Christmas Past

Hard to believe Christmas is less than a week away. Is everyone out there as busy and tired as I am? I bought two magazines last Thanksgiving and still haven't found time to read them. Shopping has been easier this year, though, because we didn't buy much, but I do have a couple last minute gifts to pick up. My only day off this week is Christmas day, and the cooking, the cleaning, and the grocery shopping still need to be done.

At work, my friend and I were complaining about how hectic our lives had become, when our other friend, Tim, came over and said, "Ladies, can I get you some cheese to go with that whine?" I felt bad. So this year I am making things easier. I am letting go of Christmas past. No more frantic nights spent in a giant cloud of flour, on my feet, baking cookies and sweets that, truth is, my family won't eat. Our kids are no longer little, so we are embracing our new found freedom and forgoing much of the holiday baking this year. Oh there are a couple special requests -- my son's favorite, Chex Party Mix, and my daughter's Poppyseed bread of which she cannot live without. Other than that, I will visit my favorite stores to pick up some fresh bread, olives, cheeses, and most exciting of all, wine to go with that cheese. And with a little luck, it will be a simple, quiet, Christmas. I hope.



I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before, but I work in Customer Service, and this time of year is extremely hectic. So I thought it would be fun to share just a few of the odd things I have heard on the phone this holiday season.

1.) Customer called to place an order and first thing she said was: "I have an aversion to that number between six and eight. Whatever you do, you cannot say that number. At no point in this conversation can I hear that number, or else, I will have a fit and begin making odd noises." Throughout the remainder of the call, I referred to the number seven as that number.

2.) Why did you send me a fake tree?! I ordered the Faux Fraser Fir!

3.) Customer called crying because she neglected to update information in system, so each relative received, what appeared to be, a gift from their dead Grandmother. To make matters worse, Grandma died at Christmastime four years ago. And Grandma's daughter, her mother, suffers from delusions that Grandma is still alive, and must see a psychiatrist regularly. Such person also has been known to send letters and gifts to herself, in Grandma's name. Customer requested that we call psychotic relative to let her know that dead grandmother did not send gifts.

4.) UPS man left package at door, customer called upset because dog ate package, wants to know if we'll send another.

5.) Dolores, an elderly woman from Texas called to place an order. After spending five minutes with Dolores, I can now tell you with good assurance that Dolores is doing much better after her surgery, although she does still suffer with arthritis, and her husband, George, has high cholesterol and that's why they are serving the salmon this year. Last year, they went to London. They have four kids, but don't speak to their daughter-in-law, Arlene, who likes to shop at Macy's. Dolores can't stand people who use Chinet and paper napkins. And why do builders in the South put ceiling fans on porches when the wind is just going to blow them down anyway?

And my personal favorite,

6.) Can I order the Chocolate Pecan Mini Pies without the pecans?


Have a safe, warm, Happy Holiday everybody!

Gooey, Dense, Chocolaty

I have to admit, when a friend of mine first told me about this trendy, fad-like, treat, I was skeptical. Oreo's and cream cheese? I said. That's all? I said. Sounds like a mess. I didn't trust her. Even though she'd never steered me wrong before. Not when it came to food anyway.

Several months passed, and my friend was still talking about these silly, little truffles. You really must try 'em, she said. Yeah, yeah, I responded. I have southern roots, you know. I have eaten enough gloppy, magazine-ad, inspired desserts, pushed onto me by Paula Dean-wannabe relatives, to feed Michael Phelps for a lifetime. I really don't care for that mishmash sort of thing, I said.



Eventually my friend gave a little party. And upon her glorious kitchen island sat a lovely spread of the usual Okie party foods: salsa, tortilla chips, Mexican layer dip, spicy empanadas, margaritas, and then, delicately, individually placed upon an elegant plate, the lone dessert, OREO truffles.

Let me say, there is something about the combination of experiencing a few good laughs with your friends, eating some spicy, salty food, then washing it down with a cold margarita, and then topping it off with an Oreo truffle that is so gratifying. The sheer delight of it hits you by surprise. It's the perfect bite of gooey, dense, chocolaty, goodness. Sort of like a thick, decedent, brownie. Only better(!).



My friend dipped her truffles in melted chocolate, both white and dark. I decided to be different and rolled mine in cocoa powder. I must say, I actually preferred the chocolate dipped one's better. Which sort of surprised me. But the truffles are so moist, that they actually absorbed the cocoa powder and looked like - well, I don't want to say what they looked like. But you can probably guess. Just remember to dip them in chocolate, they're much prettier.

I suggest using a food processor to pulverize the cookies. It's the fastest and easiest way. Also, after dipping them in melted chocolate, sprinkle them with whatever you like - more crushed OREO's, or, red and green sprinkles would be nice this time of year. Either way, run out and pick yourself up a pack of OREO's and some Philadelphia Cream Cheese right away. Err, make that two packs of OREO's, because your husband will see them lying on the counter and think: cookies, milk, bedtime snack.

I am making mine ahead of time and storing them in the freezer for the holidays.

Note: My friend and I had a pretty good chuckle over the truffles I made this morning - they tasted delicious - but she said they reminded her of something Santa's reindeer left behind. Not a totally appropriate connotation on a food website, but it was sure darn funny.





OREO Truffles
adapted from Kraftfoods.com


1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

8 oz. white chocolate


MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Hello Again

It sure is good to be back. I can't believe we're this far into December already. Where did the year go? Life is a whirlwind. Each winter, I sink into a reading, hibernating mode, and this year seems no different. I just want to hole up someplace warm and cozy, bake, eat soup, read books, and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. I actually kind of like wintertime for this reason. But the responsibilities of life beckon.



There are a couple things I'm excited to tell you about. First and foremost, bread. I really think I must of been a baker in a past life, for there are few things I love more than bread. Except maybe Mexican food or soup. I am envious of my French friend, Nadine, who's husband, Roger, peddles to their local bakery each and every morning for fresh bread and croissants. What a life they lead. My favorite place to buy bread here in OKC is Big Sky Bread Company. But in order to get there, I must drive twenty minutes through heavy, city traffic and resist the urge to eat the entire loaf before getting it home. As my friend Nadine so charmingly says in each of her emails, such is life. Here in OKC, Big Sky Bread Company has a vast variety of sweets, specialty, and European breads. For a carb addict like myself, however, they should put a sign on the door, a warning of the impending danger of gaining fifteen pounds just by breathing their glorious, yeasty, sultry air.



Another thing I'm thrilled about and goes perfectly with some Big Sky Bread, is an early Christmas present that I received just last week. A Breville Panini Press(!). I've been wanting one of these for a long time now and must say, the only regret I have about this one is Why on earth didn't I get one sooner? This thing is great(!). Years ago I had an old, plastic, George Foreman grill and the thing just didn't get hot enough. Chicken breast would spit and spatter. This Breville makes a nice sear and gets really hot, so it's a good idea to have everything ready, for this cooks really fast. So far, we've grilled Panini, sausages, burgers, chicken breast, steaks, and vegetables. And that's just one week. My only worry is that we're going to tire from eating off of this thing. It is so handy(!). The best thing about it? The men in my family enjoy using it as much as I do. So this gives me a much needed break from cooking once in a while. The guys do get a little creative with their sandwiches, however. They even created one in honor of their favorite football team, the Oklahoma State Cowboy Crunch. But hey, it's a good way to use up whatever you have lying around in the fridge - and everything does taste better when it's grilled and washed down with a cold beer.



I'm sorry I don't have more pictures or a recipe to post. I made a beautiful grilled chicken breast with a Tri Colore salad that was very photo worthy, but my camera is out of commission right now. I think it's just a battery thing, and suppose I could get out to buy new ones, but it's cold outside, and a Sunday, and I'm in a hibernating mode, so hope you'll understand. Such is life.