What Did You Eat?

Happy New Year!

Well, I'm sure you all recognize the traditional bowl of red grapefruit to usher in the New Year?  No?  OK, it isn't traditional, but receiving citrus fruit for the holidays is almost a tradition.  I received a big bag of Ruby grapefruit, much to my delight.  They're a great treat for me, so I peeled and sectioned a big bowl of them, just like Julia Child showed me on TV years ago.  I know they won't really clean out all the butter and sugar from my veins, but it's nice to eat something so delicious and healthy. 

Everyone have a grand New Year's celebration.  I've loved meeting so many people through blogging.  Next year I resolve to answer my comments all the time!!  And lose weight. Which will be harder to do?  I'm laying money on the latter.

WCB: How We Spent The Christmas Holiday

How was your holiday?  We celebrated Christmas here, and it was fun.  I always love it, because there's always lots of yummy foods here.  This is me, waiting patiently by the Christmas tree, waiting to see if Mom got her annual gift of Italian tuna.  She did, which meant I got some too. Pumpkin, Muffin and I also ate leftover rock cornish hens, which impressed Pumpkin and Muffin.  Mom sure ate a lot (more about that later).  By the way, how many cats believe, like me, that drinking Christmas Tree Water, out of the stand, is fabulous? 

WCB is being hosted by Samantha and Tigger at their great site The Tuxedo Gang Hideout.  Go check them out to see all the rocking kitties. Caturday is at Coats Of Many Colors, The Bad Kitty Cats Festival Of Chaos is at Bad Kitty Cats Journal, and don't forget The Friday Ark. Last, Lawrence Simon is stepping down from hosting Carnival Of Cats, so head over and leave a farewell post  to this hard working guy.

Bunty's Imperial (Empire) Biscuits

Many people would recognize these as Empire Biscuits.  It's my understanding that they were originally called Imperial Biscuits (which is what my mother-in-law, Bunty, calls them).  However, at some point the name changed to Empire Biscuits.  When I married my husband, I quickly learned that this was his favorite cookie, and while normally generous, he wanted them all to himself.  Bunty makes them every Christmas and I usually manage to swipe a few of them.  They're delicious and simple, just rolled shortbread sandwiched with jelly filling and topped with icing.  This year Bunty arrived in California, with a box full of the cookies, ready to be filled and iced here at my house.  As usual, I marveled at how such a simple cookie tastes so wonderful.  I shared some of them with my friend Nancy and her family, and they fell under the spell of these little gems, calling them the best cookie they've ever eaten.

WCB: Happy Holidays!

This is why good pets go bad!  At least I got a nice treat for doing this.  And I have to admit, I do believe in the holidays.  I'm very glad I have a nice home, with lots of love, treats, and my insulin.  I hope all the people and animals without a home will be safe and warm.  We should all remember them, while we enjoy our good fortune.

Mexican Wedding Cookies. Should I share them?

Oh, I'm in an ethical quandary. Do I have to share these?  Would it be so bad, after all, to hide these marvelous cookies that my cousin Charmayne made for me?    Now, these aren't just any cookie, they are the best Mexican Wedding Cookies I've ever eaten. My mom made them, and good as hers were, Charmayne has her beat, hands down.  I give to charity, take care of animals, sponsor a lovely little girl in Africa...... can't I have them all to myself?  Or would that make me a greedy person?  And if it does, is it so wrong to be greedy about cookies?

I don't have Charmayne's recipe, but maybe I can learn why hers are so delicate.  (And I'll share that with anyone who reads this blog.)

OK, if there are any left when everyone comes home tonight---I'll share.

Holiday Countdown: Sausage With Hominy And Kale

I'm not panicked. There's still plenty of time.  It's seven days until Christmas, and I won't let stress lead me astray, causing massive consumption of potato chips, cookies, and chocolate.  I'll eat kale.  And hominy.  And a nice Calabrese style Italian sausage.   Hominy always reminds me of when I was a child and my mom cooked it for us. My dad was in the Air Force, money was tight, and hominy was a good, cheap meal.  Mom served it with crumbled bacon on top, and it was fabulous. Anytime I eat hominy it's emotionally satisfying.

WCB: Pumpkin Comes In

Last year, way back when we first joined Weekend Cat Blogging, we introduced everyone to Pumpkin and Muffin, two cats that were homeless.  They've been the neighborhood cats for quite some time, and mom and some other people feed them.   Mom worried about Pumpkin, because he has arthritis and can't run good.  She tried to make him an indoor cat years ago, but he wouldn't have that.  This week mom took him to the vet because his foot was injured, and he was having trouble walking.  The foot was swollen and looked like someone had been hitting it with a hammer. But, mom and the vet think he climbed up in the hood of a car, to keep warm, and the fan belt injured him when the car turned on. This is a very dangerous thing for kitties, and happens a lot.  Many are maimed or killed when that happens.   

PPN: Shrimp With Orzo, Capers, and Currants

Have you ever had a song that repeats itself in your mind, over and over again?  That's my problem for the last three days.  It's the Charles Trenet song, Boum, sung in French, that Absolut Vodka uses in their new pillow fight commercial.  I hum it, hear it in my dreams, and didn't realize I was singing it at the grocery store today, until I noticed people shooting me that, "You're weird" glance.  Or maybe they were amazed at my pathetic French pronunciation.  If I were better at computery things, I'd have Boum as my background music for this post.  If you know it, sing along as you consider the dish I made today, adapted from a Mario Batali recipe. His uses squid, Israeli couscous, and caperberries, which weren't available at my neighborhood grocery.  I substituted shrimp, capers, and orzo, which produced a delicious and simple dish to make, without much chopping or many ingredients.   So, it's perfect for when you're tired, but still want a good meal.  Boum. 

WHB: Herb Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Warning!  These wonderful pumpkin seeds are difficult to resist.  I promised myself to eat only a small amount and make them last for days. Self-control and all that yadda-yadda-yadda stuff.  Now, four hours later, half are gone.  Gone into my stomach, that is.  I should have known better, as I like savory, salty foods better than sweets.  And these pumpkin seeds were dusted with Mor-Sels, the finishing salt that Lydia sent me several days ago.  Obviously, I made this recipe, as an excuse to use that infernal salt.

The salt contains herbs, exactly which type the label doesn't say.  But, it tastes like there might be sage or thyme in it.  I decided thyme was more likely, so that's the herb I've chosen to spotlight for Weekend Herb Blogging.  WHB is the brainchild of the wonderful Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, but is being hosted this week by the talented Briciole, where you will see wonderful herby recipes from all over the world. 

WCB: We're Hosting This Week!

I'm OK.  Last week I didn't post and some people were worried about me, but I'm fine.  I still can't go outside or eat dry food, but I'm adjusting.  The diabetes is still a work in progress and the doctor is trying to figure out the right dosage for my insulin.  I was a little down, but instead of sulking I watch my life coach, Stewie, on TV each day and his philosophy on life and family relations has lifted my spirits quite a bit.