Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Loews Vanderbilt Vaycay

When we moved home to Tennessee from Massachuetts we spent a night at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in downtown Nashville. It was a beautiful hotel and the linens were spectacular!


An arty shot of Eric's elbow


It was cool to get a new perspective on an old stomping ground.









Sunday, February 15, 2009

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

My Pop's favourite cake is Pineapple Upside Down cake. For years every cake came out slightly different, as we were all guessing at what Grandma Harris' method had been. She never gave anyone a recipe, but one time she let me observe her making it. It took me a while to get my own method down. It's wicked complicated to get it just so. It's a very sciencey cake!

A big pile of ingrediants.

Cooking the candy. I burned the first batch. The foul stink of burned sugar drove everyone outside even though it was below freezing out there.

Doing my Mr. Wizard thang.

I made three cakes, two with canned pineapple and one with fresh. As it turns out after going through the hellacious eight step cooking process tinned pineapple and fresh taste pretty well the same.

Finito! We got a pretty good candy to cake ratio this batch. I made another one the next day and between the five adults and one munchkin we destroyed all four cakes in no time.

Jewish Enchiladas

While Pop was here we went all with the foodz. One night for dinner I made enchiladas with brisket, a traditional Harris dish.I got a big ole brisket and rubbed it down with olive oil and spices and then put a nice solid black pepper crust on top. I cooked it in an oven bag for about four hours. When it comes out I shred it up with a coupla forks (eating the entire gorgeous pepper crust bit by bit while I'm prepping all the other items)
My Dad is a celebrator of all things onion and my hubby is allergic, so I have to make two of everything. So I cooked one batch of filling chock full of onions and the other with these hooge sauteed mushrooms.
All the componants ready for assemblage.
Everything stuffed rolled and ready for another layer of cheese and a hot oven.

I meant to take some pictures of the finished product but I ate it all before I remembered. I am new at food blogging and I promise I'll get better :)
UPDATE!
I found a picture!
Even though we ate on these for four days when we finally ran out I still wanted more.

Pappy Pays a Visit

For my birthday this year my dad came down to visit us from Belleville, Ontario. He brought me 7 and 10 year sharp cheddar, maple candy, some excellent french raspberry preserves and various other treats I like from north of the border. It was the first time Doug had met either of the kids and they all seemed to like each other just fine.

Maggie poses for a picture with her pappy.

Wyatt trys his hardest to sit still for two seconds.

Maggie loves boys with beards.

A new generation of Royal Canadians.

The Oldschool Harris Clan (guardians of the oldschool harris nose)

All the boys that ever took care of me :)

New York Bagels

Pete S. paid us a visit a couple of weeks back. He lives on Statten Island and brought up some choice NY bagels. These things were massive and delicious.

I ran out and bought some bagel neccesities: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, a nice leafy green lettuce. Nom nom nom!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Christmas in Tennessee

Everyone loads up for the drive to Alabama to spend Christmas Eve at Memas house.

Maggie and Great Uncle Ron get to know each other.

Wyatt spends some tummy-time with his pa in Mema's barcalounger.

Wyatt trys out another barcalounger with his great Aunt Serena.

Beautiful cousin Addison.

Wyatt crawls around on the floor while Uncle Mike and Great Uncle Tommy sit on the loveseat in the background.

Cousins Jennifer, Melissa, Addison, and Maggie.

Addison plays with Maggie's baby feets.

Grandpa and Great Aunt Sharon spend some couch time with Addison and Wyatt.

Mema and Maggie

Addie and Wy play on the stairs.

Wyatt and Addison share Wy's sippy of milk.

Now you have some.

Wyatt and Addison operate Mema's big screen TV. Babies love buttons!

Back at Grandma and Grandpas house for Christmas morning. Wyatt plays with his new worm-on-a-leash.

Wyatt opens a big present. Max the dog looks on.

Mom gets super excited!

Wyatt unveils his doodle pro.

Grandpa takes a picture of Mommy taking a picture.

Wy plays with his aqua doddle pen (a highly recommended toy).

Maggie meets Dora the Explorer (she loves her yarn hair).

Maggie contemplates her stash of new toys.

Maggie says *plbbbt* to socks for Christmas.

The eons long trip home.

Soooo tired...

Maggie wiles away the time reading mommy's book.

Daddy and Wyatt snuggle on the plane, dreaming of home.