Seven Fish Dishes for Christmas

I just found Grocery Cart Challenge's list of 101 stocking stuffers...more good ideas here! One is beloved by Daughters, who are always visitiing the laundromat -- a roll of quarters.
    Also, Jenn at Frugal Upstate, bless her heart, has 68 ideas for stuffing guys' stockings -- Hooray! Husband tends to be quiet to start with, and is not exactly forthcoming about what he'd like in this department. (I can't get the ATV-for-hunting he'd really like, to fit in the sock.)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    A reader asked about the Seven Fish Dishes. Having seven fish dishes (or nine, or as many as thirteen, according to this Wikipedia entry, "The Feast of the Seven Fishes") is an old Italian-American custom for Christmas Eve. The fish (a popular way to stay 'meatless') represent the seven sacraments of the Catholic church.

     I can hear your next question -- are we Italian? Naahh...though we LOVE their food, and Husband spent some time in Naples, Rome and elsewhere during his Navy years. (P.S. We don't go to a Catholic church, either.)
     When the girlies were little, and I was often housebound with them, I started trying to celebrate a different country's customs every year at Christmas time. The Italian version -- the seven fish dishes -- was such a hit that I've repeated it every year, and it has now become a Brick tradition.
     The dishes change, depending on available seafood, what I can find on sale...and our budget. Certain elements remain, though; we always have at least one soup, one whole baked fish, some kind of shrimp. And ALWAYS Angels on Horseback. (The girlies inhale any leftovers while we're washing dishes afterward.) Here's this year's menu:

1.  Clam Chowder (New England style with cream, onion and potatoes -- no tomatoes for us)
2.  Angels on Horseback (oysters wrapped with bacon, skewered with toothpicks, and baked about 20 min. at 400 degrees until crunchy. YUM. Don't knock these until you've tried them!)
Devils on Horseback (chicken livers wrapped with bacon, ditto. I know -- these aren't seafood, but they're a nice complement to the Angels. Don't count them.)
3.  Salmon Creole (salmon filets with a spicy coating)
4.  Shrimp Ajillo (the garlicky Panamanian version of Shrimp Scampi)
5.  Crab Legs 
6.  Tuna with Homemade Noodles (I'll give the recipe for this later)
7.  Rocky Mountain Trout (Daughter #2's contribution; she caught them herself. Baked with mushroom stuffing.)



Plus some kind of greenery in the vegetable department, hot rolls or biscuits and a refresher course of sorbet or sherbet. (All that seafood taste really adds up.) Friend Constance is bringing dessert, and I'll add a platter of chocolates and cookies for after-meal nibbling.
    We dress up in our best...and take our time, with a glass of wine and much talk. Each dish is counted as it appears, and small amounts are the rule, for obvious reasons. Little sighs of pleasure appear for someone's favorite, or a groan from the person who partook too much of another specialty.
      It's a wonderful time.

The Seven Fish Dishes...And I'm Beat

     I had big plans for how peaceful this week was going to be.

Well, forget that.

The Mama flew in Tuesday evening, fretting pretty much all the way about how awful the weather would be in Colorado. She almost sounded disappointed when she realized we've only got some skims of slushy snow here and there -- and the air is almost warm.

She has big hopes for one slambang storm while she's here -- and she may get her wish. We'd heard a big storm was moving in on Christmas Eve, but the forecast now says it will be clear as a bell -- but cold. Darn, darn, darn.

Our Seven Fish Dinner is in progress for Christmas Eve. Here's what's planned, so far:

Lobster Bisque   (canned condensed soup -- ironically, from the Dollar Store!)
Angels on Horseback   (oysters wrapped with bacon)
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Shrimp Scampi
some kind of tuna dish (still debating on this one)
Baked Salmon fillets with lemon-garlic sauce
Crab legs, possibly -- debating on this one, too.

Every few dishes, there will be a 'refresher:' either a blueberry smoothie, fresh fruit, a veggie platter or a green salad. We'll also have biscuits or rolls, and a cracker/cheese plate to go with the "angels." Otherwise, all that seafood gets too cloying.

Oh yes, and a nice bottle of wine, too. With coffee and Sachertorte for dessert.

We've been doing the Seven Fish Dishes for decades now -- it's one of the things Daughters #1 and #2 most look forward to. Check out the Christmas Goodies blog, and you'll see several versions. Fortunately, I don't have to sing or play for Christmas Eve services this year -- but The Brick does. Poor guy. (There are three.)

Don't even THINK about me being on the menu

  

   The Mama is full of plans for baking this and that -- which means I have to stay within shouting distance every five minutes to get whatever item she wants. Plus make immediate special trips to the store for whatever I don't have on hand. (Ma is not big on adapting or substituting.) This also means that whatever work I have to do -- and I still have some -- I'll have to drop every five minutes to get her what she needs. Oh joy. 
     I know very well that when she gets more adjusted to the altitude, she'll have even more plans -- and they will all involve ME. (It usually takes a couple of days -- we live at 6250 feet.)  Meanwhile, I get to hear all about this person who's devastated, and that person who's shocked...and all over silly stuff that I'm guessing they weren't shocked about, at all. Plus every accident, sickness and bad incidents that can be dredged up from the last six months. After all, I Might Know Them.

Do I sound discouraged? Yes, dears...I am, a little.

The tree's up. We have the cleanest under-bed area in the county. (The Brick got inspired after we cleaned out the floor in Daughter #1's room, then moved the guestroom bed in for The Mama's use.) A good 3/4 of the appraisals are done. I already took The Mama out to shop for stocking presents and such. We have nearly everything needed for the Seven Fish Dishes. The visit, so far though, is cordial, compared to a few months ago.

     And every step I take is like slogging through molasses. Why am I so exhausted?

Thanks for listening. It is the way it is. Mustn't grumble...

Christmas Eve...And Seven Fish Dishes

     A long time ago, when the girlies were little, we began having seven fish dishes on Christmas Eve. (The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian Catholic tradition, to celebrate the seven sacraments. No, we're not Catholic. Or Italian.) I was experimenting with featuring a country during the Christmas season, so our daughters would get to know other cultures and tradition. What I didn't know was that this particular meal would become our tradition for decades!

The Christmas Goodies blog includes several years' worth of these. Here's one year  to check out. Previous years have longer lists and more recipes than this one. (Life was zany that year. So sue me.)



This year will be different. For one, it's still on Christmas Eve. (We were going to switch it to Christmas Day, to give ourselves a better crack at things. But Daughter #1, for the first time, will be spending the day with Boyfriend at his family's house on Christmas. I am trying not to think about how hard that will be, not to have her here.) 
    For another, Daughter #1's boyfriend, D, is an accomplished cook who runs the kitchen at Interstate, the Denver cafe he owns with his brother. I've tasted his food, and it's outstanding. What's he going to think about my home-cooking-and-general-fooling-around methods?

    He is a nice guy, and probably will be fine with it. Still, I wonder. 

I only have four dishes to do this time around. D has offered to make two, and Daughter #1 wants to contribute one, as well. Also, the girlies asked for their old favorites (#4 and #6), which keeps my experimenting down to a minimum. So here's the current menu:

SEVEN FISH DISHES -- 2018

1. Lobster bisque  (D's contribution)

2. Smoked whitefish  (ditto)

3. Sushi of some kind (Daughter #1's offering)

4. Angels and devils on horseback  (oysters and chicken livers wrapped in bacon. recipe's here)

5. Feeding the Fishes 'concrete'  
        (caviar mixed with sour cream, yogurt and spices: the caviar, plus peppercorns, gives it a gravel pit look. This one's served with crackers -- maybe blini, if I have the time and energy.)
    You get the joke on this, right? Guys that have displeased the Mob, pushed overboard with 'concrete galoshes.' When asked where they are, they're 'feeding the fishes'... 
    Well, I thought it was funny. The dip really DOES look like speckled concrete.

'Ummm...I don't get it.'

6. Shrimp Scampi  (tender shrimp, sauteed in butter and garlic. recipe's here)

7. Teriyaki Salmon fillets   
         (baked with lemon juice and a judicious coating of jarred wasabi teriyaki sauce. Or use this.)

A bottle of wine. Sparkling water, mixed with fruit juice.  Maybe some of the mead, leftover from Thanksgiving.

   Plus some side dishes: rice, green beans (simply cooked with lemon juice and a sprinkle of bacon), clementines, a basic green salad...and frozen strawberries, whizzed in the blender with honey for a slushie effect. You need some accents as 'refreshers,' or all that seafood gets a little cloying.


For dessert:  Hot coffee, Sachertorte (another Brick favorite), a variety of cookies...and some chocolates. (Maybe the Mozartkugeln I snagged at Tuesday Morning. These hazelnut-flavored guys are amazing.)
                        
 
 
     To be eaten slowly and savored, as we celebrate another wonderful year. 




This post also ran on the Christmas Goodies blog...

Fishy Updates

I've been meaning to tell you how the Seven Fish Dishes went.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian Catholic tradition: seven seafood dishes to commemorate the Seven Sacraments.

(No, we're not Italian. Not Catholic, either.)

But we are Christians -- and this is a wonderful way to celebrate the birthday of our King. After the Christmas Eve service, we set the table nicely, using antique china inherited from my (Great) Grandma Pearl, with silverware my Grandma Cumings used for her tribe. We light the candles, pull British Christmas crackers, and wear goofy paper hats while we read the jokes to each other. (Which are usually awful -- but the presents inside the crackers are cool!)

Then, we pop the cork on the wine and enjoy -- dish after dish, carefully counted to at least seven. (This year, the total came up at nine.) We take out time, and everyone invariably waddles out, hours later.

This past Christmas Eve, the Brick played for every one of the three church services. Fortunately, I did not, which made setting up the Fish Dishes much easier.

"Darn..."

Here's what we ended up having:


Lobster Bisque   (canned condensed soup -- ironically, from the Dollar Store!)
Angels on Horseback   (oysters wrapped with bacon)
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Shrimp Scampi
Tuna Casserole
Grilled Salmon fillets with lemon-garlic sauce
Grilled fresh sardines
Grilled sliced octopus

Lessons learned:

*The soup was very, very good -- especially with a can of crabmeat stirred in.

*I'd always bought fresh oysters for the Angels before. Canned oysters were a heck of a lot cheaper -- and just as tasty.

*I used to make Devils on Horseback, too -- chicken livers wrapped bacon. I thought no one liked them -- turns out Daughter #1 did! So next year, I'll restore those to the list.

*The Shrimp Scampi is terrific -- but only if you saute it at a bare minimum. Barely cook it, until the shrimp turn pink, and it's amazing -- cook it longer, and you've got 'boingy' shrimp.

*Ditto for the octopus. I messed up on this one -- it was like gnawing on a rubber band.

*The tuna casserole: winner!  A can of tuna, mixed with canned mushroom sauce, fresh mushrooms, a chopped onion, a sprinkle of Parmesan and fresh-cooked noodles -- then baked until hot. Yum.

*The spaghetti with clam sauce: failure. Even with extra clams and a shot of wine, the dish was boring. The chickens got nearly all of it, sad to say.

*Grilled foods are wonderful -- but not when you're in a hurry, and it's freezing outside. The sardines, done Greek-style with garlic and olive oil, tasted good -- but had lots of bones.
     The salmon fillets, on the other hand, were outstanding.

All that seafood would have been cloying without some 'refreshers:' blueberry/strawberry smoothies, fresh rolls with butter and jam, green salad and relishes. And dessert was a lot simpler than originally planned: Christmas cookies, chocolates and a dip from the fruit bowl on the table.

Hot, strong coffee and spumoni (chocolate/strawberry/vanilla ice cream, Italian-style) finished the meal.
     A good time was had by all.

For more fishy ideas, try my earlier post on the subject. Or check out some of the earlier years' Seven Fish Dishes for more ideas.

(This also ran on the Christmas Goodies blog -- which will start up again in the fall.)

Seven Fish Dishes Report

     Every Christmas Eve, we have seven fish dishes.

We're not Italian, nor Catholic, though the custom stems from Italians celebrating the Seven Sacraments of the Church. Somehow, though, we've been doing this ever since the girls were little. They've enjoyed it so much, they've taught their partners to love it, as well.

It IS nice. The table is set with best china: dishes I inherited from my Grandma Pearl. (They must be c.1910-20.) Colored goblets for the wine (usually a nice red) and fruit juice. Specially-chosen candles, napkins and often crackers, those silly British party favors that give you a paper crown, a prize and jokes.

On to the menu -- the best part of the festivities. This year, it was:




New England-style Clam Chowder

Angels on Horseback  (oysters wrapped in bacon)

Swordfish Bites - with a zippy Vietnamese marinade

Shrimp Scampi Brochettes

Arctic Char...topped with mustard sauce, then lingonberry preserves. The delicate meat, much like trout, was served on a bed of sauteed bitter greens.**

Pompano... topped with a green olive salsa**

Scallops Rockefeller   (similar to Oysters Rockefeller, but with kale, instead of spinach)

Mako shark...topped with a lime and cilantro sauce.**

If you came up with 8 fish dishes, instead of 7, you're right! I am very lucky to have Daughter #1's partner enjoy this so much that he brings several dishes. (You can also enjoy his expertise -- he's the co-owner and head chef at the Interstate Bar and Grill on Santa Fe St. in downtown Denver, famous for its "scratch-made comfort food.") The starred items (**) are his. 

We were supposed to have whole lobster for Dish #9, but were just too full. That happened the next day instead, at Christmas dinner.

Then for dessert:  Sachertorte, The Mama's Christmas sugar cookies... and hot strong coffee, to help us all bear up. Whew. We'll spend hours talking, with people periodically getting up to clear table, load the dishwasher and sneak leftover bits of their favorites.

Here are some previous years' menus, including 2017 and 2016's version. My Christmas Goodies blog has several more years' choices. (In fact, it will include this post, too.) 

You might enjoy doing this next December for the people you love!

Seven Fish Dishes - A December Tradition

      We love the Seven Fish Dishes! 

We traditionally celebrate this Italian tradition on Christmas Eve --7 fish dishes to commemorate the seven Sacraments. But the girlies and Son #1 couldn't make it to Michigan for Christmas. So... we had it the first week of December. The table was full of glowing Lady of Guadalupe candles and smiling faces, including several much-loved cousins. 

Here's what we had:

Cracker Barrel illustration

1#:  Cod chowder -- recipe coming soon

2#:  Angels on Horseback -- oysters wrapped in bacon. We tried for Devils on Horseback, but in spite of scouring Grand Rapids, couldn't find chicken livers! (The grocery manager told me they'd been out of them for months. You may not have noticed this, but I've tried to order fried chicken in at least three local restaurants, only to be told it's not available. Is there a connection?) So we had Chicken on Horseback -- strips of breast meat wrapped in bacon. Still tasty.

3#:  Tuna Casserole --- cooked noodles, mushroom soup, peas and a can of tunafish mixed in. Topped with a layer of cheddar, and baked. Yum. (Cousin, who is gluten-free, brought her version of the casserole.)

4#:  Shrimp Scampi -- another basic on the Brick family menu

5#:  Salmon teriyaki bites -- salmon basted in teriyaki sauce and baked. These were inhaled by family members.

6#:  Scallops and greens -- there's always a 'dud' dish in the yearly runup, and these won the honor. Bland, and not much taste.

7#:  Fried Smelt -- we lived on these as poor and broke college students in Ann Arbor. They were cheap, tasty and quick to make. They're still two of the three -- but not cheap anymore. Ah well.

Refreshers between courses helped clear the palate and make the next dish more enjoyable: salad, rainbow sherbet, dried beef-wrapped purple asparagus, crackers and cheese. I also served linguini, for use as a complement to #4 and #6. 

Dessert, served to a chorus of groans, included coconut cake and a gluten-free apple crumble. Plus coffee, wine, beer and raspberry lemonade. 

A good time was had by all. In fact, the girls plan to have their own version of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, in Colorado. 

Here are previous years' menus, if you're curious:  2016's menu and 2015's version.

Getting Ready for the Seven Fish Dishes

Most people present-shop the last few days before Christmas.

Trim a tree.

Go caroling.

Us... we deal in fish, dear friends. Lots of fish -- seven different versions of fish and other seafood! 

The Feast of the Seven Fish Dishes is an old Italian custom, meant to honor the Seven Sacraments (birth, baptism, etc. down through last rites), and the birth of the Christ Child. Since we serve Him too, it started in our house as a reminder of Jesus' birth. (No, we're not Italian -- we just like to celebrate with really good food.)

I resemble that remark!

It happens right after the last Christmas Eve service. Just like this year, the Brick and I invariably are pegged to sing, play piano/keyboard or both during our church service(s). Since I'll be busy that day, I try to make some of the dishes ahead -- and others are just easy, to begin with. We have a few old favorites over and over -- Angels on Horseback (oysters wrapped in bacon), a lots-of-shrimp dish (this year, it's Scampi) and as a finale, a Baked Salmon Something.  (This year's version will be Wasabi Salsa Verde, accompanied by a Filipino-style green sauce spiked with cilantro.)

Here's the menu, if you're curious -- it's over at my sister site, Christmas Goodies. So far this year, Caviar with Blini and North Carolina-Style Crab Cakes are up -- and the rest will be coming, day by day, until the big event. Stop by every day for a different recipe!

Cookies....Mmmmmmmmm

Work is done at Tuesday Morning this week. (Thursday night was long and difficult, and finished with relief. To my friends who got scheduled to work this weekend -- I'm sorry.) Only one more day, then my stint as a holiday temp is done. The bum knee, no thanks to Charley the dog, is doing better.

Life, appraisal and teaching-wise, is quiet. No one wants to worry about this during the holidays...except for the person who's gifting a special piece, and wants to make sure it's protected before it's sent off. I've even done a last-minute appraisal on Christmas eve afternoon,



Our oven has been acting up for weeks  -- and the Brick, after tearing it apart this afternoon, announced it needed a new circuit board. (Yes, that translates out as 'expensive.') I am getting used to its quirks, though -- like the need to set temps 25 degrees higher than I normally use. (Son #1 figured this one out.) I can make do. In fact, I made the Brick promise that he could easily put the stove back together now, so I have it for the Fish Dishes. [Update: he fixed the circuit board! I baked the Sachertorte tonight, and it worked perfectly. The Brick is incredible.]

We still have a bunch of work to do before Sunday night (and the Seven Fish Dishes), not to mention singing for three services in the morning. Stuff is Everywhere. However, most of the presents are wrapped, plans are reasonably complete...and I feel pretty serene about it all. 
    The secret: forgive yourself and your family for not being perfect -- and do the best you can. The hard part: this will be Daughter #1's boyfriend's first visit to the house. I want to impress D. with my brilliant cooking skills and effortless elegance...but it just isn't going to happen. At least he'll know that my hard work ain't been in vain.

How can you help but think about cookies this time of the month? The Mama's wonderful sugar cookies are a pleasant memory. I don't have time to roll out more cookie shapes, but I will bake up two delicious quickies.


First up is Hogmany Shortbread, a crispy, rich cookie that literally takes minutes to push into a pan. Other names for this buttery cookie include 'parliments' (or 'parlies') and 'petticoat tails.' It's traditional for a Scottish New Year, as well as Christmas.

SHORTBREAD

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
1 cup regular sugar
2 cups butter

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Soften or melt the butter, then mix in flour and sugars to make a soft dough. (For even better results, chill dough for at least 30 min., up to several hours.) Pat out onto ungreased pan in a circle, or spread out into a 9" x 9" or 9" x 13" pan or sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20-30 min., until barely brown. Let cool, then cut into squares or fingers. Store in a covered container; makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Shortbread fingers, from Wikipedia

Shortbread of any kind is wonderful -- here's another version I often make.

Next up is a cookie that looks like a snowball, and is just as easy to form. This recipe comes from Reader's Digest, but is almost word for word like the Mama's version. I've also heard it called Mexican wedding cakes, or its crystalline namesake.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar  (plus about 1 cup more for frosting)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans taste best)

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Soften or melt the butter, then mix in the other ingredients. (Add additional flour if the dough seems too mushy or soft.) Form balls, using your hands. (Tip: wet them, or rub lightly with butter, to keep things from sticking.) Bake on an ungreased pan for 10 minutes, until firm and lightly touched with brown. While the balls are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Makes approx. 4 dozen.

These cookies are both particularly good with hot drinks, an interesting book...and a snowy afternoon spent cozily by the glowing lights of the Christmas tree. 

If you'd like to try more cookies:

Moneysaving Mom's Angel Face Cookies are a tasty cross between a sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle.

Hundred Dollars A Month has 25 different cookie recipes to try.

Betty Crocker's site has 24 days' worth of cookie recipes.

Oh my.

(This post also ran on the Christmas Treats blog. Look for this year's version of the Seven Fish Dishes here.)

Frugal Hits & Misses: December Report

       We didn't live in the fifth-wheel this month.

Nope, we weren't shivering out in the field either, huddled over a campfire. Instead, our friends asked us to move into their basement for the winter. That meant an easier time doing wash, and more room to cook. But we also had to lug in our stock of canned goods, so they wouldn't freeze. Some things are still in the fifth-wheel, which we're using primarily for extra space and storage. But mostly we're now in the house...which feels surprisingly weird. 

    We did have fun cutting our own tree out in the boonies, then putting it up. We indulged in candy and baked goodies, and watched a lot of holiday movies, including the Brick's favorite (snort): Hallmark Christmas-themed movies. This time was much-needed. 

     Other than 3" or so, it's been a mostly-brown Christmas around here. But even while I'm typing, it's supposed to snow any minute. Update: This solved itself on the 29th with A FOOT of wet, heavy snow. Smaller cars were abandoned all over, and several roads closed, including a chunk of I-25. (The cars would stall, blocking the road so no one could get by them.)

I've been writing these monthly reports for more than six years! Amazing. They remain some of my most popular posts. I've been blogging, though, since 2007 -- FIFTEEN years. Where has the time gone?? THANK YOU, Gentle Readers, for hanging out with me, and sharing your lives, as well. I count you as special friends.

No cats, though -- Ruby wouldn't allow it. 

FRUGAL HITS  

(Some of these were from late November)

*Decorations were minimal -- I pretty much used what I had, with a few exceptions. (See below) I find it amusing that the ceramic Christmas trees for the girlies (found last year at the thrift shop in Michigan) are trendy now -- and have quadrupled in price! (Our local thrift shop featured a 'cheap' one -- $59.95 -- which sold quickly.)

*I didn't feel the need to go shopping at the mall (or elsewhere)...because I enjoyed reading about others' experiences. (Like this entry from Thrifty Mom...one of my favorites. I'm not a big 'crowds' person, anyways.) Walmart and Dollar Tree were about the extent of shopping, except for some items online or at the thrift shop. 

*Helped our kids break down their booth at the Rocks & Rails show -- and got some pizza slices. (Breakfast -- and a snack!) 

*Free dozen eggs. (Safeway.) The price on generic eggs is back up to $5.98. (sigh) Free bag of Tostitos. (King Soopers) Other free items: a can of Manwich sandwich filling (?? it was in the 'free' bin) and water pistols & super soakers for each Christmas stocking. (Treasures thrift shop) A small pair of nice-quality scissors found at the Rocks & Rails show. Used crumbs made from homemade and left-behind rolls to make the annual Sachertorte, and a batch of crab cakes. (Both tasted great.)

*Baked holiday goodies, including: peanut butter cookies, Seven-Layer Bars (one of my mother-in-law's favorites), Russian tea cakes...and Sachertorte.  Used pretty much what I already had, except for purchases of butter (on sale) and eggs (not).

*Gave Advent 'calendars' to each of the kid sets...stocking up on small presents throughout the year, then wrapping enough for one each during the holidays. I used to do this for The Mama, and thought the kids might enjoy it, too. (Our honorary grandson got his own Advent dinosaur calender.). 

*For friends, we gave gifts I'd set aside earlier in the year -- including videos and a pair of gloves, Downtown Abbey-style. Sometimes we used Amazon Warehouse purchases for gift baskets.

*Pulled some things from the present box for our own use, including candy and candles. Just for fun, I double-checked prices on some of the Amazon purchases over the year...and was sooo grateful I'd purchased some things early. Many of these have gone up 33-200% or even 300% in price. (Ouch.)

*Women's Christmas concert at Creekside Bible Church -- $10. Dropped off a donation while I was there, and saved on postage. Also -- a wonderful candlelight concert our friends covered. 

*Had a friend pick up library books on hold when I couldn't make it into town before the expired date. (I return the favor when she's out of town.)

*Red Robin gift cards -- for each $25 we spent, we got a $5 bonus card to use later. Considering I knew we were going to watch the Michigan/TCU Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve, it was a no-brainer. Update: Booo, Michigan lost, 51-45. (We love this place for its great burgers and neverending fries. And we can watch our favorite sports at the same time! Honest confession: I believe in RR so much, I own stock, too.)

*Got paid for working the election. Finally.

*Library booksale room -- BOGO sale -- whoo hoo! Got a batch of books for winter reading, plus videos to send to our nieces and nephews. Bought some at regular price, too.

*Bought some more very reasonably-priced (thanks to 'Best Offer') photo postcards, including this one of my buddette, Baby Doe Tabor. 

Pictured at her cabin in Leadville. Obviously her 'poor' period. 

* I also used my allowance to get a tablecloth full of Dickens characters. Eventually these will probably be a quilt back. The price? Less than half of the initial asking bid on Ebay.

*Didn't run out of gas in the truck...in spite of it getting very low. Diesel, if you run dry, needs a complicated process to get it running properly again. I came too close for comfort, according to the Brick. (I won't do that again.)

*Took it easy for our anniversary: neither of us felt like going out in the cold. I'd bought a roast ($4.77/pound). Half went in the freezer; the other half became a roast beef supper with potatoes and carrots and a generous topping of fried onions and mushrooms. 

     Plus a wrestling movie: Legendary. (We'll celebrate next week, when we feel more up to it.)

*A fancy Lord & Richards event at Highlands Ranch Mansion. (This is the same place I wrote about -- and the Brick photographed -- for the Ghosts & Legends book.) A nice dinner and magic show.

See pp. 77-80

*Leftover food from friends who went out of town, including yogurt, cream, pickles, eggs and cheese. (Unfortunately, this also got us hooked on cream in our coffee. Yum.)

*Sale items from Sams Club. A few bucks saved here and there, done consistently, can really add up.

*More appraisals done...the current batch is almost cleaned up. Working on some quilt restoration.

*The Brick saved $6/month on my new insurance plan. (My old provider, Bright Health, no longer serves Colorado.) Just nine months to go, and I can switch to Medicare -- which should save us more.

*Cut our own Christmas tree -- $22.50 for a permit up in the mountains. (Plus a 1 1/4 hour drive each way.) Used our friends' lights and stand, with some tinsel and a few ornaments added. (Our tree things are in Michigan, apparently.)

photo credit: Lori DeVries

*Half price on all Christmas items at the thrift shop! I bought a large wreath for $4.50, several DVDs for a buck each, and restocked my cards. (Ruby got two 'new' blankets for $5, less 20% discount.) When Christmas items went to 75% off, I went back for more, including mugs, more videos and some ornaments for the tree. Plus: a $1.25 decoration from Dollar Tree. (What can I say - the Hollander blood runs strong this time of year.) 

*Hotel costs refunded from a cancelled gig. I wasn't expecting it, but the extra is welcome. 

*No Black Friday purchases...the mixed nuts and ham were my only Cyber Monday purchase.

*Books restocked at our  local Safeway -- with Ghosts & Legends happily on top! I hope they sell like crazy.

Now, if they were only stocking Colorado Curiosities too...

*We currently have access to a dishwasher -- the Brick loves this! I appreciate the kitchen sink less stacked with dishes waiting to be washed. (This was his anniversary present, years ago -- that he would do most of the dishwashing. One of the best gifts I've ever gotten.

*Cut back on out-of-town gift giving. Sent cards, instead. Only sent four packages -- all media rate.

*Used a Groupon for a discount Japanese hibachi dinner with friends. Yum. Also lunch with friends (and more Ticket to Ride) -- homemade ham/cheese calzones. 

*Christmas dinner and the Seven Fish Dishes, with the kids.  Plus Christmas brunch with friends. It is soooo nice to spend time with them. Yes, I bought some extra luxuries... but sharing food helped with costs, especially the  Seven Fish Dishes.

*Sold some stock at a profit -- right after I got a nice dividend on it. (I'll probably buy it back...but at a lower price. Meanwhile, I purchased other stock after the market tanked just before Christmas.) The rest of my stocks are still low...or barely making anything. 

*Cashback on the credit cards -- $60 and change this month -- for purchases we'd already planned to make! Tip: When they offer a higher percentage than usual at a particular store, or on a specific month -- use that card. It adds up.

*The Brick did several jobs for our ranching friends, including repairing their furnace. These would have cost considerably more than just materials. We also did some cleaning and tidying-up.

*Beautiful leafy trim, perfect for decorating and use on Crazy quilts - about 35 cents a yard in a 20-yard spool. I ordered both green and multicolor. (Amazon, including free shipping.)

*Saw a wonderful movie for $5 each. If you enjoy military movies and flying sequences, you'll love Devotion. 

*Grocery bargains:  canned peaches $1.25, marshmallow creme and marshmallows. (Dollar Tree) Sardines (nearly 4 oz) for 85 cents each; smoked salmon (approx. $9/lb -- a steal, compared to even Walmart's $21 or so); mixed nuts (no peanuts) for 35 cents an ounce; pistachios for 48 1/2 cents an ounce. Also found maple syrup (we were almost out) and York Peppermint Patties at surprisingly low prices. (Amazon Warehouse) Note: When I checked the peppermint patties an hour or two later, intending to recommend them -- the price was up $3! I almost bought 'sale' cashews, as well -- until realizing that Sam's Club had them even cheaper. Checking against Walmart's and Sam's Club websites is always a good idea.

     I also got Goya ham via Amazon at $5.58 for a pound can -- but had to buy a 12-pk case to get this price. It made sense, though, when I checked -- Walmart was selling Spam for only 75 cents less. (Spam???) Some of these hams were used for Christmas presents for the kids, and some were combined with homemade loaves of bread as gifts.

     We never did buy a turkey. Prices stayed high -- and got higher after Thanksgiving. Needless to say, very few people were buying it. Literally.

*Averaged using 4-10 cans of storage food a week from our pantry. Half-price Rice Krispies (colored bright orange, for Halloween) made interesting and delicious rice krispies squares. The hambone from November's ham made a fine split pea soup. A Japanese stirfry with noodles made good soup, too, by adding a few bouillon cubes and a shot of soy sauce. 

*Brought our own coffee with when we went out to church or errands. I like the Brick's coffee far better than the commercial stuff, anyways. Out to eat rarely, as well. (We've been saving a surprising amount of money this way.

*Yoda, our friend's dog, kept Ruby company for a few days. Both Rubes and Y. (known as the 'Pupsqueak,' thanks to the Brick) were surprisingly chill. 

FRUGAL MISSES

*Wasted a cucumber; it and some mashed potatoes stayed too long in the fifth-wheel fridge. (Ewwww) Lost a half-gallon of milk when it 'leaped' out of the truck and smashed on the ground. (Ruby tried her best to help clean it up.)

*Had two orders partially cancel -- even when they said the sale item(s) were in stock. (I made sure that we got the partial refunds.)  This included Christmas 'crackers' -- fortunately, Daughter #1 had some. (Which we forgot to use for the dinner!)

*Ordered some candy we didn't need -- but enjoy especially during the holidays: Turkish Delight (5% discount) and Mozart Kugeln. Just for fun, I also ordered some liquor-filled chocolate bottles for dessert at the Seven Fish Dishes. These weren't on sale -- but I did get the best price per piece possible. 

*Broke a jar of the "free" salsa. What a mess. (So glad it cleaned up without staining.)

*Medical bills and prescriptions. Fortunately minor ones.

*Renewed my membership in ASA (American Society of Appraisers) -- $655.  Ouch.  Paid six months of insurance on the truck and fifth-wheel. Double ouch. At least it's paid.

*Ordered two boxes of Brownie fudge M & Ms for the Brick....and a box of Almond Snickers for me. Pieces per box: 24. I am a bad kitty. (At keast they were on sale.)

*Bought more cream for our coffee, inspired by some left from our friends. (Shame on you, Margaret, for getting us hooked on this!  :)

*Paid for the rest of the spring cruise. Tried to pay for plane tickets. (The Brick found them at much less than we'd expected...then the order was cancelled by Delta, who wrote they were closing out their 'economy' section. What the?!?) BUT -- found another special, this time on Frontier. We'll take the redeye, and may not get seats assigned together ('What the???' again...), but the grand total was $343 and change for both our roundtrips, Denver to Miami. Thank you, God...and thank you, Frontier!

Last month's report is here.   Last year's December report is here -- plus one from 2020. 

Enjoy what's left of the holidays -- they'll be gone again before you know it. 

Frugal Hits & Misses: December Report

Is it really that close to the end of the year? This month has gone at lightspeed some days, then dragged on others. So strange. I spent much of it making lists, then trying to clock off tasks on same.




    We started the month at The Mama's, staying in her barnyard. Then it was on to Tucson for a teaching gig, and a few extra days to rest up, draw a deep breath, and do some treasure hunting research.  After returning to Colorado, we started final preparations for the cruise. It is hard to believe that it's finally going to happen. Don't worry -- I will continue to post on the blog, only now you'll hear about which countries we're visiting, and what we're seeing. Update:  One of the China stops -- for Shanghai -- got cancelled. Darn. But another country was substituted: Korea!

Christmas was nice. We enjoyed a few concerts, played for the Christmas Eve service, and spent Christmas Day with friends, Daughter #2 and Son #1. On our anniversary (38 years!!!), we spent the evening with all of our kids, enjoying the Seven Fish Dishes. Daughter #1 and her partner were kind enough to not only host the doings, but fix four of the entrees. 

All in all, it's been a different sort of month -- but then again, that could be said of most of 2019.

FRUGAL HITS
(some of these are from late November)

*Fell in love with a goofy truck terrarium at Target -- and got it for less. I've been watching this for weeks, thinking that when the holidays were over, I'd use it for plants. (The walls are plastic -- a bonus, when you're living in a fifth-wheel, and glass things break.) It was 30% off, but the decorations inside were out of position and tossed all over. Asked the manager if he'd give me 50% off, instead. He did -- 50% off after the 30% was applied!  It never hurts to ask.

*The Mama got a new phone and a new phone plan: more reasonably-priced, with a phone that should be easier for her to use. The Brick deserves special thanks for this one -- he helped her set it up.

*Tickets to the Denver Symphony's Messiah performance -- nosebleed tickets, but less than other seats in the house. (Do you really think that the sound will be any different, up in the rafters?? In fact, it should be better -- sound, like heat, rises.)Purchased for friends and the Brick as a Christmas present. It was wonderful -- one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

*A lovely handbell Christmas concert in Tucson...for a contribution. Thank you, Sonoran Bells.

*Some 'new' (to us) videos -- from my favorite spot, the library's used book room. They're more expensive now, but what the hey: $2 each, even for series videos, goes a long way.

*Bought myself a nice winter woolen dress -- for half-price and free shipping. I've been wearing it during the holidays; it will also come in handy during chillier parts of the cruise.

*Promised the kids a Christmas present from their chosen country. Our regular presents were rather modest, instead. (Yes, I'm keeping a list.)

*Paid every bill possible ahead of time: including the tithe, for the next five months.

*Submitted the sales tax report for 2019. Early.

*Used free greenery for our Christmas 'tree' this year. Ironically, several of our friends did the same thing -- just grabbed a few branches, rather than go to the trouble of putting up a tree. And theirs were artificial!






*The Mama got an extra check -- ostensibly for restaurant fun, but we were really helping out with utility and storage costs. (She wouldn't take the money, otherwise.)

*Cookies, hot chocolate...and Meijer Gardens. A free shindig with The Mama and family in Grand Rapids. She paid for a few free meals, too.

*Treated The Mama to a buffet supper -- but went early enough to make it 'lunch' prices. As our favorite Hollander mantra says, "[dollar amount] is [dollar amount]," no matter how little. (And it DOES add up eventually.)

*Careful  attention to food costs while on the road. We ate at McDonald's almost exclusively for breakfast, or used Burger King coupons.

*Brought some goodies for our kind friends...who let us stay a few days over at their place in Tucson. (They put up one of our friends for a night, as well.) Beautiful mini-rosebushes at $3.99 each let us gift other friends -- and the girlies.

*The dollar store is a good friend at Christmastime. I got some real buys there, for presents, fill-in food and a few craft items. We also got some bargains at Sparta Variety's going-out-of-business sale, including the piggy pitcher that held our 'tree' this year. (See above)

*Grocery costs were minimal this month: Basics like milk, bread and eggs dominated. The shrimp for the Seven Fish Dishes was on sale. I did get some candy for stockings, but they were from sales and Daily Deals, a discount store.

*Refilled prescriptions, so we'd have enough during the cruise. You can get vacation-extended refills, all right, but the insurance company won't generally honor them. (Use Good RX instead, if needed, to get the best price.) I also ordered charcoal capsules (good for stomach troubles) and the generic version of Bonine. (I get seasick sometimes -- the Brick never does. That's what six years in the Navy will do for you.)

*Some Amazon steals during Black Friday: York peppermint patties, lots of them. Milano cookies. The daughters love these. (I do too, frankly.) The complete set of Columbo: $29.99. (That's where my allowance went this month.) Lieutenant Columbo's been keeping me company while I work on appraisals and finish up restorations.
     Another Black Friday buy: a specialized water bottle with filter, just in case we run into issues. (20% off, plus free shipping) Ordered three more portable filters, for use in camping for us and the kids.

*Still staying at our friend's place -- and able to store the fifth-wheel here through the winter. A kind offer, by a kind man, and much appreciated. We try to make it up to him by paying for utilities and more, plus doing chores.

*Found a friend who can watch the trailer while we're gone. He'll be staying here sometimes, but will make sure the pipes don't freeze.

*Stocked up on necessities to take with on the cruise: toothpaste, razors, detergent pods, that sort of thing. There's no guarantee what the ship stores will charge. (And I'm guessing it won't be cheap.)
     Bought a few after-Christmas items at 50% off, too. They'll come in handy for snacks before the cruise, and a few Christmas presents next year.

*Got extra dogfood and snacks for Charley and Ruby -- they'll be stocked up. Covered them for extras, as well, just in case they're needed while we're gone.

FRUGAL MISSES

*Got the truck repaired.. A few recalls corrected, and the oil changed.

*Asked to have the deadline extended for the 'Curiosities' sequel to Colorado Ghosts and Legends. I just could not get it finished before we left for the cruise. (I'll work on it while we're on the ship.)



*Had to turn down several work offers. I'll make some of these up in May, thanks to kind clients.

*Not as much work done, because of illness.  Recovering from the pneumonia has really taken it out of me, in more ways than one.

*A few expensive meals in Tucson -- but they were delicious. I'm not sorry at all.

*Two doctor visits, thanks to the pneumonia. And they weren't cheap, either. The Michigan doctor's office didn't want to treat me, because I was from Colorado. (At least they eventually capitulated. I'd tried three other doctors offices who wouldn't do it -- period.) Our normal Colorado doctor, on the other hand, was reluctant to treat me because we'd been in Michigan for more than a month. ("So you're moving to Michigan -- right?") Aarrgghghghgghgh.
    I did get a discount on the Michigan doctor bill for paying cash. (Our insurance plan was not valid in Michigan.) But I had to talk long and hard for it. ("You got the bill for it right away, didn't you? What do you mean -- you weren't in Colorado in time to do that?")
    We had some more medical costs for the Brick, too -- but thanks to meeting the minimums, they weren't much.

*Vaccinations for the cruise: $1499. I am not making this up. Polio, Hepatitis A, malaria (pills to take on the cruise), typhoid (also pills, but we've started those already), tetanus. Ironically, we went in to find out about yellow fever vaccines -- a friend who went with us on the Brazil trip said that the vaccine was no longer made, and the WHO (World Health Organization) decreed that once you got it, you were covered for lifetime. Since we'd had shots back in 2008, we were ok, provided we had our cards. (And we did.)
     Thankfully, a lot of these should cover us for years to come. Hepatitis A is good for our lifetimes, and the tetanus for 10 years. But still... I was wincing, and not just from the shots, either.
     Grousing later to a friend about this, she said, "But Cindy -- 29 countries. What did you expect?"
                 And she's right.

*One more visa on the 'got 'er done and approved' list: India this time. (One more to go: we have to wait until getting on the boat before we can apply to Sri Lanka. You just do what they say.)

*Extra gas and traveling costs. Both from the trip to Tucson (3 full days of driving, just to get to Tucson -- and 2 days of driving back to Colorado). Fortunately, the working gig paid for this.
      Plus the flying trip back to Colorado (18+ hours each way). Not to mention the fun stop in Chicago. 

*'Hotspot' use for our phones was overextended -- for more than one month. True, it was an extra fee, but we needed it to use the internet out in the boonies.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Last month's report is here. Last year's December report is here.

Now it's on to the cruise...and a far different life than our 'usual.' The little farm girl inside me is scared -- do we know how much money we're spending, for something we'll just be experiencing as it happens? (In other words, we won't be in control ALL the time.) 
     I remind her that this is something I've wanted to do all my life -- and we've budgeted for it. I also remind her that the crest for my maternal clan, the Cumings family, is 'Courage.' She marches over to the corner and sits down, mumbling to herself. Maybe I'll put her on my Christmas present list, too.  






And here we go.