I Might As Well Just Tape Them To My Hips

...but you have to, just once a year...

Is anyone else ready for the holiday food parade to stop? I'm almost there. I've enjoyed all my special treats, except for eggnog while opening gifts. After that, and the Christmas dinner, I am done. I'm totally looking forward to regular food again. I haven't gone too overboard, but I am starting to suffer the effects of too much sugar and too much butter. (Is that possible??)

In other news, Christmas has officially hit at our house. The tree is decorated, the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. It's very festive and pretty. I just shopped for all the food I'm supposed to make for the holiday meal (but of course just remembered I forgot sweet potatoes). I've sort of taken a break from everyday cooking (see above paragraph) mostly because it's nice to take a little rest from my regular schedule. Instead of our usual home-cooked meals we've been eating Trader Joe's finest. Which is okay for a few days but I'm definitely ready for some real food.

It's fun to see how foods that meant 'holiday' as a kid have grown up with me. For instance, sweet potatoes. I loved them as a kid, but the recipe back then involved crushed pineapple and marshmallows. Now it involves sweet spices and apples. Similar, but different. Back then we had dry turkey. Now we have no turkey (which is equivalent to the same thing, since I didn't eat much turkey then, either). We used to have this Korean salad something-or-other involving hard-boiled eggs and bean sprouts, with this yummy Asian-style dressing. Now I have my own Asian-style dressing recipe, and the salad involves chopped broccoli and sauteed ramen noodles (and it's so good).

I love holiday food... but after the 25th, I'll be looking forward to some non-creamy vegetable soups, a few weeks without any baked goods in the house, and no boxes of chocolates in the break room at work. I am actually craving whole grains and plain vegetables. Hang on, body. Just two more days!

Now, excuse me while I have some French onion soup. Courtesy of Trader Jacques, of course.