Spin Cycle: Winter Things I've Been Thinking About

Let' see...

Winter

I guess it seems redundant that I've been thinking about winter during winter. But this is the first year in memory that we've actually HAD a winter here in Southern California. Usually, we just go straight from fire season to rainy season to June gloom to...summer. But this year it's been nippy! TWO mornings this week it was 37 degrees when I drove Jude to school. That's WINTER, y'all! I've been wearing my big puffy coat and snuggly boots. I'm loving it! Of course, now the Santa Ana winds have blown in and it's heating up, but I'll take what I can get.

The flu

We have been living dangerously out here, tempting fate by not getting flu shots. My mother-in-law, Mommy, has been nagging me constantly, because she sits and watches cable news all day, and all those tv doctors have her scared to death. This week, Jimmy and I have been taking turns feeling achy and headachy. The other night, I was sure he had finally succumbed, but the next morning, he woke up and felt fine. So I decided not to risk it anymore, and made us all flu shot appointments. Actually, when I took Jude into his pediatrician for the mist thingy, they let me get the shot at the same time. So anyway, I'm determined that we will NOT give in to the flu monster! Have all of you received your flu shots? Did it do any good?

Wicked nail polish

Perfect winter toes

I was a big Essie "Wicked" fan about 10 years ago, and then went brighter. But suddenly good old Wicked called my name and damn if my toes don't look cute.

Les Miserables

Sigh. I finally saw it. Boo hoooooo. It left me feeling tres miserable (pronounced the French way). Yes, I cried like a fool. It's all I can think about. I even bought the soundtrack, and have been obsessively listening to it. Last night, I was making dinner, listening to the soundtrack, singing along and sobbing. Jude walked in, looked at me and sighed. First he said, and this is a direct quote "I'm afraid you are listening to music that Dad and I don't really appreciate." Then he patted me sweetly and said "Mom, you should probably stop listening to this music so you can stop embarrassing yourself." Hah!  I thought that both Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were FABULOUS. This is difficult stuff, people, this singing and acting at the same time. And I'm afraid that Russell Crowe, who has always been a fave of mine, just didn't have the chops for it - he's a wonderful actor, and has an okay singing voice, but he just lacks the ability to express emotion through his singing. It's a different muscle. And that scene when Hathaway sings Fantine's big "I Dreamed a Dream" song? Oh my God! Killed me. Please notice that it's all shot in one take. Of course, an actor performing it on stage does it in one take 8 times a week! But it's basically unheard of in a film. I'm hoping Oscar is in her future.

Winter camp

For the first time in 4 years, we've actually had SNOW for Jude's Cub Scout Winter Camp. The camp takes place every year up in the mountains in Lake Arrowhead, CA, where there should technically be snow, but we seem to always miss it. But this year...

LA kids in snow.

Jude became a tobogganing fool! He's such a daredevil! It's actually a relief that we don't live closer to the mountains, because he'd become one of those extreme sports/Shawn White kind of kids. But I must admit, it was crazy fun! He finally lured me onto his toboggan with him, and WOOHOO! Here is video, shot by Jude as we careened down the hill together. Please forgive our mutual "woohoo"ing and"yeah"ing.

 

 

Bacon and Leek Risotto with Poached Eggs

This is so crazy good I can't stand it. It's the ultimate wintry comfort food - like breakfast for dinner.

5 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices thick-cut bacon

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon butter

 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

eggs

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan, cover to keep warm. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon, and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then crumble. Add leeks to bacon drippings in the pan, and cook until soft, stirring often, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1⁄2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23 minutes total. Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a small skillet, heat water to a simmer. Crack an egg into a small saucer, then slide egg into the simmering water. Cook eggs until whites are cooked through but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Do this with as many eggs as people you are serving.

Dish a mound of the risotto into each dish, then, using a slotted spoon, gently place poached egg on top of risotto.

The recipe claims that this serves 6, but in our house it serves 3ish.

I did not take this picture! I totally stole it off the Bon Appetit website.

My new fuzzy sweater

I bought myself a new fuzzy sweater the other day. Here it is...

 

Really horrible picture.

You will notice that it is neither attractive nor stylish. But I don't care. It's all I want to wear lately. Num, num, num, num.

Irish Coffee

Nothing warms your bones like a nice hot cup of coffee laced with booze!

1 cup freshly brewed coffee

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 jigger Irish whiskey (1 1/2 ounces)

heavy cream, lightly whipped

Pour coffee into cup (a footed glass cup is traditional). Stir in the sugar, then the whiskey. Top with a couple of tablespoons of cream.

Aaaaah!

Illume Red Cedar candle

LOVE this! Warm and cozy and woodsy and wintry, without smelling like Christmas.

I think that's about it. What winter things have you been thinking about lately?

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Don't you dare skate away without checking out this week's Winter Spinners...

Vandy J at The Testosterone Three and Me

SuziCate at The Water Witch's Daughter

Nain at View From Down Here

Mimi at Magical Mystical Mimi - NEW to the SPIN CYCLE!

Ginny Marie at Lemon Drop Pie - NEW on FRIDAY!

Kendra at Life in the slow lane -NEW

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Next week on The Spin Cycle...

Clean

Hmmm...another wide open subject.

Clean living, clean heart, clean linens, clean air, clean water, clean and jerk, cleanliness is next to godliness, cleansing diet, cleansing breath.

House cleaning, spring cleaning, dental cleaning.

As always, don't be afraid to think out of the box!

Write your spin on "clean". Post it. Let me know. I'll link it here!

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Comments

[Ginny Marie]

The girls got their flu shots back in November, and then I decided to get mine on Saturday. And I love your fluffy sweater!

We love sledding on our snow hill (man made here in the flatlands of Illinois) but this year there has been NO SNOW! It's quite disappointing.

Here's my link!

http://www.lemondroppie.com/2013/01/winter-in-chicago/

[Lisa]

Gretchen that risotto looks ridiculously YUM. I made a simple risotto earlier this week from Barefoot Contessa (it's called Easy Parmesan Risotto and it's on the Today Show's site) where you bake the risotto (versus preparing on the stove), which makes it mostly hands off. I am thinking you could do that with this, and stir in the bacon/leek sauté just before topping with egg and serving. And the other thing that occurs to me is you could make this with grits instead of risotto, if so inclined. Thanks for posting!

[Jan's Sushi Bar]

We don't get flu shots for many reasons (the primary being that the only time I get the flu is when I get a flu shot), but we have been dosing, dosing, dosing with vitamin D, vitamin C, fermented cod liver oil, butter oil and zinc. Because I'm all crunchy that way.

That risotto recipe is one of the few things that can make me cry over the fact dairy is no longer part of my life. Damn, damn, damn.

[Arnebya]

FIRST THINGS FIRST: I NEED THAT SWEATER. It's not SUPPOSED to be cute; it's supposed to be fuzzy and warm and have no damns to give about fashion. I am so serious. Email me your address, I'll send you money for buying/shipping AND I WILL BE SO HAPPY AND NAME IT GEORGE. (Yes, warmth means a lot to me and if you could see the blanket I use in the office, well...)

The kids and I all got flu shots back in September/October. And in November we all got the flu.

Still haven't seen Les Miserables but I intend on doing so this weekend. I'll let you know what I think about Anne (I've heard the same about Russell though, sadly.)

And the risotto and poached eggs. My goodness I'm hungry.

[Sarah at 32Flavors]

Aw. You cute little Californians and your "winter." 37 degrees is about when I switch over to the light winter jacket. The puffy one comes out around 25. Monday's HIGH is supposed to be 2 degrees. After living on the plains of Minnesota, I'm still going to call this a warm winter. Any winter with all highs above 0 seems warm to me.
It seems very few of my sweaters are cute anymore. I've gone all practical. And I wear SmartWool socks every day. If my feet are warm, the rest of me feels fairly warm.
Glad the kids got some snow to play in!

[Alaina]

I love me some Irish coffee! And candles. But yeah, I hate winter. It's supposed to be 10 degrees on Tuesday. Ten? Ugh. Is it spring yet?

[Janice Adcock]

Great post! The scout winter thing is called the Klondike Derby in this area. No snow this year, we fear. And Gene is ready to try the yummy sounding dish. My winter post is ready. http://jadcock.blogspot.com/

[Magical Mystical Mimi]

First of all, I hope you n' the hubs are feeling better and that the flu bypassed your home. I know so many people with it and it's horrible. Second, I love the sweater! It's exactly what a snuggly sweater should be. :) And I can't wait to try your risotto recipe. Being Italian I've had it many a ways but not this way and it sounds delicious! - Did I happen to mention that I love your blog?? :) - I'm so happy your son had such a great time with the snow. I love, love, love my snow and would be so bummed if I didn't have it in the winter. Can't wait for next week's "spin!" - Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Stay warm! Oh. And I'm drinking Irish coffee right now. :)