lemniscate

All these pictured cookies are amazing, beautiful classics ornate and simple alike. Great job!

I measured 475-480F at the highest setting.

Phoenix Metro has scattered Posadas from now until Christmas. Mostly neighborhoods bordering the Catholic churches. I've only witnessed posadas in New Mexico myself. A lot of the upscale suburban subdivisions are announcing Noche de Luminarias, those are quite beautiful to visit. And Phx Botanical Garden is the pinnacle of Luminarias for the season. I've played out the eggnog and now gravitate to spiced hot toddy's. I went to a Christmas party that was overwhelmingly UK, Irish, and Scottish ex-pats. Had my first real pork pie and Branston pickle. I can see the devotion, it's comfort food.

@Smithy I've always handwashed. The pans are very easy to clean. For some reason I never even considered using the dishwasher for it.

We call it Combat Christmas. I've never heard the Dirty Santa version. "Stealing" the desirable gifts is good fun, but we try to use ridiculous items peppered in for that White Elephant feeling.

I was going to suggest the Burrito Pop, but it's sold out. Maybe something like the SubSafe (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), which sounds ridiculous, but may actually be useful. And it's expandable😃!

Those prices are really reasonable for that neighborhood! Thanks.

If you're still around in north-ish Scottsdale, check out Cafe Paris for breakfast/lunch; great crepes and sandwiches. If you're are early enough the croissants are supposed to be stellar (I'm not much on croissants myself). I love their ratatouille.

I needed an emergency birthday cake this week. A last minute request. No time for actual shopping so went on a pantry scavenger hunt. I found in my freezer this package of pan di spagna that I remembered I picked up for super cheap clearance. I also found frozen lime curd. I had the last few tablespoons of raspberry jam in the fridge. Thawed it all and assembled with layers of curd and jam. Still didn't look right. In the very back of the pantry was a package of Jell-O cheesecake flavored pudding mix. I made it in the blender with extra liquid and it turned into a nice sauce to drizzle over the cake. No pics due to panic timing, but it sure did the trick. The cheesecake sauce was surprisingly the thing people commented on the most. They loved it. I only wish I had some fresh strawberries or blueberries to feel it was a finished product.

I use my A4Box as a patio cooker, sit outside with a cocktail and cook my dinner, everything from sablefish to frozen Asian dumplings. The deep bowl accessory is great for shabu shabu or soup or steaming vegs. I used the pancake accessory for just that, small pancakes, but very infrequently. I have used the takoyaki accessory for meatballs and egg bites I have frequently taken my A4 on roadtrip vacations for cooking on the road. I have not found a downside to owning the A4 for our lifestyle.

In our kraut related family knowledge, the best kraut was made after the first frost hit the cabbage. It made them sweeter and fermented better. Also Penn State: The best sauerkraut is made from cabbage that is harvested after frost. Cool weather increases the production of natural sugars in the cabbage that are needed for fermentation. It is best to wait until the first frost to make your sauerkraut.

I have only been there in the morning. I have been told in the evenings the place gets crowded and annoying.

My tradition started with a couple Bloody Marys at The Coach House, on Black Friday @ 8am. It's a dive bar, tourist trap, dripping with Christmas lights, right in Old Town Scottsdale. I started doing my Black Friday shopping from this place maybe 10-12 years ago when the apps became easy to use. Drink and shop. This year I did 0 online purchases, just sat and enjoyed the early morning people watching at the outdoor table. Then a coney island/diner breakfast, pork loin and eggs. Yesterday, we did a trek to 6000 ft to get our Christmas tree, which then sits on the patio draped in many strings of lights. We found one right away in our usual spot. I packed a small lunch of sandwiches and olives/pickles/fruit. We shared an excellent bottle of Surly Darkness 2021 vintage. Got back at a very reasonable hour to set the tree in the stand. Tonight we may string the lights, maybe. The weather here has been in the high 70F's/80F's. True SW holiday temps. Lots of outdoor events to attend (or not)). People selling tamales at intersections are increasing exponentially. That's the start of the season for my locale. *also, a small glass of egg nog is accompanying my coffee each morning.

I started early for AMZ BF deals. A relative needs a new slow cooker, but prefers manual controls. The Crock Pot brand 7 qt (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) is maybe a bit larger than needed but the price and controls were right. $24.99.

Yes, I just used whole eggs in the same number as the requested yolks. I hate leftover egg whites, so I yolo'd it and it worked out for me in the end product. My nog will separate over (long)time and I just shake it to remix.