FOR THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE:
1 can pumpkin
1/2 packet rosemary – I wonder how much a packet is, but I’m sure you can wing it to taste
1/2 lb garlic chopped (may be divided use with the squash and yam mixture)
2 lbs leeks
Heavy cream (amount not given) – to correct consistency?
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 oz cinnamon powder
Egg white (amount not given)

FOR THE SQUASH AND YAM MIXTURE:
5 lbs yam
5 lbs butternut squash
1/2 liter vegetable oil
2 lbs onion chopped
Heavy cream (amount not given)
4 pints cherry tomatoes
5 bunches scallions
1 packet basil
2 packets chives
1 lb brie cheese
1 lb cheddar cheese
1 lb mozzarella gated
1 lb onion sliced
2 cups gari (pickled ginger)
2 1/2 lbs short crust pastry (recipe follows)

FOR THE POLENTA:
5 lbs polenta
vegetable stock
grated cheese
3 lbs butter

FOR THE GARNISH:
1 cup red pepper reduction
5 bottled pearl onions (these were disgusting)
200 sprigs watercress
5 lbs green peas

TO PREPARE THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE:
Roast pumpkin puree in the oven with rosemary.

Heat a pan with oil saute garlic and leeks add heavy cream and make a leek fondue and add the roasted pumpkin puree and cook season with salt pepper and spice with cinnamon powder.

Whip egg white and fold in the pumpkin mixture once it is cold. Arrange the fluffy mixture of the pumpkin on the bottom of the oval bowl.

TO PREPARE THE SQUASH AND YAM MIXTURE:
Roast yam with skin and deskin and cut in to dices. Cut Squash in dices.

Heat oil in pan saute onion and garlic; add the butternut squash and saute add heavy cream and cook the squash.

Add the yam cook, add half cut cherry tomatoes and sprinkle some cut scallions and flavor with basil, chives. Thicken the mixture by folding in brie, cheddar and grated mozzarella cheese.

Pickle the thinly sliced onion in gari juice (pickled ginger juice) and add them in the yam and butternut squash mixture. Adjust seasoning. Arrange in the oval bowl over the pumpkin mixture.

TO PREPARE THE PUFF:
Cut the pastry into size that can fit the oval bowl. Place the pastry sheet over the square bowl and tuck the edges. Eggs wash the pastry. Take another sheet and cut strips of 1cm each. Arrange these strips over the tucked sheet of the oval bowl to form a trellis impression, egg wash the puff and keep in the fridge. There should be 12 strips per portion, 6×6

Bake in the oven in batches serve hot as close to service.

TO PREPARE THE POLENTA:
Make the polenta with stock, cheese, butter and parsley. Set on a sheet tray chill and then cut into triangles. Warm in the oven as required.

PRESENTATION AND GARNISH:
Place the baked square bowl on the topmost corner of the plate. Brush the red pepper reduction on the plate. Arrange triangles of polenta on the plate. Sprinkle with sauteed peas and pearl onion and garnish with watercress and parsley sprigs.

SHORT CRUST PASTRY FOR 100 PUMPKIN POT PIES

8 lb H&R flour
1 1/2 lb cake shortening
1 lb unsalted butter
2 oz salt
3 to 31/2 liters ice cold water

Sift flour, add in the shortening and butter. Mix at slow speed till the butter and shortening break down well. Add in the salt and mix. Add the water gradually till medium stiff dough is formed. Mix well at medium speed till smooth dough is formed.

Sheet out to 2 mm thickness. Place a few sheets in the refrigerator for lattice cut. Arrange all oval dishes on a work table and roll out the dough on the dishes. Press along the edges and cut to cover making sure the dough stays a little over the rim.

Apply egg wash and arrange thinly cut strips for the lattice (6×6 crisscrosses). Again apply egg wash.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard again soon.

Cordially,

Carnival Cruise Lines

Other goals? Shopping. My ever growing children need some summer clothes before they are forced to lay around the house in just their skivvies. I suppose sending them to their various camps in shorts that are 70′s basketball shorts lengths would not work. It’s retro! I wondered the other day on Facebook about how my children ever survive the school day where they can’t just sit around and eat constantly. I only thought I was joking. They are constantly hungry. I’ve been making larger meals thinking there would be leftovers for lunch the next day. Extra taco meat? Nope, Oldest child ate six of them. The same with our veggie lasagna, burgers, and sweet and sour chicken. Whatever I’ve fixed has been eaten completely and they still ask for something else after. I have a feeling that before the summer is over, the older two will be towering above me.

We were supposed to get some of that fun snow we keep seeing everywhere, but instead got yucky sleet and ice. Our normally outside dogs are getting spoiled by getting to spend time inside. Our house has a nice eu de wet canine smell going on. How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?

Girls (and boys) are self-conscious and compliments can make a huge difference in self-esteem. We as a society do not give out compliments to strangers very often, therefore, we do not really know how to accept them when received.

I have not been able to stop thinking about it since yesterday afternoon. I tried to put myself in the girl’s place. When I was younger, random people complimented my on my eyes. I was slightly embarrassed, but flattered. That was many, many years ago, so I’m not sure if it is still relatable (a side note, why does spell check not think relatable is a word?).

Instead I put myself in the mother’s place. How would I have felt if some random stranger came up to any of my children and gave them a compliment? I think it would have depended on the random stranger’s presentation. Were they sincere and genuine, or crazy looking, or both? Leary and proud is what I came up with.

Here is what I wish I would have done. Gone up to the girl and her mother and said, “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing how great your hair looks!”. Then maybe asked who her stylist was. I’m not searching for a new one, but I think that would have been a good way to give the compliment without seeming crazy. Instead I got into my car, drove away, and regretted not giving a compliment.

I’m curious, what would you have done?

Then there were 4. Three hens and a rooster. Three hens as it turns out are plenty. Almost 3 eggs a day, every day. A rooster wasn’t really in the plans. When we bought our chicks they were all supposed to be girls, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. It was fun to listen to him learn to crow and we knew that with a rooster, eventually we could let one of the hens hatch some eggs.

Today, after some deliberation, we gave away the rooster. He has been getting more and more aggressive. He has been running up to people and fluffing his feathers. Alli claims that he drop kicked her once and all of the kids her size are a little intimidated and frightened by him (in a scary movie thrilled/scared kind of way). Heck, even I am a little intimidated by him lately. When he runs up to me, I stand poised ready to kick him back if he thinks about it. We just didn’t really trust him around Alli and her friends.

Alli has been sad. So sad that she told us she was in misery. She is crying herself to sleep. It’s sweet, overly dramatic, and also hilarious. She’s building up how much she loved that chicken more and more. Trying to work out her feelings and get her to rationalize, we had this conversation.

Alli: “He was my best friend”.
Me: “Really? Even better than your friends at school?”
Alli: “Well no, but my best animal friend”
Me: “Even better than our dogs?”
Alli: “Starlight does jump on me. But the rooster drop kicked me. LT is just big. No, I guess not. But I’m still sad and am going to really miss him. We had some good times.”

She calms down so I leave the room. A few minutes pass and we and hear her doing her rooster impression. A tribute to a lost friend.

Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
The same as every parent, my answer is that I hope I never have to bury a child. I don’t even want to imagine having to do this.

Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Cheese. My husband, my children, my parents, my friends. This list could go on and on. Everyone in my life has made it worth living.

Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like crap.
Stupid. No one. Nameless people. I can’t think of anyone for this.

Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Friends from college, friends from middle and high school, cousins, the standard people you just grow apart from after a while as life takes you down different paths.

Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Some of these (I guess mostly the negative ones) are what I have trouble with and annoy me. There isn’t anyone I wish I didn’t know and as far as I know, no one I need to let go of in my life. Fill your life with the people you want to be around.

Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on. My children. It seems strange because I know there are things we don’t get right, but Greg and I get many compliments on how we parent our kids.

Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on. This could be anything. There isn’t anything that I wish I got compliments on but do not, so I guess I’m good.

Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.) No thanks.

Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter) Again, no thanks. I mean really why dwell on negativity?

Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it. Lame

Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without. Haha, this challenge thing.

Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something. Still Alice by Lisa Genova I don’t know that it changed my views, but it did make me think, and still does. Since reading this book I constantly compare this person’s symptoms with my regular activities.

Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage. I am for it or at least for some form of legal civil union. Who are we to condemn love between two consenting adults just because of their gender?

With that I am done. I don’t think I can do many more of these questions the justice they fully deserve *sarcasm*.

Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

Someday I hope to finish my college degree. Instead of completing it way back when, I started a family and then became the primary income provider. I don’t really need a degree to have a successful career. In fact, I’m doing great without one. What if I want to change career paths later in life? You can’t really get a job anymore without a degree. Plus, I would like to be able to say that I am a college graduate. It has a nice ring to it.

I would like to travel the US and the world. There is so much great history and so many beautiful places to experience and see. How amazing it would be to travel through Europe and Asia? Even to visit every state in the United States? Really visit them and learn about different cultures, taste different foods, meet new people and learn their stories?

There are so many more, but those are the first ones off the top of my head.