Hey, Rick, I know lots of words - when I was a kid, I used to read the dictionary...just for fun, LOL! But seriously, if only I was half as smart now as I used to seem to be then! Sigh... ;) I must try the tortiere - I really like the combination of meat with unusual spices, or things like dried fruit. Here's a recipe I really like - the combination of lamb, cinnamon and nutmeg gives a really rich and exotic flavor. This recipe is the best home-made moussaka I've had. (Actually, it's better than most restaurant offerings, IMO...however, since moussaka is not a part of my "food heritage", my opinion may not be worth that much, LOL! ) Moussaka (from The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook) 2 eggplants (~2.5 pounds) Slice eggplants 1/4" thick and sweat them with salt in a colander for ~30 minutes. Then rinse slices, drain, pat dry. Brush slices with olive oil, and broil on baking sheets until golden and translucent; set aside. (BTW, there's nothing like home-grown eggplant - especially if you think you don't like eggplant.) Meat Sauce: 2 lb lean ground lamb 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp pepper 1 cup red wine 1 19-oz can tomatoes 1 5-1/2 oz can tomato paste 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Cook lamb over high heat in skillet; spoon off any fat. Add other meat sauce ingredients and cook until onions are softened (~5 minutes). Add wine, tomatoes and tomato paste; break up tomatoes with a spoon (or squish 'em with your hands...clean, of course!); bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until mixture does not fill in when spoon is drawn through pan. Stir in parsley and set aside. Bechamel: 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups milk 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp each nutmeg and pepper 1 cup crumbled feta 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups pressed dry cottage cheese In saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in milk until boiling and thick enough to coat back of spoon. Stir in spices. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rinse feta and drain well; whisk together with eggs and cottage cheese, and then whisk it into the bechamel. Assembly: 13"x9" pan (or two 8"x8" pans) Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce on bottom, spreading evenly; then 1/2 cup bechamel, spreading evenly. Layer with half the eggplant. The point is to make two complete sequences, with the remaining bechamel on top. Topping: 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated parmesan Mix and sprinkle over moussaka. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 70 minutes (it seems to me 45 min to an hour is enough), or until browned and bubbly. Mmmmmm.... Puts me in mind of a wonderful dish I had at a Moroccan restaurant once...unfortunately, I can't remember the name of it (something like "brik" or "brikka"??) It consisted of a chicken mixture, flavored with cinnamon, which was wrapped in filo, then baked, then served with a sprinkle of icing sugar on top. It may sound weird but it was great!

Thank you again everyone for your wonderful pictures and virtual descriptions. I am not sure if I can get a bow around Buddy or for that matter if he wouldn't eat it before I got a picture. Whenever I take pictures of something in the house or outside he seems to get himself right in the way. It will be fun trying. I had a very good day yesterday. I put up my fibre optic tree and hung mirror and faux crystal ornaments. Did put my bows on the chairs. Tied bows around my lamps and I will finish the black tree today along with some other things that came to me overnight when I woke up at 2:00am to let the dog out. I even brought out things I haven't used and have had for many years. This year DS's Lego has been relocated per request by him to the Living Room which means that the tree will be in the family room. It will be a little different and as always the Lego will clash with all the purple. lol. He told me he would put it away till after Christmas, but I told him it was okay. It was a minor thing. Off to finish the tree. Linda

Love it. Sure do like those Barenaked Ladies. Thanks, Jasdip!

I just made a rum cake,pork barbeque,meatballs,got everything out.had to do all tonite I have dialysis till 5 on Christmas eve Ill be a big ball of fun tomorrow nite Ill be tired exhausted Im haveing 12 people over.My daughter is gonna warm up things get it all out.