Sunday, December 31, 2006

Happy New Year!!!

Happy new year everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful time wherever it is you plan to bring in 2007. Don't get too drunk now!

For everyone meeting us at the H's, see you there! Drunken ping pong anyone?

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Crockpot Gingered Beef

2 lb round roast, trimmed
2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
2 onions, sliced
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup ketchup
6 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp powdered ginger (2 tsp fresh)
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a frying pan and brown the roast on all sides. Place onions in the bottom of the crock pot and place the roast on top. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour them over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender (meat can be shredded with a fork). Remove the roast and pour the cooking juices into a sauce pan and simmer on the stove with the lid off until they are reduced (about 10 minutes) and serve over the beef.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, 'cause I certainly did.

Some of us sang at the Star Christmas fund concerts which were an ENORMOUS success (as you can see from PM's blog), the same "some of us" and some others went caroling on the 23rd and raised some money for Sick Kids. That was a great way to start Christmas as we made one poor guy so happy he cried and made a lot of other people happy as well. We also got to sing together, have some good food, then go back for hot chocolate and figgy pudding which was exciting and excellent :)

Christmas eve was PI and my Christmas morning since we don't have any other good time to open the presents to each other and the cat. Then church, then the last of the wrapping before dinner at bear's friend's parent's place (which we do every year). Then we all leave for midnight mass together. I have enjoyed mass as long as I've been allowed to go. The best years were w/ PM when we were serving and got to tear apart little pieces of the cedar rope to keep the Christmas smell in the stalls for the whole service and pretend we were part of the choir. The year we set a poinsettia on fire stands out as an excellent one as well *grin* This year was my first in the choir and it was a lot of fun. I enjoy being part of the services again.

After midnight mass (and some drinking in the choir room) we went back to my parents. It's still nice to wake up at their place xmas morning and go downstairs together as a family to see what Santa left us :) This year, instead of buying it I made our traditional Christmas breakfast, schtollen. It turned out really well, which was also exciting. PI and I went home at lunch to spend some time w/ the cat and give him his last present, then went back to my parent's house for Christmas dinner.

Boxing day this year was spent w/ PI's mom's side of the family. That's always fun as there are 4.8 (B is very pregnant) small kids around making things very exciting. They're so well behaved too! I want B and K to raise my kids!

The food all 'round was excellent and I hope PI is alright at work today 'cause I'm exhausted!

Looking fwd to the New Year party and hope that MT and PI bring R 'cause I think she'll have a great time and she's a lot of fun too. Then it's my birthday and back to school.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Ann's French Silk Chocolate Pie

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 pie crust

Cream the butter and sugar together. Blend in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition at medium speed with an electric mixer.

Turn out into an 8 inch pie shell and chill for 1-2 hours.

Serve topped with whipped cream and walnuts, pecans, or almonds.

Thursday, December 14, 2006


Hey everyone, just 1 paper to go and I'm finished for the year! HOORAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!

Other than school, not much has happened this week. I found this pic on a link from someone else's blog and thought it was hilarious and I'd share :)

Since the people who read my FIS blog seem to enjoy the recipes so much, I'm going to transfer that here 'casuse I'm not good at posting frequently on 2 blogs. For those of you visiting from my FIS blog, yes, I am bubbles, it wasn't my idea :S

Recipe Disclaimer:
I'm not sure where a lot of my recipes came from, I probably should have written it down, but if anyone has problems w/ the sources for copy right or whatever reason let me know and I can try and do something about it.

Any requests?

Bow Tie Pasta Piquant

2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
8 ounces bow tie pasta
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

Toss together tomatoes, vinegar and basil. Set aside.

Stir together olive oil, butter and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until bubbly. Stir in bread crumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Stir in shredded cabbage during last minute of cooking. Drain. Toss pasta and cabbage with tomato mixture; then toss with bread crumb mixture and almonds. Serve at once.

Serves 6

Bekki's Chocolate Mint Truffle Cookies

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp mint extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup crushed red & white peppermint candy

In heavy saucepan, melt first 2 amounts of chocolate and butter. Remove from heat. Vigorously whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in mint extract.

In another bowl, whisk flour with baking powder. Stir in chocolate mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Roll dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart, on parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Bake in top and bottom thirds of the oven at 350°F until slightly firm to the touch (8 minutes).

Remove from oven, sprinkle each cookie with tsp of chopped candy. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, transfer to rack and cool completely.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

We have just bought the cat an harness and a leash in the hopes of making him an happier cat. He's been acting rather depressed lately and trying to go out. So far we've only been taking him for walks in the hall way. He's too scared to even go as far as the elevator. So PI tried to put the harness on the cat a couple of days ago. The first problem w/ this is that, b/c there's a bell on it, he thinks it's a toy and attacks it. Once PI actually got the harness on him he seems to think he can't stand up in it. You pick the cat up, put him on his feet, and he just slumps over sideways.

To date, the cat has only gone for 1 slump down the hall way. It takes almost half an hr to get him into the harness and he only stays out for 5 minutes before PI gets annoyed that he's just lying there or 5 gets scared and comes back in.

*sigh*
Yes MT, I know you warned us, but we still hope to prevail.