We celebrated in style with friends and family. My nephew bought a house about a mile and half from us in New London which we are thrilled about. It is a weekend house for them as they live in Boston but being so close to family is very special. My sister, her husband, other son and wife all came to the New London house on Christmas Day. We joined them all for a Boxing Day dinner and Yankee Swap on the 26th, something we used to do when we celebrated Christmas in Canada. It really was a special time for everyone. The next generation of Edie and Perry played so well together. Clark and Orin not so much. There is too much of a difference between 13 months and 26 months but maybe the next time they will play with each other. Two more babies are expected in my sister’s family so the picture will get even bigger.
Prior to the Boxing Day Dinner a Few Hours in the ER
Orin has some pretty serious allergies and on Boxing Day his mums discovered he is allergic to cashew milk yogurt. They administered the epipen and then off to the ER. They were told they did everything right and Mom-Hadley was able to leave and take Edie skiing while I went and joined Mum-Margot and Orin while we waited to be released. We did learn a few days later that the new protocol doesn’t demand the trip to the ER if the person is stable and responding. Just needs to be watched carefully for a few hours. We did have another visit from our favorite NP who checked on him a couple of days later and said she felt he was doing well. So the holiday was not without a little drama just to keep us on our toes.
Christmas Stockings
What joy to see our four grandchildren with their Christmas stockings on Christmas morning. Orin doesn’t seem to really know what is happening but big sister Edie sure had fun “helping” him unwrap his presents. Certainly made this Christmas special.
Outdoor Stuff
We did manage to get some significant time outdoors. Some of the folks went skiing at Ragged Mountain, some went ice skating and some lucky ones got to go sledding right outside the front door, at least until the snow plow guy came by and removed all the snow from our little road. Up until he did it was the perfect place for a 4 year old to go sledding.
Walking Continued
We have had some gorgeous days for walking and this was one of them. I’m ready to get back out there again after a week with the lousiest cough I have ever had. Both John and I have been struck by a virus that came with a truly ugly cough. Seems we caught an allergy from our grandchildren. It’s hard on the dogs when they don’t get out for their walk and it’s hard on us but there was no way we could do it with the cold weather and feeling lousy. We were supposed to go up to Canada for a visit and a baby shower but that didn’t happen either so we had a quiet New Year’s Eve at home.
A Recipe to Share
This one is yummy and easy to make.
French Onion Smothered Chicken from Half Baked Harvest
1 ½ pounds thin cut chicken breasts
salt and black pepper
6 tablespoons salted butter
3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider
¾ cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup broth
¾ cup heavy cream
6 slices french bread
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Melt together the butter and onions in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. At this point, you’ll want to slowly add the apple cider, 1/4 cup at a time, until the cider cooks into the onions.
- Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Cook another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized. Add the the wine and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. Stir in the cream.
- Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until very dry.
- Place the bread on/around the chicken. Top evenly with cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with thyme. Serve and enjoy! YUM!
