The best course

I'm excited about Thanksgiving. I think its my favorite holiday. It doesn't involve anything but getting together, eating, drinking and having a good time. The first set of winter holidays after Thomas and I started dating, my family, all eleven of us, was invited to Thomas's parents' home. Pauline put on a huge meal for over twenty people serving all sorts of wonderful dishes I had never tried before. She had parsnips, leeks and little tiny onions in a fabulous gravy. We were stuffed to the gills and well beyond sated. Then she brought out the desserts. Wow! Pauline likes to put on a holiday just so she can make dessert, and more dessert and more dessert. There was apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, chocolate mousse, Russian cream and more. My family was dumbfounded with the number of sweet selections we had to choose from that day.

This Thanksgiving, I am not making the meal, hooray! We have been invited to my cousin's home in Orange County. When the invitation came in I quickly replied, "Sure! We'll bring dessert!"

I'm doing Thanksgiving 'Pauline style.' After all these years I now have a collection of my favorite recipes, my mom's pumpkin pie, Pauline's Russian cream and chocolate mousse. I am also going to try a new apple pie recipe, fresh crust and all.

Below is Pauline's famous chocolate mousse. It's an easy recipe, only six ingredients and so delicious. (My brother tried to horde the bowl all for himself on that Thanksgiving day nine years ago. I think he succeeded too, I have a very vivid picture in my mind of him clutching it tightly to his chest and giving other diners an evil glare.) Really you should try it. It's awesome.

Pauline's Famous Chocolate Mousse
8 oz semisweet chocolate
1/4 c butter
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c sugar
1 c whipping cream, whipped

In a medium saucepan over very low heat, melt butter and chocolate stirring constantly. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine 4 yolks and vanilla. Using wire whisk gradually add the chocolate to yolks blending well. In a small bowl, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Myth busted

I've been under the weather for the last few days, and in this house that means nothing changes. I am not allowed extra rest, a free pass to whine or a night off from making dinner. Thomas depends on me to keep the essential happenings of life in order. (You know... stuff like feeding the dogs, knowing what day it is and remebering where he last removed his slippers.) Therefore, I can't change my behavior in the slightest way because this would then throw off my husband's circadian rhythm and everything would spontaneously burst into flames.

So last night, after making dinner, I curled up on the couch with Thomas all ready to watch the new two hour Myth Busters special. I started by sitting. Henry came over and wanted some petting, and I leaned on the couch arm. Henry was really being soppy and desperate for attention so I rested my head on the arm and he put his head on my chest. Everything was great. I was relaxing, Thomas was happy and Henry was sated. As the show progressed my blinks steadily slowed, until finally I wasn't blinking anymore. Thomas woke me and insisted I go to bed. "No," I argued, "I'm awake!"

"Well, then sit up."

"I can't, I'll stay awake, I promise."

"Wake up."

"What? I'm not sleeping!"

"Yes, you are. Sit up or go to bed."

"OK, I'll sit up, I really want to watch this," I say as I shift myself upright.

Thirty seconds elapses.

"Wake up."

I had done something unbelievable, the unthinkable, the unimaginable. I fell asleep sitting up. I FELL ASLEEP SITTING UP! I know I've learned a lot of things from my Dad, but this skill snuck in unexpectedly!

Legendary

In my previous post, I listed one hundred things about me. I unfortunately forgot my strongest skill. This skill is not listed on my resume. I certainly would not discuss it in a job interview, however I am very completive with this skill. Frequently contested, my skill is unmatched and undefeated. It has been the topic of many a lunchroom discussion. When performed it brings with it fits of giggles. It is not something I brag about to others, unless those others are under the age of 16.

What is this skill? I can burp.

Now when I say burp, I mean shake the walls, frighten your pets, displace the air so your hair quivers. This is the thing legends are made of. I am legendary, at least to my niece and two nephews. They have conversations about Aunt Heather's belching that always end in fits of giggling.

Most others find my skill disgusting. I can't say I blame them, but this will not stop me.

My 100th post!

I have been watching this moment arrive trying to figure out what to do for such a monumental occasion. Here are 100 things you may or may not know about me.

1. I have red hair.
2. I own a house.
3. I moved to California when I was 24.
4. I love paper.
5. I love the smell of new books.
6. I dated my husband for nine years and five months before getting married.
7. I am fascinated by my husband's irrefutable memory.
8. I secretly read about cars and have put many men in their place when discussing automobile statistics.
9. I can't wait to go to bed every night.
10. I love Q-tips.
11. I am a graphic designer that doesn't know web design.
12. I like to take photographs.
13. I love to take my dogs to the beach.
14. I love that I live near the beach.
15. I like to sew.
16. I love flamingos.
17. I stare into my dogs eyes.
18. I often wonder what my dogs are thinking.
19. I do not have a diamond engagement ring.
20. I have two sisters and one brother.
21. I am the youngest sibling in my family.
22. I have been an aunt since age 12.
23. I am known to my family as Baby Heather or Aunt Baby.
24. All of my computers have been named LBH for Little Baby Heather.
25. I listen to Jimmy Buffett.
26. My next car will be a classic Mini Cooper.
27. I love to take my dogs for car rides.
28. I refer to my car as the swirling tornado of dog hair.
29. I like to gun the engine just so Thomas will yell about how much gas I just used.
30. I love to cook.
31. I find baking fun.
32. Whenever I bake I dirty every bowl in the kitchen.
33. I love to read cookbooks.
34. I love In-N-Out burgers.
35. I like wine.
36. I buy wine based on the label.
37. I brag about my husband's cooking ability.
38. I sleep with my iPhone under my pillow.
39. I am hugely possessive.
40. I love shoes.
41. I love purses.
42. I have an entire wall of my home dedicated to my purse collection.
43. I love my birthday.
44. I crave sushi.
45. I have a room full of art supplies that don't get used enough.
46. I am the tallest kid in my family.
47. I am 5' 10 1/2" tall.
48. I hate to clean.
49. I love to garden.
50. I built a deck with my husband.
51. I built a retaining wall out of 75 lb. bricks with my husband and mother-in-law.
52. I built a kitchen cabinet with my dad.
53. I have no spacial reasoning.
54. I love letters in the mail.
55. I collect individual letters.
56. I like a dirty martini.
57. I am trying to grow my hair long.
58. I love the color orange.
59. I am very ticklish.
60. I am a freelance graphic designer.
61. I love going out for breakfast.
62. I love sunrises and sunsets.
63. I want a telescope so I can become a better backyard astronomer.
64. My favorite city is London.
65. I dread turning 30.
66. I can install large wall size graphics with my bare hands.
67. I owned a yarn store before I really knew how to knit.
68. I love to crochet.
69. This was my locker number in high school.
70. I hate to knit with cotton.
71. My husband has banned me from purchasing anymore wrapping paper.
72. I love Sharpies.
73. I love tape.
74. I love to write letters.
75. I have an unintentional collection of vases.
76. I like quiet.
77. I don't like to read books.
78. I love to start a new project.
79. Sometimes I drink the wine before I've finished making the meal.
80. I installed a gas cooktop with my husband.
81. I love nail polish.
82. I am not good with makeup.
83. My legs are longer than my husband's and he is 6' 4".
84. I love the smell of a new book.
85. I baby my Oakley sunglasses.
86. I can roll my tongue.
87. I can hum and whistle at the same time which really annoys my dogs.
88. I was the only one in my wedding party that did not wear white.
89. I have oddly short pinkie fingers.
90. I have a collection of rulers.
91. I love to go to bed early.
92. I love to come home to my dogs.
93. I love a good sale.
94. I love old dishes.
95. I like vintage tea towels.
96. I wish my furniture was more modern, or maybe just my couch.
97. I don't understand how computers work.
98. I love coffee.
99. I love tea.
100. I am generally a happy person.

That's 72 to be exact

Of the things I miss most from Pennsylvania, pierogies are number two. (Tastykake Kandy Kakes are number one.) Have you ever heard of the wonderful fried treats called pierogies? That's what I thought. Pierogies are a delightful Hungarian potato dough dumpling filled with fluffy mashed potatoes, boiled then deep fried. I then enjoy them salted and carefully drizzled with ketchup.

We have tried to find them in California, but nobody knows what we're talking about when we ask. We then commence the story about how our favorite hot dog restaurant, Yocco's, offers these little fried bites of heaven, and oh how we're craving them. We just can't go on living without them. Yocco's sells the Doggie Pac which includes a dozen dogs, buns and all the fixings. My dad has been keeping us filled with Yocco's dogs for the last few years by air mailing a Doggie Pac on Thomas's birthday or whenever he thinks Thomas has a hankering. Yocco's does not, unfortunately for us, package their pierogies!

A few days ago, I received a cryptic email from my dad. "Expect a package on Thursday." We speculated what it could be, one can never be too sure when dealing with my family. We waited and pondered some more.

Thursday came and here's what arrived:

Pierogies! Six DOZEN pierogies to be exact. He split the order into different varieties sending us potato and cheese, plain cheese, and potato and onion. I dropped a dozen in the fryer and they turned out perfectly!

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Millie's Pierogi, get some for yourself, here.