Wrapping Up 2011

I am a pathetic excuse for a blogger, yes, I realize this.  But if one ever had an excuse for getting behind on sharing their thoughts with cyber space, it would be a new baby.  That's right... baby Carver has arrived.  In fact, he is almost 10 weeks old now.  Unfortunately I go back to work in 2 weeks, so I need to catch everybody up on the past 4 months... pathetic.  Here's a quick wrap up:

The Pank's Not-so-Scary Halloween

I suppose that is where we are now in our lives... Halloween is now more focused on treats than tricks and the celebrations are more fun for the kids than the adults. But i had to ask myself, why can't a good time be had by all? You know, parents get to play with other grown-ups while the kiddos run around entertaining each other. After all, it was only a few years ago that we were all childless, crowded into my apartment dressed as saved by the bell characters and drinking flavored rum. So this year, I decided we were having a Halloween party and age, marital status and number of children wouldn't matter.

Logistically this means you have to start early so those with little ones can stay awhile and those with scarier thing to do can attend your party first.  So party we did.  We had all kinds of costumes, from Elmo to pirates to the Green Lantern (and the lantern was a grown-up, not a child).  I did a simple chili bar, apple wedges with caramel and pulled pork sandwiches.  For dessert, had a pumpkin trifle (mentioned in my last post) and cupcakes.  Finally, we had apple cider (a.k.a. witch's brew) with bourbon sidecars and premiered my husband's homemade Octoberfest beer.  Thanks to all those who joined us.  Here is the pictorial documentation.

I was a bun in the oven and my husband was the baker.

Thanksgiving!

We spent the week before Thanksgiving at Disney. I will never be to old for that place and now I have a baby that I can use as an excuse o keep going back.  Despite being 8 months pregnant, I enjoyed myself.  Then it was off to Louisville and Lexington to celebrate the holiday and make our last trip home before I was banned from traveling.  

Christmas:)

We spent December 25 in the hospital since I gave birth 2 days earlier.  But we did have some fabulous celebrations prior to that.  We started with my in-laws the second weekend in December.  I got to cook Christmas dinner for the first time in my house (even if it wasn't on actual Christmas).  The weekend after that, my parents and grandparents visited and I got to cook a second Christmas dinner.  

At my house, Christmas breakfast was always a big deal, so I made breakfast also.  Since this blog is supposed to be about food (for the most part), below a recipe for the most fabulous crustless mini quiches you will ever taste.

4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 c. smoky links, grated
1 t. instant onion

In small saucepan warm cream cheese, mayo and milk till smooth. Beat eggs in small bowl, add cheese and smoky links and onion. Add to cream cheese mixture. Spray mini muffin tins with PAM and fill almost to the top. Bake @ 375 for 18 minutes. May be frozen. Warm in electric fry pan on low. Makes 18 mini quiches.

Then we got our real Christmas gift on December 23 at 9:48pm.

That pretty much wraps it up.  But on last picture of our beautiful baby boy is below... just to kick-off 2012:)