ho ho

Well.... one more ho and it would be quite seasonal, but we could stop at two and remember the choclate and creme filled snack instead?  lol

It doesn't seem like Christmas here at all.  I have to keep checking the calender to see what day it is so that I can wish those who celebrate a merry Christmas.  :D

I did see a couple of stores that were somewhat decorated on the outside for the holiday, but it really isn't celebrated much here except by ex-pats and by orthodox Christians who celebrate it on January 7th I believe.

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I finally uploaded the goat movie.  It's only about 12 seconds long so it shouldn't take too long to download.
I've not checked on the goats in a couple of days but I assume they are still there, munching their way around the roof.

Roof goats

At least they aren't noisy.  lol

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I went to make some rice to go with dinner tonight.  I was going to make it with some chicken bouillon and just a smidge of butter.

I got the water in the pan, stuck the bouillon and butter in and started the flame under the pan.

I went to get the rice out, and finished one package with not quite enough rice, so I opened a new package.
I was measuring the rice into the strainer to wash it, and I saw some black spots.  I thought, no big deal, just some dirt or something and it will wash off.  But... of course... lol, not dirt.  They were bugs.  And when I started looking, I saw there were quite a few of them.  Gross!

Well, obviously not washing that rice to eat so I dumped the rice back into the box but then didn't know what to do with the box.  We don't have a bin outside that I can toss the garbage into, it is collected by the door man downstairs and who knows what he does with it.

I finally found a big ziplock bag that I could stick the whole box in so that I could close it up and no bugs would escape.

Not sure even what kind of bugs they were!  They were similar in size to ants, but looked a bit different and moved fairly slowly. 

Well, dinner was saved by using a couple of packets of ramen noodles with the water and bouillon, unhealthy as ramen noodles are.  lol
But it tasted great actually!

Hubby is down at the store right now trying to get a refund or something or more rice (bug free insha'Allah).  He took the bug rice with him and the receipt.  I hope it's not a big problem.  People tend to get a bit over heated here sometimes about things. 

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I made some quick bread last night.  Cinnamon Swirl bread.  Not sure what is up with me and cinnamon lately but I can't seem to stay away from the stuff.

We still haven't figured the oven temp out yet.  Hubby stayed by the oven and watched the temp while the bread was baking to make sure it didn't go up too high.  Everything was going fine until the very end.  It had been smelling soooo good!!  You know how things baking in the oven smell.  It makes the whole place smell like heaven.  Well, all of a sudden, it stopped smelling good.  lol 

I checked it several times because I wanted to make sure that it got cooked all the way through.  This was the first time I had made this recipe so I didn't have anything to compare it with.  And we don't have any toothpicks for me to check doneness, so I was using a fork, which doesn't work quite as well.

We finally took it out of the oven, because it was past the suggested limit and I decided it was done enough.
After letting it cool for 15 minutes in the pan, I took it out and we discovered what the earlier smell was.  The bottom of the bread had ever so slightly burned.  Not completely black but just about.  However, it was a very small layer, so the bread is fine.  Hubby even ate the bottom crust, though I picked mine off.

I've noticed on all three things that I've baked, that they do develop a darker crust layer on the bottom of the pan.  Whether this is due to the gas, the glass pans, the heat or what I don't know.

There was an additional solid metal sheet that went into the oven that we took out and put under the bottom since it didn't seem useful, but I suggested we put it back in to give some extra insulation from the direct heat coming up from below.  There is a sheet in place, but maybe the second sheet will help.

This bread though... wow it's SO good!  So moist, just sweet enough, and with the slight touch of cinnamon it's just divine.  It has 1 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of oil.  I generally don't like using oil in recipes but this didn't call for any butter and 1/3 cup doesn't sound like too much.

Next up is something called Koulourakia (Butter Cookie Braids), which I've never made before but sounds good for breakfast with tea or some such.  Though I might make another batch of this bread, it's so good!

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Just got word, hubby's trip should be taking place sometime a week or so into January.  I hope it's a short trip.  I'll be back staying at the in-laws while he's gone.  I don't want him to leave!!!

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To all my friends and family who celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.