hey! that’s as tall as me!

Have you guys seen that commercial? With the lady and the extra tinfoil? Whatever. It just makes me laugh, is all. 

Anyway. One thing about December is all I want to do is cook and bake. My oven is cranked up constantly. My range is always lit. It’s kind of satisfying, that feeling of hunkering down and feeding my family (biological and surrogate both), of spending some time on dinners that are maybe a little bit more special than usual.

Lately: super-easy, super-festive butternut squash risotto (thank you Bethany!), a rather amazing pumpkin sauce (maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and a giant white pumpkin that has been sitting on my mantle since Columbus Day) drizzled over ice cream and homemade gingersnaps, salty sweet potato fries, a parmesan spinach artichoke dip, and scallops wrapped in bacon. Holiday food, for sure. 

Question: I have a giant pot roast and I want to make it in my crockpot. Can somebody tell me how?

Tonight we’re parking ourselves in front of the Christmas tree with the 5th season of Lost, parmesan-garlic BLTs (featuring Ina’s roasted tomatoes, oh man I am excited) and the last quarter of a chocolate tart I made last night for tree-trimming. While  not a bona fide winner (it was just TOO MUCH, plus I used cheap chocolate and you could tell. I feel like Marissa probably would have seen that one coming), it is a mother effing chocolate tart and I’m not about to let it go to waste. 

Tomorrow: a giveaway of sorts! My very first. Amazing, yes? I kind of think so. Come by and have a look, in any case.

Right now: my boyfriend’s home. I gotta go.