Pecan Pie

Despite this being a bona fide mommy blog, I don't typically post recipes. But I have to share this from my Aunt B from Texarkana, Texas. It really is the best pecan pie. Everyone at the play date heartily approved. I'm sure this turns out just as well with pecans from Fred Meyer as it does with pecans from Aunt B's yard, but it won't be as special. And it's much less complicated than the stupid Cook's Illustrated recipe.



The Best Pecan Pie

1 stick butter

1 cup light Karo

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

1 cup chopped pecans

8 or 9 inch unbaked pie shell

Brown butter in saucepan until it is golden brown, do not burn; let cool. In separate bowl add ingredients in order listed; stir. Blend in browned butter well. Pour in unbaked pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 10 min., then lower to 325 degrees for 40 min.

Resolutions

Here they are, and they don't include stopping procrastinating:
1. eat right and exercise, at least until my jeans fit better. So far, so good.
2. Cake of the month: I'm going to make one cake a month. Life is short. I never make cakes because then you have cake on the counter begging you to grab a hunk every time you walk by. I might make a cake and schedule playdates the next day. My first cake is actually going to be a pecan pie, made with the pecans picked in my aunt and uncle's yard in Texarkana.
3. Mayan cooking: this isn't really a resolution so much as a project. Dave and I have a new Mayan cuisine cookbook, and we're going to cook from it at least once a month. We are becoming regulars at Ysenia's on Powell where they sell fresh tortillas, and when I bought pigs' feet from the butcher counter I learned how to say "pata de puerco," and the butcher sawed them in half for me for maximum flavor. Que bueno! Our new cookbook has all of these recipes for recados, that sound very exciting.

That's about it. It seems do-able. I'm also in charge of maintaining the toys/play area for the family shelter downstairs from the Sunnyside Swap Shop. I'm excited about making that space as inviting as I can, using the stuff available in the swap shop and asking for donations.

Summary

Well, I had this clever idea to do the decade in pictures, but I am not blogger-savvy enough to post ten photos in one post. Let's see if I can write a sentence for each year of my decade in Portland:
1. 2000: I rang in the new year/new decade off the grid in Newton County, Arkansas, and shortly thereafter flew back to Portland to finish my first year of graduate school and find an amazing group of friends with whom I had and continue to have righteous, though increasingly less riotous, adventures.
2. 2001: The the low point of five months of unemployment was sandwiched between a road trip to California/plane trip to Mexico post-graduation with my friend Shauneen and finally being offered my first MSW job right before flying home to AR for my holiday visit!
3. 2002: I started my new job and hooked up with my Just a Friend who wears funny socks and likes to cook and deer hunt. Wonder where this will lead me. (oops, that's two sentences).
4. 2003: I found a better job, kept the same good friends, and took Dave with me to Arkansas where he sampled pickled pigs feet.
5. 2004: Took trips to Thailand and England with Dave! (okay, starting to write sentence fragments).
6. 2005: Attended Kathryn's wedding, celebrated Carolyn's engagement, helped nurse Dave back to health after a gnarly car accident.
7. 2006: A ring! a wedding!
8. 2007: Back to Thailand, and on to a string of prenatal appointments!
9. 2008: Anneke Grace
10. 2009: Anneke, private practice, Brian and Ashleigh move, Mexico, always good friends and wonderful family.

Births: Sidney, Juliette, Anneke, Vaughn

I read over this and get agita over who and what I left out. but that's what you get when you try to sum up a decade in such a fashion.

Santa 2009

On Christmas eve we arrived at Macy's at 9:00 a.m. to see Santa. Anneke had a great time except for the 60 seconds we tried to get a good Santa picture. What you see below is the result. We think it is a pretty good Santa picture.



For those of you keeping track, you can compare this to the picture from last year.

Busy Busy

OMG. I cannot believe how much we crammed into Anneke's first week. What were we thinking? This makes me think I must stay pathologically busy. Seriously. It makes me tired just reading this.

Earth's crammed with heaven

My poor husband. He was worried about me when he read the last post. Sorry, Dave. Thanks to you it doesn't take long for me to look around and see all the Good Stuff.

"We are saying thank you and waving, dark though it is"

Here is our new Nativity scene, purchased in Mexico. I love it. It's a perfect souvenir of a perfect vacation. This photo is out-of-focus because I didn't want to dig out the flash or tripod. I arranged it on the mantlepiece and took a step back and was struck by how hopefully, and expectantly, the little figures are gazing on baby Jesus. For the first time I reflected on people's desire for a messiah, a savior. The older I get the more I understand it. During Advent these past few years I find myself reflecting on darkness; I read the paper every day, and...I don't even want to go into it. Bad Stuff has been happening in spades. More than usual? Probably not--I'm not sure, but it's been in my awareness more than usual. Such is the price of parenthood.

And I look at this scene of these grownups: a couple of teen parents, three monarchs, and some shepherds, all crowded around this poor, newborn baby. Here they are bringing heavy, hopeful hearts to this little being who just needs to eat, sleep, and get to know his mom and dad. Forget theology and what you personally believe: what does it say about humanity that this story is so important to us? Right now, to me, it points to a yearning for hope and salvation amidst terrible darkness. Right now I look at this motley group and think, yeah, I'm right there with you.

and here is my Advent wreath. I was very amused at my very-lapsed Catholic friend who reflexively recoiled when I told him I was using all white candles because I couldn't find the elegant royal blue candles I usually use. Said friend was like, but what about the purple and pink candles? Said friend's wife was like, "did you look at Michael's?!" No. I finally decided four wrong-colored candles is better than nothing. But I had not even thought of Michael's and now feel compelled to make a trip. Because that's what Christmas is all about, right?