I woke up this morning in a funk. I really wasn’t feeling that christmas-y vibe. Was it the pre-menstrual syndrome or endometriosis trying to raise it’s ugly head? I dragged myself out of bed and headed straight for the shower. The minute I got out, my phone rang.
My dad, the best dad in the whole world was on the other line.
“Merry Christmas Denise!” he says in a cheery voice.
“Merry Christmas to you too daddy.”
“I keep forgetting the time difference, you’re three hours behind. Sounds like your still sleeping,” he says.
“No I just got out the shower. What did you cook?” I asked.
“I just made some ackee for breakfast,” he replied.
“I could really used some of that right now daddy. I haven’t even started cooking, just got up.”
We chatted for a while, then ended our conversation.
“I love you Denise.”
“I love you too daddy.”

After exchanging I love you’s with my dad, I headed straight for the kitchen and took my usual swig of apple cider vinegar with the mother in it. I fill my kettle with water and added some red raspberry leaf tea and two sticks of cinnamon. Once brewed, it was so d’luscious excellent and flavorful; it mellowed my soul.

Initially, I had a few culinary delights on the menu for today but had already reduced it to down to one main dish: my coffee spice rub pot roast with purple onions and chanterelle mushrooms. I was going to prepare pepper steak from my cookbook, but decided to add this rendition to my next cookbook. I wasn’t even planning on setting the table. About half an hour into prepping, I took a tablespoon of black strap molasses. Vitamin C was necessary for the iron absorption.The orange ginger juice that my son Robert had made would remedy that. To top it off, I decided to combine it with a smoothie of banana, persimmons, pineapple and some greens that I had prepared in advance. That combo was the bomb! Little did I know that my energy levels was about to be lit.

Robert walked into the kitchen and asked if I was gonna spike the Jamaican black rum cake. Sorry for not taking a photo of the cake. I told him I wasn’t really in the mood and that we would only have the pot roast for dinner.
“Do we have shrimp?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“I can eat curry shrimp every day, all day for the rest of my life,” he responded.
That was his way of sending a subliminal message that I should still add shrimp to the menu. My children always give me an extensive list of things to cook. And being the wonderful mother that I am. I always give in. Well I do enjoy cooking. Sometimes I wonder if the food is the main reason they chose me as their mother.
“Ok, I’ll cook the curry shrimp”

The rest of the day was history. I don’t quite recall where or at what point my energy level increased but I was prepping my ass away and toasting up my spices to create a bomb ass rub for the steaks. Did you know coffee really enhances the flavor of the steaks? I’m a tea person. I don’t do coffee, but it makes an awesome addition to the steak rub. I sliced up the pot roast as opposed to leaving it whole. Immediately I began thing of salads and sandwiches for breakfast the following day with the leftovers. D’Angelo would definitely be making some taco with his steak remix.

D’Angelo kept walking into the kitchen asking if the food was done. He must have been getting pretty hungry. On top of that, everyone in the universe wanna call me on Christmas Day (early in the day). Don’t do that. I like to concentrate when I’m cooking. I know y’all mean well and I feel the love but my food needs my focus and I’m multitasking and if y’all let my thyme roasted squash and sweet potatoes burn I would have been super mad. Well not super mad. I don’t get upset anymore, but that means, I’d have to make another batch.  I’m so at peace with myself, I seriously don’t get upset anymore. I wanna know what it would take to really piss me off these days. I’m so happy that I’m vibrating on a higher frequency now.

My cousin Gwen called and I spoke to her for a bit. I had many other phone calls but refused to answer. I’ll address them later. Everyday is Christmas and food should always be celebrated. I’m a chatterbox myself and once I pick up my phone, I know I would loose my momentum. I hadn’t yet prepared my sexy salad of with seasonal goodies like persimmons and pomegranates.

My men devoured their food and when Robert took a bite out of the persimmon, he was like “mom is this the persimmons?” You should have heard the excitement in his voice. I have been trying to get the child to eat persimmons for how long. I’m even surprised he ate his salad. They sure licked the platter clean. It brings me great pleasure in feeding my family and creating awesome memories in the kitchen/life with them them.

If I wasn’t in the mood and did all of this, can you imagine the uproar if I was actually in the mood?
Job well done mommy!
Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
Be blessed!

Who have you exchanged I love you’s with today?