31 December 2009

On this New Year's Eve...

Please be safe, healthy, and happy.

May you all live long and prosper in 2010!

28 December 2009

Turducken Express

Aside the bird breasts not being entirely the size I expected, our Turducken Christmas Eve dinner was indeed a success. Enjoy the photos!
Flattened meat chilling in our walk-in freeze (aka outside deck)

The kitchen counter about half-way through the process

Searing all sides

The final product, carved and on display (after Kathy sorta dropped it)


This photo post wouldn't be complete without this last photo. I had some extra turkey breast already pounded flat, so I added some stuffing(NJ folk)/dressing(WI folk), rolled it up just like the turducken, and then rolled it in chopped walnuts before searing and baking for Aidan.

He LOVED it!

19 December 2009

Happy Christmas Photos!





Aidan Ryan in red (17.5 months) and cousin Alan Robert in green (21 months).

With the help of my wonderful husband and our four very food-driven cats (the source of many smiles and giggles), these were the best out of 123 photos taken in my little make-shift studio. By the end of the photo shoot, Alan clearly thought I had gone mad, and began looking to Chad for guidance as to how to react to this *new* Tia. Even Aidan, who is generally used to me acting like an idiot whenever I bring out the camera (which is....often), was probably beginning to wonder if perhaps this time I'd gone over the deep end for good.

But at least the pictures are done, printed, and should (hopefully) be arriving in the mail on Wednesday, in time to be Grandma & Grandpa's Christmas presents. :)

But it's a surprise so SHHHHHH!




AND one more from last year of the kitties, because it's the best I've ever gotten of all 4 of them together.

18 December 2009

Taylor Pugh: a double standard

How pathetic are we that the length of one little boy's hair could cause such issue? I'm sorry, but I just can't help commenting on this article. The child is four. He's a boy. His hair is longer than what would be considered "normal" for a boy. Get over it! On a girl, we would call this style short. Why is it we care when a boy grows his hair long, when we so much more readily accept a short hairstyle on a girl? Not that I'm complaining, mind, since I spent the better part of a decade with short hair. Still, the double-standard irks me. Just because I generally prefer to see boys with short hair doesn't mean I would ever consider forcing my preference on someone else.

And as for my son, well, he'll have to take up his hairstyles with Grandma (a la Hair Addition - River Falls, WI). I'm sure I'll have far more worthier battles to fight than the style of his hair.

15 December 2009

Turducken Express

This is my plan for Christmas Eve:

http://andrealynnfoodwriter.com/Portfolio%20PDFS/Recipe%20Development/Turducken_ChileN16.pdf

I am VERY excited!

01 December 2009

Well done, Kerry Bishe and Scrubs!

Tonight, for the first time in my life, I watched a TV show called Scrubs. Better late than never, right?

Normally not my thing, but I must say I greatly enjoyed myself.

And the best part? Kerry Bishe's performance as Lucy. Her character is sweet and instantly likable. I may, of course, be biased. You see, I went to middle and high school with Kerry, though I knew her older brother, Bryan, much better (he was in my year). Odd, calling him Bryan. Back then we had two Bryans in our group of friends, so we always called them each by their surnames (Bishe, and Witmer, respectively). Her father was my 7th grade homeroom teacher and 8th grade History teacher. Watching the show, I couldn't help but see the Kerry I knew in school, right down to the facial expressions.

In any event, Kerry gave an absolutely spectacular performance and I will definitely be tuning in week after week!

Well done, Kerry!