back away from the christmas sales

I dragged my Christmas boxes up the stairs from the basement this morning. I like to dig through them and look at stuff but I don't like to unpack it and deal with it so I didn't get too far. I did notice that I have a huge supply of some things, table cloths for example. I have seven Christmas table cloths which is more than a normal person needs. I didn't buy all of them; a few of them belonged to Edna, but it's still a lot. I have seven unopened packages of Christmas cocktail napkins. I have a tub full of gift bags and another tub full of Christmas ziploc bags and plastic wrap. What the hell. What was I thinking?

We went to the food coop this afternoon. They always have a lot of samples around and one of the sample tables contained little pieces of bread and pickled herring. Regis saw me eying it and scooted off in the other direction. He says he can't stand the smell. A few years ago, I was at the table sampling the herring with an old man who was hiding from his wife. He said she wouldn't t let him eat the stuff at home. All of a sudden his wife and my husband came around the corner and we both jumped back like we were guilty.

Regis and I have decided to make potato klub for Christmas Eve. Note the nutrition information. Anybody eating these things is not concerned about nutrition, believe me. Not unless you're spending the winter on the tundra with your reindeer herd. Then you might want to make sure you get enough fat and carbs to get you through the next blizzard.

When I was a kid, mom made these when dad was out of town. She put side pork in the middle and we drizzled bacon grease and butter over the top. They're great fried for breakfast the next morning.

I'm not going to use this recipe...I'm going to get one from Mom or Cousin Deb. The ones in the picture don't look quite right and not like what I remember. Baking powder?

Norwegian Potato Klub

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 6 slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 10 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
• 2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove bacon from the pan, and reserve the grease.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Stir in potatoes to make a sticky dough.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Squeeze the potato mixture into 6 or 7 dumplings, or your desired size. Drop carefully into the boiling water. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove to a platter with a slotted spoon.
4. Serve with bacon grease brushed over the top, and crumbled bacon. These may also be sliced and fried the next day for another great meal.

I don't remember eating the bacon with them. I don't think that was done. Like putting sugar on lefse. They're a real mess to make because the water gets like wallpaper paste during the boiling. This is clearly not a meal for sissies.

I was debating about making Emeril's twice baked potato casserole for Christmas Eve but you can't have both of these dishes on the same night. There's a law.