They started grooming the trail out back. It’s not plowed, it’s groomed for XC skiers and snowshoers during the winter. But we’ve been having warm (upper 30’s to low 40’s) weather with intermittent rain/sleet for days now. It’s early morning, about 6:30 and I hear snowplows outside. The skid loaders do the driveways and then the big articulated tractor does the street. Amazing, really. I’m waiting until they finish to take out the dog. No-one wants to be in the path of a monster tractor blowing down the street at 30 mph!
While I’ve been sick two weeks now I have gotten a few things done, like decorate a wreath on our front door with ornaments with meaning from my mother-in-law, Margie. It includes a tin ornament she cut and painted when she was pregnant with my dear husband nearly forty years ago. Also a contribution from Jim’s grandmother and one from his great-grandmother, all on his mom’s side of the family. Then Margie looked into her stash and found a couple of recently purchased TX ornaments. One of them required a photo, so I printed out Jim’s brother’s face from a fly-fishing trip out here last year and it’s done. I’ll include a picture but it’s still dark outside. And cold.
I filled a new candle base/vase with red and clear glass dots and set the table for two. I’m trying out a new recipe for an event this weekend, a cauliflower/brussels sprout gratin with sage-infused cream, parmesan and a bread crumb/pine nut topping. Ingredient shopping today, and I’ll put it together tomorrow.
Always searching for new ideas and ways to put familiar flavors together in different combinations I love reading cooking books. As all of mine are in storage and have been for some time, online research has helped me find a few new favorites. I may actually make the chocolate-hazelnut panforte (Italian fruit cake) I tried 20 years ago. Margie and I made it over Thanksgiving and no-one liked it. $60 worth of ingredients alone and no-one liked it. All I need is two cake pans, yet another candy thermometer and tons of dried fruits and nuts and chocolate. Maybe next week. I’ve a gift recipient we may actually see for Christmas this year. Cheers! Dee
Cooking with Dee 
I actually took some of the Italian fruitcake to work and tried it out there. 2 people especially loved it so they each got more. Others prefer the traditional variety I love to make. The store bought varieties can’t hold a candle to the real thing, homemade with fresh pecans and lots of fruit. I skip the raisins as they taste better before they are cooked, unless in oatmeal cookies of course.
I’m making some of our panforte for Dad. Even found a candy thermometer like yours at a specialty store here for $5! Yeah, you got yours for $3 but that’s the price we pay for looking at big mountains. D