Don't blink it's Xmas

Am I insane or is this December 2010 already and Christmas is upon us? What happened? It was just a few months ago that I was crazy for tadpoles and tomatoes. Now, I am barely managing what I have to shop for - gifts, cards, stocking stuffers and my anti-anxiety meds.

Thanksgiving came and went. I usually spend the day with old friends but this year, I was obligated by my lover/partner to spend the day with him and his family. Don't get me wrong - I love Tim's family. His parents are amazing and have a beautiful home and I love spending time in their garden any time of the year. However, Tim morphs into a different person when you combine a family holiday with cooking. Tim and his mother both turn into these scary uber cooks. I blame Top Chef, Martha Stewart and Splendid Table for creating these hyper-sensitive, ingredient crazed, food processorized pod people and it's deadly when they inhabit the same kitchen space.

I feel completely intimidated by Tim and his mother in the kitchen. They live to cook. They have a secret cooking language and frown upon others entering their secret cooking world. I always wondered why Tim's Dad seemed to disappear whenever the stove turned on but now I know. I tread lightly and am afraid of using the wrong knife, wrong cling-wrap or inappropriate recycling method. Tim and his mother chat non-stop in their own world and I stand around their huge kitchen island waiting for them to throw me a stagiaire bone. I silently chop brussel sprouts, peel carrots, ice cupcakes and set the table. With every move, I hope to avoid notice of my less then worthy skills. At one point, Tim's mother threatened to kick me out of the kitchen if I didn't chop the carrots properly. They made me toast marshmellows over the gas stove and I knew I was going to burn the house down. I nearly cried. I was so stressed out. I got through the evening without mishap and crawled into bed Wednesday night exhausted and humbled.

Thanksgiving morning arrived too quickly and I continued to assist the uber cooks without an incident. Other then the inappropriate response to "What am I thankful for" dialog over dinner - ( I guess table humor has it's place and it wasn't my moment) - I managed to get through the day unscathed. When Tim and I stood at the train station that evening to head upstate, he transformed back into the boy I love. Relieved, I looked forward to a 3 day weekend - just the two of us in our own kitchen where I am happy to play the role of stagiaire to his chef.

Happy Thanksgiving

Great Thanksgiving with Tim's family. It's deadly when the entire family are amazing cooks. We made these ugly but very tasty Turkey cupcakes. They are embarrassing looking. However, the kids thought they were hilarious. Not what you think. Pumpkin cupcakes with buttercream icing, coconut, toasted marshmellows and swedish fish. The combination of flavors was tasty!

Mushroom Tart

Mushroom Tart

Serves 4 Prep Time 45 minutes

Flour for rolling out puff pastry

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

(from a 17.3 ounce package)

thawed according to package instructions

1 medium onion halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Course salt and fresh ground pepper

2 packages (10 ounces each) white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 package (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach

2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to a 16 by 10 inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges Place the pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score the dough to form a 1 inch border . Using a fork, prick the dough inside the border every 1/2 inch. Bake until golden, rotating the pan once, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, toss the onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the onion begins to brown. about 5 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking with the cover on for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms: cover and cook until tender and all liquid has evaporated about 10 minutes. Fold in the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes more. Drain any liquid.

4. Top the dough with the mushroom-spinach mixture. Scatter the onion and goat cheese on top Bake until the cheese is lightly browned about 15 minutes.

Happy Halloween!

Avoiding the crazies in the city this weekend. We came up and got our first snow flurries for the season. Love this time of the year. Went hiking over in Delhi. Finished mulching around the house and the new berm in the front yard. Spread manure over the raised beds. Watched a great documentary on Henri Cartier Bresson, the french photographer. The entire time, Burns burrowed under the quilt on the sofa or under the duvet on the bed napping the entire weekend. The life of a cat.

Tim outdid himself as usual and made this amazing dinner Saturday night - sauteed tilapia with white wine and capers, mushroom, spinach and goat cheese tart, and rosemary potato pancakes. All so good! We watched movies, watched the flurries outside our window and didn't see one trick or treater. That's the best thing about living in such a rural location, no crazies except for all the telemarketers calling about the upcoming election. Obama himself called me this weekend. I had to save that message.