dughlas

I'm glad you got a break even though it wasn't the day your son had planned.

My dad sent me a text saying back home it was in the 30's/1° all day today and that it's supposed to get cold and blustery tomorrow. Something to do with a gift from Canada.

Me too. I mailed a Christmas card to her today. Hope it arrives in time.

Thank you Page. Mum and the pup are both well.

Your mom and I probably do them in a very similiar manner. These can be roasted in the oven or on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven. 1lb Brussel sprouts 2 shallots or 1 medium sweet onion, chopped .25 Cup precooked bacon pieces (Hormel or Oscar Mayer, less fat and sodium than cooking) .25 Cup good quality olive oil Freshly ground pepper to taste. Aged balsamic vinegar (I use dark but white works too, it just has a lighter sweeter flavor) I simply clean and cut the sprouts in half before cooking. In a bowl combine with chopped shallot/onion and coat generously in olive oil. If roasting in the oven spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Season with black pepper to taste. Roast for 30 minutes at 400°. Remove from oven. Scatter the bacon bits over top and stir. Drizzle with vinegar to taste and return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes to allow vinegar to reduce to a glaze. If roasting on the stovetop heat skillet over medium high heat. Add sprout/shallot mixture to hot skillet and cover. Check after 5 minutes and stir. Continue cooking and checking every 5 minutes until sprouts have softened and begun to brown. Reduse heat to medium low and add in bacon bits and vinegar. Allow to simmer uncovered until vinegar has thickened and formed a glaze. Remove from heat season with black pepper and enjoy.

I use John Cope's Toasted Dried Sweet Corn, available on Amazon for those not in the Hanover, PA area. I follow the recipe they provide for Baked Corn Supreme on the back of the package. 1 - 3.75oz package of dried corn, ground in food processor (I choose not to grind the corn because I like a coarser texture, ground corn bakes up as a corn pudding). 2 Tbsp melted butter 1 tsp salt (optional, I omit it due BP issues) 1.5 Tbsp sugar 2 well beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. Bake in a 1.5 or 2 quart casserole for 40-50 minutes at 375°.

Ugh it's 75/23° with 78% humidity under heavy clouds. This is not the Upsidedown. It should not be this warm. It's making my head ache ...

Thank you for sharing your friends with us. It is a wonderful kindness you've done us.

He seemed untroubled by the thought of dying. He simply lay down the earthly burdens that afflicted him and in the company of a beloved companion, went home. I have a similiar way to prepare brussels sprouts that omits the nuts and adds a healthy drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar at the end of cooking.

Wishing for seasons past?

I heard the Canadian government had issued air quality alerts in Ontario.

Now I understand the liberal dose of decorations in the photo. These are magic cookies and sound tasty. Will these two appear in other stories?

Val isn't the violent type. Her vengance is delivered in far more subtle manner ...

Reminds me of Val when she finds out there's no more cheesecake.

Uhm, I didn't much like Taran, reminded me of my dad when I was young. His temper seems a bit too quick and ready to place blame. Of course this could be a particularly stressful evening and both seemed a bit testy right from the start. Perhaps we're getting a biased perspective as our chronicler is adept at pointing out Taran's outbursts and past transgressions as well as those of past beaus. A case of circumstantial evidence? I make a similiar dish using dried corn rather than the canned corn.

Huh?

An excellent chapter.

Why does Dennis need him when he's got you?

I've had this sauce with meatballs several times, it's very good. Unfortunately it never showed up on my doorstep with a cute guy. Had heard of the currant and mustard version, it sounds tasty. Maybe the cute comes with it.

But you would fall with more style and grace.

Yes but the one time you probably peed like a racehorse ...

Not sure what if anything we'll have. Mum had lunch out with friends and had a cup of ham and split pea soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Far more than she normally eats at lunch so she's not hungry. I too, ate lunch out. I went to a nearby Brixx Pizza and ordered a rosemary chicken and wild mushroom pizza. Roast chicken with fresh rosemary, wild mushrooms, carmelized onions with gouda, mozzarella cheeses on an olive oil brushed crust baked in a woodfired oven. I didn't eat it all. If I should become hungry I'll eat what's left.

What do you think the lad put on to replace the pair you pilfered? A nice snug pair in Black Watch tartan plaid.

All these interspersed acts of love brought me to tears. What a beautiful story. Thank you.