Whoopie!!! A Zeppelin!!!!!

Christmas has come and gone here in the Casa de Hausfrau.

Yesterday was out busy. Work up and threw the Creme Brulee French Toast in the oven while I was still half-asleep, and continued to wake up. As always, the french toast was a hit, as was the smoked salmon & bagel fixins I brought over to my mom. I'd seen a recipe for a Peachy Fruit Dip that I passed along to my sis-in-law (she's got two kids so I understand her need for things that are easy!) that was nice with some fresh fruit, and my mom made some baked scrambled eggs. Much eating was done, presents were opened. Highlights for me was a beautiful bamboo cutting board from my mom (I'm going to try to be nicer to my knives in 2008), a neat weather station from my bro & sis in law. We got my older nephew (he's 4) this big, huge Nerf gun, and he had a blast with it.

Quick stop at home, and it was over to my in-laws. The bagel dogs and green beans I brought there were also a hit. Again, great food, great company, and fun watching the kids. The other older nephew got the same Nerf gun, and this time the hubby brought his own identical Nerf gun and all the kids had a Nerf gun fight for about a half hour, which ended with the hubby trying to pull a double-gunned John Woo rolling maneuver that ended up with him smacking in to the sweets table and me in hysterical laughter. Although his aunt was taping the kids, I fear she missed that screen(or YouTube)-worthy gem. My mother in law got me a nice bread knife and they gave me some cash, so I am a happy woman.

Finally got home about 11pm, and we opened our presents here. Did pretty good for the hubby, he loved his little Hertz Shelby Mustang car (Matchbox size) that I got him, and spent the rest of the night burried in the two "Wrestlecrap" books I bought him. I got Gordon Ramsay's "A Chef for All Seasons" and "The French Laundry Cookbook" which makes me oh so happy, since I can now play along at home! Also already eyeing some recipes that might get made in a highly modified manner. First might be some butter-poached lobster for New Year's Eve.

Also got one present that the hubby also gave me last year.... a trip to Vegas in March! Very excited. Partly because our last trip was such a crap trip and we're at least in a more stable place right now, and also because the hubby treated himself and has already rented the Hertz Shelby convertable for the day we arrive. And I fully plan on him taking me to Rosemary's for lunch this time around.

Today the parents came over. Threw together a quick "meatballs in a crock pot" similar to this, using my own turkey meatballs and mandarin oranges instead of pineapple (yep, I am the only household in America that doesn't have a stinkin' can of pineapple in the pantry). They were still good. Also just laid out a variety of cheeses - cheddar, a huntsman cheese from Trader Joes, gouda, brie, Dubliner cheese, Boursin, a cheddar/horseradish spread, some apple-cranberry chutney from Trader Joes, two types of salami, some liver sausage, and a spread of raw veggies and ranch dip. Mostly opening packages and putting things on my new cutting board to spread them out. That's a wonderful cooking 101 lesson... it takes little effort and no cooking skill to throw together a fantastic cheese tray (darn, I wish I'd taken a picture). I did follow the Ina advice and had some chunks pre-sliced to get people going, and just put everything out awhile before people showed up so there was time for the cheeses to "bloom". My mother in law made a remark about "what a good cook" I am, and I had to admit this was a case of having a daughter-in-law who was just able to take the wrapping off hunks of cheese and thwap them on a platter.

Everyone had some nibbles, the moms and I had had some champagne mixed with pommeganite juice, we watch A Christmas Story.

Now everyone is gone, the house is quiet, and I plan to spend some time this evening flipping thru the new cookbooks. Might crack open one of the specialty brews that a friend sent me in a gift exchange (although I do also have some more champagne to polish off still). A good night, indeed.