I’m reading the book Just After Sunset by Stephen King, who is normally my favorite author.  This book, however, is just terrible.  It’s a collection of short stories, which I abhor anyway, but it was a gift, and I mean to get through it.

The story The Things They Left Behind features a young man who escaped perishing in the Twin Towers during 9/11 by calling in to work.  Uncannily, things from his coworkers who didn’t survive begin to show up in his apartment.  After deciding to dispose of them, he feels so relieved he picks up an order of General Tso’s Chicken at his favorite Chinese place.  The question is: Will these things stay gone?

General Tso’s Chicken

If you read the post below, you know I’m cooped up in a Rehab Center.  Real Estate has been put on hold for me until I can walk again, so I have been reading like a madwoman!!

If there’s one thing I miss (activities, not people) while my legs heal, it’s cooking.  I never thought I’d miss it this much.  So, to give myself something to do during the 22 hours in the day when I’m not exercising, I’m going to give you some excerpts from my reads with food.

Currently I’m reading Julie and Julia, now a movie, which I thought I’d love so much more than I do.  Frankly, I’m having trouble getting through.  I will prevail, however.  You must know the book is fraught with mentions of all kinds of crazy French food, but I’m 1/2 way through and I ain’t going back.

One thing that Julie and her hubby drink all of the time are Gimlets.  Apparently, her hubby makes the best and are just the thing when the plumbing goes haywire and begins to spew black vile liquid rice…shudder (page 215).

Gimlet Recipe:

1.25 oz Tanqueray® gin
1 oz Rose’s® lime juice
1 twist lime

Pour the gin and lime juice into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the lime wedge.
Further, Julie mentions Chocolate Mousse helps with the same problem.  This is one of the few things we agree upon(page 215).  Here’s a quick version of this dessert I found at Recipe Key:

Chocolate Mousse

Navarin Printanier

1. Trim excess fat from lamb and place fat in a large roasting pan. Renderi fat in a very hot [500] oven for 10 min, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile cut lamb into 2″ cubes.
3. Remove pan from oven, reserve 6 tbsp fat and discard balance.
4. Mixi meat in the fat and spread out in a single layer in two roasting pans.
5. Sprinkle on sugar.
6. Bakei meat in a 500 oven for 20 min to draw juices; stir several times.
7. Drain juices and reserve.
8. Mix salt with flour and sprinkle over meat, mixing to blend.
9. Return meat uncovered to the oven for 20 min more.
10. Boil the reserved pan juices until reduced to 1 cup; add the stock, rosemary and bay leaves and divide evenly between the two pans, stirring to loosen the browned pan particles.
11. Cover and bake at 375°F for 1 ½ hr until very tender.
12. Transfer meat to another container and strain pan juices to remove lumps and bay leaves.
13. Skimi fat and pour juices over the meat.
14. At this point you can refrigerate the meat and continue the next day, if desired.
15. Peeli carrots, cut them into thirds and trim blunt ends to simulate baby carrots.
16. Peel turnips and if they are over 1″ thick slice them in half, trimming to make rounded shapes like a baby turnip.
17. Peel the onions.
18. Cook these separately in salted water 15 min. drain well; cover with cold water and refrigerate until the stew is assembled.
19. The same day you serve the stew: peel potatoes and cook in boiling salted water 15 min. hold in warm water up to an hour max. Until ready to mix into the stew.
20. Cut ends from the squash and split in 2 lengthwise or if large in ¾” thick slices.
21. Cook covered in boiling salted water 8 min. hold with the potatoes until ready to assemble.
22. Reheat the meat, covered, in a 300 oven 1 hr, add cooked vegetables and heat another 1-2 hrs. ½ hr before serving add the peas and mix. [i think this recipe needs more seasoning; say 2 tsp rosemary, 4 bay leaves and a generous amount of black pepper, perhaps other herbs or a bit of garlic – jw.
23.  from the sunset cook book of soups and stews.

I had a REALTOR Luncheon at my listing on 7209 Sedgebrook Drive West in Stanley.  This home is located in the Gates at Waterside Crossing.  To lure the REALTORs out away from the warm dry offices, you have to promise to have good food.  I try to make homemade stuff instead of getting mine catered because people will actually come for that reason!  This time I made a host of gourmet sandwiches: tuna salad, pimiento cheese, turkey and ham.  I served the sandwiches with chips and soda.  I also had three simple desserts that I made:  Brownies, Cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting and Hello Dollies.  The recipes I used are below:

Hello Dollies

Drew’s Homemade Pimiento Cheese

SERVES 6 , 1 1/2 cups cheese spread

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

10 min | 10 min prep

Tuna & Egg Salad

55 min | 45 min prep

SERVES 4 -6

My luncheon was sponsored by Chris Hopkins from Myers Park Mortgage.  You should call him if you have any mortgage needs, he is really awesome!

The crummy picture is to let you know I REALLY made this!  I needed a fancy looking, but easy-to-prepare dessert last weekend, and this one really fit the bill!  It really isn’t all that fattening, either, if you don’t eat the pastry part!!

Strawberry Pastries with Lemon Cream

Oh, and the real estate market in Charlotte is doing great!

Every Christmas Eve my family gets together to open gifts and enjoy each other’s company.  We all make simple dishes, like appetizers, pickups and this chili.  Then we let the children help us pass out presents and we take turns, youngest to oldest, opening gifts (one at a time).  The kids can hardly wait for their turns to come around each time!

Afterwards we clean up the paper and empty boxes, then leave a little something for Santa and his reindeer.

I rarely remember the gifts I open from one Christmas to the next, but I will never forget the wonderful blessing that it is to have my family nearby for the holidays.  I hope you are that fortunate as well.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Chili

• 1 ½ lbs ground round
• 2 medium white onions , diced
• 2 large bell peppers , diced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder , divided
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder , divided
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 3 (14 ½ ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 3 (14 ½ ounce) cans chili beans
• 1 (8 ounce) can beer
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• grated cheddar cheese
• chopped onion

1 Place beef, onions and bell peppers in large Dutch oven.

2 Sprinkle with 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and basil.

3 Using a wooden spoon, blend together and brown very slowly.

4 You may drain if desired, but mine didn’t have a lot of grease, so I didn’t bother.

5 Place tomatoes in food processor and process just long enough to cup up large pieces.

6 Put tomatoes, beans and beer in with meat and bring to a low simmer.

7 Add remaining chili and garlic powder.

8 Add pepper.

9 Cook slowly for at least 2 hours.

10 Serve with cheese and onion.

While scanning the web, I came across the neatest site called Fishin.com

Apparently, people actually fish in Lake Norman.  I know, it comes as a surprise to me too, believe me.

Gus Gustafson says “The lake level is lower than normal. Three major ramps, (Ramsey, Blythe, and the State Park), are closed. However, the two most popular ramps, (Pinnacle and McCrary) at the Highway 150 Bridge, are open and will more than likely be useable during the holidays.”

He also goes on to say that the Thanksgiving holidays is an excellent time to introduce children to the pleasures of fishing.  What a great idea!  I’m going to go one step further and say eat that fish you catch for Thanksgiving dinner instead of Turkey!

Here’s a recipe Gus even provides on his page if you are adventurous enough to try this out on Turkey **ahem* * Thanksgiving Day.

Kelly’s Low Country Catfish Stew

1/8th tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ½ pounds catfish filets, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 to 5 slices chopped bacon
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 28-ounce can tomatoes.
1 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. thyme

Wash catfish filets and cut in 1 inch pieces. Set aside. Fry bacon in a large heavy pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender. (Do not add the Cayenne Pepper until you add the fish. If it cooks the entire time, it may be too spicy and hot.)  Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the fish and cayenne pepper and cook for another 20 minutes. Add water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve hot with crackers or cornbread.

Check out Gus at LakeNormanStriperFishing.com