Friday, November 30, 2007

Rosie's Back And Things Were Done Today.

Hello all.


I got back in town this afternoon just in time to meet the kitchen people with whom I had an appointment. They still needed to take care of a few details.

First, they installed the stainless steel panel between the top of my above-stove-shelf and bottom of the exhaust.

Just realized that's a crappy picture. Note to self: re-shoot tomorrow.










Here's the "before" picture of the range without the stainless steel panel.














Then, they installed the brass foot rail
on the front of the bar cabinets.
That's Mr. Hawthorne's happy foot.
We didn't want people kicking the cabinets, so we went online, found the railing, and ordered it.
It feels really good on the balls of your feet.
Quite comfy.

Dixie was just too cuddly cute not to include.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Hee....

I just noticed this.
Daughter Hawthorne has a HUGE ASS.

Just for the record, little Miss Hawthorne has a tiny butt. It's just the angle of the picture and the way the blankie was sticking out that made an ... unfortunate ... illusion of buttness. I am sorry, Daughter Hawthorne, for any discomfort and emotional distress and suffering this picture and blog post may have caused you.
My bad.

Rosie Flies The Coop.

My dear friends, please be patient. I am leaving tomorrow and will be out of town for a few days. Will return soon. I need a LAPTOP! SANTA?

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Random Photos.


The Hawthorne Men and friend prepare to leave for the Rockfish Tournament this morning.
















Aaaaaand, they're OFF!

Youngest Hawthorne must've been hiding in both these pictures.

As for the tournament outcome, out of almost 30 boats, with up to 5 fisherman on each, NO ONE CAUGHT ANYTHING.
Bummer.

Now, get this. Mr. Hawthorne went to the post-tournament picnic, where they gave away bunches of door prizes all donated by local area businesses. Mr. H. won a wooden cutting board shaped like a fish with a pewter fish head and tail ( Just
may be re-gifting that one for Christmas . Look out Niece Hawthorne.), a visor (I don't wear visors.), a beer cozy (I don't drink beer.), a $25 gift certificate to a local clothing store (A store where I would never shop. My daughter would and everything's overpriced.), and a tee shirt in a size XXL from a local convenience store (I am not a size XXL). What he won and did NOT come home with was a gift certificate for dinner out at a restaurant that's not half bad. OK, well the half that's not bad is the half where I don't have to clean any damn dishes. He decided he'd won just too much stuff and wanted to give some of it away.

Why not the beer cozy? Why not the visor? Why not ...?




Little Miss Hawthorne has been asleep on the floor for several hours.











Middle Hawthorne is asleep too, on the couch. What is WRONG with these children?

At least Youngest Hawthorne
is out and about.




Miss Hawthorne's room.

Some things never change.








Friday, November 23, 2007

EEEEEWWWWW!

Mr. Hawthorne just came home from work and placed a white plastic bag on the kitchen counter. I heard a rustling noise, looked at the bag, and noticed it was MOVING.

Here's what was in it:

Those are EELS!
And they're writhing and wriggling.
And I must say they're disgusting.

Now, I know you're all thinking to yourselves,
"God, what is Rosie cooking for supper tonight?"

Not to worry, my friends. The Hawthorne men are in a rockfish tournament tomorrow and the eels are bait.

Of course, I could try some eel sushi, or some eel fritters, or some eel stir fry.

Or this:
www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_13517,00.html

Oh, What would I give to see Aunt Sandy tackle eel?

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Daughter Hawthorne's Room. Before and After.


This is Daughter Hawthorne's room BEFORE. Granted, my entire kitchen was in her room, but it was still a nasty little mess. The carpet was 20 years old, badly stained with God knows what, and NASTY. Too bad I didn't shoot any pictures of her walls. Let's just say, there was no wall space left uncovered. Posters, pictures, high school memorabilia, you name it. Every inch of wall space was covered.

When Ed came to paint her walls, he couldn't because of all the pin holes from thumb tacks and pushy pins.
Maybe a thousand or so.

Ed had to get a mud man first to come in and plaster before he could paint.




This is Daughter Hawthorne's room AFTER.

It took me a while to get used to the yeller, but I like it very much.
And it IS YELLER. Digital blog photos just don't do it justice.















Just more views of the same.

I must tell you, the sheets and comforter are GREEN, but they look blue in the pictures.




















YAY! Rosie made a FruitSkape.


















Niece Hawthorne went to the O'Keefe exhibit at the Raleigh museum and brought me back this Georgia O'Keefe poster.

I had it framed and had Mr. Hawthorne hang it
yesterday before Daughter Hawthorne got home.

I went to Harris Teeter yesterday morning just to get some Kosher salt, since I didn't have enough for brining my turkey. Seventy plus dollars later (How does that happen? I just went in for freaking SALT!), I left with my Kosher salt and a lovely live Calla lily to match the one in Georgia's poster. That's it on the right of the bookcase.

WHOOT!




Another view of the bed. And the comforter still looks blue but it's really and truly
GREEN.











I'll have to shoot pictures of this in the daytime. It's truly a pretty room.

Oh, and look over there on the bookcase under Georgia's poster. I have a KandleSkape!







Oh, and about those bookcases, which, by the way, Mr. Hawthorne made, they will be filled with ... BOOKS! None of Daughter Hawthorne's frou-frou.
BOOKS, I TELL YA. BOOKS!

Happy Thanksgiving!




It's just not a Hawthorne Holiday unless Rosie makes her much-anticipated Penis Bread.







Here's Our Thanksgiving Meal.

All my side dishes are out. Waiting on the turkey. Here's my corn pudding. My pea casserole. Sweet potato casserole. Potato Salad. Mashed taters made by Daughter Hawthorne. Cranberry conserve. Gateaux of Crepes. Potato rolls. DAY-UM. I forgot the stuffing. 2 days later, I add the stuffing picture in. My turkey. It's stuffed with the lemons and oranges from the brine, plus cranberries and pomegranate seeds.
Mr. Hawthorne's ham.
The vultures descend. Daughter Hawthorne makes whipped cream for the pumpkin and apple pies. What a mess. And I'm not even hungry. Post-dinner hijinks with the Hawthorne boys. Pull up your damn pants! More hijinks. Mr. Hawthorne cleans the hood! Rosie cleaned the rest of the kitchen. Duh!

What's Rosie Going To Do Next, You Ask.















Rosie starts preparing her mushroom/giblet gravy.












Sauteed the shrooms and chopped giblets, then added a splash of sherry for flavor and let it cook off. Threw in some flour, then added chicken stock

Rosie Is Like The Energizer Bunny.


Here are some ingredients for my stuffing:
onions, celery, garlic, fresh parsley, and fresh sage.











I sauteed the celery and onions, then
added some hot Italian sausage, some ground sausage, bread crumbs, toasted pine nuts, mozzarella, parmesan, and my homemade chicken consomme.







The finished dressing.

It was gooooood.












Mr. Hawthorne's Contribution.

Mr. Hawthorne stuck a spiraled ham INto the oven, set the timer, then left.
Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne.

Julia Child's Gateaux de Crepes.


Rosie is making the custard sauce for the gateaux: 1 stick of cream cheese, 6 aigs, 1 cup milk, and some freshly ground nutmeg.










The custard sauce is ready, as are the carrots, the broccoli, the mushroom duxelles, the crepes, and the Swiss cheese.







Time to start assembly. Buttered wax paper on bottom. Crepe on bottom. Then start hanging crepes over. Eight of 'em.








First layer is Swiss cheese and carrots.








Pour in the custard sauce.




















Then, top the carrot/custard mixture with another crepe and add the mushroom duxelles in.








Pour more custard over the shrooms, then place another crepe on top, then more cheese, broccoli, and custard sauce.




















More Swiss cheese on top of the broccoli layer, then pull the over-hanging crepes over top. Top with more crepes. Cover with buttered wax paper and foil, then cook. Why is my hand that horrendous color?










Here's the gateaux of crepes. It's exploding over top of the dish.

Let set for 10-15 minutes then invert.


















Here's the inverted Gateaux of Crepes.

Ta dahhhhh!!!!!!!


Just wait until I slice it.






Ahhhh. Here's the slice. Broccoli, mushroom, carrot, with Swiss cheese and a custard sauce.











I must say, This is DELICIOUS!.


This is, hands down, one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE dishes.