Cruising into the New Year

Dec. 29:  Boarding the CARNIVAL IMAGINATION

First objective: find the ship library

Next, lunch with several complimentary glasses of sparkling wine . . .

Then, the pools . . .

and hot tubs

Bedtime stories and play

December 30:

Ensenada, Mexico

“Run, Grampa.  She’s coming!”

Pouring rain, margaritas, hot chocolate, and a serenade

Warm up:

Dec. 31

New Year’s Eve dinner in the “Spirit Dining Room” 

Zzzzz . . .

and

Balloon drop in the atrium

Seasons with VESPER . . . and Russian Chicken Soup and Salad

                                                            March hike: Suspension Bridge

May: Coffee with the Old Ones

June camping: Mowsun Pond

July hike: Ghost Plant

August in the Cariboo

December: she gets right in there . . . 

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Vesper loves the aroma of chicken soup. . . and the bits of chicken that I give her after making the stock from chicken backs and wings.

Chicken Soup & Dumplings: yummy!   

(p. 79 in PLEASE TO THE TABLE)

When making the stock, I cooked the chicken breast in it for 20 minutes.  Then I cut the meat up for a delicious salad to serve with the soup.

3 servings:

The recipe is downsized from  THE RUSSIAN TEA ROOM COOKBOOK.

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp vinegar

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp Tabasco

1 cup cubed chicken breast (that’s one half of the whole breast)

¼ cup thinly sliced celery

Salad greens

1 green onion (white and green parts)

½ dill pickle per serving

2 tbsp mayonnaise

*Combine salad oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and Tabasco.  Stir in chicken.

*Refrigerate chicken in a glass dish for about 2 hours.

*Wash salad greens, spin, and refrigerate.

*Thinly slice the onion.  Set aside.

*Thinly slice the pickles.  Set aside.

*At serving time, plate the salad greens.  Then stir celery and mayonnaise into the chicken.  Distribute the chicken on the salad plates.

*Garnish with the onion and dill pickle.

DISNEYLAND

Reservations for restaurants at Disneyland can be made 60 days before you arrive, and they are ESSENTIAL if you’re going to be there during the Christmas holidays. 

On our first night, we went to the Grand Californian Hotel for drinks and then dinner in the Storyteller’s Café.  

Kepler liked the gingerbread display.

Staying at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel meant that we were able to enter Disneyland at 7 a.m.   

First ride: “Finding Nemo”: big hit!

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: I loved making the car spin! 

Lunch in the Carnation Café: reserved, thank goodness. 

We couldn't believe how crowded the park was.  Bryan remarked, “Thank heavens for ‘fast passes’.”

Kepler didn’t want to get off the “Jungle Cruise” and Bryan enjoyed the “funniest, punniest guide”.

 We were only disappointed to find The Haunted House was all changed.

It was such a big day that Kepler fell asleep right after dinner!

CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER

"You must be Canadians," remarked other customers who have seen us sitting at an outside table at Sherman's every morning. 

We went to Sherman’s again for breakfast this morning: Cherry Cheesecake for me.  “You have a sweet tooth,” remarked our good-looking waiter who, I suspect, may also be an actor. 

Probably because it's Sunday every table inside was full and there was a line of people waiting. So the outside table next to us was occupied by a friendly young family.  Nestor recognized the dad as a professional boxer  and they chatted a bit about one of his fights.  When we were ready to leave, our waiter informed us that our bill had already been taken care of – by TIM BRADLEY!  Wow!

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A couple of nights ago we went to the night fair in Palm Springs.  

Then, yesterday, we saw lots of interesting stuff at a local street fair in Palm Desert.

And, on the way home, this interesting creature.   The first time I saw black bees like this was in Laredo.

Road Notes from Bryan . . . and a CELERY & CARROTS SIDE DISH

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016

We left home at 9:40 a.m. and, for the next 9.5 hours, cruised down Interstate 5 with only quick stops for gas, lunch, and supper. 

One of the real challenges to face when driving on Christmas Day is to find a restaurant – -  even a fast-food place - - that is open after 3 pm.  You learn quickly not to be choosy. 

The drive had its fair share of sun, cloud, haze, and fog. 

We did not see much wildlife but that was expected when driving along a busy highway.  We did spot a field of Greater Canada geese and two fields of big swans. 

It was a “short” day so the last two hours were spent driving in the dark – not a favourite experience for Eleanor.  At least the pavement was relatively dry and the night sky was relatively clear – with just a bit of fog strata. 

We were only too happy to stop for the night at Grant’s Pass, Oregon.  Don’t ask what swanky hotel we used. 

Monday, Dec. 26

It was a very grey morning when we left at 7:45 a.m.  We drove up and down Ashland Mountain on clear pavement and in only a few fog patches.  

Whew! 

Eleanor continues to read aloud from several books – all very different – which is much appreciated. 

It got dark at 4:45 p.m. so we were happy to arrive at Tulare, California, for the night.

Tuesday, Dec. 27

We headed west on Highway 99 at 8:20 a.m.  The temperature in Tulare was 7 degrees C.  By the time we reached Santa Ana, it was 24 degrees C.

As we drove through the mountains we could see snow on the tops, although the vegetation along the base was quite green. 

We parked at the Fairmont Newport Beach Hotel.

Next up: Disneyland!

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From our kitchen  . . . 

We tried to use up everything in the fridge before going on the road.  The last thing, as usual, was a big bunch of celery.   This is how we took care of that.

SAUTÉED CELERY AND CARROTS

4 large celery stalks

1 pound carrots

¼ cup butter

¼ tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

Cut celery into matchsticks.

Peel and cut carrots into matchsticks.

Melt butter in large skillet.  Add carrots and stir for 3 minutes.

Add celery, salt, and pepper.  Stir 3 to 5 more minutes until vegetables are tender crisp.  Taste for seasoning. 

YUM! 

This dish was enjoyed even by people who don’t care much for celery!

Morning Coffee at SHERMAN'S in PALM DESERT . . . and Broccoli & Beef Pizza

How about a holiday with Winter Sunshine?  Rent a car and a big, 3-bedroom house in Palm Desert.  

Morning walks should lead you to Sherman’s.  I really want to try their pastrami sandwich . . . 

. . . but I haven’t been able to make it past even the first pastry counter.

Day 1: Coffee and an apple rugelach, a chocolate rugelach, and a raspberry rugelach.  All good, but the apple was best.

Day 2:  Coffee and a cinnamon rugelach and this delicious pecan cookie! 

This morning:  Bryan and I shared this giant pistachio muffin.

Tomorrow. . . ?  I'm thinking about the height of those cakes and I can hardly wait.

But wait!  check out the KISHKA in the top left corner (counter at Manhattan Restaurant)

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Meanwhile, healthy, home cooking . . . Bryan and I created this yummy pizza.

BROCCOLI & BEEF PIZZA

     For Pizza dough and instructions for baking: 

http://eleanorstadnyk.blogspot.ca/2012/11/perfect-pizza-dough-and-pizza-method.html

TOPPINGS:

8 ounces lean ground beef

¼ cup finely chopped white onion

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp dried chili flakes

8 to 10 ounces broccoli:  cut into flowerets.  Slice stems thinly.

½ cup thinly sliced zucchini

2 large cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

12 small, stuffed green olives; sliced

1/3 cup pesto

1 can tomato sauce 213 ml (5 ounces)

5 ounces grated mozzarella

3 ounces grated Old Cheddar

*Cook ground beef, white onion, thyme, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a frying pan until beef is no longer pink.  (Do not add anything like oil)  Set aside to cool.

*Cook the broccoli: bring 2 cups water to a boil with ¾ tsp salt.  Add stems.  Cover & boil 30 seconds.  Add flowerets.  Boil 1.5 minutes.  Drain and refresh in cold water.  Set aside.     

DIANA . . . and Pork Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIANA!

For there is no friend like a sister . . .

(Christina Rossetti, 1830-1894)

******

Diana enjoyed this appetizer:

PORK & ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS in LETTUCE CUPS

          From:  CHATELAINE magazine:  October 2013

Iceberg lettuce

1 medium zucchini

500 grams ground pork

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce

1 cup coarsely grated carrot

2 tbsp rice vinegar

Cilantro

·         Separate lettuce into leaves.  Wash.  Spin.  Put in plastic bag and into fridge to crisp.

·         In a separate small bowl, combine grated carrot and rice vinegar.  Set aside to marinate.

·         Coarsely grate the zucchini.  Squeeze out liquid.  (I used a ricer.)

·         Combine zucchini, pork, five-spice powder, and salt.  Shape into large balls.  Put on a baking sheet.

·         Preheat oven to 350.  Roast meatballs for 30 minutes. 

·         Mix together mayonnaise and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl.

·         Coarsely chop one cup cilantro and put into a small bowl.

TO SERVE: 

     Set out lettuce on a plate, hot meatballs on a plate, carrot in a bowl, and mayo in another bowl.  Also put out small plates, utensils, and napkins.   Let everyone put together the appetizer for themselves:

  Spread mayo on the lettuce.   Add a meatball.  Top with carrots and cilantro.