Hello Santa, Do You Read Me? (and free Christmas CDs)

The year is almost over, Thank God. It's been a rough one. As I write this, I am waiting for my coffee and sewing closed a hole in my pants. The whole is at the bottom of my zipper, which means that anyone who sees me gets to see the whole party. It must be sewn closed. At 11 a.m., I will be working at the Boonton Holiday Boutique on Main Street in Boonton. We are selling Ward's note cards there, and in exchange we have to work a handful of hours.

I am writing my list to Santa, below. It's an idea I got from my boyfriend's family. Before I write it though, I am offering a very cool, free Christmas CD (that I will make you my very own self) to anyone who can point me in the direction of some cool vintage charms, that are under $1 per charm.

Okay, here goes... this is my honest to goodness, what I want for Christmas letter.

Dear Santa,

I am so happy that this year is almost over. I am certain that you've been watching to see if I've been a good girl. I am not sure what your parameters are in terms of good, but I will say that I've tried very hard. Maybe I've failed in some instances, but I hope that you will take into consideration that I have honestly lived with an open heart. Yes, I've cursed incessantly and with gusto and perhaps that will be perceived as bad (Ma was right when she said I had a mouth like a sailor). Their may be a few other demerit worthy instances, but all in all, Santa, I haven't been horrible.

I don't really want new clothes but if you could get me back into my size 6 (and then 4) jeans, I'd be forever grateful.

Oh, and Santa, a handyman, free-of-charge, for a day or two a month would be spectacular. He could change my blown out light bulbs, put new batteries in my fire alarm, handle all things related to electronics, plumbing, and heating. He doesn't have to look like Mark Sanchez (whose birthday happens to be the day before mine - go Scorpios!), but it wouldn't hurt, either.

I need socks, Santa, and underwear. Maybe some fire logs, and Mountain Lakes garbage bags, too.

If you could bring my grandparents back for just one day, please, please, please do it. They could meet JH (two of them died before he was born) and see how much he's grown. We could eat lunch together, and talk and laugh and hug. It would be the greatest day I've had since my son was born.

I've learned that health is about eating good foods, exercising, and limiting stress, so please pack me the motivation to commit to exercising, going to yoga, and meditating. You might need to physically drive me to the gym until I get back in the habit, but that should be okay, since your off-season is 11 months a year.

I know that this is my list, but if you wouldn't mind throwing in some good health for my loved ones,  that'd be spectacular. In return, I will leave you some extra cookies on the fireplace mantle, for sure.

I know that money can't buy love, or happiness, but it can bring financial security and a sense of economic stability. So please, stuff my stocking with cash.

I would love a bit more strength of character, to follow through on the things I want to follow through on without fear stopping me over and over again. I want to allow myself the space to be truly happy, to sparkle in the sun (Twilight fans will understand). 

Give me the focus and the follow through to do like The Gambler says: know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run.

Santa, it's been a long, hard 41 years. This last one was probably one of the toughest adult years I've had. Please, if nothing else, give me an easy 2011. It's really the one thing that I don't think I could do without.

Truly,
D.G.

Stockings: The Update!

Our Christmas stockings, the ones I wrote about in my blog post, Lost the Battle, Won the War, are happily hanging and waiting for Santa. Since they came in the mail from the etsy store, Nana's Knits, I have sewn on a bunch of embellishments: vintage plastic charms. All of them have lucky four leaf clovers on them, all have a fish (from the same school), all have lucky charms. Each of the three kids have one of the see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil monkeys sewn on, after a photo that I took of them doing the famous pose. All have donkeys on them. In addition, each have different charms, exclusive to the person. W's is my favorite, covered in fish and fishermen, and a boat (he is my fisherman, after all).


I made some pom poms (is that what they are called?) -- those little balls that hang like tassels, with glittery red yarn, for mine and the girls' stockings. I just tied mine on, and will tie the ones that I made for the girls' stockings on tomorrow. Do I make pom poms for the boys? I'm not really sure.


But the point of this blog is to enlist your help. I need to find vintage Christmas charms, preferably plastic. I found some really cute glow-in-the-dark ones (see below) on Cameo's Collectibles on etsy, and I love them. The lot, however, has 13 charms, and I only want 5 (the sailboat, the snowman, the elf, the rocking horse, and the drum). Maybe the seller will split the set. 

Vintage plastic glow in the dark charms from Cameo's Collectibles. I want!

If you have, or know anyone who has, vintage plastic charms that they don't want, please let me know. I am looking for Christmas ones, and also animals, sea creatures, numbers, letters, food, and lucky charms. Please do send me links, etc. unless they are inexpensive. I saw a great charm that I loved, but it was $49. I certainly don't want to spend more than $1 per charm.


I'd also love an Italian horn, and lucky symbols from Italy and Greece (that don't have to be vintage).

Stuffed Jalapeños! Oh, My Darling Boyfriend, I Am Sorry.

This new low-sodium diet won't get the best of me. I've quickly learned what I can and can't eat, and how to make tasty modifications. I've found sodium-free bread (Ezekiel's), salt-free, organic peanut butter (Woodstock Farms), and a few cheeses: Coach Farm goat cheese, and unsalted fresh mozzarella. Actually, there are lots of cheeses I can eat in moderation (list available by clicking here). In addition, I can eat things like red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and even Tabasco sauce.*  Completely off the menu are all cold cuts, anything fried, anything processed, most soups. This dietary modification is easy now that I've gotten the hang of it, and it's made me feel a whole lot better.


Tomorrow I am trying a new recipe that I am creating off the top of my head. Stuffed jalapeños. Years ago, W and I had them for an appetizer at Tim Schafer's. They were unbelievable. The jalapeños were seeded, then stuffed with some kind of cheese (I can't remember what kind), battered and deep fried. 


I hadn't really thought much about trying to make anything like this myself until I was slapped with this low-sodium diet. I've found that spicy vegetables are a great source of flavor, without the salt.  As I stood in the cheese section of the market holding a handful of jalapeños, I wondered what I could stuff them with to make them fun and tasty. I started reading the cheese labels and found low sodium cheeses that would work nicely together. I decided that I could blend the Coach Farm goat cheese with Sorrento's whole milk ricotta cheese (the part skim has more sodium) for the cheese mixture. I think the goat cheese would be fine on it's own, too, but since 6 oz. is $13, stretching it with the the ricotta is a thrifty idea. Plus, I think the consistency and the flavor will be a bit more interesting with the blend of cheeses.

My planned ingredients

I wanted to add more spunk to it, so as not to just have cheese and jalapeños, so I picked up a bunch of fresh cilantro, some organic chili pepper spice blend, and a tomato. I am going to dice the tomato, tear the cilantro, and then put both into the cheese, sprinkle it with the spice blend, and maybe add a couple of drops of Cholula sauce. I will split the jalapeños in half, seed them, and boil them for a few minutes, just to get them soft. Next, I will pack the jalapeños with the mixture, and then bake them face up until brown, at about 400*F.


I am going to write the recipe as I go along (writing this post on Tuesday, making the jalapeños on Wednesday, will publish on Thursday), so I will add it to the end of this blog post and then post it all at once. I may not add the Cholula -- need to think about it for a bit. Can't wait to get started.


The Verdict:


I just made them. Seeding/hulling them was harder than I imagined, and I did it with my fingertips, gloveless. After washing a bunch of times, my fingers are loaded with heat. I won't dare touch my eyes. I'd do it the exact same way, if I were to do it again, but I'd know to be more careful afterward. 


But I won't be making them again. At least not my recipe.


It was bland. The jalapeños' skin was thick, and the stuffing was near tasteless. I was surprised, because the goat cheese on it's own has a really divine flavor. I am stumped. W did add salt to his, and he said that wasn't the missing piece. Something is still missing. I can't figure it out. Maybe the recipe needed garlic, or onions. But they were so unappealing that I literally threw the batch away... and I never waste food.


After all this, though, I wouldn't dare leave you without a recipe, so I found one for you that I thought you might like. Bobby Flay's Grilled Stuffed Jalapeño Chiles. I will keep working on my recipe until I get it together. In the meantime, I defer to the master, Chef Flay. 


Humbly yours, the Domestic Goddess


Bobby Flay's Grilled Stuffed Jalapeño Chiles

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese
• 4 ounces shredded aged white Cheddar cheese
• 2 ears corn, grilled in husk and kernels removed
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 jalapeno chiles, halved, stemmed and seeded
• 1 heaping tablespoon ancho chili powder

1. Heat grill to medium.

2. Whisk together the cream cheese and goat cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the Cheddar, corn and green onions and season with salt and pepper. Fill each jalapeño half with about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and sprinkle the top with some of the ancho powder.

3. Place on the grill, filling-side up and cook until slightly charred and tender, about 7 to 8 minutes.

*Some are better than others -- Cholula has 85 mg per tsp/about 5 mg a shake, Tabasco also has 30 mg per tsp/2 mg a shake; Emeril's Kick It Up Red Pepper Sauce is way to salty, with 140 mg per teaspoon, and my beloved Frank's Red Hot is off the list with 460 mg per tablespoon/20 mg per shake.

I'm In Your In Box (or I can be)

Ahead This week: Recipe for Stuffed Jalapeños, Stocking Update, and Best Christmas Songs (and a free Christmas CD offer)


I've been getting a lot of wonderful comments about my blog. Many of them are private messages, some are comments following the blog post on my facebook page, and occasionally I get them on the actual blog. Sometimes, people think that they are commenting but don't see their comments pop up. This is because I hadn't activated the Anonymous option. Now I have, so you can comment anonymously. Have at it.


Lots of people are telling me that they'd like to comment but don't want to create a blogger account. One person, someone very well-known, wants to post without people knowing who she is. I've also had lots of people say that my blog occasionally gets forwarded to them through a friend, and they want to follow the blog but don't know how.


I am so flattered about all this, and I am answering those questions here for you all so that you can stick with the blog.


To comment, as I mentioned, you can now make it anonymous. After reading the blog post, you will see a section for comments. It might say "0 comments" or "2 comments" or whatever. Comment by clicking on here. A box will pop up for you with "Post a Comment" and after you post, it says "Comment As" with a drop down menu of options. You can pick your profile through Google, typepad, and other things, or you can choose "Anonymous." Then click "Post Comment."


Now, to the right of that spot it gives you the option to "Subscribe by email." If you choose that, you will give your email address and my blog will be delivered to your Inbox upon posting. If you prefer, you can become a follower of my blog, and that option is always on the left side of the page.


Anyhow, I hope this has helped, and if it hasn't, please feel free to email me with your specific questions. Hopefully, I can help you. I can always manually add you to my blogger email subscription list.


Thanks again for all of the great comments. Keep 'em coming!

Share the Love. PDA today.

I am no stranger to PDA. In fact, I am hopelessly, publicly expressive. I am forever smooching all over my boyfriend. My son and the girls are constantly being given hugs, and kisses atop their heads. I could never be in a relationship with a man who thought PDA was tasteless. Mind you, I'm not getting all Alexis Carrington-like with my kissing; I am tastefully, appropriately affectionate.


Today, while walking into my son's elementary school to hang this month's bulletin board design, I saw two index cards taped to the doors. They each had messages printed on paper, taped to the index cards. I don't remember what one of them said, but the other (the one I took) says, "All you need is love!" on the front (see below).

PDA. Join the movement. www.projectpda.wordpress.com

On the back was handwritten, "Spread the love www.projectpda.wordpress.com." This is right up my alley. This movement reminds me of the spirit of the movie, Amelie, my very favorite movie ever, all thanks to my beautiful friend Jamie Allen. In this film, the lead character Amelie does good deeds, guerrilla style. Project PDA is very similar. It reminds me of that lady who toured the world just hugging people; when she was in NYC, people waited on line just to be hugged by her. There was also a man who wore a sign, FREE HUGS, and hugged anyone who wanted a hug from him (click here to see the video). He video taped his project and it went viral on YouTube. Watching it again just now brought tears to my eyes.


In this age of computers and social networking, most of our personal contact comes through the Internet. Skype, IM, texting. Yet humans thrive on physical contact. Ashley Montagu's book, Touching, scientifically proves that. Furthermore, Montagu found that older people who have limited physical contact, were actually sicker because of the lack of contact. Skin is our body's biggest organ, and it needs attention.


Although Project PDA isn't sending people out on a random touching adventure, it is advocating that we go out and spread the message of love. On their About page, Project PDA says:


Public Displays of Affection is a project in:
guerrilla messaging,
anti-advertising,
intervention in public spaces,
changing the environment,
serendipitous finding,
and
making people smile.


On the page, you will see photos of people's handiwork, photos of messages people came upon ("serendipitous findings"),  and more. The website is fabulous, and honestly the most warm-hearted thing I've seen all season (with the exception of my boyfriend's family's Dear Santa project).


Let's start our PDA tomorrow. Think about what you might like to do and then remember to follow through with your plan. Spreading beatific feelings to those around you, whether you know them or not. You can submit your PDA to the Project PDA website, if you like. You'd have to photograph your work and email it along with your name, where your message is, and anything else you'd like to add. (Check the website for details.) I can't wait. I have the best idea for my personal Project PDA and I'm planning to do it tomorrow. Very exciting. 

Tiffany's Stuffed Tomatoes - A Recipe

This recipe has a little story behind it, however short. The first time I made it was last New Year's Eve. It is from my beloved cookbook, Classic Italian Cooking: Recipes for mastering the Italian kitchen by Valentina Harris. The actual recipe is called Pomodori al Forno Ripieni di Riso or Baked Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice. The recipe calls for long-grain rice, but it doesn't say cooked. You are supposed to cook the rice in the tomatoes, for 55 minutes in the oven.

Always test a recipe before you plan on serving it. Always.

On that New Year's Eve, my boiler was broken and being repaired, and I was trying to cook, while cleaning the house from top to bottom, as the kids (all three of them) had just had lice removed from their head that day. And did I mention that the day began with a snowstorm?

The rice didn't cook in the tomatoes. Not much, anyway. Not enough to eat it, though people did sample them out of sheer kindness. Still, I wasn't giving up on the recipe.

I learned a lot in a year, and have made this recipe a number of different ways, very successfully. It's super easy, tastes great, and is pretty healthy for you, too. Here's my recipe, which is much different from the one in the cookbook. I hope you try it out and let me know what you think.


Tiffany's Stuffed Tomatoes

• 6 big, organic tomatoes (as big as possible), ripe but not soft
• 2 cups of cooked rice (I used organic basmati, but you can use whatever you like)
• handful of basil, torn into small bits
• 2 oz. low-salt mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c (or to taste) shredded parmesan cheese
• garlic powder and pepper, to taste
• Optional: 1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes

1. Cook the rice. While it's steaming, cut the tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out the middle. I use a plastic knife to loosen the middle, and a plastic spoon to scoop it out, so that if I slip, I don't damage the outer part of the tomato. Place the six tomato cups (that's how they should look, like cups) in a small baking dish that has been greased with extra-virgin olive oil, open side up.

2. Mix cooked rice with cheeses (reserve 1/8 c of parmesan for topping), and then fold in basil. If you are using sun-dried tomatoes, add them, too.

3. Scoop up the rice with very clean hands, and pack each of the four tomatoes with the rice mixture until fully stuffed. Top with remaining parmesan cheese, and drizzle with olive oil. (I have a great garlic infused olive oil that I use, and you can make that, too, if you like.)

4. Bake at 350* for 20 - 25 minutes, until tomato is cooked, but before rice begins to brown.

Makes six exceptional side dishes or appetizers.

Note: You can also add cooked ground beef to the rice, to add protein to your stuffed tomatoes.

A Great Bunch, and Electrocution by Christmas Lights

I've known, from the moment I met W's family, that they are amazing. They are respectful, kind, funny.  Smart, musical. Refined. More importantly, they are tight knit, which I love more than words can say. Without giving the details of their fabulousness away, I have to say that I feel blessed to be part of his family.

We are doing Secret Santa's this year, each pulling a name from a hat to see which person we will be buying for this Christmas. We pulled the names on Thanksgiving, and W's sister suggested that we each write our wish list and email it out to our group, to help the person out who is buying for us do their shopping. The "Dear Santa" letters began with mine. It was a basic letter that said perhaps I hadn't been good all year, but really, no one is perfect. The letters kept rolling in, one funnier than the next.

And then his sister raised the bar.

Awesome, awesome M did a music video. She wrote a song, sang, and played along on the banjo. Her voice is beautiful, and the lyrics were really funny. Her ending was priceless. Oh how I wish you could see it. When I saw the video, my heart warmed. I love her like a sister, and seeing her on this video almost made me cry at my good fortune of being close to her. Following her video, W sent one back. Another music video, of a very different variety. I was behind the camera. I laughed silently while taping him once, and then again. His self-effacing hilarity still manages to sneak up on me like a ninja.

Reading the letters and seeing the videos are gifts themselves. I feel so fortunate to love them. They are a blessing in both my life, and my son's.

In keeping with our Christmas theme, we went to get our Christmas trees today. We went to our local farm to pick our trees. The kids made themselves cups of hot chocolate, and ate some cookies that the farm leaves out for shoppers, then began running around looking for trees. We've gone there for three of the past four years now, and it's quickly becoming our little family tradition.

We came home, W put the tree in it's stand, and then everyone went about their day.  I took out last year's string lights and plugged them in to make sure the worked. After testing successfully, I began wrapping the colored lights (still plugged in) around the tree. Strand one went around effortlessly, and then I plugged in strand two. Around and around I went, and when I was nearly done, a section of the strand blew out. I know that sometimes I need to wiggle the string or tighten it up around the tree to get the lights to stay lit. I began shaking it, gently, and then ZAP! I felt the power snap into my wrist. It was like nothing I've ever felt before. Incredibly, shockingly painful and fast. I dropped the lights and looked at my wrist. Two tiny black dots, the size of freckles, remained. Entry points, that's my guess.

I called W to tell him what had happened, and he suggested that I unplug and take the lights down right away. I thought, perhaps, I wouldn't light my tree up this year. The kids put most of the ornaments on the tree, and then went back to playing. Ornaments are enough, right? Er...

Hours later, I decided to try again with new lights. A tree without lights just isn't a Christmas tree. In the process of hanging them on the already decorated tree caused more than a few ornaments to come down, and one, my chocolate covered doughnut ornament, shattered to pieces.

Regardless, I sit here typing in my cushy chair, fire ablaze in the fireplace, my Christmas tree is lit and decorated behind me. I feel satisfied that everything is done, and we are sitting quietly in our cozy little house. All is well that ends well, after all.