Hello Monday!
Well, apparently kayaking season is over. The temps are supposed to drop into the single digits tomorrow night {7 degrees!} and the HH is afraid the cold might damage the molded plastic kayaks and so he took them to the barn for safe keeping.
Whatever. I just think that maybe he doesn’t want to stand outside and spy on me while I paddle around the cove while it’s cold outside. But what do I know. Husbands are funny like that. Protecting the little woman and all. Bahahaha.
He did redeem himself though after stealing my kayak. He knows how much I’ve been missing my bakery treats lately and surprised me with a homemade lemon tart. The tart turned fantastic and added such a bright spot to my day. I love that man. Even if he does make me crazy half the time.
General Store $9.00
The best salami sub yet. I think they went a little heavy on the chili sauce and it was SPICY SPICY. 🙂
Big Box Store $11.91
Fact: Haagen Dazs hands down, has the best strawberry ice cream on the planet.
Big salad with salami, apples, and dried cranberries with Ken’s Greek dressing.
Fried egg and ham on Dave’s Killer bread.
Fried egg and potatoes. And yes, everything is better with ketchup.
HH: Did you do something a little different with the pot roast?
Mavis: So that’s code for you don’t like it, right?
The leftovers made their way into a Shepard’s pie {which he liked}.
Mel’s Drunken Beans… always a winner!
And last but not least, $55.10 for 5 jars of specialty spreads for our holiday feast from Wozz! Kitchen Creations. Now all that’s left to do is place an order with Parish Hill Creamery for the stinky cheese. 🙂 This year’s Christmas feast… it’s going to be crazy good and I am VERY much looking forward to it!
So hoe about YOU? What did you eat this week? Are you planning for a big holiday feast too, or doing something different this year. We want to know.
Have a great one,
~Mavis
P.S. Giveaway Winners will be posted tomorrow, so if you haven’t entered yet, HOP TO IT! Someone has to win, it might as well be YOU!
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries, Bakery Treats We Brought Home $76.01
Total Spent in December on Groceries and Bakery Treats $103.44
- Total Spent in November on Groceries and Bakery Treats $174.71
- Total Spent in October on Groceries and Bakery Treats $871.38
- Total Spent in September on Groceries and Bakery Treats $71.47
- Total Spent in August on Groceries and Bakery Treats $426.99
- Total Spent in July on Groceries and Bakery Treats $222.60
- Total Spent in June on Groceries and Bakery Treats $194.12
- Total Spent in May on Groceries and Bakery Treats $256.47
- Total Spent in April on Groceries and Bakery Treats $1083.55 WOWZA
- Total Spent in March on Groceries and Bakery Treats $446.03 {includes a $50 gift card}
- Total Spent in February on Groceries and Bakery Treats $416.98
- Total Spent in January on Groceries and Bakery Treats $346.47
- Total Spent on Groceries and Bakery Treats in 2020 $4648.37
You can go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories
Virginia says
HH is really upping his game with that lemon tart! It looks absolutely beautiful. Is that candied lemon peel on the top? I’d love to see you post the recipe. I’ve got a couple of citrus lovers in my household.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, candied lemon! Can you believe it?
Jeanie H says
Now enquiring minds want to know exactly what you did to make the pot roast different. Also will your hubby share the tart recipe?
I made the red onion marmalade over the weekend and it’s a winner!
Mavis Butterfield says
I used fresh jalapenos instead of jarred with a little extra juice. Go figure. Will ask about the tart recipe. 🙂
Robin in WI says
Doing something different this year, courtesy of COVID — Christmas lunch in my brother’s garage. The garage and its floor are heated so it won’t be cold in there, at least. Buffet-style simple foods eaten at socially-distanced card tables, and holiday movies projected on the garage door. I mainly want to meet their new cat. 😉
Lissa says
Buffets are high risk for covid spread. It’s better to have guests point at what they want and to have one person put the food on the plate. Only the person serving should touch the plates until it is given to the guest.
Robin in WI says
We’re using our own utensils to scoop food on plates instead of shared utensils. 😉
Mel says
I tried out a recipe for overnight sticky buns this week, and they were amazing and really easy. Everything gets assembled the night before, and then they go straight into an un-preheated oven in the morning for 40 minutes. Came out perfect. I might start doing them for Christmas breakfast next year, but since we just had them, I’m going to try a chocolate breakfast wreath pastry on Christmas morning instead.
For Christmas dinner this year, I think we’re doing lo mein with homemade noodles and egg rolls. We just had a big feast for Thanksgiving with tons of leftovers, and there’s no place for Chinese takeout close by, so this seems like a good alternative. Also good for curling up in front of the tv and eating while watching Christmas movies.
Mavis Butterfield says
Lo mein with homemade noodles and egg rolls sounds wonderful!
JB says
Hi Mel,
Would you mind sharing your sticky bun recipe? My grandmother makes them for me almost every Christmas, so they are a beloved part of our traditions. Also, thanks for sharing your mini sewing room makeover! I love to sew & used the photos of your port masks as a guide to modify my own. Such a great innovation–I was afraid the grommets would difficult to install, but they were a snap (no pun intended)!
JB says
Ahhh! “would BE difficult…” I am a grammar geek–didn’t mean to omit ‘be.’
Mel says
I’m so glad the grommets were useful! They have made a big difference for my husband who often works 12-hour shifts.
Here are the sticky buns:
https://www.hellobee.com/2016/02/22/overnight-sticky-cinnamon-rolls/
JB says
Thanks for sharing, Mel! One more quick question–a while back, you mentioned having found these stick-on sliding covers for your laptop camera. Would you mind sharing where you found them? They sound like a great privacy tool.
Mel says
Sure, I got mine from Amazon, and they are similar to these. I think Target, Best Buy, and other places have them as well. I gotta say–it’s kind of fun slamming the little camera door shut after a Zoom meeting, but I don’t get out much these days, so I’m easily amused. 🙂
https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Smartphone-MacBook-Sliding-Blocker/dp/B07C74S59Z/ref=asc_df_B07C74S59Z/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312760964359&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12705386694882439429&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007702&hvtargid=pla-641546576059&psc=1
JB says
LOL to slamming the camera shut!!! Thanks
Janet Parks says
Mel, please share your sticky bun, lo mein and egg rolls recipes!! You are amazing and inspiring!! I love reading your comments and your posts! Thank you for what you add to Mavis’s already terrific blog!!
Mel says
Aww thanks. I love reading here everyday and seeing everyone else’s ideas and comments, so it’s nice to contribute. Here are the recipes:
Homemade Pasta (when I use our spaghetti cutter, the noodles are a great stand-in for ramen-style noodles, so I try to make them whenever I do this dish or sesame noodles):
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-pasta/
Lo Mein (I usually double the sauce, and I am too lazy to stir fry the veggies, so I just roast them all on a sheet pan. I typically do onion, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and bell pepper. I also use canned baby corn (uncooked) and some sauteed cabbage. The same blog also has a crockpot version, so I do that if I’m doing a cut of pork or beef, but I’m just doing shrimp this time.):
https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/03/easy-lo-mein/
Egg Rolls (I use cooked ground pork instead of shrimp, and I lightly saute the veggies first because I cook these in our air fryer.):
https://damndelicious.net/2016/06/10/shrimp-egg-rolls/
Dipping Sauce for the Egg Rolls (most stores sell duck sauce if you prefer): https://www.food.com/recipe/gyoza-sauce-112972
Overnight Sticky Buns:
https://www.hellobee.com/2016/02/22/overnight-sticky-cinnamon-rolls/
Janet Parks says
Thank you, Mel!! Wishing you a very merry and safe Christmas!
Mel says
You too!
Laura L. says
Mel, I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing an Air Fryer but haven’t done so because they take up so much counter space and that’s at a premium in our kitchen. Do you use yours often and really love it, and if so, which brand do you have? Also wondering about the cleaning of the air fryer. They look like there would be quite a few steps involved but I’m not certain about that. I hope you don’t mind all my questions but I would love to hear your thoughts if you have a moment or two. 🙂
P.S. Thanks so much for the recipes, you’re so generous.
Mel says
We really like ours, but I think it could go either way. We really love that it has allowed us to make things we normally would not (e.g., egg rolls, fried tofu, etc.). My husband did say it was worth it just for the egg rolls, so there’s that, but the things I’ve used it for so far aren’t things we make super often, and I haven’t had a ton of time to experiment with it for things we eat every night like roasted veggies. It is easy to use and clean though, so I think I’ll have stronger feelings about it once I can find the time to incorporate it more regularly.
Counter space was a big issue though. We have no pantry, so lots of things have to be on our counter. The way I made peace with that was actually to get a larger air fryer. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but larger air fryers have more features, so that approach allowed me to get rid of our toaster and dehydrator. So, the air fryer was swapped in for more or less the same counter top footprint as the toaster, and I can also get rid of the dehydrator currently stored in my basement. I’ve found I’m more likely to use the air fryer dehydrator feature since it’s already set up, so I think that’s been a good choice. The larger model also holds more food, and I find that helpful.
Here’s the model we have:
https://www.amazon.com/Airfryer-Convection-Rotisserie-Dehydrator-Certified/dp/B088K31Z21/ref=sr_1_19?dchild=1&keywords=air+fryer&qid=1608063009&sr=8-19
Brianna says
We are celebrating a few days early again this year. We will go to my parents for the Christmas Eve hors d’oeuvres to include a full spread of different meats, cheeses, dips, shrimp and roasted oysters. For Christmas I just bought a amaretto pie for the freezer from a divine local Italian eatery (he is amazing, so I support him when I can). I am debating on doing a roast duck or serving a lasagna for the main course. I do have the duck from a local farm in my freezer.
Christmas shopping for me has been 90% local this year and I am not buying gift cards for local places because I fear closures and not being able to redeem them, so I have purchased merchandise that is all local artisan produced. It has been expensive, but I have a small COVID-related side gig at my kids school to supplement the extra cost.
Lissa says
My husband and I both have Covid. He acquired it from one of his staff. One person went to big family Thanksgiving gathering and the other is very active in his son’s church where no one masks or distances. He chief of staff at a hospital so does not see patients, but works closely with his staff who mask at work.
Margery says
This year the husband will be home on Christmas, he normally has to work so we are starting our day with croissants and hot cocoa, while opening gifts. Then the husband will make breakfast omelets to order with all the sides as a brunch. Lunch is snacky stuff, while dinner is Roast beef, Mashed potato, gravy, peas, salad, and Yorkshire pudding. Dessert is pie. On Christmas eve, we have a Ice Cream sundae bar for dinner with all the toppings, my kids look forward to this all year. To balance it out I do make a big pot of soup for lunch on Christmas eve.
With the fresh Jalapeno, you will be missing the pickled flavor that the jarred one gives.
Tracy says
The tart is beautiful!
Meg C says
My kids (9 & 11) requested lamb chops for Christmas supper and since we will be a significantly smaller group this year (only 5 of us) we’re granting their wish . We may also order a rabbit but maybe save that for NYE.
Mavis, I’m making your pumpkin bread recipe today (mini loaves) to share with our neighbors.
I, too, would love to see HHs lemon tart recipe.
Cathy D says
Not sure what we are eating I guess I need to figure it out very soon!
HollG says
It’s just the four of us this Christmas and it might be our last all together so we’re going traditional – roast beef with mashed, roasted potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, glazed carrots and horseradish sauce.
Breakfast traditionally is cinnamon rolls and scotch eggs.
I glad to hear you weather is turning cold. I’m a bit envious.
Cynthia P says
Christmas dinner this year will be the same as always. We start with appetizers – hot crab and artichoke dip, sausage balls, Frito’s with onion dip (my husband’s fav), baked dilly cream cheese with crackers, and jalapeño cheesy Monkey bread. Dinner is two deep fried Cajun turkeys, one traditionally roasted turkey, prime rib, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, three different cranberry sauces, fruit salad, green beans with bacon and rolls. Dessert is what ever one of them brings!
A. says
That is the most beautiful lemon tart I’ve ever seen! I bet it was delicious!
Katherine says
The lemon tart is gorgeous! Please post the recipe. We are not sure what we will be doing for Christmas. Our movers called this morning to cancel due to a woker being diagnosed with Covid. We were suppose to move this coming Monday. We are frantically calling movers for availablility.
Mavis Butterfield says
I would be freaking out! Fingers crossed you find movers on such short notice. Yikes.
Laura L. says
Can I just say how lucky you are to have a husband that cooks and bakes! Wowzers, what I wouldn’t give if my husband could (or should I say ‘would’) boil water!
We’re going to switch it up this Christmas and just have lots of yummy snacks so no big meal since we’ll most likely be by ourselves. We’ll hunker down and watch Christmas movies, and light the fireplace (hoping it’s cold enough to do so). I do envy your cold, true winter weather there, Mavis.
Linda T says
If it’s the same Maine I left, you’ll be looking at ice in the bay and kayaks don’t paddle well on ice. We used to go out ice fishing for ocean smelt in shacks in the bays. It was fun and the shacks had a small stove so you were warm enough. TRY IT- its a Maine experience!
Dianne says
That Lemon Tart is fabulous looking! It looks so good! What a great job with the crust!
This year it is just the 2 of us. We will do a spiral Ham Christmas Eve with cheesy potatoes, sweet potatoes, some type of salad and carrots. Christmas Day we will just hang with leftover Ham sandwiches on nice crunchy french rolls! I more than likely will put a pot of chili on for the day! When my Mom was alive, she used to make the candied orange and lemon peels! So good!
Marilyn Yamada says
I hope I didn’t miss the drawing, but here’s my input anyway! We moved to the countryside in western WA in late October, and I thank the Lord every day for this blessing. We love the quiet and solitude it brings. My husband brings me the most joy as he has tirelessly worked on our 2-acre property. We are not spring chickens (I turned 70 this year!). Thank you for your blog. It’s the silver lining to my day. God bless you, Mavis and HH, of course.
Susie Janov says
We always go out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve, but this year it’ll be takeout. Christmas dinner will be a standing rib roast (prime rib) for the very first time. I guess I’ll do what seem to be the usual side dishes: mashed potatoes & gravy, horseradish sauce, fresh broccoli. Just the two of us because my 90 year-old mother fell last week & broke both her hip AND her wrist. so she’s in a rehab for the holidays. 🙁
JoAnn Moran says
I love the look of that lemon tart. I’m making your drunken beans this week. Every time I cut a fresh jalapeño, I feel like I need gloves and a mask. I couch, my eyes burn, and my fingers are raw where I touch it. Can you recommend a good brand of jarred jalapeños?
Mavis Butterfield says
Mount Olive! Love them. 🙂
Sue R. says
For a number of years, our Christmas tradition is a raclette meal. It’s origins are Swiss but our French friends and relatives introduced it to us. Tasty cheese melted with a raclette grill and spread over potatoes. Delicious!
Linda says
Would the HH share the recipe for his lemon tart?
Tom Just Tom says
HH doesn’t outright complain about the food, at least not if your household’s rules match ours. If I complain, I’ll be cooking my own meals for the next couple of weeks!
You have a smart one there…