Chatterbox

During those moments as a child when I would talk non-stop driving my mom to the edges of sanity she would ask me "Who put a nickel in your mouth?"

I drove the poor woman insane with my ceaseless chatter, and now Karma, or what goes around comes around is now in effect.

JB is sitting across the table from me working on her art, and the words are falling out of her mouth so fast that my brain simply REFUSES to understand what she is saying.

I'm not even sure if the language she is using is English... perhaps it is the variant 'teentobe'?

My Life is a Zoo

Not to be outdone by a Sharp Shinned Hawk, we have an extrovert of a squirrel who's taken roost in the ginormous cottonwood just behind the house. This is the same cottonwood that nearly caused our house to burn down after we found tent caterpillars in it.

Chipper, as we call him because he is very talkative and grumpy if we are on the deck, has become all too familiar with the deck, the furniture and the birds hanging about. Usually he makes some attempt at feigning fear of humans, but today he didn't even try.


Bastard tried to get into the house this afternoon.

We are going to have to have a talk.

Holiday Eggnog

One of the last times my parents joined us in River City for Christmas, we asked if there were any special requests for food, drinks or items that would make their stay more enjoyable.

My mom, Doris, emailed the following Eggnog recipe and asked if we could make it for her. As one of the local dairies has their own fantastic recipe for eggnog, we'd never had a reason to make our own and we were excited to try it out.

Reading through the recipe, it seemed straight forward, but as we purchased the fortified ingredients, we became somewhat concerned of the sober status of anyone enjoying too much of this eggnog.

With great anticipation everyone gathered around the bowl (the mixture was such a great volume, more than the 1 gallon yield indicated, that a vat would have been a better choice) and waited impatiently for Charles to serve them. Those who received their concoction first held it closely, breathed in its aroma and wondered aloud how it would taste. Only after Doris received her cupful of nog did we all take a drink.

While the creamy beverage tasted good, the alcohol content rendered us all good candidates for a band of street performing flame blowers. By the end of the night, we were a rowdy and incoherent bunch but a good time was had by all.

It also clarified to us the references that friends from The South have made about getting 'nogged', or warnings about having too much nog. Should you choose to try this recipe, please enjoy but use it at your own risk.

As with all things merry and bright - I hope that your New Years was a memorable one, and that 2013 is filled with peaks and not too many valleys.

- Amy


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HOLIDAY EGGNOG

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INGREDIENTS:
1 dozen eggs
1 lb. sugar, superfine
1/2 qt. brandy
1/2 qt. dark rum (Meyers)
1/2 qt. vodka or flavored brandy
1 qt. light cream
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
3 qt. whipped cream
nutmeg
cinnamon, ground

DIRECTIONS:
Whip eggs and superfine bar sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Add liquor (try apricot or other flavored brandy instead of vodka) and whip well.

Add light cream. Break up ice-cream up into 2 -3 inch cubes. Add 1/2 of the ice-cream and 1/2 whipped cream to the mixture and stir in well.

Float remaining ice-cream and whipped cream on top.

Grate fresh nutmeg and cinnamon over top lightly. Serve with butter cookies.

Yield: Makes about 1 gallon
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com