Stress baking

This morning I got the kids around, James started his online schooling (Henry's back for in-person for a whole three days before a 10 day Thanksgiving break) and then decided I needed to make something. Which quickly turned out to be some things. I used up an entire bag of Costco pecans, and my kitchen is already cleaned up, so I feel I can now go about my work day. Although my work day is here at home today.

Here's what I made.

I think I mentioned this recipe before as one I was considering for Thanksgiving. Well, since there really is no big get together this year, I'm making the 6 pound beef tenderloin tonight (talk about leftovers), these green beans, these potatoes and the above dessert. We're going to sit down and have our own little Thanksgiving here at home, a week early, and perhaps I'll do a part two next week with some pie and other goodies. But I had to get the beef tenderloin cooked now, since my family's Thanksgiving was supposed to have been last weekend and we all opted to not gather this year b/c the COVID rates are so high. 

And then.... I had a lot of pecans left so I decided to make a double batch of this. It makes me think of Liz, one of my knitting friends, who brings me and my team some amazing goodies at our holiday open house each year. We're talking pecans, cookies, a rum bread, and more. I thought that if I made these, I might feel a little bit less lonely. I mean, I'm surrounded by my own little family all the time, but it's just not the same, is it? I miss my whole circle of people and all the connection.

They turned out really well, but I didn't line the baking sheet with parchment or foil and that was a big mistake. I left them on the sheet while I started dishes, and by the time I got back to them it took quite a bit of chiseling to get the pecans off the sheet. Then even more work to salvage the baking sheet and wash it well. Note to self - use parchment paper.

I added a bit of cardamom and cayenne to this. I wanted them to have a bit of a chai-inspired flavor and a bit of heat at the end. Just a few pinches of both.

Tomorrow I will get back to the yarn and share with you the two Holiday Knit Kits I have for you. I do believe they will go up for sale early next week. And they are super amazing.

I'm leaving you with this. Henry is so super proud of this little art project he did while he was home-schooling the past two weeks. It's a sticker mosaic. If you have littles, or grand-littles, I highly recommend this as a gift. Or just search "sticker mosaic" at your fave online shop. We also have this set of magnet mosaics and they are great too. I don't see our set on Amazon anymore though, as they are from like 10 years ago.

 

All our kids are spending so much time on screens for learning that I'm going out of my way to find things they can do that don't require a screen. If you have ideas for an 8 and 13 year old, send them my way please!

Comments

[Susan]

I want to come to your house for dinner. Yum everything sound and looks so good. Thank you for sharing.
It will be a very quiet time around here for the holidays. What holiday? It will be just like the past 8 months. I might as well be on a desert island. I spend more time talking to my cats than ever before., lol, and they just love it.
Looking forward to seeing the new kits.

[Jessica]

That dessert looks amazing. I can't have anything with added sugar anymore :(

I like Henry's diorama there! My son is 10. We got him stuff to paint rocks. He's a bit of a perfectionist, but he and my daughters (7 and 14) also had fun with it. Then we leave the rocks when we go on a walk. Like under a park bench or at the base of a fire hydrant.

[JOYCE MORROW]

Way to go Henry!

[Cindy Carpenter]

Paint rocks

[Judy]

A "treasure hunt" around your property/house or neighborhood,if safe to do.