lefse

The counters were cleared and wiped clean leaving a vast surface for the job at hand. Flour flew everywhere as the potatoes transformed from dirty tubers to white mashed potatoes, to a soft dough, and finally into lovely lefse.

No rolling this year, instead I'd take a ball of the potato based dough and place it in the tortilla press. I'd swing the top down and press. Voila! A lefse ready to be cooked. So much easier than the rolling pin, which I was never good friends with. I'd peel them out and lay them in a row for Carm to cook.

Some stats: 6lbs unpeeled russet potatoes yielded 82 small lefse. 4 frying pans plus the griddler laid flat were used for the cooking. 2 big burners were set at 2, back burners just under 4, griddler on high. I cooked the potatoes in the instant pot for 10 minutes and let them NR for about 10 minutes.

We got the poodles faces clipped today too so they'll look spiffy for New Years Eve, and won't end up looking like they've been abandoned while we are on our trip (just 6 days now!)

I've tamed the spare bedroom as well. Clothes were laid out and checked off the list the other day. Today I got them all into suitcases and carry-ons. Carm's stuff is in hand as well. Half a suitcase is shoes (I'm exaggerating of course - or am I?). It won't take much to get finished.

I still have to empty out a drawer in the dresser for Pat's stuff.

Yesterday I got busy and made the soup and green bean cassorole for New Years Eve. They are in the freezer and will pop out ready to finish cooking. I felt ahead of the game until I started writing out my task list for the 31st.

Every year I swear I will never do another roast beef the celebration and every year I let myself be talked into again. Last year's fiasco wrecked a huge prime rib and the yorkshire pudding was an exercise in anxiety to get them to cook. It spurred a shopping trip for a new stove so hopefully it will save me this year.

Oh... and I've never cooked a beef tenderloin. The internet is sometimes my friend but this time there are 2 ways to cook it - under highish heat for 25-30 minutes, or slow heat for 2-3 hours. Either way I'm left juggling everything at the last minute, with guests milling around, and me spinning in one spot in the middle of the kitchen, unsure of what to do next.

Yesterday the sun blessed us again. In the morning I curled up in a sunspot on the sofa with a hot bowl of Red River Cereal sweetened with a teaspoon of maple syrup. I had just finished feeding Grace several spoons - she loves it when I spoon it right down her gullet. She peep and sqeaks her thanks. In those moments of eating and sharing my breakfast, here was so much to enjoy.

We've been dropping into the grocery store everyday these last few days checking to see if the Christmas Puddings are on sale. I'll get one for next year and soak it with rum from our travels.

Hummm... that makes me think that some of the hard sauce that I made this year would be nice in a coffee, maybe with a touch more brandy for flavour...

I'm not freaking out that we have a party in 3 nights and are leaving on our trip in 6.  No... not at all...