Yes, it really is 7 AM on a Sunday and I’m awake. I’m a morning person, what can I say?

So, the latter half of the week was quite busy. Between having my car worked on (24,000 miles on it and both front hub bearings need to be replaced – that ain’t right!), picking up the con books and the pocket programs, last-minute errands to Office Depot and such, and, oh yes, a dinner party on Friday. I am insane, yes, why do you ask?

Actually, the dinner on Friday was fun, but exhausting. Wisely, I let Thomas handle the main entree – roasting a couple of chickens in his shiny new gadget. Call me a purist, but I think I’ll stick to old-fashioned oven-roasting methods. We also had some soup, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, crackers and cheese, spinach dip, and beef stew. In other worse, like most Gang events of this type, enough food to feed an army. For dessert, I make a yummy tasty White Chocolate Creme Brulee that was fabulously easy to make. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate and I loved this.

White Chocolate Creme Brulee
Yield: 4 Servings

5 large Egg yolks
1/2 c Sugar
2 c Whipping cream
3 oz White chocolate imported, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Sugar

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300F. Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Bring cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add chopped chocolate to cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk hot chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Mix in vanilla. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, then ladle custard into four 10-oz. custard cups (I used 4 oz. ramekins, and it filled 7 of them). Place cups in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custards are set in center, about 1 hour. Remove custards from water and cool. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each custard. Broil until sugar caramelizes, watching carefully, about 2 minutes. Serve hot, or refrigerate up to 1 hour and serve cold.
Source: Portobello Yacht Club

Yesterday, we rested. Well, a little anyway. It was quite delightful, though. I had to run an errand before noon, but when I got back I was able to get in some Quality Snuggle Time {tm} with Takaza. After a relaxing afternoon, we went out for some errands: Target to renew a prescription for Dan (and get a $10 gift card, freebies, woo!), Office Depot for still more paper for flyers, and Payless Shoes because we both figured out that since it was raining and water was seeping in and getting out socks wet, it just might possibly maybe be time for new shoes. Smart, we is! Once we got home, Dan attacked the stacks of boxes of con books, pocket programs, and other MFF stuff in the dining room. We finished putting together all the sponsor packets and Dan consolidated a lot of different stuff into fewer boxes. Getting all this into my car for the drive to Chicago is going to be an adventure!

So, today: Once we get motivated, we’ll go and make the flyers for MFF 2003, along with any other last-minute copying. Then we’ll do all of our last-minute packing of MFF stuff so it will be ready to go. We drive out for Chicago Tuesday afternoon, which is just two days away. Ack!