h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The is chilling. My brother left to return to New York today. All in all, Christmas was nicer than usual. A few nice gifts and a couple of really nice gifts.

All the cooking, entertaining, and visiting was a bit exhausting. But, that's okay... I don't have to go back to work until the 2nd.

ah...
i ended up going contra dancing... it was fun. what did all you do?

"au revoir" means goodbye.

Is that what you wanted to say, Galen?

Happy New Year!

ah, at the time i meant to say goodbye for the time. just until i got back on the computer and the internet. now i am back on...
OHHHH
!!!!
for all!

Our New Year's Eve dinner was something like: , , , , , . We watched a bit of the Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci Fi channel in between the elaborate fireworks next door.

yum!
you always seem to eat gumbo!
i am not sure what we had for new years, oh now i remember!
we had mashed potatoes made my way, in fact i made them, with lots of cream and butter and spicy with paprika!yum, they were good. we also had hijiki, a black stringy seaweed, and steamed tofu with a tamari and garlic marinade and baked buttercup squash. it was yummy!

oh, i forgot to say what i did after, then we went contra dancing, it was incredible!!!!!
i really enjoyed myself. i did not get to bed until 3:00, but that is better that if i went out to a party with other friends of mine, then i would not have gotten a wink of sleep all night!

I made cassoulet, a French stew containing
sausages, blackeye peas, chicken, rice, tomatoes,
and seasonings. It was great!
For dessert, I had pumpkin cake topped
with whipped cream.

New Year's has been much more relaxing than
Christmas was.

is right...
sounds very decadent!

We are always eating gumbo. There are several types of gumbo.

I have had hijiki, although I prefer arame. The mashed potatos sound delicious. Haven't tried them with paprika, roasted garlic mashed in the potatos is pretty nice. I used to make a spicy tofu marinade that was not for the faint hearted. The marinade was a blend of tamari, olive oil, paprika, a pinch of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and ginger. Tofu that is marinated for a couple of hours in that marinade and then baked will definitely clear your sinuses.

ah, yes....
i love also adding some mashed garlic into the potatoes... my little sister hates my potatoes cause they are 'too' spicy she says. all i can do is snub my nose at her at least teh rest of my family likes spicy foods. i shall have to try those tofus... have you had tofu sliced into thin slabs broiled with a generous coating of miso and barleymalt or rice syrup. though i am sure another sweetener would do just as well. they are so good! have you had baked garlic? it is great with warm olive oil and bread!

Baked garlic is a side dish at my house. I haven't tried a sweet marinade on tofu...maybe next time. Molasses or honey would probably work as well as the rice syrup.

Another garlic suggestion- Soup made with vegetable broth, baked potatos, baked garlic, sautee'd onions or leeks.

Is anyone else getting hungry reading this?

yup, i am!
i love this talk of leek soup!

French onion soup is really easy to make. Only I can't get Mike to eat it... So I end up making something else for him.

Have you ever had butternut squash soup?

yes, it is delightful.. my mom used to make it!

Someone who actually eats their veggies!

Can you tell soup is popular here?

My sister-in-law served butternut squash
soup for supper on Christmas Day. That
was the main course.

Some of the Italian restaurants in my
area serve roasted garlic with bread.
There is no need for butter.

I like tofu, but can't have it very
often because it gives me stomach aches.
Most other beans are okay, though.

heh, no. really.

I understand the bit about tofu. TVP and some other forms of soy bother me too. The fermented ones like tofu, miso, and tempeh are easier for me to digest. This has prompted me to take some enzyme and amino acid supplements to aid with digestion.