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Dec. 25th, 2014 05:13 pm
No-stress Christmas Day Six: Every One
BIL and OGI are in the living room trying to kill each other with foam Minecraft swords and the dog is trying to figure out who to defend from whom while Sis looks on. Big Brother is engrossed in his new RPG supplement, Little Brother and e. are safely on their way back to Chicago with a large box of heavy gifts for me, the younger generation are slaves to their screens in the playroom, and the older generation are struggling not to fall asleep. The table is groaning under the weight of cheeses, crackers, and cookies, all of which will have to be cleared to make room for the roast and its sides.
[Time to make the dinner!]
Now I know that the secret to a very successful sauerbraten sauce is a successful Einbrenne made with sugar. It's the only tricky part of the process and I very nearly screwed it up by forgetting the proportions (2 butter, 3 flour, 2 sugar) in the middle of the carmelising process. Fortunately, Sis was there to check them for me and even measure out the flour. Cooking is so much easier with two extra hands at my disposal.
Not to mention the right tools. Last year, no sooner was I back with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
monshu but we made a list of missing utensils--and then I managed to lose it until less than a week before Christmas, thus the mad dash to a restaurant-supply store on North Broadway to purchase them. So my gift to my sister ended up being a gift to me really. (I was literally standing there waiting for her to unwrap it so I could take the slotted spoon and strain the marinade.)
Still, she was happy to get it. My gifts went over well in general, which is a coup given how late I started on them. As usual, the last-minute inspirations were often more successful than the ones I've been mulling for months. My oldest nephew pitched in on Stepmom's Tillandsia ball and made it truly awesome. The nursery had one planted in a whelk, so I spontaneously decided on a beach theme and he obliged by raiding his extensive collection of tiny shells.
bunj and e. were willing to cart a box up for me, so everyone felt free to give me heavy gifts--including two wedding presents. I know one of them will knock monshu's socks off and the other will make him chuckle. I can't wait to see him again, but I've got almost another entire day to get through first. I really wanted to prepare for it by sleeping in, but once again the builders next door have other plans.
[Time to make the dinner!]
Now I know that the secret to a very successful sauerbraten sauce is a successful Einbrenne made with sugar. It's the only tricky part of the process and I very nearly screwed it up by forgetting the proportions (2 butter, 3 flour, 2 sugar) in the middle of the carmelising process. Fortunately, Sis was there to check them for me and even measure out the flour. Cooking is so much easier with two extra hands at my disposal.
Not to mention the right tools. Last year, no sooner was I back with
monshu but we made a list of missing utensils--and then I managed to lose it until less than a week before Christmas, thus the mad dash to a restaurant-supply store on North Broadway to purchase them. So my gift to my sister ended up being a gift to me really. (I was literally standing there waiting for her to unwrap it so I could take the slotted spoon and strain the marinade.)Still, she was happy to get it. My gifts went over well in general, which is a coup given how late I started on them. As usual, the last-minute inspirations were often more successful than the ones I've been mulling for months. My oldest nephew pitched in on Stepmom's Tillandsia ball and made it truly awesome. The nursery had one planted in a whelk, so I spontaneously decided on a beach theme and he obliged by raiding his extensive collection of tiny shells.
bunj and e. were willing to cart a box up for me, so everyone felt free to give me heavy gifts--including two wedding presents. I know one of them will knock monshu's socks off and the other will make him chuckle. I can't wait to see him again, but I've got almost another entire day to get through first. I really wanted to prepare for it by sleeping in, but once again the builders next door have other plans.