Cookin' and Bookin'

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." J.R.R Tolkien

Well, we are making merry crazy cheer over here! Choose to make merry or choose to go crazy! I'll take the food and drink with my merry, thank you.

It has been just non-stop for us here. I doubt anyone is really interested in what we did, but when I look back I want to know it because I have done so much that it's doubtful I will.

Madam Blueberry has baked and double the recipe for Blueberry Muffins (of course),Tea Cookies (these are the best little cookies-no eggs in them-perfect for company and gifts), and Pumpkin Muffins. I made Cranberry/Walnut/Oat Muffins (these are also a winner-healthy, I think) ~
And we did the standard cleaning that gets done when the company comes...anyone know about this? Ha and Ha! Tough work that.

The inlaws, all 6 of them, arrived last night, so blow up mattresses are blocking the cold from the floor. But they arrived to a lovely pot of hearty soup (Oh my soup has been great lately - they asked me to make another pot today), a warming fire and candles were lite and smelling nice. It's easy now with cell phones to time the arrivals right to the mini second.

My NBF (Neighbor best friend - I call her that because you don't always get to be close friends with a neighbor and when you do, it's something different than just meeting someone you get along with; we are more like related and good friends), she came over and visited for a bit, listen to everyone prattle away at her, gave out her hugs, and we sent her home with some goodies. It was only fair.

Today my sister in-law and I braved the grocery store. It was something that just couldn't have been done before hand no matter how hard I would have tried.
So we shopped for the next three days worth of supplies.

I came home, half of the group departed for the movies and I cooked ~
my soup
stuffed meatballs (stuffed them with mozzarella cheese)
taco filling
sausage
spinach casserole
chicken parmigian

I think it took me three and half hours and a shot of tequila to get all that done. The spinach casserole and the Parmigian are in the oven, with the first batch of meatballs.

Some of this stuff is for tomorrow. My sister in law felt guilty leaving me doing all this cooking as she headed off to the show with the kids. But I told her - I'm done until tomorrow at this time - (When I make the sausage/egg casserole for Christmas morning).

I still wish I had an extra day in here!!

The boys should be here in another couple of hours. I am looking forward to that! This is the part that is most exciting!!

The crew from the movies is just getting back. I'm signing off for now.