Channeling my Cousin Cheri - Lefse Making

It's 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and I have suddenly decided to make Lefse.  Now, keep in mind, I have not done this in YEARS.  Perhaps 30 or so as my daughter, Jen, remembers doing it with me once when she was young.  I was taught how to make it when still living in Bigfork and my cousin Cheri was visiting in Polson.  We spent one entire day making them and while I still remember the mechanics of it -- it has indeed been a while.  My children grew up eating lefse on Christmas Eve, but it was rarely made by me.  Up north you can buy it in the grocery store during the holidays.  I have yet to see it here in Texas.  That means, I need to get back to the basics and thought perhaps you'd like to take this journey with me today.

The first thing I do is make sure I have enough potatoes on hand.  I like Yukon Golds and therefore that is what I have, but they are not the starchiest potato and I remember that the starchier the better for lefse.  Oh well, these will work - they just may require a bit more flour along the way.  I'm never real big on measuring when cooking but ALWAYS when baking or working with a dough.  It's a bit of my own OCD.  I want 1 pound and, well, that's pretty dang close.  We are good to go.

Christmas Eve - Hmmmm

Well it arrived.  Even with all my procrastinating and wishing the month would just disappear, Christmas Eve is here.  This is such a tough day for me each year and I always think perhaps the following one will be easier than the last but it doesn't work that way.  Being a northerner and having 70 degrees doesn't help.  I miss family.  Period.  I miss making the days magical.  I miss little ones filled with delight.  I miss cooking for 25 people and making pies and caroling.  It's hard.  My sweetheart tries to make it better for me, but his family really doesn't "do" things the way I used to.  Ugh.  Okay -- enough.  It's time to get out of bed and face the day.

Mister says to get dressed and we are off walking to get coffee.  It did rain a bit last night and there is dew on the trees.  It's lovely and as close to an icicle as I'm going to get.  Trying to capture it with a camera is challenging though.

Nope, not my yard, but loving the droplets for sure.  Now, onto the coffee shop where we hang out for a couple of hours working the crossword and just visiting.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for Mister

It's Christmas Eve and I am doing everything I can to keep busy.  Next up are some Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for my sweet Mister.  They are his favorite cookies by far.  He has located a new recipe to try and I'll share it here with ya'll.  It is from the Gracie Mansion in New York.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper (I used a silicone baking mat); set aside.

In a large bowl, using a spatula, cream together 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - room temperature, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  I didn't have quite enough dark brown sugar so I had to add a wee bit of light brown to fill the cup.  It'll be okay and dark brown sugar goes onto the grocery list.  The mixture will become almost pasty.

Next, add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup water; mix until well combined.

OMG --- Vivid Autumn Beauty

Each day that the sun peeks out offers me a chance to truly embrace the beauty that is around me.  The cooler, rainy days are certainly helping the trees to give every last drop of color to us this year.  So absolutely gorgeous.

Christmas Decorating is Happening - A Peek

Just a little peek of what is happening at our home

Sunshine in Autumn

With all the dreary days of late, we finally have some sunshine and a chance to photograph the beautiful color surrounding our home.  Love, love, love this time of year.  These are the colors that make my heart happy.

A First Time for Everything

I can hear Mister out in the kitchen concocting something so I'm off for a peek.  He is making us martinis.  I've never had a traditional martini and thus, a new experience will happen.  Oh -- yes, I like them and this is only a prep picture -- there wasn't any ice in them when they were made.  Mister was just chillin' the glasses.