Drink up

Yesterday I told you about my addiction to books. I've always considered myself relatively free from addiction except for that one little vice.

Then Megan called to ask what I'd like her to stock up the house with for my desert visit, and I realized I do indeed have another addiction. My reply was that the only things I need—really truly need while she and Preston are away and I'm babysitting my grandsons—are internet access and coffee. She meant food items but I'll eat whatever she has on hand; no picky grandma am I. What I wanted her to have on hand (and hooked up in her new house) is internet access, I emphasized, and lots and lots of coffee.

I don't consider internet access an addiction; I need it for my job...and to pop in here to see how you all are doing when Bubby and Baby Mac allow for that. The other part of my request to Megan, though, made it clear that coffee is an addiction. I really did say "I need lots and lots of coffee." And I really did mean it. I do need coffee.

Yes, I need coffee. I love coffee. I'm addicted to coffee. Which is why I like this video and want to share it with you. Even if you're not a coffee addict drinker, I think you'll find it interesting.

Drink up! I certainly am (although only until noon as any coffee after that time would require another addiction—to sleeping pills come bedtime).

Today's question:

How many cups of coffee do you drink a day? And what's your favorite blend/roast/brand?

Cookies = Christmas

One major mile-marker on my road to Christmas has been passed: I hosted my family's annual Cookie Swap on Sunday.

The lineup of goodies swapped was impressive:

And the time with family was festive (with a large chunk of it dedicated to football, as expected):

My mom and sisters and I have been swapping holiday cookies for about a quarter of a century now, and Sunday's gathering had four generations of the family in attendance.

Cookie Swap prep time and baking can be quite a chore, but it's one well worth it as I hope the tradition will continue for many more years to come, for many more generations to enjoy.

Today's question:

If you had to eliminate all sweets and treats from your holiday diet except for one, which one seasonal goodie would you keep on enjoying?

Ranking the holiday fare

Yay, it's two days til Thanksgiving! Because I'm lazy as <cuss> busy as all get out today and figured you'd be, too, I figured a simple Tuesday post would be best.

My simple plan? To rank the traditional holiday fare in order of what I enjoy most, then request that you all do the same. A simple, silly diversion of sorts. Are you game?

(Oh, and just for the record: The photo above of Baby Mac has absolutely nothing to do with this post. But he's so cute hugging his Papa Smurf that I couldn't resist sharing it.)

Here goes...

Thanksgiving fare traditionally on my table and how I rank my enjoyment of each (with 1 being most favorite of all):

1. real mashed potatoes with turkey gravy

2. stuffing (or dressing, if that's what you prefer to call it)

3. cold pumpkin pie with heaps o' whipped cream

4. turkey—light and dark for the meal, plus some skin; light with lots of salt and mayo on turkey sandwiches the day after

5. cherry pie...chocolate cream pie...and (maybe, as it's a new offering this year) caramel apple pie

6. cheesy corn casserole

7. deviled eggs

8. homemade rolls

9. green bean casserole

10. whole cranberry sauce

Did you notice the omission of sweet potatoes/yams? That's because I don't like them. At all.

Hungry yet? Not it's your turn...!

Today's question:

How would you rank your traditional Thanksgiving fare, in 1-10 order of what you love best?

Thanksgiving recipe swap

With Thanksgiving just one week away, I, like many, have food on the brain: What to make, what to buy, what to serve up to dazzle the guests.

Okay, the "dazzle" part is a bunch of hooey. At least for me. I'm not really looking to dazzle any of the family joining us on Turkey Day; I'm simply hoping to satisfy everyone's cravings for dishes tried and true. Which means I'll be serving up the basics, the goodies I've served up every Thanksgiving for countless years.

Which got me to thinking: Every family has certain foods that are tradition to their clan, often served up only on Thanksgiving. Today I want to discuss those here...including the swapping of the recipes for those so inclined.

So tell me: What dishes have a standing spot on your Thanksgiving table? Which are the family favorites? Which are your favorites? And which are on the table simply because they've always been there, always will be, regardless of the number of friends and family who actually eat them (I'm thinking specifically of cranberries...which I really do like and prefer whole over jellied).

I'll get the ball rolling by offering up a dish that has become tradition in my immediate family, a dish I first made 25 or so years ago and have served every Thanksgiving since, at least when I've been the one hosting the holiday meal. Megan now makes it for her Thankgsiving meals, which warms my heart to see one of my off-the-wall offerings on its way to becoming a recipe of Gramma's passed down through the generations.

The recipe likely once had an official name, but in my family it's known as Mom's Cheesy Corn Casserole. It's been posted in my Grandma's Recipe Box for quite some time, but I'd like to share it again here, for our just initiated (possibly to become annual) Grandma's Briefs Thanksgiving Recipe Swap:

Cheesy Corn Casserole

1 10-ounce package frozen corn, thawed and drained

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

6 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (yes, 300). Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half the corn in the bottom, then sprinkle with half the cheddar cheese, then half the Monterey jack cheese. Cover with half the bread cubes. Repeat all layers. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour over all layers, pressing down the bread to be sure it's all moistened. Dot with butter. Bake uncovered for 90 minutes, or until puffed and dark golden on top.

Makes 8 servings.

(For big gatherings, you can double this recipe, using a 9X13 dish. Photo above is a doubled recipe.)

There you have it: My one and only out-of-the-ordinary, traditional-in-our-house Thanksgiving dish. The rest of the Thanksgiving spread is pretty much what you'd expect...including cranberries, that may or may not get eaten but without which it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving.

Now it's your turn! Let the recipe swapping begin!

Today's question:

What dish is a family tradition on your Thanksgiving table? (Sharing of recipes encouraged and appreciated! If you have the recipe posted on your blog, feel free to include the link. And yes, pie and dessert recipes are welcome!)

Peas, pears, and you must be joking

Baby Mac, at just over five months, eats food now. Real food. Well, real baby food. Gramma—that's me—was fortunate to witness a recent feeding.

His fine dining experience started with peas:

They're not too bad, Gramma.

The second course featured the yummiest of yums, a.k.a. pears:

Oh, yeah.

These ... are ...... the BEST!Then Mom offered a finale of none other than—you guessed it—rice cereal:

You're joking, right?Um, I won't be swallowing this, Gramma.Seriously.Baby Mac did eventually swallow his rice cereal. Or, at least most of it.

Which is far better than his brother, Mr. Skinny Minny Boney Maroney Bubby, currently does with most of his food.

At this rate, the big brother title will soon belong to the younger of the two.

Today's question:

What food would you like to try for the very first time?

Two Bubby tales

 

The first, wherein Bubby marvels at Gramma's appetite:

Bubby doesn't eat. Well, more accurately, he eats like a three-year-old. Which he is, so it's not all that surprising. Because the little peanut doesn't eat enough to grow up big and strong, Megan regularly includes in his morning meal a Danimals Smoothie strawberry yogurt drink to ensure he gets at least a smidgen of protein and more to start his day.

When Bubby visited last month, I was in charge of getting him his breakfast, which meant I was in charge of pulling the foil cover, just like those on many yogurt cups, off the top of his "strawberry juice," as he calls it.

My kids never had such things when they were little, and I was curious what made the drink so appealing to Bubby, the hater of all things nutritious. So as Bubby waited for his drink, I tore off the cover and lifted the foil to my lips to lick it for a sample.

Bubby's eyes grew big, his jaw dropped, and he snarled up his nose as he asked in the most-serious of tones, "Do you eat garbage, Gramma?"

* * * * *

The second, in Megan's words, wherein Bubby reveals sweet adoration of GG, his paternal great-grandma:

We were leaving the grocery store and Bubby was in the cart saying, "God?.....God?......God?.....Mom why isn't He talking to me?!"

I was caught off guard and answered, "Well, sometimes you just have to listen really hard. Why, what did you want to talk to him about?"

Bubby replied, "I want to ask him to make GG a little girl."

"Oh yeah, how come?"

"Because I want you to take care of her and be her mommy and she can go to my class at school and we can play together."

* * * * *

Today's question:

What did you have for breakfast today? Any garbage on the menu?

Asleep at the meal

Poor Bubby. Is this the side effect of overscheduling and trying to keep up with a Marathon Mommy?

Or maybe the result of unbearably boring dinner conversation?

Or could it be that Bubby is simply taking every opportunity he can to dream about the great fun he'll have when he visits Gramma and PawDad in just nine days?

I like to think it's the latter.

Today's question:

How overscheduled is this weekend for you?