So Christmas worked out great! For some reason, H chickened out and didn't come. It was just the kids and their SO's along with me. We had a great time. We used to do a Mexican food Christmas Eve, due to the fact that someone always gives us tamales for Christmas. Bliss!
So moving Mexican Food night to Christmas night was a bit different, but it worked out really well. I just laid the food out buffet style, and everyone helped themselves. Much easier than the years I've cooked a big meal for Christmas.
I played around with a White Chocolate Cookie recipe, and it turned out to be sublime! I took about a third of the package of White Chocolate chips and melted them in the microwave. I started on the cookie dough. After I had the sugar, butter, and eggs nicely creamed, I added the white chocolate to the dough.
I also toasted some hazelnuts to use instead of almonds, walnuts, or pecans for something different. Added dried cranberries, and the rest of the package of white choc chips to the dough. Those cookies were some of the best I've ever made! Because I added the melted chocolate to the dough, you had that hint of flavor in every single bite. Really, really good.
I'm pleasantly tired now, but we had a really nice holiday. I enjoyed the kids, didn't miss H overly much, and didn't wear myself out. I consider this to be huge progress!
I had such fun watching the kids open the gifts I labored over purchasing - I scored on every one! As a parent, I LOVE that feeling. Most years I do okay, but there's always a gift that scores a "meh"...not this year. It was really pretty cool.
Today, I'm kind of maudlin. I keep wanting to send H an e-mail congratulating him on the destruction of a once phenomenal family. He better be freaking deliriously happy considering what this cost us.
I won't do it, but man! I really, really want to. The jerk.
