inch balls. Dip each ball into the egg white and roll in the chopped nuts. Place on prepared baking sheets and "dent" the center with your thumb or back of a small spoon.
4. Bake 5 minutes and dent again. Bake another 12-15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn brown. Gently transfer cookies (on parchment paper) to wire racks to cool.
5. While the cookies cool, mix powdered sugar, melted butter and milk together until smooth. Add food coloring of your choice to achieved desired color (you could also divide the icing into different bowls and tint with different colors).
6. Once cookies are cool, use a small spoon to fill the center with icing and/or raspberry jam.
With the exception of the day we put up our tree I haven't had much holiday spirit this year. Work has been busy and there have been a lot of other things that have caused me to feel somewhat overwhelmed. As a result I was late getting my Christmas cards out and just today finished the last of the Christmas shopping and gift wrapping. In order to try and foster some additional holiday cheer I decided to do one of my favorite things this time of year-- make Christmas cookies.
When I was growing up my mom made a number of different cookies and treats around the holidays, but the ones that stick out in my mind the most are her Thumbprint Cookies. Nothing says "Christmas" to me like these buttery cookies coated in nuts and topped with a dollop of sweetness. My mom always filled them with red and green icing but I've made them my own by switching out some of the icing for raspberry jam. However you choose to eat them, I hope they will help make your holiday season merry and bright!
Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted from my mom
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, unbeaten
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TBL butter, melted
1/2 TBL milk
food coloring
Seedless raspberry jam (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line one or more rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix until soft dough has formed.
3. Shape into one inch balls. Dip each ball into the egg white and roll in the chopped nuts. Place on prepared baking sheets and "dent" the center with your thumb or back of a small spoon.
4. Bake 5 minutes and dent again. Bake another 12-15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn brown. Gently transfer cookies (on parchment paper) to wire racks to cool.
5. While the cookies cool, mix powdered sugar, melted butter and milk together until smooth. Add food coloring of your choice to achieved desired color (you could also divide the icing into different bowls and tint with different colors).
6. Once cookies are cool, use a small spoon to fill the center with icing and/or raspberry jam.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you.....
Our very first Christmas tree!
Although last year was our first Christmas as a married couple, we did not get a real tree. I had a two and a half foot fake tree that I had been using for years so we decided to stick with that thinking that by this year we'd be out of our apartment and in a bigger space more suitable for a full size tree. I guess the joke was on us....a year later and we're still here. But I convinced Jason that we could find a corner in which to stick a real tree and after much cajoling on my part, he agreed.
After an hour at Home Depot, we left with a 6' Balsam Fir--the perfect size and shape for our apartment. And it's beginning to look (and feel and smell) a lot like Christmas!
Our very first Christmas tree!
Although last year was our first Christmas as a married couple, we did not get a real tree. I had a two and a half foot fake tree that I had been using for years so we decided to stick with that thinking that by this year we'd be out of our apartment and in a bigger space more suitable for a full size tree. I guess the joke was on us....a year later and we're still here. But I convinced Jason that we could find a corner in which to stick a real tree and after much cajoling on my part, he agreed.
After an hour at Home Depot, we left with a 6' Balsam Fir--the perfect size and shape for our apartment. And it's beginning to look (and feel and smell) a lot like Christmas!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)