I hope this message finds all of you getting ready for (or enjoying!)
quality time with friends and family in the spirit of the holiday.

With death and illness clouding this year's celebrations, I am
reminded how little time we have here with each other, and how
important it is to make the most of it. So I am really "on task" this
season.

I am off to fire up the smoker to get a nice ham ready for tomorrow.
Can't beat a nice bone in ham shank slow smoked over oak and pecan,
finished with a clove/butter/brown sugar/bourbon sauce. Should be
finished early morning, about the time the coffee is ready. Turkey...
too boring.

Got taters to peel for garlic/dill mashed potatoes. Lots of things to
chop up for green beans with sun dried tomatoes, caramelized garlic,
mushrooms and toasted almonds. Mexican style helote con chili goes
great with all the contrasting flavors, so that goes on the menu as
well. The only traditional item on the menu is cranberry sauce. That
only leaves bread to bake and coffee to roast.

Pies, cookies, brownies, and bread pudding are in the works, but not
my department. They will be on the ready though, looking like they
came from a magazine when LOL finishes. All finished treats look to
be presentation material; that's because all the "duds" go in a zip
lock for me!

We will have a house full tomorrow, and even more Saturday, and it
will be a lot of fun.

So * cheers * and bottoms up, to all of you. May your holidays be a
good ones as well.

Merry Christmas!

Robert