I am a little distracted by the thought of snow coming our way and have spent most of my day reading about the snow or running to the window to look for snow. I am snow obsessed.

It’s a perfect day for getting into the kitchen and doing a little cooking and baking. For me, being alone in the kitchen is something akin to meditation. I chop, stir, season and taste test. Old R&B is on the radio. No one needs my time. It’s just me and the stove. Well, and the dogs. The dogs love the kitchen (something might fall on the floor!)

Yesterday was one such day. With Diane and beau Jonathan joining us for dinner, I spent the day in the kitchen readying for their arrival. Now, I know to some that sounds like drudgery, but for me it was bliss. Especially after being down for the count over New Year’s. First, I visited the grocery store for last minute items. Then home for prep. Here is the menu:

Seafood Dip and Crackers

Beet, Peppered Feta & Toasted Walnut Salad

Fresh Baked Bread

Butternut Squash Soup with Sour Cream and a Proscuitto Crisp

Homemade Twix Bars

Pinot Noir

I roasted the butternut squash, arranged the salad, baked the shortbread for the base of the twix bars.  The bread dough was shaped and laid out to rise.  Squash went into a pot with 4 cups of chicken stock, onions, garlic and chili powder. Shortbread baked, cooled and covered with caramel and set in the fridge to firm while I melted chocolate chips for the topping.  Topped caramel and shortbread with chocolate and put the whole thing in the freezer for hardening…..(not sure if I can recommend doing this, as it was a devil to cut with a fork, but it was sure tasty.)

With food all taken care of, the table needed setting.  I whipped out my silver chargers (plastic, but they are painted a lovely silver color…lol), dinner plates, soup bowls, wine glasses and flatware.  I finally had a chance to use the beautiful silver napkin rings I found over the holidays.

Back to the kitchen for last minute touches. The soup needed blending and the bread needed to bake.  I put the seafood dip in a pretty cut glass bowl and filled a plate with Wheat Thins (don’t you just love Wheat Thins?)

The candles were lit and there I was. Alone. In the kitchen. This is a funny time for me, this little twilight hour before the guests arrive.  I poured myself a chardonnay and thought about how the house would soon be filled with laughter and sated appetites. This bit of time reminds me of when I am almost awake in the morning, but not quite. It’s all quite dreamy and verges on surreal.

Or it could just be that I was having my first glass of wine in eight days. Either way, it’s a nice time for the cook.

Now, let’s take a look at that twix bar, shall we? I found this on Dana Moos’s blog, via Foodgawker. I think it’s a keeper recipe.

Almost Exactly Like the Real Thing!

As you know, I was most excited about watching the Gators vs. Alabama play the SEC Championship last night. Well, my Gators lost, but the food was fun!

Midafternoon, I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of Miss Diane – Modern Love by David Bowie. Miss Diane says that every time she’s at our house it comes on the radio. Well, I was in the kitchen making peppermint brownies when that very song came on so I had to call her. She asked me how many people were coming over to watch the game. Uh….nobody but Eric and me, sitting on the couch, hollering at the television. Of course I asked her to join us.

Peppermint Brownies - Recipe To Follow

I had gotten out the andouille sausage, the cheesy poofs, the salt and pepper chips, the plain chips, onion dip and some moon pies. There was wine and beer and cokes to drink. I had also baked the aforementioned peppermint brownies and had put some bread dough out to rise to take to Crystal and Teague’s house after the game so we could help trim their Christmas tree and indulge in some of Crystal’s grandmother’s Beef Vegetable Soup. Yum, soup!

It was a junk food afternoon at our house. Perfect for game day. Take a look at my bowl of chips on the left as put together by Miss Diane when asked what type of chip I would like. “Yes” was my reply. That’s a lot of chips!

Food Groups For Game Day: Chips, Moon Pies, Wine, Dip

The brats were going to be grilled outside, but baby, it’s cold outside! So I braised them in beer and onions and they were tasty indeed.

Six Brats A-Steamin'!

Radioactive Colored Food To Watch The Game By

But alack and alas, my Gators were defeated. Not sure how this happened but I have to admit, Alabama was all over it and deserved the win. Hopefully they’ll be a bowl game, but until then, we have a tree trimming to attend!

Miss Diane left to go home and Miss Tracy showed up to walk with us to Crystal and Teague’s house (yes, our front door is revolving…). We packed up the brownies, bread and more wine & beer, and then proceeded to bundle ourselves up. First, after the jeans and turtleneck, the gloves, the Uggs, the fuzzy lined hoodie, scarf and leather jacket. I mean – it was COLD outside. But it was a clear night and the walk was pleasant.

Everything smelled so good at our good friends’ house and the tree was so fab! Somehow I neglected to bring my camera to the soiree, so just trust me that their afternoon tree search certainly yielded a beauty. Large and full, with the lights on and ready to be decorated. But first there was soup and bread and brownies to gobble up. Crystal’s soup was so good, I ate a giant bowl.

Joining us were our sweet neighbors Rick and Denise. After dinner, the ornaments were brought out and we got to decorating. With seven friends, it didn’t take long. Not only that, but Crystal was dear enough to gift me with a bundle of ice blue branches for our party next Saturday. But she and Teague also gifted us with the cutest ornaments ever! They are black tie for our black tie party next week! Look how cute:

Black Ties for Our Black Tie!

And so, after the tree was trimmed, toasts were made and soup was devoured, we bundled back up and made our way back home in the misty moonlight.

I hope the season is treating you well so far. If you need a little something to take to a friend’s house or you could use something yummy for yourself, here is the recipe for the Peppermint Brownies. Super easy and quick. You could make these and be out of the house in under an hour.

Peppermint Brownies

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. When melted, remove from heat.
Stir in sugar and eggs, beating slightly.
Add in vanilla and peppermint.
Add flour.

Bake in greased 8x8x2 pan for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tomorrow the real work starts. Five days and counting until our Christmas Black Tie party for 75 friends. Let the chaos begin!

xoxo, Patti