Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Cranberry Kuchen

Cranberry KuchenDo you buy those bags of fresh cranberries they have in the produce section? I will usually buy a couple bags each holiday season and use one for cranberry onion sauce which is so much better than the jellied nasty stuff you get from a can that it's not even funny. Then I'll usually use a second bag to make this wonderful breakfast treat.

I think "kuchen" is the German word for cake? Maybe? and with whipped cream on top and a mug of hot chocolate on the side it's one of our favorite holiday treats.

Oh, and those bags of cranberries freeze very well too so you can have this even when the cranberries have left the stores for the season.

For cranberry sauce:
2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
½ cup maple syrup

For cake:
2 ¼ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
½ cup milk

For topping:
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds

To make sauce, in a saucepan cook berries in maple syrup over medium heat until berries just beginning to pop.

To make cake, mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) then add wet ingredients (butter, egg and milk) and mix until well combined.

Spread half of batter in 9x9 greased pan. Top with berry sauce then drop remaining batter by spoonfuls onto top. Combine the sugar, flour and ginger for the topping then cut in butter and add sliced almonds. Sprinkle on top of cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and top is golden.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Creamy Cheesy Dinner Rolls

Creamy Cheesy Dinner RollsContinuing with a week of recipes I'm including an updated version of my favorite dinner roll recipe.

Rolls are Andrew's favorite part of Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and he declared these guys to be extra tasty.

I made the basic dough recipe up (a double batch) then cut it into three sections, one section I filled with bacon bits and grated Cheddar (a fine combination) but the other two got special treatment.

I was sent a box of cheeses from Alouette to sample--two were soft, spreadable varieties and I used each one in a separate batch of rolls. On the first batch I spread the sweet pepper medley and on the second I used the berry version. One sweet, one savory and they both turned out wonderfully--I'd highly recommend them.

So here's the recipe and general instructions, you'll love them!

For dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter

For fillings:
Alouette sweet pepper medley spreadable cheese
Alouette berry medley spreadable cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar and 3 tablespoons bacon bits

You can make these in a bread machine which means you'll add the dough ingredients in the order given and set the machine to "dough" cycle. Remove dough and shape.

If you make them the traditional way, add the yeast to the water and allow to sit for a few minutes until it begins to bubble, then add sugar, milk, salt and butter and finally the flour, mixing it together until it forms a ball of the right consistency. Allow to raise for an hour then punch down and shape.

To shape, cut the ball of dough in half and roll it out into a circle about 10" across (maybe smaller). Then slice it into eight slices pizza style and on each section of dough spread one of the selected fillings. Roll each section up wide end to point and allow to raise for half an hour before baking at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden and tasty.

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Monday, December 14, 2009

Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo BarsYou can tell we're living in darkness here because my food pictures are so grim. Nothing like photographing a noodle under a flickering incandescent bulb to make it look unappealing.

But I think you still get the general idea and I'm willing to brave sad photography for the sake of these amazing treats. I came across a recipe for Nanaimo Bars (of Canadian fame) and couldn't believe I'd never heard of them before. Because, you know, I can see Canada from my house.

The story goes that these are a common delicacy from our neighbors to the east and there were so many raves about how wonderful they were that I just had to try them. When was the last time you heard anyone raving about Canadian cuisine? Brings out the curiosity, doesn't it?

So I figured it would be irresponsible not to give these a try and, I assure you, the effort was well worth it. Don't let the list of ingredients put you off, there aren't that many things as so many are repeated in the list and, not having to bake them, they're not very time consuming or hard to make. The biggest thing is that you must chill them before cutting and that might take some time. Because heaven forbid you get a giant chewy, eewy, gooey mess that sticks to your fingers and coats your fingers with chocolate ecstasy.

The square pan ends up making quite a few bars because they're rich enough you'll want to cut them small. Plus, cutting them small has the added benefit of making you think you're not consuming any calories of note and therefore you can eat these babies in bulk--and trust me, you'll want to.

With a brownie-ish no-bake bottom layer that incorporates walnuts, coconut and graham cracker crumbs followed by a middle custard-frosting layer and a top coating of chocolate they're half-way between a brownie and a candy bar and Andrew claimed that they have officially made it into the "top five best desserts you've ever made." They'd be great to make with kids because they're so easy and I suspect that they'd also be easy to convert to a gluten-free version because the cracker crumbs are the only objectionable ingredient.

Impressive, eh?

So tell me . . . anyone out there have any kind of a clue as to how to pronounce "Nanaimo"? And where on earth did it come from?

Bottom layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Second layer:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons skim milk
2 tablespoon cook-and-serve vanilla pudding powder such as Jello brand
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar (I used 1 cup and it made the frosting slightly less firm)

Top layer:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Grease a 9x9 square pan.

In a sauce pan melt the butter over a low heat, stir in sugar, cocoa powder and then slowly whisk in the beaten egg. Cook, stirring constantly, 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, coconut and nuts (I used 1 cup graham cracker crumbs because I was a little short and it still worked but the full amount would be better).

Press evenly into the pan. I usually slip my hands into plastic sandwich bags for this kind of thing, using them like plastic gloves so that my hands don't get all dirty. Just a tip. Allow the crust to cool slightly.

For the second layer, cream the butter then beat in the milk, pudding powder, vanilla and sugar. You can thin it down if you must with a bit more milk. Spread custard frosting over the bottom layer and refrigerate until cool, 30 minutes.

For final layer, melt the chocolate in the microwave on a low power (taking care that it doesn't burn) and add the butter to smooth it and thin it a bit. Then spread over bars and allow it all to cool again. Once it's firm, cut with a knife into bars. I got 25 out of my pan.

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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Seven Layer Dip

Seven Layer DipMy kitchen has been hot lately--hot I tell you. It's all that pre-Christmas rush to get goodies baked so I'm going to take a bit of a break this week and post recipes each day.

Of course from the things I'll be posting you'd probably assume we eat nothing but good ol' fashioned, gut-destroying refined sugar and artery-clogging fats but that's just for special occasions. Normally we eat healthily but I figure we all need a break now and then from the rules and what better time to give in to complete self-indulgence and gluttony than during the religious observance of Christmas?

Here's one of my favorite appetizers because, as we all know, Tex-Mex always hits the spot. Of course with seven layers to this thing there is something to offend everyone in the house unless you're like me who likes it all.

More recipes tomorrow . . .

1 10-ounce can bean dip
1 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 tub guacamole
1 large green onion, sliced
3 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
2 3-ounce cans sliced olives
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
taco chips

Layer the above ingredients on a plate one by one starting by spreading out the bean dip on a round dinner plate then mixing the sour cream and taco seasoning together and spreading it over top of bean dip then spreading a layer of guacamole, onions, tomatoes, olives and cheddar.

Dig in with taco chips and you'll be eating more than you probably should.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Snapgifts.com Giveaway

Snapgifts.comHow's that Christmas list coming along? Got everything yet? Well if you're still looking for last-minute ideas I have a site that is perfect.

Allow me to share Snapgifts.com, a place where you can easily purchase gift cards to all sorts of places from restaurants to book stores to theaters to sports equipment stores. I know because they offered me a free chance to try it out for myself and I was highly pleased.

You can shop for services by city (say you want a gift card that will work in SanFrancisco or Boston or L.A.) by category of services (see left side bar) or by brands such as Lowes or Borders or Cold Stone. It's easy to pick out what you want then set the amount you'd like set on the card then once you pay for it and tell them where to send it you're set. It took me five days to get my card from the time of purchase to when it showed up in my mailbox and how pleased I was.

You can get the card shipped for free throughout December just by adding the "freeshipping" at checkout. Go ahead, give it a try.

If you follow the directions below you might get lucky and win a $25 gift certificate for Snapgifts.com for yourself just in time for the holidays--treat yourself or someone on your list whose hard to buy for. Merry Christmas!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning go to the giveaway entry form on this page and enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to all readers! Good luck!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Movies to See Instead of Going to the Theater

The Guns of NavaroneI'm always a fan of a good movie and usually the summer and Christmas movie runs are eagerly anticipated around here but this year? Pretty disappointing. There isn't really anything I'm particularly interested in seeing--certainly not Robert Downey, Jr. butchering Sherlock Holmes as dramatically as Stephanie Meyer butchered vampires and werewolves. Apparently the pen is definitely more destructive than the wooden stake and poor Bram Stoker must be rolling in his grave.

But ah me, it's just as well--tickets are nearly $10 and there are only a handful of films that could possibly qualify as being worth that kind of money.

SO . . . we'll be watching movies at home this Christmas and enjoying a comfy sofa and popcorn that doesn't cost $17 per ounce of buttery goodness.

The hardest thing about watching movies at home, however, is that with six people in the room it's hard to find things that are appropriate for all. So today I'm listing some of the movies that we all enjoy for a family movie night together. Some of them are good for younger children but most are things I'm comfortable letting my 10, 13 and 15 year olds see. If you have any recommendations of your own please let me know because I'm always on the lookout.

1. The Guns of Navarone
Not for small children but if you happen to have a teen boy in the house this is a must-see. Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn form part of a World War II special-ops team assigned to destroy the gigantic guns guarding the Greek island of Navarone in time for the British to come to the rescue of the doomed prisoners.

It's one of my favorite macho war movies, right up there with The Dirty Dozen and The Great Escape (also great films) and while not everyone in the house is a war movie aficionado it's still a great movie. Suspenseful and well-acted as you'd expect with a cast like that. No rating on this one because it was made in 1961 though it is in color, don't worry. If I try to throw a black and white classic at them it's complete and total anarchy, I do know my limitations.

Castaway2. Castaway
I'm partial to Tom Hanks movies with the kids because so many are clean and well-made. We watched Joe v. The Volcano the week of Thanksgiving which is quirky and odd but strangely appealing. Probably because Meg Ryan has some lines to hoot over.

"I have no response to that."

But I digress. The subject is Castaway, the movie that takes Robinson Crusoe to the level of reality television and succeeds marvelously. My boys like it for the adventure angle and my girl likes it for the romance (plus adventure). It is rated PG-13, which you can't dismiss lightly, but it's for intense action sequences (like a ginormous plane going down in a scene that rivals the train wreck in The Fugitive for intensity--man I nearly went into labor with Grace right there in the theater when I saw that for the first time. Not a good movie to see while 9 months pregnant.) Otherwise it's clean.

Silverado3. Silverado
Another manly movie. I like westerns okay, it's not as if I'm haunting Clint Eastwood or anything, but this . . . THIS movie is a favorite. The cast is all-star: Danny Glover, Kevin Costner, Brian Denehy, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, John Cleese, Scott Glenn and others I can't quite recall right now. All westerns are essentially the same--guns, shooting, revenge, injustice followed by eventual justice, the savagery of nature and the savage nature of men--and this one follows the formula wonderfully.

Again, it's PG-13 so it's not good for small kids, but it's rated that for the shooting that goes on and the cowboys do occasionally have colorful cowboy mouths but it's not heavy stuff and my boys loved the movie.

The Man Who Knew Too Little4. The Man Who Knew Too Little
If you're a Hitchcock fan you'll recognize the pun in the title and it ought to give you an idea of the fun you're in for. Bill Murray can be sooooo funny and this is my favorite movie he's made. It's full of hysterically quotable lines and funny scenes that we'll still laugh about.

Murray plays a dingaling guy (which I know is a given) come to visit his brother (Peter Gallagher) in London as a surprise. The surprise comes at a bad time so the brother unloads Murray for the night by buying him tickets to an experimental theater show called "The Theater of Life" where people can pay to participate in a scripted spy caper--kind of a live-action version of choose your own adventure.

The only problem is (and there's always a problem, right?) Murray gets twisted around and gets himself involved in a real spy caper, thinking it's fake and he bungles through as only Bill Murray can. Rated PG.

Apollo 135. Apollo 13
See? Another Tom Hanks movie. Told you I liked him (but then who doesn't?).

You probably remember this film about the 1970 Apollo 13 moon voyage where the famous "Houston, we have a problem" line was uttered but if you haven't seen it you must. A great movie and historical films are always good for talking about afterward and inspiring further study. I'd also recommend Spartacus, A Man for All Seasons, Amadeus, Ghosts of Mississippi, Gandhi and Memphis Belle as good historical movies and I'm sure there are plenty more that I just can't recall right now.

Rated PG

Operation Condor6. Operation Condor
James Bond is always fun but Jackie Chan is even more fun (unless we're talking Casino Royale, then forget it, James Bond is definitely better).

The problem is, Bond isn't exactly the greatest role model for children and you know what I mean. Try Jackie instead--and while there's plenty of punching and dodging and kicking and bullets flying it's not gory and you won't see him with a martini or a babe in bed. Other martial arts movies tend to take themselves way too seriously but this one is played for the comedy (I still do not get Crouching Dragon Hidden Tiger--what was up with that flaky ending???)

Operation Condor is his best movie, while some of the others are fun they tend to fall into this tumble mess of Hong Kong city scenes and dubbed second-rate actors. It's PG-13 for the action.

Sky High7. Sky High
Okay NOW we've got movies for smaller kids though the great thing about this one is it's enjoyable enough that adults can watch it too. The premise is that this kid is the child of two superheroes and just like Harry Potter gets called into Hogwarts at age 11 this young super guy gets to go to the high school for super heroes: Sky High.

Honestly? It's Kurt Russell's funniest role and the lines actually get you chuckling. There are sappy kid movies that are a drain to sit through and then there are those that take pity on us as parents and give us something we can enjoy too.

As with all Hollywood successes the film inspired a knockoff called Zoom which stunk. Don't bother with it, stick with this one and enjoy. Rated PG.

The Kid8. The Kid
The movie where Bruce Willis made his transition from hardened NYC cop fighting super bad guys to sensitive leading man not afraid to show his vulnerability though the real star of the movie is the kid himself. The boy who plays Bruce's younger self with all his lisping, chubby cuteness.

Bruce goes back in time to meet up with his younger 10 year-old self to determine why his life hasn't turned out quite the way he'd originally intended and of course goes through all that self-discovery, repentance and resolution that you'd expect from the screen writers guild.

Again, a movie that's good for adults and kids alike, rated PG.

Secondhand Lions9. Secondhand Lions
Don't be fooled and think that because this is possibly the sweetest most endearing movie ever made that it's just for kids or that it's all cheese and sugar. With Michael Caine and Robert Duvall you can expect that it's a first-class production and it is a fabulous movie for the whole family.

A boy on his way to being a man is foisted on his elderly uncles living in the middle of the Heartland. The men are eccentric but wise and full of stories and advice that is just what the boy needs and just what we need to keep us watching and chuckling and enjoying ourselves when we watch it.

I don't know why movies like this are considered "family" movies, they ought to just be considered "excellent" and leave it at that. I see no reason why they should be shoved off into a separate category merely because they're devoid of offensive material. End of tirade.

Definitely an A movie, rated PG.

Willow10. Willow
Another Ron Howard film and a favorite from the 80s. Not at good as Lord of the Rings but then what is? And while it's not as good it's funnier, which I do appreciate--thanks Ron.

I've tried to hit all sorts of genres with this list and here's my nod to fantasy, this mini epic (is that an oxymoron?) follows our heroes (including Val Kilmer) as they try to save the world from the evil queen while rescuing the child of which it has been prophesied that salvation would come. Got it?

Watch the brownies, they're a crack-up. And while the costumes, set and cinematography aren't exactly Peter Jackson it's a fun movie that gives you plenty to enjoy--rather like The Princess Bride. Rated PG.

Without a Clue11. Without a Clue
If you're going to mess with Sherlock Holmes then THIS is how you do it. Take notice Robert Downey, Jr--Michael Caine takes on the role with Ben Kingsley as the ever-present Dr. Watson but the twist is that Holmes is a complete idiot and Watson is the brains of the operation. Holmes, an out-of-work actor, is hired by Watson to increase his street cred with the guys at Scotland Yard and things go off from there.

Great comedy, AND it includes the bonus of having Ed Rooney (remember Ferris Beuller?) playing Inspector Lastrade, the only man possibly as stupid as Holmes himself.

Rated PG. And if you like this you might try Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Caine and Steve Martin, another classic comedy that I love love love which is also PG.

The Rookie12. The Rookie
Sports movie? Check. This one's good though there is also Rudy, Remember the Titans, Rookie of the Year, Cool Runnings and Little Big League as well, depending on the age you're trying to entertain. Oh, and Invincible is pretty good too--though that's for older kids.

I like sports movies well enough, they're all pretty much the same, and this one follows the tracks with reliability.

Rated G though and I have to at least give it a mention--when was the last time they made a G movie at all, let alone one that adults could sit through as well? You kind of have to go back to the Disney princess era for that.

Ever After13. Ever After
Speaking of Disney princesses, here's the girliest movie on the list and it's a great one. Ever After is the live-action Cinderella story, told with plausibility as if you were trying to explain how it could have really happened.

Drew Barrymore is fun, the clothes are beautiful, the movie is romantic without being saccharine and I give it two thumbs up. It's rated PG-13 for "brief intense language" but honestly? I can't remember ever hearing anything at all like that--I must have missed it because it seemed squeaky-clean to me.

It even has it's fun lines and chuckles too.

Galaxy Quest14. Galaxy Quest
Can you tell I'm more inclined to a movie if it's funny? This one is great, it's really a spoof on Star Trek and it cracks me up.

Tim Allen, that guy from Monk, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Richman--great cast, funny lines, clever scenario, it's all there and if you haven't seen it you're missing out.

Oh, and it also has that guy from the Mac commercials (I don't know his name) that makes Macs look cooler than PCs. He's in it.

Though I warn you, you'll never look at Gilligan's Island the same way again (inside joke--watch the movie). Never. Rated PG.

15. Nicholas Nickleby
And my nod to period movies. This one is touching, sweet, well-made, and thoroughly a thrill. And while it has those typical moments of Dickensian squalor and abject human suffering it's not a bad movie to watch together because you can then talk a bit about what you saw. My kids got pretty choked up over the plight of poor Smike.

I'm talking about the 2003 version with Anne Hathaway and Allen Cummings and the rest of the fabulous cast. And if you like period movies then there's always of course Pride and Prejudice and the whole Jane Austen collection but this one is probably the best for younger kids. Just an opinion.

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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Alaska Inside and Out

I haven't felt very festive at all lately, it doesn't seem as if it could possibly be December 9th already, and I've found myself wishing that I could get a bit of a delay on the whole holiday thing--you know, push it back a week or two so that I could be good and ready. Apparently I need to brace myself for impact.

Nonetheless, we went out Monday to cut our Christmas tree. Instead of doing our traditional breakfast binge at IHOP this year we did the dine-in option. To make it more fun we pretended as if we had menus and everyone ordered whatever they wanted including but not limited to: cherry covered pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs and omelets and somehow they all thought it tasted better than if we were eating out (though I think they were just being kind).

The fog was heavy on the inlet as we drove south but on the return trip this is what we saw coming down from the pass back toward Portage:

Alaska
And by the end of the evening this is what we saw:

Christmas in Alaska
And suddenly I felt more in the mood.

Lillian and I sat down to finish the beaded crystal snowflakes I started nearly a year ago but didn't quite finish in time for Christmas 2008 so our windows are decorated, our tree is up and we are officially Christmas-worthy. Bring it on.


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Tuesday, December 08, 2009

More Sewing Projects and a Few Mistakes

New Look 6748I had another post lined up for today and wouldn't you know it? I messed the entire thing up. Long story but you can bet I let out a wail when my hour of work went down the drain. I'll have to try it again for next week but to hold you over I'll share this instead.

I was kind of proud of this one because I had an old dress pattern from several years ago (New Look 6748 if you're interested) that I'd been holding onto and then I happened to have yards of fabric left over from Grace's Halloween costume last year.

So I put the two together and came up with this. Kind of like the peanut butter/chocolate marriage thing and I think it works--at least I felt kind of fun wearing something that felt a little more exotic than my standard dark winter wear.

New Look Pattern 6748However, the whole thing was not without its irritations as well because the pattern called for a knit fabric. I was worried that my normal size would be too small for a woven pattern so I cut it larger and when I was done it looked like a tent on me.

Great. So I spent the next day taking the whole thing apart and cutting it down to size (the good news and the bad news, right?) Well after I'd spent a second day of sewing putting it back together I realized I'd messed up yet again and cut it too much--it was now too small. I could hardly breathe.

So I took it off, took a deep breath (trying not to say the words that came to mind) then I took it all apart yet again and spent a third day of sewing to put it back together, complete with hidden inserts for expansion. It was quite an ordeal.

So how did I know it was a success? When my daughter wanted to borrow it for the dance. Nice try Grace.

***

As for last weekend's VTech toys giveaway, I ended up having to redraw a winner which was Karen of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Congratulations to her and to Stephanie at Metropolitan Mama who won this weekend's TOMS Shoes Giveaway.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Gone Fishing

My children call my father "Regular Grandpa" because they know they have another grandpa in there somewhere but the only one who has ever met him is Grace, and she was too young to remember the event. From what little I know of him he's a quiet, reserved yet friendly man, a former computer programmer and a good stepfather who loves country dancing with his wife.

If I ask Andrew about his memories of his father he'll inevitably talk about those few times in high school when his Dad would sneak into his bedroom before the alarm went off, shake his son gently and say, "Get up--we're going skiing!" Andrew would skip school, his dad would call in sick for work then they'd spend the day at Copper Mountain, Breckenridge or Keystone and the day would inevitably end with Andrew falling asleep on the drive home.

The mom in me shakes a finger and says, "How irresponsible! What kind of a parent would take their son from school for an empty day of bumming around on the slopes?" But then another side of me knows those times are the most important--years later Andrew will point to those days as highlights in his relationship with his father.

I've written before how family vacations are so important--how taking the time to smell those roses together is what brings you closer and adds depth to your relationships--and today Andrew and I are being our own brand of irresponsible parents. Each year we go out to cut our Christmas tree in the Alaskan wilderness (or at least 100 feet away from the highway as the law permits) and part of the tradition is taking the children out of school for the event.

We sleep in a bit, go to breakfast together (usually at the local IHOP or Village Inn) then spend the morning traveling along the peninsula in search of the perfect tree (or at least one that will fit on top of the car) and this year is no different. Today the kids get that thrill that can only be found through a flagrant flouting of school policy.

Yes I know it's probably very wrong but it's a tradition that we've grown to love. It's moments like these that I hope will help keep our children close to us and this year it feels even more important for some reason, the only change is that we won't be going out to breakfast so there will be no artery-clogging Country Fried Steak abominations consumed but they'll still be skipping school and listening to Christmas songs and dragging a tree over the snow.

I hope that the kids will remember us strapping trees to the roof rack with bungee cord then stopping every five minutes during the two-hour trip home to keep them from plunging off the back. I hope they remember how ugly the trees were, covered with tufts of moose hair and looking like they'd been through a dozen rounds of chemotherapy, but how pretty they looked once they were lit up and decorated.

But most of all I hope that they remember that we loved them enough to do things together as a family and that there's no one I'd rather spend a day playing hooky with.

***

Here are some past years with photos of our Alaskan tree hunting expeditions. Just in case you don't believe me.

An Alaskan Christmas Tree for Me
Christmas Trees Alaskan Style
Stalking the Mighty Alaskan Spruce


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