lucky peach continues to deliver

When I was a kid, my mom used to buy this deli meat called Lebanon bologna.  It was a combination sweet and spicy salami-type deli meat dotted with fatty bits which sounds vile, but seriously, I've been thinking about this childhood favorite for years. I would slather gushy white bread with mayo or mustard and eat the beejeezus out of those sammidges. (Childhood weight problem?  Never!) When I moved to Michigan, I would occasionally check grocery stores for it but without success. I started questioning whether or not I had made up this deliciousness as none of my Michigan friends had ever even heard of it.

Imagine my glee upon opening up the latest issue of Lucky Peach and discovering a two page spread on this Pennsylvania Dutch regional favorite!  There were pictures!  Of a deli!  With multiple varieties of Lebanon bologna!  Interestingly enough, the author of the article had scorned this delicacy for years as the description is...well...disgusting.  He is now obsessed.  And made me wish I was going home for Christmas just so I could make a Lebanon bologna sandwich.

This weekend was not nearly as productive as I had hoped. Friday night we had a lovely supper at Butch's.  No, really. Peter had a beautifully cooked piece of sea bass and I had the vegan cashew cream pasta which was so stinkin' good I'm still thinking about it. Much to our surprise, our bill ended up being covered by Chef as a wedding present!  Saturday I wandered over to Jack and Nancy's where I proceeded to spend about 5 hours lollygagging about (read: enjoying the company of Melissa, Jack and Nancy and getting to snuggle the nephews while having the added bonus of procrastinating going to Meijer) and Saturday night we stayed up way too late finishing off Top Chef All Stars.  Sunday I woke up in a stormy mood over having to make these $#@&!! cinnamon rolls for the #@$%! staff holiday party Thursday and make another batch of $^&#@! maple syrup roasted sweet potato soup for the $%^&#@ staff holiday party Thursday and finish these stupid #$@!! centerpieces for the #@$%@ staff holidy party Thursday and I have at least one knitted project I need to finish by December 22nd and one embroidery project I need TO START in order to have finished by December 24th.

4 pans of Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls?  Check-SIX STICKS OF BUTTER, PEOPLE.  I used 6 sticks of butter.  Depending upon how they turn out, I may end up turning into even more of my mother and giving away pans for Christmas presents this year.  So, local readers of this blog, get ready to get fat :)

One batch of maple roasted sweet potato soup?  Check-the overly cayenne-d roasted squash soup is in the freezer as is this new patch of sweet potato soup.  Wednesday night I need to defrost and combine the two and decide if it is bland enough for the palates of my co-workers.

I didn't even touch my knitting or my embroidery as I decided since my kitchen was already a complete disaster, why not make oxtail soup too! Unfortunately, it wasn't finished in time to eat for supper so the stock was strained and the meat was cut off the bone and today it is supposedly being turned into a stew of sorts.  I'm considering this my test run as I have promised oxtail soup to one friend (and by "promised" I mean, she was the only friend who would even remotely consider eating said oxtail so all other friends got un-invited) and as long as I'm happy with the results I'm going to Montello's to buy some more oxtail.

We hear we might be able to move downstairs in January.  If we don't move downstairs in January, I will have no choice but to murder Charles with my bare hands.  His new favorite place to be seems to be in the kitchen sink.  Or on the kitchen counters. Or anywhere I don't want him to be. I know it's not really his fault.  He's under a year old and a cat. And he's now been kicked out of the bathroom (it is alarming to me how quickly that cat can unravel and tear apart a full roll of toilet paper) and the bedroom (it's the only place my knitting projects are safe) so he's restricted to the rest of the apartment. Needless to say, we do not have a Christmas tree up.

And this pretty much sums up why: