Hello Blog Friends!
This has been a shorter workweek, with the holiday on Thanksgiving Monday. Although it was not a workday, I managed to fill the day full with elaborate cooking and sewing projects (Butternut Squash Gnocchi & Tin Roof Ice Cream, followed by sewing 24 furoshiki that will serve to wrap this year’s Christmas gifts) so it flew by and then it was “back to work Tuesday”!
One of this week’s goals was to send out the notice about the 2025 Day Camps application form. I emailed the info to a long list of clergy and potential coordinators as well as arranging to have the info posted in the weekly Diocesan E-News and the next issue of our diocesan newspaper.
With all that accomplished I turned my attention to badgering, as the hunt continues for more people to lead reflections in the Advent Program as well as for a third Chef for the Cook-Along series and presenters to make videos for Carols & Cocoa. Sadly, no one has yet replied to my numerous social media messages but I’m trying to remain both patient and optimistic!
I bit of time has also been spent on the Registration activities for the 2025 Day Camp program and they are slowly coming together; my next Program-related job will be to choreograph the Liturgical Dance. In case you are interested in listening to the chosen song, you can check it out here.
Wednesday morning I set up a draft PowerPoint for the Advent Study Program as one of the DC committee members and I will be meeting next week to firm up the content and flow for each session. I really hope we can find more alumni willing to lead reflections, as time is marching on.
Of course there are also the mundane office jobs such as dealing with invoices and answering random enquiries, I’m rarely at a loss to find something to do during dedicated “office” hours. As always “work” spills over into “life” as emails and texts tend to turn up at all times of the day (and night!) and I’m usually sucked into replying, whatever the time.
Wednesday evening Jessica came for a visit and supper. I had warned her to dress warmly as the furnace had not yet been turned on! This is both due to frugality (NEVER turn on the furnace before Thanksgiving Weekend!) and the fact that the batteries had died in the wireless thermostat, fortunately Jessica had been asked to, please bring 2 batteries!!Thomason was in an ultra-bouncy mood that evening and had to be put on his leash while we cooked and ate our supper but happily, afterwards, he calmed down and dozed on his bed while we chatted. We always discuss Day Camps during our conversations and Jessica is still willing to pinch hit as a chef, if no one else volunteers, Yay Jessica!. While we talked I was able to put in some knitting time as I am now into making “watch caps” for my 4 Godsons’ Christmas gifts, after finally completing the fifth pair of Fairisle fingerless gloves.
Thursday, with the second night of “frost warning” looming, I reluctantly inserted the new batteries, activated and set the thermostat and then spent a difficult hour running around the house “bleeding” the 12 radiators; a thankless task!
Yesterday morning I had a FaceTime “visit” with former DC committee member, Gillian. She and her family live in Halifax and recently moved house with a baby, a toddler, a lively dog and a husband who is a young doctor at a local hospital, she now has a lot to juggle. She was one of the people who had tentatively expressed interest in leading a reflection for the Advent Program and is still interested but needs to check the family schedule to see if she could be available on one of the Sundays, I’ll be praying that things will fall into place, if she is meant to lead.
Early mornings, well bundled up, I have continued cutting down the many garden perennials. I do have a dozen tulip bulbs cooling in the fridge but usually wait until the end of October to do bulb planting, just before spreading my compost, the last garden job of the season. This morning was no exception as I tackled cutting the two large clumps of spurge. I like spurge but am not fond of cutting it back as the stems are filled with sticky white sap, UGH!!
Now I’m in the process of baking with sausage rolls, Apple Crisp, Challah and Sourdough Baguettes on the list. So it is high time to end off with the weekly recipe…
As previously mentioned, for Thanksgiving dinner I made Butternut Squash Gnocchi. I have made gnocchi several times and always found it an extremely messy process but this recipe, which I adapted from one found on the Internet, wasn’t too bad and the end result made for a very tasty and special Holiday supper, you should give it a try!
Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
- 1lb.4oz.butternut squash, peeled & cubed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 1½ cups unbleached flour
For the Sage Butter Sauce:
- 2Tbsps. olive oil
- 2Tbsps. unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 6-7 leaves Sage, crushed
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ cup dry white wine (or pasta water)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Spread the squash cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and roast in a 350ºF oven for 25 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a bowl, add the olive oil, nutmeg and salt then mash, until smooth, with a potato masher. Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl (or on a floured countertop), make a well in the centre and pour in the squash puree. Using your hands, or a bench scraper, start to incorporate the flour into the puree. Continue bringing it together until a ball of slightly sticky dough it formed, trying not to overwork the dough. Cover the dough with an inverted bowl and allow to rest for 15mins. Flour your work surface and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log, ½” in circumference. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 1/2” pieces. The pieces may be placed on a lightly floured, parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerated until ready to cook OR proceed directly to cooking. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Gently add the gnocchi and cook, stirring with a slotted spoon until they float to the surface, about 5minutes. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. At this point the gnocchi can be frozen by first returning them to the baking sheet, freezing until hard and then packing in an airtight container OR proceed to make the butter sage sauce. In a large skillet, melt the oil and butter. Add the diced onion, sage, pepper and salt and stir together. Add the gnocchi and sauté until lightly browned then add the wine or reserved pasta water.. Simmer the gnocchi for 5-7 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Allow the gnocchi to crisp up again, then transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serves 3-4.