Ten Dollar Turkey Roasting Pan

So around thanksgiving we were in need of a turkey roasting pan. Nathan wanted to invest in a multi-hundred dollar pan that would last us the rest of our lives and also would be not non-stick so that crispy bits from the turkey form and make a better gravy, while I distinctly felt like something in a lower price range would probably do the trick since we only roast a turkey once a year... and I was ok with non-stick (horror of horrors). Anyways, when we saw a turkey pan for 10 bucks at QFC, we decided that the price and the delay of making a roasting pan decision (especially with thanksgiving so close at hand) made it worth it, although normally I am not in favor of basically disposable items. Well, it turned out for the best that we had a cheap pan that was non-stick all the way around because this last week it snowed, and there's nothing like Teflon to get you going.

Here are some folks sledding down Mercer right by our house. There were people going down in garbage can lids, on shovels, plastic siding, and on those land-use notification signs.

This is a video of us, although we are on the far side of the hill and then end up behind some people for a bit. It's a little hard to see. Nathan is in back with the roasting pan and I am in front of him on 1/3 of a broken saucer sled. It was quite the arrangement. A couple of times we made it past Summit and halfway to Bellevue. 

This is a video I took while we were sledding. Unfortunately our steering is compromised and we run into a street sign.

Me in the roasting pan. Also, nathan and I both have distinct line-shaped bruises across the back of our thighs. We were pretty sore the next day, and our turkey roaster may have hit one too many curbs to be useful next year, but we still got our $10 worth for sure!

SNOW!!!

our apartment

our snowy street. No one even moved their cars all week.

The snow is totally gone now, but we were glad to have it.

Holiday Review!

Somehow it's already mid-January and I have yet to post pictures from the holidays.

All set for christmas eve dinner

Grandma Margaret's recipe for Swedish meatballs- an absolute christmas eve must.

And lucky you! I'm sharing her recipe! (hope that's ok grandma). Actually, I believe the recipe was originally developed by my grandma McCarthy's stepmother/aunt, but the recipe is in my grandmother's words. In any case, they will beat the pants off the Ikea version ANY day of the week.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

For each 4-6 people served, make one recipe of meatballs, double for 10, etc. Also depends upon whether meatballs are the main corse or part of a "smorgasbord".

Mix together thoroughly:

1 lb. finely ground lean beef

1/2 cup find dry bread crumbs (can be purchased-- get PLAIN)

1 egg

2/3 cups milk

2 tbsp. grated onion (GRATED not chopped)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Flour to thicken gravy

1 can beef broth

Dill weed (NOT DILL SEED)

Sour cream

Gently form into small balls (1" or so), using the palms of the hands. If hands get sticky, rinse off with water and don't dry (mixture won't stick to wet palms). Arrange on platter or pan of some kind, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or several hours. Brown in small amount of vegetable oil, with a little butter added. Turn them carefully so the don't break apart. Drain on paper towels and remove to casserole with cover. Add flour to fat and bits in the pan, stirring constantly. Add (for each recipe) one can of beef broth. Use whisk to get all the lumps out. Stir until cooked and the consistency you want. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add dill weed to taste. Pour over meatballs, cover and cook in a 325-350 degree oven for 45 min. to an hour. When ready to serve, carefully mix sour cream into the gravy (be careful not to add too much at the start-- perhaps 1/4 cup per recipe-- until you taste it to see what you like).

You can also  cook them 1/2 hour or so an then cool and refrigerate. Then you can skim off any fat that comes to the top of the dish. Put back in the oven and cook at 325 degrees until hot, add sour cream, and serve. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. 

nathan made some delicious mashed potatoes (thanksgiving redemption) and it pretending to take a huge mouthful. (Side story: we bought a 5 lb pound bag of potatoes and without thinking about it just made them all into mash, which is a lot for two people. We ate almost all of them within a few days, but you don't want to take chances with mashed potatoes, so there were maybe a few cups left when we left the pot on the counter to clean. Somehow we didn't get to cleaning that pot for a day or two, and trust me, we will never make that mistake again...)

Presents!

Loungin' on christmas day. Kitty decided to move at the last second of course.

Our "hearth"

The stocking I made for Nathan

New Years Eve I had to work, but I got off in time to see the fireworks from our corner and then drink the bottle of champagne Reid and Lindsay sent to us while watching West Wing.

On new years day we went to the international district to get Dim Sum, which is a kind of traditional chinese brunch. We went last year too, but this year it was swamped. We had to wait for 30 min for our reservation in a huge crowd. This year we went with Brian and Kate.

The way Dim Sum works is that ladies come around with carts of little dumplings and other small dishes. And you get a whole bunch of stuff and try them. A lot of it is weird, but that is part of the fun.

It was also beautiful on new years, so we walked over to Volunteer Park where there is an old water tower you can climb up into and you can see 365 degrees around the city.

Then, thanks to some christmas money and some zip car money we upgraded our dining table to one that can actually fit 4 diners, as well as (most importantly) puzzles and games! It even comes with a leaf. We got a couple other home-improvement things too, but I need to take pictures still.

Hope everyone had a happy new year!

Merry Christmas from Seattle!

A review of the last month in photos

Thanksgiving:

I made pies! Pumpkin and Apple

Here is the spread!

The table is set!

Christmas presents ready to go to michigan!

Mom came to visit in early april and brought us an early christmas present--this tree skirt she made in the spirit of my great grandmother's many felt crafts. The tree skirt is one of a kind and filled with little scraps tidbits from past projects. Isn't she talented?

The big green sequins are from my great grandmother's collection, and she also made the candy cane my mom repurposed here. The checked scarf is fabric from a pillow my mom made for Kitty Witty, one of my favorite stuffed animals when I was about 5.

Steph so graciously invited me to her ritzy work holiday party at the four seasons. Got to wear my junior prom dress again!

Buffet!! Ohmygod the mashed potatoes were amazing.

Steph wore her old prom dress too!

Then we took a few pictures by the gum wall:

Nathan with our Zipcar truck and our most beautiful christmas tree in the back!

Gdad sent me these stained glass dancers he made! They are based on pictures of me and look great in my kitchen window! 

Finally finished fixing up the bathroom! Here it is:

Kitty likes to jump in the tub

Holiday Party! A huge success. Here are the cookies I usually make with my grandma every year. This year I made them with Steph. It was exhausting, but look how pretty!

Here is the recipe direct from my grandma:

CREAM CHEESE SUGAR COOKIES

4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening (Crisco or some other non-butter shortening)*
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and set aside.  Cream together butter and shortening; add cream cheese and sugar beating until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla;  beat well.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill 1-2 hours.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/4 " -thick.**  Cut with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees, 7-9 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Frost as desired.  Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.


 * I have been known to use all butter instead of 1/2 butter and 1/2 vegetable shortening.

** The recipe calls for rolling out the dough 1/8" thick, but I have found that thin a cookie is hard to handle and burns too easily in the baking process.  I have better luck with somewhat thicker cookies.  All of this is up to you -- do what your experience tells you.

I made the frosting from powdered sugar, crisco, butter, vanilla, etc. The recipe was on the bag, but I really estimated amounts and it turned out fine.

Vegan Chocolate Cake! SOO good and SOO easy. Made this for my halloween party last year, this time I frosted it with some vegan frosting that was donated by Plum Bistro. 

Shortbread cookies!

I'm sorry this photo is awful. I made Andy's bread, Nathan made the goat cheese dip with garlic and herbs, Steph made cherry tomato, cucumber, and fresh mozzarella skewers, and then I bought crackers and tapenade from trader joes. 

The most beautiful tree of all time!!!!

Even Santa showed up to the party!

I know this picture is fuzzy, but it is the only photo where you can see my outfit! I got it vintage and it fits like a glove!

Stuffed mushrooms. Onion, garlic, spinach, thyme, mushroom stems, parmesan. Baked.

My fun little display on the radiator.

All ready for Christmas tomorrow! Working with Steph at Plum in the morning and early afternoon, and then a relaxing evening with my loving Nathan. We will miss everyone of course, but I don't think I have had such a low stress holiday in a while. 

The Art of Gift Giving: a guide of sorts

I'm having a little trouble getting into the holiday spirit this year...maybe it's the pouring rain? In any case, I am getting my normal amount of holiday panic/anxiety (hoo-ray) so I know what time of year it is, but I just can't seem to put on christmas music and not feel bazaar. But don't worry, that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about gifts for people since October, because I have. Gotta spread that holiday stress out, and of course I'm very aware that I need to SHIP everything to my loved ones, so that means time crunch people! I thought I was on top of things until a box from my grandparents arrived PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING (!!!!) full of nicely wrapped christmas presents. Way to be on top of it GPs. Maybe by the time I'm 88 I'll be as pro as you guys at christmas.

So in the meantime I have been thinking about gift giving and giving a great gift can be a hard thing to do. I know. Hard to believe because it is so easy to think of things you would care to receive, why can't other people think of these things? Probably because we go around thinking about ourselves most of the time, and also because it can be hard to get into another person's head and understand what they truly want. One way to get around this is LISTS but I think LISTS take most of the fun out of gift giving on both ends. I mean, sometimes you are so desperate for an idea (or so desperate for an item) that it works out great, but other times it's like, "well geez, how about I just give you some money and you go get it..." Plus, no surprise, and no "hunt."

Ok, so here are a few things that I think make GREAT Presents:
1. Luxury items
I don't mean expensive necessarily, but nice things that people would like to have, but maybe can't justify buying for themselves. This includes jewelry and (nice!!) bath/beauty items like perfume and essential oils and bathrobes. (Take note of item 4 in 'Buyers Beware' when you get there) Gadgets. Home items. Lots of stuff. My prime example is wool socks. I think they make a great gift. Wool is an amazing natural substance. We recently got some socks for Nathan at REI by the brand Darn Tough (yes, it's a pun!) Get this: not only are they super thick and cozy like Smart Wool, but they're made in the U.S.A and they have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE. That's right. You wear them out, you get a new pair. That's $18 well spent right there. I'm just going to go ahead and link to their website because I think that's pretty rockin. darntough.com/

2. Food
Maybe this is a subset of luxury items, but I love food so I'm going to give it its own number. If you know someone, you probably know their favorite foods, and everyone appreciates their favorite foods! Duh. Chocolate. Beer. Wine. More chocolate. Coffee. Summer sausage if you're my dad. Maple Syrup. Kinder Eggs are super fun for stockings. Or those chocolate oranges you get to whap. Cost Plus World Market is a great place for stocking stuffers FYI so the secrets out. You can get lots of exotic and miniature food stuffs there. Also gift cards to restaurants/coffee shops allow your giftee to spluge on items they wouldn't normally get to try/indulge in. Steak maybe? Over-priced venti pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream? Yes please.

3. Out of the Box!
This is the hardest gift to give, because it really involves the most forethought, but they are also so wonderful to receive because you know that someone was really thinking about YOU. By definition, I don't think I can really tell you what an "out of the box" gift is, but here are some thoughts: maybe you're giftee is a busy person with a long to-do list. Can you get one of those things done for that person so they don't have to worry about it? Maybe that thing they are really dreading? I mean you can't just do the dishes and be like, "merry christmas honey," but something bigger/more personal if possible.
Also in this category are surprises. Maybe planning a day full of all the things your giftee likes to do (make sure it's not what you want to do/think is fun! Gotta get in their head!) Or setting up a scavenger hunt. Or writing a song. Or making a fake documentary honoring your giftee and their life. Or maybe trying that thing they are always trying to get you to do with them. Or making an installation art piece for them in your local park. Or writing them a letter everyday for a month. I'm just making stuff up now. Be creative, etc.

4. Previously and Subsequently Loved Items.
So I'm a big supporter of buying used because it is cheaper and doesn't contribute to sweat shops/bad labor practices/environmental waste and often the proceeds go to charity. Try beating that for Christmas spirit. Basically everything you want already exists in the world, and probably someone has thrown it out already and it is just waiting to be FOUND. Have standards, duh. But many gently used items have lots of life left to give! It may take a little more time, but you will save money, the planet, and find unique items! Used books are great, especially if they're old enough that the oldness contributes to their value, but even if it doesn't, the enjoyment of the book is no less! Clothes. I can't really imagine buying new clothes at this point. I will speak from personal experience when I say that there is nothing wrong with gently used clothes, and you won't get diseases from them or anything crazy like that. Where else can you get a cashmere sweater for $7. Not at Macy's, not even on black friday. Kitchen items are great to get used too. You can get a tortilla press any day of the week at Value Village. Specialty cook ware is the first to go when people downsize, so if you are thinking of buying a panini grill or a fondu pot, check your thrift store first.

Ok, I'm tired of making categories now, so I'm just gonna list some stuff I thought of.

-"Of the Month" Clubs--of whatever your person is into. They probably have one for it. Many times just for three months, so you don't have to commit to a whole year!

-A nice haircut. At a nice salon. I went to one once because I had a groupon, so I was only paying 50%. There was a DJ and I got a free latte and it was the best haircut I've ever had. I think many people would benefit from a great haircut experience if they aren't totally married to one hair dresser.

-Field guides. What outdoorsy type wouldn't like some nice field guides? I don't know. Just a thought.

-Kits. When I was a kid someone gave me a grow your own monarch butterfly kit and we got to watch the whole development and then released them to the wild. It was awesome. You can even make your own kits. For example, if someone was interested in learning to bake you could get them a book and some starter baking supplies, etc.

-Games and puzzles. Especially quality wooden ones. Brings families closer together...depending. Some places even do custom puzzles. Here is the result of a quick google search:
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaPuzzles
http://www.stavepuzzles.com/?p=customizing

-Etsy.com. For those of you who don't know, Etsy is a platform for artisans to sell things that they make directly to you. It is a great way to get totally unique items and support independent artists/small businesses.

-Charity. A lot of us have a lot of stuff. And while it's not as fun to open, you'll still get that warm fuzzy christmassy feeling that you are giving to those who need it most, or to a cause your giftee cares about. Heifer.org is a great organization, but there are also many local arts foundations, health organizations, etc. that can benefit from your support. Just be careful. Do your research, make sure the money is being used efficiently, and that you aren't accidentally funding any crazy fundamentalist causes. givewell.org and charitynavigator.org are two resources for charity ratings. Also make sure your personal information will be protected so that you don't end up on every charity's mailing list.

And now a few words of caution...

Present Buyers Beware: DANGEROUS TERRITORY
Here are a few things, in my experience, should be given carefully:
1. The Unproportional Gift
Maybe you are really enthusiastic about someone. You want to get them something GREAT. But do not do that thing where you give them something so good that it's awkward. Especially if you do not know this person well. But even if you do, you do not want your giftee to feel embarrassed about their return gift or indebted to you. Too nice is not nice at all. Especially if you aren't really friends with someone and there is no reason they would expect to get a really nice gift from you and probably they haven't even considered getting you a gift, because, um, hello? Broke college student/finals are happening/I didn't even get anything for my best friend/thanks???
2. The Gift with Strings Attached
Getting a gift with expectations attached usually means stress/disappointment for somebody. For instance,  just because you spent forever making something does not mean she will wear it. Just because you buy your boyfriend a guitar does not mean he will learn to play it. Just because you buy your boyfriend a hamster does not mean he will take care of it (sorry wendy...)

SIDE NOTE: I have to get this off my chest, even though it is pretty unrelated to present-giving. This is my opinion about pets: Get a cat, get a dog, do not get anything else. Do not get anything in a cage. Any other pet is going to be WAY less fun and WAY more work than a cat. Thinking about getting a ferret? They stink. Get a cat. A turtle? They stink, get a cat. Not a cat person? A. I'm calling BS because you either haven't met Lyra, or you're a terrible person. Allergic? Get a dog.  I now know this from experience, but I can mathematically prove to you that this is empirically the case.
Caged Animal=fun (maybe)
Cat=100,000fun
Caged Animal=work
Cat=.1work (literally easier to keep alive than my jade plant)
So your Caged Animal fun to work ratio = 1
While Cat's fun to work ratio = ONE MILLION
And even though Dog=10work, he still turns out pretty good at 10,000.

And apologies to those bunny fans out there. Whilst your bunny is cute, it is more work than a cat, and denies me cuddles and scratches my face and freaks out if I scoop it. These are just my opinions, that happen to be proven by mathematical FACT.

Ok, back to presents... we were talking about Gifts with Strings Attached. Whatever it is, do not have anything riding on your recipient loving your gift. Once you give something, you have to let it go. If your emotional stability is dependent on your gift being well received, this is bad. Also bad if the giftee feels pressure to love something more than they can. We should all be gracious and grateful, but it is inevitable that sometimes a gift will not be loved as much as the giver wants it to be, so try not to give anything that you NEED to be loved.

3. That Thing You Secretly Want
This is an easy one to fall into. You think, I know, I'll get so-and-so X! X will make a great gift! I would love one of those Xs! But so-and-so is not you. I am super guilty of this with Nathan because I want to get him something meaningful, so I'm like, "I made you this super special thing out of yarn, and construction paper, and glitter glue, and filled it with pictures and memories and love!!!!!" But I realize this is the kind of thing that is meaningful to me, not necessarily what is meaningful to him. So you can do it totally innocently, but also you could be like, "Honey, I got you that giant flat screen television you always wanted" when actually YOU were the one who wanted the flat screen all along. She'll see right through you and then it will be CHRISTMAS DRAMA and you don't want to go there. I don't have personal experience with this, but I could imagine it happening.

4. Crap. Is your gift a piece of crap? Be honest. Is it something that is going to break because it is cheap-o and you got it in the dollar bin at target? Or something your person is just going to throw away later? If your budget is low, I totally understand, mine is too, but you can be more creative and less wasteful. There's enough crap in the world, lets not add to it.

In the end, it's the thought that counts. So don't worry too much and good luck!

Well, I guess I had too much caffeine because I just wrote all that and it took a long time so I hope someone reads it and it is helpful. I know my grandparents will read it, but they were so on top of it they already sent all their presents so this will be of no use to them! If you have any gift ideas to add feel free to comment.

P.S. Anyone interested in the cultural importance of gift giving, gift economies, or art should read The Gift by Lewis Hyde. Basically everyone should read it. It is one of the best books I've ever read.