Christmas....what would it be without Fiddler-style drama!!

This is a simple Christmas tale.....actually a true life story!

Come with me now as we enter the world of the harried cook and self-made perfectionist at the Ellis household.

I was off work Friday (Christmas Eve) and planned to get some prep stuff done for our main holiday meal at Sharon's house on Christmas Day. Last weekend I had slow cooked a marinated briscuit and put it in the freezer thru the week.......I set it out to thaw Thursday eve when I got home from work. (The meat is easier to slice when still slightly frozen...just a little tip from Ellen, Master Chef). Then I brewed up the "special " barbecue sauce to steep the meat in after slicing. At 9 pm I hit the sack thinking the meat was continuing to defrost in the fridge since it was no longer in view on the countertop. (My sous-chef, Marshall, often helps with these details).

Yesterday I began to un load the dishwasher ...it no longer runs without making a huge hullabaloo so it has been relegated to "drying rack" status.

Well...what to my wondering eyes do you think appeared on the dishwasher rack???? Just two packages of cooked briscuit and 8 tiny reindeer! Of course, the meat was well thawed and reindeer, being herbivores, refused to touch it. I was completely stupefied....Christmas dinner in a shambles....my hard work down the drain.

I immediately called Marshall at work to announce his faux pas...the annual Christmas fiasco! When will I ever learn?? I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF!!

Andy, who lives with us, informed me that the meat was "just fine". I informed him that if he thought so he could have a slice of briscuit fresh from the dishwasher and we would just see about that..."let me know if you get the craps" I told him as I handed him a hunk of meat.

By nightfall all was well....and today, Christmas Day, Andy does not seem to need IV fluid resucitaion!! Gloriosky.....he was right! So I will proudly serve this beef (aged in the dishwasher) to my family later today...most none the wiser. Although, after my act as a drama queen, I may have to eat crow!!

Just another happy crazy Fiddler holiday....
Merry Christmas,
Ellen