winter dream on christmas eve

winter dream on christmas eve
Originally uploaded by Gregor Halbwedl

Buddy is Back
Buddy is doing so much better and we both want to thank all of you who have sent the kind words,who have showed so much love and concern..it has been overwhelming to me. You helped me get through a very difficult time and I love all of you for it..I am so lucky to be a part of this blogworld...it truely has made the world smaller...I have met so many wonderful new friends from all over the globe this year and feel so blessed at this Christmastime to have each and every one of you in my life. Wishing all of you peace and happiness as we approach Christmas....

Love, Kary and Buddy

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Buddy Update

Had another scare...just got back from the vet..x rays and blood work..got REALLY nervous cause he stopped eating for 2 days...John and I just cooked him an organic chicken thigh and he ate the whole thing...... Thank You, God.

Skillet Supper

Well ..we are finally getting some COLD weather..and rain is on the way. We even had frost and freeze warnings last night. It actually got to 28 degrees. That's cold for here. And I love it...

When Julie and I went to New England our last night was in Portland, Maine... and we hit the lottery of food world. We had supper at Fore Street.And it ended up being a night we will never forget...that's for sure. It was so good...we cried.....were we tired? Sad to go home? No..the food was that good. Cry - worthy. It was late October and as we walked in we were greeted with a big long farm table with just a few pumpkins and gourds on it.Simple. Maine-Style. Perfect. We ate dinner there that night and we were served in cast iron skillets. Old ones...from the antique shops in Vermont and New Hampshire and Maine.After our supper we went back to our room at The Pomegranite Inn...yeah..you read that right... The Pomegranite Inn .How cute is that? And talked till 3 in the morning about the food..the restaurant...and one long and very beloved trip to New England.

Since it is so cold here tonight I decided to make lasagna in a cast iron skillet a la Fore Street...

I just did my own version...really simple.

Farmhouse Skillet Lasagna

Saute some shallots till soft
Add in some chicken italian sausage and brown
Add 1 large can organic whole tomatoes
Add some red wine...a splash or two
Salt
About 3 scoops of tomato paste

Simmer about an hour

Add some chopped fresh basil....I still have it in the garden..maybe not for long

Boil some lasagna noodles

Layer sauce, pasta and grated cheese in cast iron skillet

I just used mozarella...nothing fancy


Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour till hot and bubbly

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.