draggin

not to be confused with dragon, of course, but sleepiness is a natural byproduct of staying up until 2:30 reading.  I was SO tired and sleepy on the way home and I was just going to get in a chapter or two and then I looked up and it was 2:30am...ugh!  I'm really going to have to start setting the cooking timer on the cd player in the kitchen instead of the egg timer so I HAVE to get up and turn it off.  I don't do well if I don't get enough rest.  

So I'm going to a cookie swap today at K's house, something I've never done before.  In case you are like me and aren't familiar with such an event, people are invited and they bring enough cookies to cover everyone who is invited plus some copies of their recipe.  We eat cookies and take the recipes we want to try.  I did not make cookies as those are not my specialty unless they come in a log which I then cut up with a knife.  My specialty happens to be spiced pecan halves...a treasured dessert in my family which my great grandmother cooked, my grandmother taught me how to cook, and which my aunt still makes every year for all of her friends.  99% love rate for these little beauties though they are somewhat messy to make, especially when I do it :)

You put 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and 1/2 tsp of cinammon in a sauce pan and cook until a drop of the mixture dropped into a cup of cold water retains its drop shape (in my grandmother's recipe it says "cook to a soft ball" and no one ever knows what that means so I've started spelling it right out on the recipes I write).  Gently stir in 1 tsp of vanilla extract then stir in 2 cups of pecan halves, remove from heat, and continue stirring to coat.  It sets up fairly quickly so don't lolligag in your stirring, turn out on wax paper to cool and separate when they get cool enough to touch.  I don't bag them until they are completely cooled as I don't want condensation in the ziplock bag.  YuMmY!

I also made the cake I told you about at Thanksgiving (since I didn't get around to making it then!) and took it to KT's mom's (who is always referred to as "Lady," I've never asked the origin of the nickname) house last night.  They invited me over to help decorate the Christmas tree and have dinner so I made the cake and some corn bread and took it over as my contribution to dinner.  Lady make some kick@$$ chili and the corn bread and cake, IMHO, complimented it perfectly.

Tomorrow I'm going with L to see Twilight again...I'm developing a bit of an obssession, I am not immune to its allure.  I've heard one opinion that "it makes Harry Potter look lame" but I don't agree.  That's comparing apples and oranges.  The Twilight series is a fantastic and entertaining story but Rowling has (again, IMHO) better world-building skills.  I LuRvEd Twilight and Eclipse but the whole Italian vampire thing felt kind of random and hastily tacked on.  I don't remember anything from the Harry Potter books that felt random and hastily tacked on.  For all the Twi-hards out there, please don't misunderstand...I read all four books and loved all four books, AND will recommend all four books, but the first two were my favorites.  Thanks to L's direction, I'm now looking forward to Midnight Sun, if it ever comes our way!  And how could I forget The Host, which I loved!  

Ah well, I could sit here and speak book forever but I've got to get on to my cookie swap.  Everyone have a fantabulous day!