Sunday, December 27, 2009

mmmmm

Sunday Scribblings prompt this week is Delicious! Amongst loving, beautiful, exhausting, rewarding, Merry,emotional and FILLING... I would Definitely also add the adjective Delicious to describe our Christmas of '09! As always, I write myself notes to help with future holidays but I never revert back to last years menu and note, where I Cross out food and write.. "don't make that next year! There was TOO much food!" How foolish that I disregard my own experience based knowledge and add Additional foods to my Christmas Eve menu!

This year we began with cheeses and crackers. A cold antipasto consisting of Dried sweet sausage, roasted peppers, olives and fresh mozzarella. A shrimp cocktail platter.We went on to enjoy... My eldest son's homemade Hummus (made from soaked raw chick peas NOT a can!) His delicious broccoli frittata, my Artichoke pies, Spinach quiche, zucchini casserole, Baked Clams Arreganata and Salad Pizza! Okay.. those were just the apps! Our dinner consisted of Fried Shrimp and Fried Calamari, Salad, Broccoli Rabe, Linguini with red sauce and for the piece de resistance...
my eldest sons AMAZING, DELICIOUS eggplant Parmesan !

I know... I am so full just writing all this down! delicious? or disgusting? haha I can't believe how much food I put out! I won't even begin to tell you what was on the table for dessert! But you know what? this is NOT what i really wanted to talk about with this Delicious post! I wanted to talk about my incredible son Frank.







I can't begin to tell you HOW much this helpful, considerate young man moves me. As I was preparing all my food and getting my home organized on Christmas Eve day, He was in his apartment.. making Two trays of eggplant, the yummy red sauce and the hummus and frittata!
Frank is just a natural at cooking. No matter what he whips up, it is heavenly! He considered going to culinary school but changed his mind. His soups are incredible and his italian and indian dishes are better than any I have ever tasted. (being his heart is greater than his cooking talent.. better that he's decided to become a special education teacher.)
His help meant the world to me.. I couldn't have done the eggplant on my own this year. Work was crazy, and between the shopping for food and gifts and the wrapping, cleaning, card writing, decorating my home and then only having that ONE day to prepare for the eve.... I mean.. I just am one old woman! My husband, who is also a gigantic help, had to work Christmas eve day. So, I just can't thank Frank enough! I toasted him with tears in my eyes on Christmas Eve, letting our family know, just how wonderful he is and how grateful I am for this amazing soul. Christmas always gets me emotional, or should I say..more emotional than I already am! I found myself welling up over EVERY happy moment, loving card and friends wishes and love. It also didn't help my emotions by experiencing a very emotional beginning to this week.
Last sunday, I heard the news that a long time lovely client of mine passed away at the young age of 70 after a battle with cancer. The very next day... another client of mine went through a tragedy when her 72 year old husband died of a massive heart attack while shoveling their driveway. (we had a blizzard last week). My heart broke for this poor woman! They had a very close relationship and were married for 50 years. I went to her home to do her hair before his wake and just couldn't stop crying with her. When I saw her that night at his wake, she had been sedated and was calmer.. yet the palpable sadness was intense and still hasn't left me. I can't imagine going through what she must be feeling. My husband is my life and my heart and I can't imagine losing someone I love, so suddenly and tragically. If that wasn't enough sadness for my week.. I also read about a home invasion near by, where the home owner was shot to death by the intruders while trying to stop them... When I read the homeowners name.. my heart stopped. He was my high school boy friend! I hadn't seen him in 30 years, but the news made such an impact on me. You stop and think about people that used to be in your life, and you hope they are out there somewhere living a good life. To think that poor Steve's life ended in such a tragic way, leaving his wife and children behind with this unimaginable grief. Too Sad. Too emotional.

Well, i am off the topic of delicious aren't I? Considering I am not blogging as frequently, this has turned into an epic post and I probably have lost some readers a few paragraphs ago!
Getting back to delicious... Well... The over indulging did NOT stop on the Eve! Many years ago we began the wacky tradition on Christmas day of FRY FEST! It all began when we gave up our frying pan for a Fry daddy to fry all Christmas eve's fried shrimp! The fryer makes an awful 'mcdonald' like stench.. so we set it up outdoors! We look like real hillbillies! Mr. Petals puts a tarp on half of our front porch to protect him from the elements while he stands out there to fry! Christmas day, we put AnYTHING the kids want that will choke a horse or clog an artery into that fryer! MORE shrimp, steak fries, onion rings, sweet potatoes, zucchini, mozz. sticks, chicken nuggets, mini eggrolls... It's really gross! but my kids invite ALL their friends (who were so excited about FRY FEST '09) and we just keep the fryer going as they come and go! Not to mention utilizing THE ASTONISHING amount of leftovers from the eve! So that's our delicious SLASH disgusting holiday!
Hope you had a beautiful, delicious Christmas too! Wishing all my blogging friends a very happy, healthy, auspicious, loving New year!

10 comments:

Giggles said...

Oh MY GOODNESS...HOW FUN/FATTENING IS THIS!!! HAHAHA!!! Sounds like my Christmases of old, when we smoked salmon all Christmas eve day to eat in the evening with scallop st Jacque, large shrimps, and many other treats.... this year I happily had a ham sandwich, grateful I didn't have to cook. I enjoy the nice rest, made Christmas wifesaver, while the kids had Christmas at the in-laws! Your son is a doll, this Christmas is a gift to anyone able to enjoy a healthy family. You're epic posts are a treat, just like the fry of 2009!! Oh and Lucy....it's not the olives!!!!! lol....big hugs to you! Glad you all had such a good day!! So did I!!!.....but we ate less this year.....

Love Sherrie

2cats said...

It sounds like the feast of all feasts. A great way to celebrate a Great day.
Your son is a dream. But then I think all sons are great, mine included.
I do wish you posted more often because I always enjoy them, epic or not.

Thom Gabrukiewicz said...

Delicious writing about good times.

Queen-Size funny bone said...

you can ship some this way.

JP/deb said...

I love the appreciation for your son Frank that bubbles over. The holidays are often filled with a combination of the actual and emotional ... thanks for sharing it all. xx, JP/deb

Patois42 said...

So sorry about all of the losses. Thank God you've got so much deliciousness around you to keep you going.

keiths ramblings said...

What a delicious day you had! I never went to culinary school and as you know I ended up cooking in my own very successful restaurants!Education isn't everything!Never apologise for the length of your posts! I hang on every word!

linda may said...

What a lovely family you have and you molded them yourself Lucy.
That food ! Goodness, and different to what I served, so interesting of you to share it with us readers. We had fresh seafood for lunch and roast turkey and ham for tea with lots of roast vegetables.

Nancy said...

Wow...what a post! From tragedy to comedy and heart-warming and silly all in one. Just like life! Thanks for sharing!

Bone said...

OK, I'm making a new rule. You can't blog about this much food without sending us free samples :)

And only when you leave the tarp up year-round and accent it with a piece of living room furniture on the porch will you be a true hillbilly ;)