Ah, the holidays. I love the decorations, the lights, the goodies, and all the fun. What I don’t like, is the asking for things. I’ve never been very good at that. Pretty much since I stopped sending letters to Santa, I have hated making a wish list. Even for my birthday. I downplay my birthday every year. Not because of my age, but because I don’t want the fuss. It’s just a block I have. Of course, I’m a pretty unusual woman to begin with. Can I admit that I don’t like shopping? Yup. It’s true. Even as a teenager, I have never liked heading to the mall. I know I’m not alone in this, but we are definitely in the minority.

I do, however, like gift giving. I love seeing someone’s face light up with excitement when you get them something amazing. Especially if they weren’t expecting it! So much fun! Even better with older kids and adults. Like the time I got my husband a T-Shirt which was signed by an actor we like. He was completely blown away! In fact, the most memorable gifts I can remember, are ones that didn’t necessarily cost a lot, but were things that came of a casual conversation or other moment in our lives. Something that shows that you truly listened. Like the time my young son decided to buy some speakers for my car as mine had just started going out. With his own money. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of how sweet he is. 

Speaking of my son and husband, they have both been bugging me to fill out a wish list. I agonize over it, knowing that my son will want to spend money on me again. The thought alone warms my heart enough. When he was young, the little things he made were the gifts I treasured most, and still do, but he’s a teenager now. At one point, years ago, my husband made an excellent point. As much as I love giving, I need to find a way to make it easier for them to give in return. He is, after all, my son and has the same big heart that I do. Aww… OK, that’s true.

So, now we all add some items to our wish lists every year. Mine is the smallest among us, because I still can’t get myself to ask for too much. I really don’t need a lot of things. I’m actually trying to reduce our clutter rather than add to it. There are some things I’m thinking of adding to it. Like time with my son baking cookies for the holidays. Perhaps more time playing with my niece and nephew. How about good health and less stress for everyone? Yeah, that would be nice. Peace on earth sounds like a great deal, but it seems too big a job since it hasn’t happened after all the wishes already made. Perhaps if we all think a little more locally rather than globally. It doesn’t have to take a lot of money, effort, or time, but there are little things we can do for each other every day. Smile at people. Hold open a door for someone. Actually listen. Think before you speak. Put others needs ahead of your own. Make something. Spend time helping. Do things that actually help others.

This year, I’m making a list for myself to complete. It may take longer than just through the holidays, but that’s OK. It can be a revolving list that I keep adding onto. A “good will” list of sorts. The items included will be things I can do to generate happiness. I will make goody bags of homemade treats for our friends, neighbors, and clients. I will make ecards for everyone I know, and send each one with a personalized message. I will get my son in the kitchen more often, and teach him how to make his favorite meals. I will check in on my elderly neighbor more often. I will invite people over for dinner more. I will follow my passions. I will shop small as much as possible. I will support my friends and neighbors more. I’m going to let go of things I don’t need any more. Like stress and the causes of it. At least I can try! Just a bit of effort in the right directions. It certainly can’t hurt. I believe in the saying: Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Easily one of the most interesting ways to cook chicken. Never tried it? You should! I’ve used this recipe many times with various ingredients and it has always produced the same result – a flavorful and juicy bird that falls apart. Even if you don’t like beer or alcohol in general, don’t shy away from this method of cooking chicken. I have used soda with equally excellent results. In fact, in a pinch even water in a can would work – but be sure to add some herbs to the liquid to increase the subtle flavoring of the meat from the inside. I love how the cooking time is extremely shortened (a 5 pound chicken will cook in a little over an hour) and that you can actually get more meat out of pulling it apart than by cutting the edible parts away from the bones.

Here is the basic recipe that I found online, and the tips I found useful. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dry spice rub

1 12-ounce can beer

Directions:

1. Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

3. Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can.

4. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

5. Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

* This can also be done in a 375 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours.

Source:Bob Blumer

** Practical tips from Jana:

Put a potato, apple, onion, or lemon (whole or part) in the neck cavity and pull the skin back over it. Sometimes I’ll pin it with a toothpick. This helps keep the vapors inside the chicken for more flavor and faster, more even, cooking.

You can use soda instead of beer. The flavor is subtle, so any liquid in a can will work. Add a clove or two of garlic and some herbs to the liquid for more flavor. Don’t have a can of anything handy? Take an empty 12-ounce can, rinse it out, and add any liquid you like.

Place a pan (lined with foil for easier clean up) under the bird for more stability and to keep as much of the liquid from spilling onto the flames as possible and keeps the heat indirect. Make sure the lid doesn’t touch the chicken.

McCormick makes some great rubs (my favorite is Montréal Chicken Rub.) You can also make a basic rub using: Kosher salt, ground black pepper, paprika, and brown sugar in equal parts, plus some garlic powder and onion powder.

I love breakfast food. We’ve known many a weekend brunch around here, and even have breakfast for dinner sometimes. German pancakes, all puffy and golden with sliced apples sautéed in butter, sugar, and cinnamon and zesty orange popovers with creamy orange flavored sweet butter are just some of the many amazing things that have sprung forth from my kitchen to the delight of my family.

But, trying to cook first thing in the morning when I’m sleepy is hard. I’m one of those people who need to wake up slowly…with coffee. When I was in my 20s, I was able to roll out of bed, get ready, and be at work in about an hour. Now, I need to be up for an hour before I have any kind of a meaningful conversation. Or at least one I’m likely to remember.

Therefore, I needed to come up with something easy that is both delicious and homemade. While looking at the book for my bread machine (I call it my dough maker) I decided to try combining the recipe for ‘cheese and bacon bread’ with the technique for making rolls.

BREAKFAST BISCUITS

Ingredients:

1 Cup, 2 Tablespoons Water

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar

1/2 Cup Finely Grated Cheese (I use Sharp Cheddar)

3 Cups Flour (All-Purpose)

2 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast

*3 Tablespoons Minced Bacon (Turkey Bacon)

*Melted Butter (Optional)

1. Add ingredients to the bread pan in order, except the bacon and butter. Set the bread maker to the ‘dough’ setting.
2. After 35 minutes, add the bacon to the pan so that it gets incorporated into the dough during one of the kneading cycles (my maker has an hour and a half dough making process.)
3. Remove dough from pan with a spatula, onto a floured surface.
4. Divide dough into 12-15 portions. Roll into balls, and place on a greased baking sheet.
5. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 45 minutes – or until doubled in size.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until browned.
7. Immediately after removing from the oven, brush with melted butter.

Cut in half, add a zapped egg, and you have a meal that is quick and portable. Grab a mug that roughly matches the size of the biscuits, lightly spray the inside with oil, add an egg (either scrambled or whole with a pierced yolk-to prevent explosion,) cover with a small plate, and cook at half-power for about 2 minutes, What you actually want is for the egg to be almost done. Remove the mug from the microwave (careful of the hot handle and all), and let stand with the plate on for about a minute and the whites are solid. I like to add some spices to the egg (while scrambling or just before cooking) such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper, or anything that sounds good.

The other day I went to get some biscuits out to heat up, and realized that we were out. Knowing it takes hours to make more, I decided to improvise using a pop-open buttermilk biscuit tin. I pulled each biscuit apart, until they were mostly in halves, added a pinch of a mixture of grated cheese and bacon bits spread evenly in the middle (not touching the edges, and sealed the dough back into a biscuit shape. I brushed the tops in a couple of tablespoons of melted butter (with a pinch of garlic and onion powders) and baked as directed on the package. Got asked to make those again.

*Edit: Picture added for fun.

Dinner out is always an exciting prospect for me. I won’t lie, a big part of it is because I don’t have to do prep or clean up. Honestly though, most of the time it also feels kinda disappointing. I’m a pretty good cook and baker, so I love trying new recipes. Like any good cook, I tend to make changes to suit the particular tastes of my family. In fact, I’ve gotten so good at it that when eating out, I end up feeling that we just wasted money…hence the disappointment.

There are some exceptions, of course. Certain ingredients or tools are too pricey for casual use or something that only I like. Some things I just haven’t mastered yet. I used to put steak in that impossible category, until I found the secrets to making a resturant quality steak at home…and it doesn’t involve a grill. Yup, that’s right, I said it. No grill.

Laugh if you will, but have you actually seen the inside of a restaurant’s kitchen? They don’t usually have a BBQ to throw the steaks on.

The method I like using now is all thanks to this:

http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Steak-in-a-Frying-Pan#

Life’s pretty good when you learn how to cook a really good steak. In fact, this method works great on pork chops too. Plus, you don’t have to stand outside.

Though, let’s face it, it’s fun to go out and enjoy company and atmosphere. Getting to exchange drab every day duds for that new outfit is an uplifting experience. Trying new foods and beverages, gives me inspiration. Hanging out with family and friends, talking, laughing, dancing, are the things that make life worth living. Cheers!

Another New Year’s has come and gone. With the stress of the holidays, I never really put much thought into making resolutions this year. Okay, being honest, I haven’t for quite a while. This year, however, my newly minted teenager asked me what my New Year’s Resolutions were. Instead of spouting platitudes or trying to make some up on the spot, I eloquently said, “Uh, I don’t really do that.”

“Why?” He asked. Oh how the tables have turned!

“Well, because I try to see personal growth as an ongoing process. Something you should recognize all the time, not just once a year.”

Not that there is anything wrong with making resolutions; they just don’t work for me. I’ve tried so many times in the past to keep the resolutions I’ve made. Some stuck, but most were things that I, probably like you, had heard about and thought might be helpful. Turns out, in most cases, I was wrong. Sometimes with disastrous results; sometimes the activity just faded away. Always I felt guilty about it.

Initially, I stopped making resolutions because I was in my 20s and was too busy partying. Just like everyone else. Then I became a mom and got sucked back into it. Conformity and all. Then, of course, after realizing that I had lagged in my commitments to my resolutions, feeling guilt. Very common, I know. Sorta seems like self-torture though, doesn’t it? We fully intend to lose weight, get more organized, eat a healthier diet, get more exercise, blah, blah, blah…but somewhere along the line that fabulous diet that everyone swears by and the amazing organizational system you were promised would change your life forever, just stopped being a plan and started becoming a chore. This is when, realistically, we know that this new thing we tried isn’t working for us. Some of us stubbornly try to stick to it, forcing ourselves to do things we really don’t want to do.

Of course, there are plenty of things we don’t want to do, but have to. Dishes, laundry, cooking, dusting, vacuuming, mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, paying bills…well, you get my point. Chores. When you’re a kid, chores are things you have to do before you can relax and have fun. Perhaps you also get an allowance. In most cases, it is more because your parents make you do them. This is normal in the realm of parenting and there are, in fact, several sites dedicated to this practice.

https://www.choremonster.com/

http://www.chore.com/

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/chorechart1/a/ageapprchores.htm

Chores are not only a great way to get needed tasks completed, but teaches kids how to become comfortable with housework and other jobs that will help them throughout their lives. Let’s face it, most of us don’t really LOVE cleaning up after other people (or even ourselves!) but these things don’t do themselves. The closest we have is getting someone else to do them for us. Frankly, all this makes me wonder about the message we’re sending, when we talk about how you should “never bribe children.” When my son was little we had a chore chart that had things like ‘brush teeth’ and ‘put away toys’ on it. If he did all his chores, every day, then we would go out for ice cream. Or maybe he could get a new toy. Is that a bribe or a reward system? How about getting an allowance? How about getting a paycheck for working? My son doesn’t see a difference. Neither do I.

What we really need to do is strive for constant improvement. If something sounds great, by all means try it. If, however, you find that this new method becomes a hassle, it’s okay to let it go. After all, we’re trying to improve ourselves. If it’s not an enjoyable experience, why do you think it’s truly helping? Even if it’s the healthiest thing you could possibly do for yourself, why bother if you hate it? You’ll really only be prolonging the experience.

As for me, I’ll continue to try to be my best self; making changes as I go.

Oh! Hey! My chores are done! I’m going to go play a couple of hours of Xbox with my son.