We hope everyone had a wonderful season this year, as wonderful as 2020 can let it be. We stayed inside, in fact we didn't leave the apartment all weekend. It was wet at the farm and cool so there wasn't much I needed to do. No watering. And the stuff on the porch was well watered last weekend and with the cool days and nights we've had, I'm sure it's all still nice and damp.
It was kind of nice to stay in and just relax.
We went outside to see the Jupiter/Saturn event that created a Christmas star. We saw this, the brightest star in the night sky at the time. We weren't 100% sure that was it so I got my starchart app out and held it up to the sky and...
...and yep, sure enough that was it. At first I couldn't understand why I couldn't read this, then I realized it was the word Saturn on top of the word Jupiter, ha.
For gifts this year, usually we're shopping during the year so we're done well before Christmas but of course, because of our financial situation, we had agreed not to do anything big. Get each other something useful...
For him, I got these. Lodge cast iron has a new line of bakeware. He loves cooking with cast iron and when I saw these I knew he had to have some. We've recently gotten into making homemade pizzas and he had been wanting either a pizza stone or a pizza steel. Pizza cast iron pan! He also makes pies and more often, chicken or turkey pot pies for dinners. Cast iron pie pan!
They make other cast iron baking items and those might appear for future gifts, ha! Once we use these, we'll do a review of sorts and let you know how well they worked. Best thing is he gets to have fun cooking with them and I get the end result. Win/win!
2nd Man got this for me. It's the Halo Bolt portable power, jump starter and air compressor. It will really come in handy at the farm for the Zen Machine. I've got a big air compressor but it's a pain to use on the few flats I've had and at least twice over the years I've needed to jumpstart the mower.
It will also charge cell phones and other electronic devices. Since it is small, I can fully charge it and then keep it in the back of my Jeep. If ever needed, I can use it on my car for a dead battery or air in my tires if they were low and I couldn't get to a gas station.
Good choice 2nd Man!
This year I bought another Frick's carver ham. We discovered carver hams a few years ago and LOVE them. They are different looking than a large round ham you might see but wow, they are oh so good. Just a true wonderful ham flavor.
Our Christmas Day dinner was the ham, some garlic roasted broccolini and homemade mac and cheese. Simple and good. Of course we had ham in some form for the whole weekend. Sandwiches Saturday and then ham and eggs on Sunday.
So we had a good weekend, nice and long, lots of sleep and lots of good food. Wait, does that make us cats?
your Christmas meal looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteWe spent a nice quiet Christmas Day at home as well. Hubby watched football and I was in my craft room reorganizing all my card / craft supplies, rubber stamps, etc. A good job done. Even manages to move some thing out to my 'she' shed.
Took down all my Christmas (Cross-Mas tree)decorations yesterday and got some it moved out to the shed to store for next year.
DeleteYou both received some wonderful and useful gifts. Making a meatloaf in a cast iron skillet is Fantastic.
You're going to really enjoy that pizza pan. It should make for some wonderful pizzas. I do use my largest cast iron skillet for making pizza as well as using my pizza stones. I put my stone or skillet in the oven getting hot while the oven is preheating.
I have 3 different sizes of the pizza stones of which I use all the time; not just for pizza but for baking biscuits,etc.
Well, you two are the coolest of cats! LOL That ham looks so delicious! I made up a large turkey potpie ... shared with neighbors and I still have leftovers! The crust doesn't fare well in the micro, but the taste is still good!
ReplyDeleteNever have I ever heard of a cast iron pie tin ... will be interesting to read how that one works out!
Looking forward to reading about your adventures in the New Year ... may it be a very happy one!! 🥂 Cheers!!
Very similar to us though your ham looks better!
ReplyDeletei love lodge cookware and use it a lot! i'm going to check out those hams.
ReplyDeletePerfect gifts for each other! One thing that I read about my portable starter, which my cousin had to learn the hard way, is that one should top off the charge from time to time. (Mine says every 90 days.) That being said, mine has changed my life, and I hope yours will do the same for you!
ReplyDeleteYou two are very lucky to have each other. Your pride in the gifts , I found , incredibly moving
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to check out Lodge's new items and that ham.
ReplyDeletehobart approves of your cat-like behavior! we stayed in all weekend also; nowhere to go and COVID everywhere you turn. can't wait to see the culinary delights 2nd man creates with his new bakeware!
ReplyDeleteYep,cats <3
ReplyDeleteJust looked up the hams. Did you get the cinnamon one? That is the only one that appears can be shipped. No stores carry them in my area .thank you
ReplyDeleteI got a hazy look at the Christmas star because it was pretty cloudy here. You got a good picture of it – even with all the lights of downtown Houston.
ReplyDeleteI love cooking with cast iron also – skillet, Dutch oven, and my treasured smaller skillet that was my grandma’s. Cooking in cast iron is so much easier and the food cooks so well. I just recently bought the pizza pan. 2nd Man’s cast iron pie pan sounds great, especially for his pot pies.
The portable power and jump starter is a wonderful gift. You’re going to be so happy that you have it. During March and April when I was mostly staying home due to Covid, I had to use mine several times to start the car because my battery went down.
Your Christmas dinner looks delicious! Homemade mac and cheese – mmm! And it’s great to have that leftover ham to make subsequent meals easier – purrfect for cat nappers. Sometimes, you just have to paws and relax. You gotta be kitten me right meow. Sleeping and eating during the long weekend makes you two the cat’s meow! Catitude is everything!
I had no idea about Lodge's bakeware line. Never heard of cast iron pie and pizza pans! I also see they offer something called carbon steel. That's got me curious too. Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteHi , I'm a recent reader, finding your blog while reading thru other blog lists. Recipes and gardening are easy reading and a good distraction from this year.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the cast iron purchases. I have some of my grandmother's cast iron skillets and corn-stick pans. No brand name. My grandparents lived on a farm in Georgia, so either my Grandfather purchased or bartered them or my grandmother brought them to the farm.
You can also cook pizza in a cast iron skillet on the stove top. It will be a smaller pizza, but works a treat in the summer when you don't want to use the oven. Pre-heat the cast skillet (it will need a lid). When the skillet is very hot, slide your pizza in and cover it. The cheese won't get the darker bits like in the oven, but you should be able to get a good crust. A well seasoned skillet won't need any oil. I have also used a skillet to re-heat pizza when I did not want to use the oven.
I also have a lodge griddle (round with a handle and slightly raised edges. Have not used it much, but it looked like an interesting pan.
M in NC