Social Butterfly?

This is video of the Choir/band/orchestra concert at Nick's school. Nick (my 13 year old) plays viola. It is great to see how much this group has improved in the last 3 years. Sixth grade orchestra concerts are excruciating, and yet I was so proud! Now, the 8th grade concert was actually enjoyable. The "learning-to-use-my-computer" self assignment for the week was uploading video, so you can hear the music!















That cute face in the center, there, is Nick. (Below the girl in the hat)

But I am jumping ahead in the week of a thousand social engagements...... (okay, 5, but that is huge for me.)

Saturday I went to a swanky party. Stacy (preschool board member extraordinaire) invited us to a "Wines around the world" party at her house. She and her husband, Mike, had 5 tables set up in their (absolutely gorgeous) home. Each table represented an area (Down under, USA, South America, Italy, France), and had a red and a white wine. Each wine had a coordinating appetizer, and not tortilla chips like I would have served, I'm talking lamb chop lollipops and scallop ceviche prepared by the chef from the Canyon Grill. My favorite was the little cones made of wonton skins with raw tuna and mandarin oranges inside, yummo! We enjoyed ourselves and met lots of nice people.

Sunday it snowed, so the Preschool board meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday, (when I already had the concert). Monday was the meeting to which I brought the regrettably liquid rice pudding.
















This is the board meeting, also at Stacy's house, where we were happily eating the leftover appetizers (and drinking the leftover wine). Strangely, we did no business. My favorite wine was Starborough Savignon Blanc from New Zealand. I bought some today (only $12, I love that Stacy, she is never a snob).

Wednesday was bookclub, see the Nordquist family blog (listed under blogs I follow) for a photo of us.

Thursday and Friday were the Preschool Christmas programs, there is nothing cuter than a 3 year old singing "Away in a manger". The little girls wore taffeta party dresses, some of the boys wore ties...adorable. I wore my favorite red sweater with the black rabbit fur collar. My little friend Liza liked it too. She stroked the fur and said "It's so soft, is it cat?" Yes, dear, I'm wearing a dead cat on my neck. But really, to a 3 year old, cat is no better or worse than rabbit. Didn't make me feel any prettier, though.

So, somebody asked me for a Christmas dinner vegetable. I have 2 for you. One is a nice green salad and the other is a recipe from one of the Sweet Potato Queen books. Have you read these? Here is one of my favorite quotes (from the Sweet Potato Queen's Field Guide to Men) "Foreplay.....should not include anything that resembles a woodpecker after a pine beetle, starting a siphon, or stuffing bank notes up a chimney.."


Apples 'N Greens

1/2 cup apple juice 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbls Lemon juice dash of nutmeg
2 Tbls cidar vinegar 1 medium red apple
2 Tbls vegetable oil 1 medium green apple
1 1/2 Tbls b. sugar 1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste 8 cups red and green (or all green) lettuce

Combine all ingredients except apples and greens. WHisk to blend. Core and cut apples into bite sized pieces (leave peels on) Toss apples with dressing, put in bottom of serving bowl. put lettuce on top. Transport to party or refrigerate. toss just before serving. 8 servings




Cutest Boy in the World's Mama's Broccoli Casserole

Cook and drain 2 (10 oz) pkgs of frozen broccoli. Saute 1 big chopped onion in about a half a stick of butter. Add a can of cream of mushroom soup (please note this is a SOUTHERN recipe, not north country) and some shredded cheddar cheese (the queen does not specify, a cup or two?) a 4 ounce can of sliced mushrooms, a can of water chestnuts and 1/2 cup of toasted sliced almonds. Stir it all up and top with Ritz cracker crumbs and a little butter. Cook at 350 until bubbly (30 minutes?)