The end of 2025

It's a little hard to wrap my head around the fact that December and 2025 will be ending in about 12 hours here.  All and all, I have to say 2025 wasn't too bad of a year for us and December was a great month.  There is just something magical about this time of year whether you are enjoying the lights and celebrating, having meals and drinks with friends and family or watching Christmas movies at home in the lights of the tree on while in your comfy clothes, reading a good book or playing cards/board games.  We also enjoy being secret Santa and giving exceptional tips/donations this time of year.  Receiving is always nice but giving is definitely a more lasting feeling of joy to me. This time of year can also bring bittersweet moments when you think back on past Christmases, and you are missing people that are no longer here.  It is the yin and yang of the season that has to be balanced which isn't always so easy.

Down time this month was watching a LOT of Christmas movies; new and old favorites that I watch every year.  I also read Raphael the Herald Angel as I do every year.  It's a book from the 1950's that my great, great grandmother gave me when I was young and it is a favorite that I always read at the beginning of December.  I also read One December Morning by Emma Davies that was a really nice read.  I enjoyed her writing and will be putting a number of her books on the to read list.  Today I am starting Food for Thought by Alton Brown and I'm looking forward to it.

We did eat out three or four times this month and it was all delicious.  We have one more dinner out this Sunday with my brother and his partner.  It is at Firefly which is my favorite place of all so I guess you could say we saved the best for last. I also spent a lot of time in the kitchen cooking and baking.  I made various cookies and brownies treat boxes for some of our friends.  They are always appreciated, and I enjoy doing it.

Sprinkles are a favorite of mine for some cookies, cakes and cupcakes so it's always fun to pull this tin out.

For breakfast today I made bagels.  Culinary Adventures with Lori: 52 Recipes in 52 Weeks #3 New York style bagels   They are so delicious, and I don't make them often enough.  I think I'll add make more bagels on my 2026 list of intentions.

Tonight, we're having a chili bar and jalapeno peppers.  It went over well for Halloween, so I figured let's do it again.  Tomorrow it will be TBG and I and we're having a relaxing and reflecting kind of day with various bits and appetizers to munch on throughout the day and then lamb chops, whipped potatoes, cranberry sauce and green beans for dinner.  

I've been off work since Friday the 19th and Binx is loving every minute of it.  I think he especially has enjoyed not having the alarm go off at 4:30am every weekday.  I know I have.  With our schedules, he rarely is home alone for more than an hour or two but he has loved having us both here together more often.

I hope everyone is doing well and feeling the joy of starting a new year.  How was your month of December?  After Christmas I usually go into a self-imposed hibernation until the end of February.  Does anyone else?

My Week

We are right in the middle of all of the holiday magic, and I couldn't be happier.  Things always seem a bit brighter and people usually a bit happier than any other time of the year.  There is only eleven days until Christmas day!!  Seriously, time is going by quicker than ever even with trying to focus on the moment, but I am determined.  The house is all decorated and all of the lists are getting checked off and we've been celebrating a little every day.  We've had this for 20 years and it is the first thing that gets put out every year now.

  

And this is always next.  We had a fireplace in Florida to hang our stockings but not here, so I found this and really love it.

Meet Claire and Oliver. Before the bitter cold snap, TBG and I took a horse and buggy ride downtown around the Commons and it was so nice.  I really wanted to go to the Christmas parade, but the traffic and parking are always so annoying we decided to pass.  I think we're just getting older because traffic and parking never kept us from doing anything before.  😏

I've mentioned many times that we have an awesome farmers market and many farms to buy from.  Well now a lot of them have come together and they are doing a Winter Market inside the mall December thru March.  I was so excited!  My favorite farmer is there along with a lot of others.  There is fresh dairy, meat, some veggies and so many other things.  It's great to be able to buy things to support the locals and I love meeting more new people.

What we've been eating...

Chicken Tika Masala with rice and naan

BIG salad

Chicken, baked potato and salad

Steak, scalloped potatoes and green beans. The steaks were huge, so we split one for dinner and used the other one to make steak sandwiches.  SO delicious!

Beef taco over rice with a cheese roll up.

Tonight, we're having fish tacos with slaw.

                                            I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of year!!

                                                                Are you ready for Christmas?

Light and fluffy dinner rolls

I have made these three or four times now and they consistently come out light, fluffy and delicious.    It's nice to be able to make four rolls instead of two dozen that most recipes yield. The recipe does double easily if you need 8 instead of 4.

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm milk

2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 Tbsp dry yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 egg beaten for the egg wash

Directions

Add oil, honey and yeast into warm milk.  Stir and rest until it begins to bubble.  Usually about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Add salt and flour to yeast mixture and put in the stand mixer.  Using the dough hook, mix until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky but not sticking to the sides of the bowl. (I did do this by hand once and it comes together well)

Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes.

Divide dough into four pieces and form into balls.  Place on a greased pan and cover to rise for 15-20 minutes.

Brush the rolls with the egg wash.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and baked through.

Next time I make them I am going to divide each ball into three small balls and bake in a greased muffin tin like the clover rolls my gram used to make.  I'll let you know how that works.

                                            Hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far.