Oh Deer~

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..

OMGee this global warming is playing havoc w/ our Québec Christmases..

I need snow..and mistletoe..;)

Yesterday..it was pouring as I took the top pic.. December 5th..that meant we had 19 more days only to have a snowy Christmas Eve..and Christmas day..it can leave Feb 1rst..but please ..for Christmas Santa..a white sparkly cover.
Today..the 6th the sun shone..and well now we have 18 more days..hurry..

So the tourtière..meat pie..above..is from last year..

We make a few extras..so that we can enjoy them during the year..saving one at least for early December.

Everyone has their fave recipe..some add potatoes..like Ricardo..and people are thrilled with it..

I should have paid attention when my mom made hers..:(

I had to learn from Jéhane Benoit..(our Julia Child) when I married at the ripe old age of 20.She has a few recipes..this one with oats is delish too.

I always work my way around the first recipe..
I have the book The Canadiana Cookbook..

AND her huge compendium..of so many individual 3 punch hole booklets my mom collected..I will NEVER part with that huge book that's in an ugly black huge 3 ring binder.!~Over 1050 pages.
1963 was the first published date.Over 1.5 million copies have been sold..
She is an institution here..and for valid reasons.

The size reminds me of Marie's beautiful book..do you know that it weighs almost 5 lbs?
Well it does:)
It is BIGGER than Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home To Yours!

Now.. getting back to the tourtières..I make my own variation w/ my daughter..we usually use pork and beef....breadcrumbs....onions..garlic..and my own blend of spices..I have bought them also..but we kept adding..

Jacques is there helping..he loves that day..and Caroline and Jacques taste test.It is not an exact science in our case..

I was brought up w/ a tourtière tasting like cinnamon and a spot of cloves..
Jacques adds sugar on top:)
And he loves it w/ the home made fruit ketchup I shared again this year..

It is beautiful on a Christmas dinner plate w/ turkey and stuffing~
And the scent ..aroma throughout our homes..is so festive and cozy.


The link to all my talk bout the ketchup..leading to another link..is here..
That too is beautiful and spicy on the Christmas table.

I am slowly getting more things out..  I switched up the kitchen window a bit w/ my vintage scale and greenery and little reindeer lights..I could have those everywhere:)That egg basket was bought in Provence this Sept♥

The stockings are ready to be filled..
Still grateful for having been taught step by step..and still grateful to Frances who nimbly turned my needlepoint into stockings that will last forever.

Feel free to type in Christmas on my search bar upper left hand corner as I just did for a few Christmas past posts..:)
Provence shows up once because of the appetizer lol..just keep going:)If you have nothing to do..at the bottom it will be written Next posts..
I don't want to bore some of you who have been with me forever and a day..♥

One of the girls that has been with me from day one..even before blogging was a thing..is so stinkin' talented..and cute..

See that brocante/Provence/crochet bag?♥

Arrived for me for Christmas..hand stitched by her..
..look at every stitch..that's how many times she thought of us ..she and me.Or me and she.
I love it.
I received it in Fl..our manager ,Karen brought me the box..she even thought the box was so cute:)

And then Brenda did too..
and then I opened it and showed Brenda..

and she said:"That is so you".

Imagine that.

This is such a time of the year..

Hohoho and hohoho.

I love that part..

But I am not all hohoho..
that's me.

I like to just be quiet..and think..about everything.

The past..the present and the future.

What Christmas meant in the past..what it means now and what it may mean in the future.

I love listening to the music of Christmas.. I love the lights..the cards..the ornaments..the children..although..because Lucas started high school..his parents decided they had better tell him the truth..


"What? That there is no Santa Claus?" "I knew that.."  LOL...

Came back and said..: "So what about Buddy?"(Their elf).
♥♥

Happy preparations to you..be they humble or over the top..on your own or with many..to each our own♥