Encouraging Our Ken to eat is a full time job. He doesn't walk away from oatmeal so this morning was hot Klondike cereal. Soup for lunch was followed by this dinner ( we won't mention the several chocolates and pieces of candy interspersed). This is a restaurant quality meal - chicken in a spinach cream sauce with whipped potatoes. And remember there were cranberries that popped yesterday in spite of the freezer fiasco.

For two to three servings

2 or three boneless chicken breasts

Salt, pepper, oregano

3 Tbsp butter

Oil from your sun dried tomatoes

Coat the breasts with salt pepper and oregano

Fry in 2 tbsp butter and some tomato oil for about 5 minutes per side over medium heat until they reach an internal temperature of 165. Remove to a plate.

In the same pan, steam spinach to give you about 1 cup cooked. Set aside.

In same pan, add reserved Tbsp butter then sauté 4 minced garlic cloves, 1/3 cup minced onion and a small bottle of chopped sun dried tomatoes ( I used my own tomatoes and added about 1/4 cup). Slowly add 1/2 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 cups heavy cream then 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese. Reduce. Add the spinach back to the sauce. Reheat. Add the chicken and juices accumulated and reheat.

All reactions:

59Jane FitzRandolph, Brad Christina Heard and 57 others

 And it starts

K - Are you watching that?

L - Yes, I am

K - It doesn't make any sense. What's it about anyway? (watching intently with a perplexed expression) This would scare kids to death (he didn't like the termites in the smile much). Moved on to commenting on the dog's antecedents. Is this supposed to be a Christmas show? It doesn't seem very Christmas-y to me. Are you really watching it?

L - Yes, I am

K - Are we having dessert? (don't fall for the bait and switch, folks)

L - No

K - wait for it Whaddya mean? There is lots here. Why aren't we having any dessert? Fruitcake would be good. And ice cream. I could have it any time now.

L - Enjoy it

K - I don't know where it is. You have to get it (as he not so subtly eyes the remote)

L - No

K - This doesn't make any sense. Are you really watching it? You aren't watching this, are you? This would give kids nightmares. It is going to give me nightmares.

And there you have it folks - Our Ken's (the movie critic) review of How The Grinch Stole Christmas

 Enough people have asked for this that I will just post it here. There are at least three meringue icings - the Swiss meringue, French meringue and this Italian meringue. This is my preference - it is said to be the most difficult of the three but if you are careful with temperature, you will be fine.

Boiled Icing (Italian Meringue)

1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp table salt

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Combine first 4 ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan (I use an All Clad pot). Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is clear. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (I find an instant read thermometer doesn't work here - it works for almost everything but is not reliable enough for this point in candy making). This is the soft ball stage and is really important - no higher but must get to 240 F or 116 C.

After the syrup clears, you have time to beat the egg whites in a stand mixer - do this at high speed until soft peaks form - it will be pillowy. Once the syrup reaches temperature, remove it from heat and with mixer running, pour in the syrup in a heavy stream - not all at once but don't drizzle it in - give it a good pour. Now add the almond extract and beat until stiff peaks form. It yields about 7 cups give or take so enough to do top, sides and filling of a layer cake.

All reactions:

29Nancy M. Popovich, Robin Fay Hughes and 27 others