A Little Unwrapping

 Gentle Friends, over the past week I've been watching quite a few films, both my "wrapped" films and some on TCM.....  let's talk about the unwrapping...  First up is a film I saw originally when it released...

Santa Claus the Movie - 1985 - a fun film with lots of back story about Santa, an evil toy maker played by John Lithgow and Dudley Moore as an elf.  I can't remember the last time I watched it but it was a fun film to unwrap!!

You know how I love the Nutcracker and I've got multiple versions...

...the one I unwrapped was a beautiful version... the 2009 Royal Opera House production with Miyako Yoshida as the Sugarplum Fairy and Steve Mcrea as the Prince.. a lovely production with little variations to the story here and there that make it special.

Next to unwrap ...

... the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street.. a classic if ever there was one!!

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Then I pulled a newer film called "The Man Who Invented Christmas" 2017... a fictionalized version of the writing of "A Christmas Carol" a fun film with lots of Charles Dickes (mostly correct) backstory...  then on Friday  I pulled out...

"White Christmas" 1954 a real Christmas favorite of mine that I can watch over and over!!  

Last night's pick was...

... Disney's "A Christmas Carol" 2009... one of my favorite stories of Christmas and I've so got many versions of ACC that this will be popping up again... I really like this poster image for this film the use of the flame of the Ghost of Christmas Past to create the image of Scrooge so effective!

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Right now as I type this Post on TCM is playing "Meet me in St Loius" 1944 a film I've seen dozens of times... and which wraps up with that iconic song...

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There you go sports fans.  A Sunday Post to catch up on movies... 

I'll post again in the morning some stitchin' so stay tuned!  and Stay Sfae!

Goof Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar

A Little Ding Dong

Gentle Friends, a real favorite part of the Christmas season for me has always been the music of Christmas...enjoy this from Libera...

Have a super weekend!!  Stay Safe!

edgar

A Little more Christmas, a Little bit o'framing and a Delicious bit of Fast Food!!

 Gentle Freinds, as you may recall, and if you've been reading my blatherings for any amount of time and especially during the Christmas Season... I do love me some German treats...Lebkuchen, Pffernuse, Stollen, vanillekipferl the list goes on... and for the longest time, I've really wanted to try my hand at making what always hits the top of my list... Lebkuchen.  I've held off making it as there are 100's and I mean 100's variations of what is basically a gingerbread taken up a notch or two!  This year I stumbled on what looked like a recipe I could manage, and turn out a close proximity to what I like and can at Lehrs (a local store that only sells German things and it is totally fabulous at Christmas!!  

So I gathered together everything.  During the day yesterday, I did some preliminary sifting, grinding of nuts and finely chopping all the dried fruit and candied peel... it really pays off to be working from home!!  Then last night I pulled it all together et voila...

... a pretty darn good "bar" Lebkuchen.  Even as I was getting everything together and mixing and beating I was tweaking the recipe here and there.  They turned out nice, spicy, and chewy.  EVEN Rico ate one... he commented on how nice they are... and he really does not care for gingerbread type things... like ever!  Now that I've made this version would I make it again... probably not, the next time I make lebkuchen I'll buy the oblaten wafers and go with a more traditional ground almond flour than white flour version.

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I know I've shown you a completed snap of this but here it is framed up and ready for being gifted yesterday...

I went with a more homey oak frame than I normally would.  I like how it turned out!

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On Tuesday I had to take the Mini-Cooper in for an oil change, and to fix the headlights... and near my mechanic who btw is really a super guy, Robert at Action Auto, there is a McDonalds.... where this is leading ...when I Uber-ed back to pick up the car I ran through the drive-through to get some dinner...

... I knew they had the McRib back and I had to have one, I actually got two.  The second one I had for lunch yesterday.  I have loved this dang sandwich since it first came out when I was in High School.  It hasn't been here in SF for quite a few years and I wasn't going to miss my chance... Rico won't eat one so I got him a Big Mac...  I know it's fake meat covered it too sweet bar-b-que sauce but it brings back all sorts of memories for me and over the years I have become a nut waiting for them.  I actually, check out the "McRib Locator" website, yes there is a website of sightings, every now and then just to see who is able to get this little bit of ambrosia of the gods!!!!!  

Everything was great with the car but he told me that my tires are needing to be changed as they are on the downside of their lives... that's looking at $600 + dollars.... which will have to wait until after Christmas for sure!

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There you go sports fans a wacky kind of week and edgar's posting quite a bit!!  

Thanks for stopping by do stop again!

Good Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar

A Little More Christmas....

 Gentle Friends, with the lockdown now in full force here by the Bay and everyone having a much smaller Yuletide than usual I was not surprised to get an email from our friends over on Alamo square that have the "First of the Season" Christmas party every year.  This year would have been the 21st year of the party and although it didn't happen we were given a "Save The Date" for next year.... December 3, 2021.  Along with the email was a picture of this year's tree.  They ordered it back in February ... and decorated it over the Thanksgiving weekend... here's a snap...

... it's another beautiful tree... I've marked in ink on next year's calendar the date to look forward to.

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 I've gotten quite a few requests for the praline recipe... of course, I'll share.  It's a recipe I cobbled together from a few recipes I tried and also read about and tweaked it until I got it where I like it... and those that taste them like them so I must be doing something right.

Pecan Pralines

Ingredients

1 1/2 C White Sugar

1/2 C Packed Dark Brown Sugar

3/4 C Half & Half

4 Tbls Butter

1/8 teas Baking Soda

2 C Pecans - rough chop

1/2 teas Salt

1 teas Vanilla or Bourbon

Method

Get a piece of parchment paper ready on the counter to drop the pralines on, I use a piece that is about 20" x 20"  and can about 25 candies on this, also get the two tablespoons ready and waiting there to scoop and drop.

In a heavy pot toss the first 5 ingredients and over medium heat bring to boil and stir continuously so the mixture does not stick.  Keep on heat stirring until an instant-read thermometer reaches 211 degrees.  Add the pecans at this point and keep stirring until the thermometer reaches 236 degrees.

Take off heat and add the salt and vanilla. (I have also added bourbon instead of vanilla to this and liked it a lot but you can tweak the flavour to your taste)

Stir the mixture vigorously for 3 minutes and then drop by tablespoons full on the parchment.  Let cool completely.  I usually just let them sit there overnight and they are fine.  You can use the parchment a couple of times before it gets a bit rough.  This makes about 25 candies.

It's a pretty forgiving recipe, just get it to temperature and keep stirring so that it doesn't stick and it'll be fine.  You can also use walnuts, I've done it that way but I like the pecan better so that's what I use, but you could probably use any nut out there ... again tweak it to your taste!!

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There you go sports fans.  Thanks for stopping by do stop again.  

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.  Stay Safe!

Good Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar

A Little Stitchin and a Little Christmas

Gentle Friends,  here's a snaperoo of Christmastide ...

... I popped it out of the Q-snaps so it's really very wonky!!  Now it's really just fill stitching and bouncing around with "Mudpie" so that I get an even mix of the shades of brown for the stonework.

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Over the last few days, we've been putting up Christmas around the house.,  Even though we're in Lockdown once again I just refuse to let it spoil Christmas.  So, we got the tree up, put the cedar garland up inside and around the Front Door and down the front hall... or I should say Rico got the garland up!!  He does a much better job than I could.  Over the weekend I got busy in the kitchen.  Again, I am refusing to let things drop!!  So like in years past I created some treats to send out to friends and family...  this year I made...

Pecan Pralines, one of my favorite old fashioned candies...

...  I chose to make something I've not made in the past... 7 Layer or Magic Cookies.  I've seen them called by both names... they are pretty tasty!!

... and I wrapped up the goodies with Vanilla Nut Fudge dipped in white chocolate!  

It was a bit of a job to get it all done, but I've got all the Priority Mail boxes packed up and ready to take to the USPS this afternoon when I turn off my computer!

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There you go sports fans.  Thanks for stopping by.  Stay Safe!!

Good Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar

A Little Movie, a Little Berry and a Lotta Saddness...

 Gentle Friends, last night I pulled the first of the wrapped films for Christmas... what I pulled ...

... it's a super way to start off the season as I find this and Barbara's other Christmas film "Remember the Night" - both top of the heap fun Christmas viewing in my book! 

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I had quite a few questions about one of the pies we had... the Marionberry Pie.  The berry was the question as most folks have never heard of them. The berry comes from the northwest and was developed in 1956 at Oregon State in Corvallis.  It is a cross between Chehalem blackberry and an Olalliberry.. is a very sour-sweet berry and just delicious.  The pie comes from a Lee Farms in Tualatin  near Portland called

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I received an email today from Sajou Paris.... that lovely store will be closing its doors.  It's very sad for me as it was a store I always got to whenever I was in Paris... bright and colorful and just packed with fun stitching things.  Now when in Paris I'll have to head over to the Bon Marche as there is a Sajou area there on the 1st Floor.

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That's about it for today's sports fans.  Thanks for stopping by do stop again!

Good Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar

A little Stitchin and a Little Thanks

 Gentle friends,  our Thanksgiving was very quiet with just the family.  Our usually large gathering was greatly reduced as most folks just wanted to hunker down and stay home and safe.  But, that doesn't mean I was going to set a nice table and Rico was sure to make a super centerpiece... here's a snap...

... I made a much-reduced menu... roasted turkey breast, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy ( I was really happy that I found my turkey gravy boat guy), sauteed green beans w/almonds, sweet potato souffle, mashed potatoes, herbed sausage stuffing, and poppyseed crescent rolls.  For dessert, we had marionberry and pumpkin pies.  It was a relaxed dinner and a lovely quiet afternoon.  Since the shutdown here in SF I've lost the store that carried the 15" white tapers I like on the table.  I found some no-drip ones online and was able to have 18" tapers... I couldn't have been happier!!  I got some red ones for Christmas!! 

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I also got a bit stitched on Christmastide... here's a snap...

... as you can see I've added a cornice just at the roofline.  It is charted without one and just didn't look right to me, and architecturally there would have been one...there will only be a little adjusting to a snowflake or two but well worth the effort.

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There you go sports fans.  Thanks for stopping by do stop again.  Stay safe!

Good Thoughts! Good Words! Good Deeds!

edgar