December 2012 Update

The first half of December seemed to go very well, and then I got sick just in time for Christmas, everything seemed to go downhill from there.  But I'm posting this update on time, and I'm planning on having  another post ready for tomorrow. Happy New Year, everyone!

32. Organize a family Christmas picture each year (1/3)

This was one of the first things that I did this month, mostly to get the Christmas cards done, but we have one year done. I also tried to get one in our pjs Christmas morning, but it didn't seem to work out all that well (and the fever wasn't helping my resolve).

33. Send Christmas cards each year (1/3)

I also sent out our Christmas cards, although not as early as I have been in the past. I was late enough that I was only able to get religious stamps, but glad to hear that even my British cards made it before Christmas.

42. Attend Sunday services at least twice a month (7/66)

Christmas morning, we made it to church for the morning service, and despite the 101 fever, I even read the lessons. I am way behind on this item, but hopefully I'll start catching up soon.

15. Make dessert for each Christmas dinner (0/3)
16. Make dessert for each Boxing Day (0/3)
17. Bake cookies for Santa (0/3)

None of these things happened, I was just way too sick to get any of it done. I had all the shopping done and was ready to bake, but I couldn't stand long enough. I am obviously not marking this as complete this year, but I am shaving this year off the count since I couldn't complete it due to circumstances beyond my control.

20. Try at least two new recipes a month (24/66)

Four new recipes this month, all from Six O'Clock Scramble.

Savory Mustard Salmon

Chinese New Year Stir-Fry with Pork

Miraculous Macaroni and Cheese

Irresistible Honey-Curry Chicken

# 17 and # 20

17. Make something for each family gathering

20. Try at least two new recipes a month (51/68)

Peter's birthday this year fell on Easter, so I made a Moist Lemon Cake and brought candles so that we could sing Happy Birthday. The cake came out very well, just a slight timing issue where it didn't get to cool as long as I would have liked, and the warmth in Dan and Sue's made the icing melt off a little. Other than that, it was perfect, and Peter was thrilled to eat the cake (not so thrilled when everyone started to sing).

# 17 and # 20

17. Make something for each family gathering
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (46/68)

For St Patrick's Day, I helped my mom out by making two loaves of Irish Soda Bread from the family recipe (again, not online, but maybe someday I'll put it there, since I'm not going to do it right now). They came out pretty well, and I can't wait to make it again. Next time I might try it with the unbleached and organic ingredients and see if that makes much of a difference.

# 15, # 16, # 17 and # 20

15. Make a dessert for each Christmas dinner (3/3)
16. Make a dessert for each Boxing Day (3/3)
17. Make something for each family gathering
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (43/68)

For Christmas, I made fudge for the first time, Peppermint Chocolate Fudge and Foolproof Chocolate Fudge (without nuts). They were both absolutely delicious, although a little rich. We liked them so much at Christmas that I made it again for Boxing Day. I was going to also make the Gingerbread Gifts for Boxing Day, but my hand mixer died and I couldn't finish them (and so I still have no picture). Two more items completed, and getting closer to a third.

# 17 and # 20

17. Make something for each family gathering
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (42/68)

In the middle of December, we headed over to Greg and Aggie's for a holiday dinner. I made Gingerbread Gifts, which was a recipe that my mom found in Women's World magazine. I didn't have the decorations, but they still came out amazing. I loved them, Peter loved them and everyone else seemed to like them too. Unfortunately, I never got around to taking a picture of the finished product. So I was going to take a picture of the picture in the magazine, but it somehow disappeared from the kitchen, never to be seen again. I'm still trying to find the recipe online, but I haven't had any luck so far.

# 12, # 17 and #20

12. Make cake from scratch
17. Make something for each family gathering
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (28/68)

On Sunday, I made a banana birthday cake for Greg and Dan from scratch. I had a hard time getting it out of the pan, so it wasn't presented in the prettiest way, and I wasn't able to dust powdered sugar on top. At least I remembered to bring my birthday candles. Despite the removal issues, I really liked the cake, so did Geoff, and the fact that it hit three items on the list, completing one of them, was a huge perk.

# 17

17. Make something for each family gathering

For the Fourth of July barbecue at Dan and Sue's, I decided to bring a red, white and blue dessert. I wish that I could have knocked down a few items with this, but I decided against baking the angel food cake from scratch.