Merry 'Christmas' from the Alis!

Posted byfotinitheo1Posted inUncategorized
Is there anything better than watching children on Christmas morning? I think not!

These two cuties woke up on the late side which was a Christmas miracle in itself!

A little peanut in our big bed,

that doesn’t seem so big when these two are in it.

The first thing these two ran to when they got to the living room is this ball pit.  We’ve been to a couple birthday parties recently where they had these and they were loved by both boys so we decided to get it for Malcolm along with a tunnel and Adam likes them as much as Malcolm.  It’s good that Malcolm has some leverage now, because he wants ALL of Adam’s toys ALL the time! Meanwhile today Adam went ahead and moved it into his room, leverage…gone.

Surveying their goods. 
Then it was over to the train set that ‘Santa’ brought but mommy and daddy painstakingly put together. 
Next we went over to check out the letter from Santa and the ‘eaten’ oreos and carrot. Thank you Santa (aka daddy) for eating those up!
Then it was back to presents.  Here is a fan favorite from Aunt Das and Uncle Nooj.  A huge crane truck! Many hours have been spent since trying to pick up anything and everything with the hook. 

So.many.toys!  We are so lucky to have such generous families who sent the boys way, way too much from so far away!

We had trains,

sharks,

Happy feet!

This Hess truck from Grandma was a big hit!

A quick wardrobe change after a big you know what. 

Here was another fan favorite, a ball twirl thingie that Aunt Das and Uncle Nooj sent. Adam immediately ‘borrowed’ for life the purple ball.  I love how Adam helped Malcolm open his presents. He was super sweet about it and really helped, letting Malcolm take the lead.  I also love how were excited they were about each other’s presents.  They’re close enough in age that I can really see how it’s right around the corner that they will be playing together even more and sharing toys.

Opening a great present from the Roman and Isla, a Staten Island Ferry! I can’t wait to take Adam and Malcolm on it this summer. Also from the Leys, an awesome Mets jersey with Adam’s name on, pictures coming!
 ,

Helping daddy open his present.

A Nespresso machine! Malcolm, I think you’re a little young for a coffee.  Cute bear bag in the background from Aunt Kate.

After all our presents were opened we got some yummy pastries from Wildflour!

For a special Christmas Dinner we made Barefoot Contessa’s Beef Fillet Bourguignon.  It’s such a nice recipe for a special occasion.  And by we, I clearly mean  Randy.  Recipe below.

We used our new candlesticks,  These were my grandmas and my mom sent them to me for Christmas.  My grandma was very special to me and I love that these were passed down from her to my mom to me. 

Dinner was a big success. You can see we brought out the fancy tableware. Both boys loved the dish.

For dessert we had some strawberries.  Now this may not seem like a big treat but here strawberries run about 10 dollars for a small box so it’s a big treat around here! 

I already knew Adam loved strawberries but it was fun to see how much Malcolm loved them too. This was his first time eating strawberries, since we were waiting until he was a year old and he loved them!

We finished dinner and next thing we knew we turned around and Adam was doing some yoga! He does yoga at school and he’s really gotten good at it.  That is a pretty impressive tree pose.

Merry Christmas from the Alis!! We had a great Christmas and we love and miss you all. 
Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients
1 (3-pound) filet of beef, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning plus 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons good olive oil
1/4 pound bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups good dry red wine, such as Burgundy or Chianti
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
8 to 10 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick (domestic or wild)
Directions
With a sharp knife, cut the filet crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Salt and pepper the filets on both sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat, saute the slices of beef in batches with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside on a platter.

In the same pan, saute the bacon on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Drain all the fat, except 2 tablespoons, from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return it to the pan. Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are cooked.

With a fork mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.

Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms separately in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

Add the filet of beef slices, the mushrooms, and the bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and reheat gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season, to taste, and serve immediately.

Leave a comment