Merry Christmas!

Enjoy a large cookie today!

Christmas Eve Dinner: Feast of the Seven Fishes

It's here! Today is Christmas Eve, and tonight will be a feast. 

It being our first holiday season here in Pittsburgh, Husband and I wanted to start some new traditions of our own. My very favorite Natalie gave me this idea around Thanksgiving when she told me her family chose to do different versions of holiday meals, to switch things up from turkey and dressing. Don't get me wrong - we all love those traditional foods, but why not try an Italian Christmas dinner on for size? So, that's exactly what we're doing! 


Traditionally, some Italian families cook up a storm, and make the Feast of the Seven Fishes. (Fish for Christmas - YES!) A most trusted and useful online resource says, "The Feast of the Seven Fishes (festa dei sette pesci), celebrated on Christmas Eve, also known as The Vigil (La Vigilia), is believed to have originated in Southern Italy and is not a known tradition in many parts of Italy. Today, it is a feast that typically consists of seven different seafood dishes. However, some Italian American families have been known to celebrate with 9, 11, or 13 different seafood dishes. This celebration commemorates the wait, Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus." Since we are surrounded by Bloomfield, the Little Italy here in Pittsburgh, we had plenty of markets to grab our precious ingredients. 


Since Husband and I are only two people, I've chosen to only make three dishes. (We can only eat leftovers for so long!) My menu consists of (forgive my stock photos!):

Fritto Misto Calamari 

(via clintonhillfoodie.com)

I plan to use this recipe or this recipe, both from incredible Italian-style chefs. 

Baccala alla Veneta

(via manusmenu.com)

Because he's the Master Italian Iron Chef, I'm definitely using Mario Batali's Baccala alla Veneta recipe. 

Pasta Bolongese, because Husband needed his pasta and meat dish!

(via thebutchersdaughter.net)

I'm using Anne Burrell's Pasta Bolognese recipe, mainly because I adore her and her style and cooking knowledge. She's a complete rockstar chef.

So, in total, I'm serving three 'fishes': squid, baccala and anchovies. Yum! I'll be sure to take lots of photos from my dishes to show later. 

Tomorrow, Husband is taking over cooking duties, and making me a dish we've only had once. In February of this year we were snowed in. In Texas, when it snows, EVERYTHING shuts down. We took this to our advantage, and went on a field trip to the wine store close to our apartment. We purchased a Chianti, and went home to make Ina Garten's Filet of Beef Bourguignon. After just a short time, we had a glorious snow day meal. Husband is going to reenact that for us on Christmas day. I can't wait!

What are your plans for your holiday dishes?

Wishlist

Check it out, folks! I made a fancy Amazon Wishlist for your purchasing delight!

http://amzn.com/w/1IVSD3A84MVJ6

*Note: Since I now live far away from many people I know, it might be easy to just pick something gorgeous and ship it straight here, rather than fooling with USPS (as wonderful as they are) or FedEx (as wonderful as they are). Easy peasy, see?
*Note 2: There is no coincidence in me posting about my Wishlist fifteen days before my birthday. This is in real time, people! 
*Note 3: A Skype conversation will be a perfectly wonderful birthday gift, too. Call me at AshleyOates!

She's Back in My Life!

Since we moved across country to PA, we signed up for a new cable provider. To my delight, we now have the Cooking Channel, another spin-off from Food Network (yet, somehow 'cleverly' disguised as hip and new). Prior to getting this new channel, I noticed that one of my favorite shows had been pushed to a late-night spot on the dial. Around 3:00am, this show would air, and I had to DVR it to catch it. Then, all of a sudden, it vanished completely. 

As I was flipping around the guide, I noticed the show had settled onto the Cooking Channel. It's still somewhat late-night, but it was there. 

Nigella Lawson has landed on the Cooking Channel, to my delight!

via vitellotonnatolover.wordpress.com

I have been recording every episode of Nigella Express and Nigella Feasts that graces the airwaves.

via thechive.com

As I was looking for THIS FABULOUS RECIPE I CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE, I learned that recently she has slimmed down. What is this? Nigella Lawson's weight loss journey?! The voluptuous dame has always been the icon for thicker girls around the world. Why would she ever want to change what she was given? I'm not sure, but I think she looks great either way.

via noskinnywomen.wordpress.com

(Forgive the terrible juxtaposition.)

via Blisstree.com

Husband agrees. Who wouldn't? She looks lovely in her bright yellow jacket with close-fitting black pants and boots. Sure, it's a slimming outfit, but she does look many pounds lighter.

via guardian.co.uk

For those of us on our own weight loss journey, this is somewhat confusing. Why wait until you're 50-something to slim down? I love her and her style, and I'm happy for her either way and at any weight!

Cemetery Walk

Well, it's happened.  I'm sick.  I knew it would happen, considering I'd moved to a new place, but it's pretty cruddy.  I'm pretty cruddy, too.  I've been feeling this way since Wednesday morning, but I'd been suspecting it was coming on since Monday.  I think it's time to head to see the doctor. Or at least visit a CareNow or Urgent Care for some quick-fix. 

Before I go, I'll leave you with a few photos from Husband and my walk on Sunday afternoon in the park *ahem* cemetery near our house. Joggers, dog walkers and baby strollers all use the pathways around the Allegheny cemetery to get exercise in a safe, low-traffic place. Kind of a smart idea, I'd say. We checked it out, and it was a nice work out.

Entrance gate to the Allegheny Cemetery, from Butler Street.

Gravestones under a beautiful blue sky.

Two trees grow on the sides of a monument.

We saw a family of deer.

And, geese!

Husband with a blue spruce.

I'll be back to normal soon!

New Home: New Uses for Old Things

Michael bought this owl statuette for Christmas last year, as we always try to be modest in our gifts to each other. It's a perfect gift for me, and so well thought out. The blue-grey of the stone it's carved from is pleasant and cooling. In Texas, it's home was on the mantle, above the fire place. 

Here in Pennsylvania, it's new home is in our bedroom.

Statue.

In our century-old home, our bedroom door isn't cut perfectly. The door wants to swing slowly closed, even if I want it open. Thus, a doorstop is needed. Also, since the door has a gap at the bottom, no ordinary doorstop would do.

The owl statue is the right one for the job.

Against the door. 

 It's ironic that this statuette was made to serve an aesthetic function, and now has found a completely new role in the new home. I'm sure I'll find other uses for old items, giving them new life.

What I Wore Today: Errand Saturday

This past Saturday, Husband and I were out running errands in the flurries. We needed to mail Christmas cards, grab Secret Santa gifts, grocery shop, and drop off dry cleaning. 

Sweater: H&M | Tshirt: Merona | Leggings: H&M

Since it was barely 32 outside and beginning to snow, I threw on an extra shirt and my new snow boots.

 These particular boots are rubber on the bottom with excellent tread, and a waterproof lining on the top. Function and form!

Boots: Sperry Topsider

 I love these boots!

Waterproof AND a wedge heel?! Winner!

 I added one of my favorite owls, in the form of a necklace my Grandma used to have. 

Necklace: Grandmother's antique

Since I wasn't driving, I opted to toss the Christmas cards in the mailbox. Look at the flurries!

Butler Street

Crafty: Clove-Studded Orange

 When I was much younger my Granny taught me how to make a decorative clove-studded orange {sometimes called a Pomander} while sitting in her kitchen one day. It's a simple thing, and can be used as an air freshener or as a hostess gift. I'd keep it for myself, considering the spicy but sweet smell of the finished product.

Items needed:
1 orange
1 8-10 inch section of ribbon
1/4 cup whole cloves
Paring knife

First, collect all of your items needed for the craft. 

Assorted sizes of whole cloves.

I prefer the larger ones, so you can see the delicate flower shape on the end.

This is a fun craft for when you have a surplus of oranges.

 Next, you wrap the ribbon section around the circumference of the orange, and secure with a few cloves after making a tiny incision with the paring knife. 

Secure the ribbon onto the orange.

 Then, poke other cloves into the orange's skin in any pattern you want. I usually go for stripes, so you can see the orange skin, too.

Clove Stripe.

After a few cloves, your pattern will begin to take shape.

 After you've finished your pattern, you're done! Feel free to place or gift.

Connect ribbon at the top to make a bow.

 Mine is adorning the end of my mantle. The smell is delicious and homey.

Are you making any holiday crafts?

First Care Package

Now that I've stopped CRYING MY EYES OUT, I'll take some time to post about the wonderfully sweet care package I received from my Mom & Dad in Texas.

Giada, the cat, sniffing out the open box.

Husband and I had told the whole family to not get us gifts this year, mainly because we wouldn't be able to reciprocate (what with the mailing, timing, and the gift itself). My parents decided to completely disregard that request (woo!) and send us a few things.

Handwritten note from my Mom.

 It's funny. Husband and I haven't really felt like it was the holiday season, or that Christmas is just nine days away, mainly because we've been so caught up with the move. When I opened the box of presents from my parents, I realized that I haven't felt like it was the holidays because I associate that time of year with seeing family. Since there's no family in Pittsburgh, I haven't been feeling the Christmas Spirit! Thus, I broke down in tears and sobbed as I pulled each item out of the box.

A stocking for Ina.

A stocking for Giada.

A Present (or two!) for Husband and I.

Before, we didn't have any presents under (or near) the tree. We are spending our gift money on the house, stocking our pantry, and outfitting ourselves with snow boots.

Giada beginning to chew on the shiny gold ribbon.

Hopefully these gifts will last through December 25th! (Against the odds and snappy cat traps!)

What denotes the 'holiday season' or 'spirit' for you?


*Note: This was my 300th post! What a great subject to post about for a milestone.

Sights Around PGH

Two weekends ago, Husband and I took a walking tour of several neighborhoods, while noshing on cookies.  We started in Upper Lawrenceville, which is where we live. After rounding  a corner, we noticed this beauty of a storefront - complete with pig logo!

Storefront.

 We saw that is was to be a restaurant, and a pork-centric one at that! It's called Cure, and it should be opening soon. They have something of a Web site, but nothing's fleshed out.

Cure's front door.

It's a charcuterie, and right down the street from us! So lucky!

Pig Logo.

 As we moseyed along, we noticed several things in our neighborhood, as we made it into Central Lawrenceville. Brunch places, a French patisserie, design shops, bars, a butcher shop, a doggie daycare, restaurants, laundromats, and this neat tattoo place!

I like the logo for Inka Dinka Doo.

Also, Lawrenceville has a logo of it's own, which is posted on the trashcans, which adorn most street corners. You can read about the significance of the logo here. 

Logoed Trashcan.

 We walked through Lower Lawrenceville, or LoLa, and into the Strip District. The Strip is the area of town with the produce stands, farmer's markets, and otherwise Italian-influenced restaurants and shops. We chose to go on a game day, and it was a mess! Through the crowds of people, we managed to see several other ethnic shops like an Asian market, Greek food stand, African grilled meat stand, etc. We'll have to go back when it's not so busy, and not on a Saturday!

As we walked toward Downtown, we saw one of the Heinz buildings. (Husband works in the business park where Heinz does their testing on new products. I told him I'd be a guinea pig anytime!) It's too bad I took these pictures during the day, because the light-up sign wasn't as bright. As you can see, it is a ketchup bottle pouring ketchup over the Heinz logo. Cute!

Pouring!

Halfway!

Full!

 In the brief part of Downtown we saw, I noticed tall buildings with old 'built dates' on the sides. I also noticed this guy. 

Smiling.

Then, we caught a cab back to our hotel (which we were in at the time). 6 miles in one day is enough exploring for me! Maybe we'll get to do it again this weekend, but I think we have too many errands to do!