Thankful

I feel like me life began again last September after the arrival of our daughter. Everyone tells you that a child changes your life and until you have one, you just nod and file it away. Now that Marin is here I know how much this is true.

I am so thankful for each and every one of my family members. This Thanksgiving is a special Thursday. My parents are here to celebrate the day with us. We haven't spent a Thanksgiving with family in 12 years. We moved to Colorado and it became too hard to travel back East for the holidays. Tomorrow we will celebrate with my family and close friends. I can't wait!

I'm ready to get back into posting here more often. Marin changed our lives in many ways. Time? What extra time? We've been eating and living but there isn't time to document it in writing. I'm ready to start documenting. I've noticed the last few weeks that I have been commentating my life in my head a lot lately. I think this was my way of telling myself that its time to type it out. Put it down in black and white and not just file it away. I want to remember this time in my life. My life is pretty special.

Christmas Morning Eggs Benedict

We had a busy Christmas morning. After indulging in a festive but huge dinner we just couldn't make it out to the Christmas eve service. So we got up early made some coffee and opened up our stocking presents, took the dogs out and then hopped in the car and raced over to Breckenridge for the 9am service. Returned home and plopped on the couch to open up presents... and keep opening up presents. Man, did we get spoiled this year (and every year). By the time we were finished it was 1pm. We headed into the kitchen and whipped up our favorite eggs Benedict. Oh it was so good. So good in fact that I forgot to take a picture before digging in, hence my half eaten plate. I couldn't even finish my second English muffin because it was so big! We received a gift package of English muffins from Nancy and saved these huge ones for sky scraper eggs Benedict!

I really think that eggs Benedict is a pretty easy recipe but oh so elegant and so good! This recipe goes way back in and brings back some great memories. We moved to Colorado in October of 2000. We thought that it was just the four of us (Casey, Chris, Dave and me and George) Over the next year we found out just how many moved out west. There was something like 30 of us between Boulder, Denver, Summit County, Vail and Aspen. It was lots of fun and made living so far from family not so hard. So needless to say our couches were always full on weekends. I made lots of breakfasts for our couch surfers! One in particular was eggs Benedict. In fact my two roommates from college Leila and Erin bought me a egg poacher! I remember opening it and thinking, hmm, this is interesting but why do I need this kitchen gadget? I quickly found out why, they both told me this was so I could make eggs Benedict more easily. Now I got it!! It was not just to ease my time in the kitchen but to make it more frequently!! Needless to say I think of them each time we make this and it brings a smile to my face to think of all the great times we had with our college group before most of them moved back east. Good times!

Sky Scrapper Eggs Benedict
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 T fresh lemon juice
white pepper
salt
2 English Muffins
4 eggs

Melt the butter and set aside. After the butter has rested, carefully skim off the white fat. Leaving behind the clear butter. (This is clarified butter.). In a saucepan over very low heat whisk the egg yolks constantly until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. (Be careful not the scramble the yolks.) Add the butter one spoonful at a time to the yolks, whisking constantly. Do not add the solids that have separated and fallen to the bottom of the butter bowl. Once finished adding the butter remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice a dash of white pepper and salt.

Toast your muffin and poach your eggs and assemble topping your sky scrapper with the decedent and sinful Hollandaise.

Topping your muffin:
We change it up, but never the traditional Canadian bacon.

Here are a few ideas:
Saute a large handful of fresh spinach with a touch of evoo, lemon juice and salt and pepper
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Bacon
Vegi Sausage

It's Christmas Time!

Yep, We are all decked all decked out in the freezing tundra of the Rockie Mountains. We have had a very cold Holiday Season but enjoyed our time at home decorating the house and making some of our own traditions since we couldn't be home with our families this year.






Here is the Mountain Man cutting down our chosen tree.

And here he is carrying our charlie brown Christmas tree!

Saly really enjoyed this outing. She was happy to be trecking through the woods with us on this snowy day.

Here are the stockings hung by the chimney with care.

And here is our beautiful tree coved in our wonderful ornaments.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Give Thanks

A lot has changed in my life over the last few months. When faced with aversion I always try to stay positive and keep my eye on the good. This Thanksgiving was a special day. I was ready to give thanks to all that I have around me each and every day and to all those who I hold close to my heart. My day began early. Not only is it Thanksgiving day but it is also the love of my life's birthday. I HAD to get up and put the Pumpkin Coffee Cake in the oven early so we could enjoy a little birthday breakfast before Dave had to head to work. Don't bother scrolling down the page to look at the recipe because there isn't one. The coffee cake sucked! I was excited to try it but very disappointed in the outcome. So I won't waste any space on this recipe. Oh and I need a bunt pan. (Maybe this is why it didn't turn out how it should have.)

Dave headed off to work and I worked on stage 2, 3 and 4 of his epic birthday cake, which I feel needs its own post. I heard my phone chirp and tried to find it through the thin layer of smoke that was quickly filling my house (yes, the epic cake was for some reason, overflowing it's pan and dripping all over my oven as it cooked). When I made it to the phone I saw a wonderful message from my very best friend in the whole world wishing me a happy day. My heart welled with love as I thought of how lucky I am to have Tess in my life.

The morning continued in normal holiday cooking fashion. Stirring, spilling, cleaning dishes, making more dirty dishes and cleaning them up again. Opening the door to let the smoke clear, tripping of dogs as they tried to clean up the never ending items hitting the floor and finally a beautiful late morning run with Saly on my favorite trails on earth.

My time out on the trails gives me good perspective. I was able to think of all I am thankful for. First and foremost my family. I have a beautiful new nephew that I was able to spend lots of time kissing and holding a few weeks back. My sister-in-law and her amazing putanesca sauce that she made for us while we were home (RB if your reading this I need that recipe!) My brother for being such a good dad. I was so amazed by his gentleness. My Dad for always making me smile with some dadism he says over the phone. My Mom for calling me on speaker phone as they all sat down for dinner surrounded by my family all wishing me a happy day and Dave a happy birthday and making me feel like I was sitting right there.

I am thankful for my extended holiday family. We have started our own holiday traditions and I believe we have only missed 3 Thanksgivings. We have created some great memories over the years and I love looking back at all that we have done together and it brings a smile to my face.

Although there are so many things that make my life full and I am so thankful for I would like to end with this. My life is full because of what I have chosen to surround myself with. I have chosen a great partner to go through life with and feel blessed by the love Dave gives me. Today is a special day because not only is it a day that I give thanks but it is also the birthday of the one person who gives me the strength to get up each day and make the best of it no matter what!

Happy birthday Dave enjoy each and every minute!