Merry Christmas to you, and enjoy your citrus!

My last shopping trip was to our small local market. Christmas Eve I didn’t go to any store. Parking is often a problem in my area when stores are crowded. Our mall is the worst for crowds. Some malls may be dying, but not ours. This morning Mr. Coffee is barely working, so I went to the garage to get vinegar, while I was there I saw something pink, dead looking in the garage. I tried to pick it up, thinking it was a leaf, but no. I came back in to wash my hand, and no hot water. Oh my goodness, and it’s only 6:30 AM. Glad I’m not having a group over for dinner! We’ll manage just fine. Best wishes to everyone for happy, pleasant day.

AnnT, that looks delicious, as usual. I'm glad Moe got to have the chile sauce with it, I know you have mentioned that he has to have it on Christmas with the Tourtiere. Merry Christmas, and best wishes to both you and Moe, for a healthy and happy New Year and for quick healing for Moe, both for this leg and for the repair of the other one. Annie

I don't often do multi course dinners with wine but have done several. What I have learned is: don't use china but white ware dishes Use dishwasher safe wine glasses Then: Salad plates in dishwasher with soup bowls (actually used an extra set of dishes I had for plates under the soup bowls all went into the dishwasher) Salad plates were done and clean in time to be reused for dessert, along with small forks. Have a helper to plate courses so you can load up the next load in the dishwasher *** I am very thankful that my dishwasher is VERY Quiet!*** So, I took care of dishes as we went, did a sample plate for each course as we went. Many of my friends expressed they would like to learn how to manage multi course meals so I felt comfortable pulling a few of them in to assist. You are very right about bone in meats . . I also have developed a dislike to dining with shells on shrimp (even tails in shrimp cocktail, or split lobster; I want to be able to eat anything set on my plate and not need to handle the food to remove or set aside bone or shell). The other thing I learned is not to invite people that didn't appreciate wine or food. Dinners like that take a lot of effort and to see someone push food around a plate because they have never tried it before and are not willing to even try a bite is disheartening. As for wine, if someone downs the glass in 1 long sip . . . they are a nope for the next time! BTW that wasn't a sip it was a guzzle! Also, yes the glass shouldn't be to the brim of the glass! Those friends I invite for potluck or buffet meals