Indio, California: I didn't even run today, but barely had a moment to sit. It was go, go, go and cook, cook, cook all day. There was One Huge Development: our long lost sink has been found and was installed today in the casita! No notice, a plumber just showed up this morning and swapped-out the "loaner" sink with the one I order oh-so-long ago. Apparently I am (as usual) behind the decorating times and "Mexican Sand" colored toilets and sinks are passé.


The recipe calls for one tablespoon of anise liquor. One lousy tablespoon. BevMo carries the teeny "airline" bottles of nearly every booze... except, of course, an anise liquor. It was too important an ingredient to omit or substitute... so we are now the owners of a $13 bottle of Italian Sambuca. Yeah, us.
Dave, being a very clever fellow, headed out for the golf course. I set about poaching, flaking, chopping, sauteing, and all sorts of tasks that required far too many pots, pans and bowls for one teeny RV kitchen. The result was totally worth all the work. So pretty and so yummy.

Don't judge.

In my spare time, I made my whole cranberry sauce... which is basically the recipe off the back of the Ocean Spray bag, except I use orange juice instead of water and add about a teaspoon of orange zest and a tablespoon of orange liquor after removing the cooked sauce from the heat. No cinnamon.

I also made pumpkin pie filling, which fit perfectly into a quart jar for transport to Lisa's kitchen where I will bake the pie tomorrow. I made a single pie crust and folded it carefully in quarters (used parchment paper as dividers between folds). The pastry went into a Ziploc bag. Pie to go! (Did you know your pumpkin pie will taste better and will be less likely to crack if you make the filling one day ahead? It gives the spices time to meld into the batter. Just give it a good stir, pour into your prepared crust and bake as usual.)

The last cooking task was to make Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies for Mark. Tomorrow is his birthday and that boy just loves chocolate!


Until my next update from Los Angeles, I remain, your prepared correspondent.
RV PARK: Motorcoach Country Club - The Crown Jewel of Motorcoach Resorts. 400 sites, three pools, three spas, fitness center, golf, bocce ball, tennis, 2-mile waterway, fine-dining restaurant, bar, security, planned activities, perfectly maintained. Sites for sale or rent.