Red Velvet

First a quick update on Buddy. We had a pretty bad night. He coughed most of it. We are exhausted. This started last Thursday...and truth be told, I don't really know how many hours of sleep we have managed to get in. Poor Buddy. The medication we got from Dr. Evans on Saturday just didn't do the trick..so this morning we started all over...and he just now FINALLY stopped coughing and is settled down. Had to up the ante and now he is on Vicodin..at least for 10 days till Dr. Evans ( Jennifer) says we do different...Thank You Dr. Jennifer....

So I decorated my tree last night, but, honestly, there is not much on it. It is a real pretty tree, but with all of this going on with Buddy, I have just been too tired and worried about him to focus on much else. Just like in the last post...let it go...do what you can do. It feels Christmasy in here though.

We live in San Luis Obispo and it is home to California Polytechnic State University..John and I both graduated from there...and the school really started out many years ago as an agriculture school. And it still is. The have a little plant shop up at the top of the hill..next to all the livestock and at Christmas the kids do a pointsettia project/fundraiser. So every year I like to go out and see what they have. I went this morning and it was like walking into Santa's Wonderland...when I turned and looked in the main room, I gasped. They had the most beautiful display of poinsettias...sometimes I am on the fence when it comes to these plants, I can't decide if I like them or not. But they really do say "Christmas". I like the traditional red ones. I got one that is just a single stem..with just one big flower. It is called RED VELVET. Each one is stunning in it's own way. They have so many different varities it's hard to decide...

It was so warm and cozy in there...they had on Christmas music and were serving hot cider and donuts....it was a nice break..to be sure.....

Angel Food

I had a Christmas Party to go to at Sharon's on Sunday night. And I was out of juice. That Buddy situation left me flat. He is doing really well and I appreciate all the kind words and well wishes. More than you can know...but, as far as getting into the kitchen and making something really special..well, it just wasn't in me.Before The Buddy Situation I had high hopes. I told Sharon that I was going to make the walnut cake out of Julia Child. The cake is wonderful...BUT..it takes most of the day to make...there are several steps...and I just couldn't face it. So I took the easy way out. Frankly, I barely could muster doing this.The boxed Duncan Hines angel food. I made the cake and frosted it with just a simple whipped cream. That was it. Simple. It was like the cupcakes...only one great big one.
It wasn't my proudest moment..but it got me to thinking..it isn't about the dessert..it's about your friends..and being there..especially at the Holidays...just do what you can...it's all you can do sometimes.... and it's o.k.

Buddy's Going To Be O.K.

We just got GOOD NEWS ! ! ! I might as well tell all of you, I have been sitting here holding Buddy crying all morning....thinking the worst..and the vet just called...Buddy will be fine. All little old dogs have this. I asked her, is he going to die? She said, no, Buddy is not dying..He will be just fine. She is prescribing a medication that will help him, said it might just be an episode...

I have to tell all of you how much I love you and am so very thankful for each and everyone of you. It's just me and Buddy here on the farm most of the time..and I find so much comfort knowing I have all of you. Thank you all so much for the kind words, thoughts and prayers.It means more to me than you'll ever know.....

On Hold

I am in a situation with Buddy right now....he started coughing yesterday and I freaked out...was at the vet all day..it is not life threatening...but am waiting for a call from the vet about how to proceed with some medication..he has a collapsed trachea...very common in older toy poodles...so I can't think about anything else except Buddy .....just so you know.....

Getting Things Out

We went and got 2 Christmas trees last night. But before that we went to Pepe's Restaurant and had a real enchilada...and this one was good. So we've got that out of our system.
I got a few of my decorations out. The old book is from my collection of vintage Christmas books...this one..."The Birds Christmas Carol" was a gift from my dear friend, Julie.

The little tin Christmas box was also a gift from Julie...I just love it..I leave it out all year....just sitting in my bookshelves...but at Christmas I set it out for all to see...

The candy canes are old..I scored them one year from an antique shop up in Cambria called "Birds of a Feather". They were used to decorate a Christmas tree lot...love them too.....

And the little wreaths in my kitchen window are part of my vintage Christmas collection.

I'll start decorating the house and trees this weekend....

Rain is in the forecast.....

Mushroom, Pine Nuts,Leek and Tomato Tagliatelle

The other day I told you that I was going to make this pasta for supper and would post the recipe if it was good. Well, it was good...so good that it was all gone before I could get a picture of it. I wondered if I should post the recipe with no picture...but decided I had to...it is just too good not to share. It is from an old cookbook I have ...vintage date 1984. I just love this book. The recipes are seasonal. This one is under the Fall pasta section. It calls for wild mushrooms,I didn't have any so I used baby brown mushrooms instead, and it also called for chicken..I didn't have any so I just skipped it.I bought a leek after Thanksgiving cause it lookes so good and added it here. John has to have meat so I thawed out some sweet italian sausage and just cooked it in a skillet.

Today I am making gnocchi...I'll try and get a picture before we eat it all...


Mushroom,Pine Nuts, Leek and Tomato Tagliatelle

Adapted From Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza and Calzone Cookbook
by Alice Waters (the beloved)

1 cup brown buttom mushooms,sliced
1 leek, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tomatoes, chopped
Italian Parsley..a handfull,chopped
Thyme leaves...a few, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Parmesan, grated....use the good stuff
Tagliatelle, cooked and drained for 2

Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil till soft and brown
Remove from pan and set aside

Saute the leek in olive oil till soft

Add mushrooms back to the pan

Add the chicken stock

Add the chopped tomatoes, pine nuts and the herbs, salt and pepper to taste

Add the cooked tagliatelle to the pan ...splash in some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce seems dry. Stir. Plate the pasta and sprinkle parmesan on top