Everything in its place

The tree is up, the lights are on, the ornaments hung. This year, mutiny. We went with colored lights on the tree, by popular demand. I'm fine with it, actually. It looks pretty.

I'm doing quite well, I think, with the increasing clutter and mess that all of this Christmas-ing brings. Candles and stick stars on the windowsills, wooden Santas jumbling up the tabletops, red and green bowls crowding around the everyday white in our already crowded cabinets. Furniture moved around to make room for the tree. Relatives sleeping on the couch. That sort of thing.

I'm doing quite well, because I'm quite charmed by it all this year. I'm going with it. It feels good to walk in our house, I think.

I'm crazy in the kitchen. Every day seems an excuse for some sort of party, some sort of treat to be baked or comforting dish conjured up. Armed with chocolate chips, homemade bread and good cheeses, I feel I can rise to any occasion.

what we're eating these days:

grilled marinated pork loins (yes, that was Tim outside last night, grilling in his down coat), with roasted potatoes and cherry tomatoes.

frikadeller (danish-style pork and beef meatballs) over wide egg noodles.

pumpkin cookies, over and over and over again. With chocolate chips, because I can't help myself, but sliced almonds are exceptionally good, too. Plus the kids don't eat as many, then.

and speaking of almonds, an idea stolen from the samples at Whole Foods: any gooey, rinded cheese (I used an Italian cheese made with sheep and cow's milk called robbiola), "marinated" with honey and sprinkled with sliced almonds. It will knock your socks off; it looks beautiful, has a wonderful mixture of textures and tastes, and will seem like you've done something elaborate and creative without, really, doing much.

and, always, homemade pizza. Tim's pizza, as it's known around here (and elsewhere, I'm proud to say). Right now, with slivered red peppers.

Some of us are also eating more than their share of candy canes. And organic or not, a word to the wise: if you put candy canes out in a pretty little jar on December 2nd, you will have a three-year-old junkie with a wicked sugar jones by December 3rd. Just saying.

More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

tt