THE BEST NIGHT E-V-E-R!

Yep, my favorite movie of ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL time was finally on TV last night. I've been searching for it in the TV listings since before Thanksgiving. I WAIT WAIT WAIT EACH YEAR FOR THE SOUND OF MUSIC! I LIVE FOR THE SOUND OF MUSIC! So does Emily! Years ago we went to the Ziegfield Theater in NYC to the Sound of Music Sing-A-Long where we got props and others dressed up and we sang throughout the entire movie along with the rest of the audience. OH WHAT FUN! So last night we arranged our whole day around the 7:00pm of the start of the movie. We sang so loud that Gary could hear us on another floor. Even he came down towards the end - the part we absolutely HATE with the Nazi's and watched and listened to us sing. OH JULIE ANDREWS AND CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - YOU ROCK! Well now the movie is recorded on our DVR if we ever are feeling down or need a Sound of Music QUICK FIX! But like Julie Andrews says when ever she's down or afraid she sings "RAIN DROPS ON ROSES". Maybe I need to do that in this horrific economy of ours? Maybe we all need to start singing that song. I'll have the lyrics at the next Trade Show if you need them. I'll also have home baked cookies and the prettiest ties this side of the Mississippi - naah make that entire US of A!

Best,
Jane

My Food Processor is FIXED!

Ran into Home Depot for $1.57 plug just before and Gary fixed the plug to my food processor! YIPPEE! Latkes for ALL! Just kidding - but I'm thrilled to have my machine back.

Boring day - waiting on the good times here!

On another note...anyone out there ever REGIFT something? I'm just asking.

Best,
Jane

We were SHUT OUT

at the movies yesterday. Yup...first time EVER that has happened to us. What a disappointment because what else is there to do on XMAS while everyone else is celebrating? No one listened to Jane - I kept saying, this Benjamin Button movie is going to be popular, lets get there early. 30 minutes ahead of time on XMAS day for the most popular movie in the country was tooooooooooooooo late! All of us are on our computers more than anything - we should have bought the tickets online. But nooooooooooooo we did not. We were turned away at the ticket office. WE NEVER GOT TO THE MOVIES ON XMAS DAY! There were 11 other movies in this theater, but nothing we wanted to see so we went home where we rented a movie on TV. Oh well, another XMAS is behind us all and now it's onto NEW YEARS! NEW YEAR - NEW YEAR! We could all use a NEW YEAR and put 2008 in the books. I doubt anyone will miss this past year even with the few "ups" that there were.

OK then, hope you all had a happy holiday!

Best,

Jane

I'm LOST without my food processor!

Today we woke up to snow and ice and now rain. So what do I do in this kind of wet weather? I COOK! And I cook! And I do some more cooking.

Today Emily and I baked off our famous gingerbread. Wow was it fun. We did some sprinkles on some of the cookies and we are waiting to decorate the others until we are in the mood! AAAAAAAAAAAH! I'm not in the mood!

I started off the day by making my butternut squash soup. Then it was next onto a brisket and latkes for the celebration tonight.

Right now, I just finished up writing out envelopes for our son Russell for his college applications.

I'M BIG BUNDLE OF STRESS! AAAAAAAAAAAH! This college thing is driving me right up the wall. Unfortunately, Russell is part of the big big bubble year and with the amount of kids applying to colleges, he needs to apply to a minimum of 15 schools. 15 SCHOOLS - ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????????? Nope, that's the truth and so are most of the kids in his grade. Whatever happened to looking in the college books, finding a handful of schools that looked interesting, writing away and then deciding which school to attend. NOPE - AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! Now it's almost 2009 - my how things have changed - and with this whole college process - I think the change is NOT for the better. Is this my mood - my rotten horrible mood? I DON'T THINK SO! I'm just annoyed at my generation for turning this whole college process upside down. YEP I'M BLAMING ME AND ALL THE OTHER MILLIONS OF US TAIL END BABY BOOMERS FOR RUINING THE WHOLE COLLEGE PROCESS. The whole thing is ridiculous.

Here are some pictures of my big cook-in of this morning.

I hope you are very busy in your stores this last weekend before XMAS! I hope the peoples are opening up their wallets and spending their loot! We could all use some good news for once! GOOD NEWS IS GOOD! I ONLY WANT GOOD NEWS! NO MORE DOOM AND GLOOM!

Best,

Jane PS I think what started my stressful day is my broken food processor and how I had to make my latkes in my blender. I HATE MY BLENDER! IT DOESN'T WORK AS WELL AS MY FOOD PROCESSOR!

We got some snow

The weather reports were for snow snow snow and yep we got some! The schools closed - and thank you for the 5:45am wake up call! When the sun came up though, there was no snow yet. Emily and I ran over to the gym to work out before the roads were to get icy and snowy. 9:00am STILL NO SNOW so Gary ran over to the gym to work out before the roads became icy and snowy. 10:30 and down came the white flakes. And boy did they ever start to accumulate quickly. Late in the afternoon the snow turned to a mix of icy rain and snow which makes it even harder to shovel. Back in 1996 we went in with neighbors on a snow blower. I think I'm totally over that now because we NEVER get the blower and always end up shoveling while waiting our turn for the machine. Maybe we'll have to purchase our own - we'll see. Right now I just want the roads to dry out and then Emily and I will head out to the supermarket.

Emily and I also will bake some of our famous gingerbread cookies to ship out! Oh yum! Will forward pictures later on.

Best,

Jane --> Gordie is so tired from all his playing in the white stuff!

My Food Processor

is broken! HORRORS! I don't know if I can go on! How can I go back into my kitchen? On Sunday I went to plug in my food processor to slice shallots to make fried shallot rings. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PLUG! 1 prong just BROKE OFF! Now what do I do? No one in this house is electronically capable of fixing this plug. I'm sure it's an easy fix - buy a plug at the Home Depot, cut the wire and attach a new plug. RIGHT? YA THINK THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT? I NEED MY PROCESSOR BACK IN WORKING ORDER! I just do. Anyone out there with any clue how to do the big fix? I bet I use my processor at least 3 times a week. Now I can't cook another meal. ONLY KIDDING!

Hope all is busy in the stores out there and that you are making the cash register ring-a-ling this holiday season. Keep me posted, tell me how it's going. Don't want to bug you while you are selling merchandise.

Happy Holidays to all.

Best,

Jane

The Ornament Party

I went last night! The pictures I took do not do this house justice. My friend had such pretty mood lighting, but when I went to snap photos, my flash went off. Her 2 XMAS trees were gorgeous. Whimsical and fun. Her food spread was wonderful and the treats were tasty too. See my ornament cookies I hung on her chandelier?

Now onto the exchange. I'd say there were 36 women at the party. Loud...hmmm is there another word for loud? OIY! Could hardly hear myself think. The way the game is played, someone picks an ornament. The next woman picks or picks an ornament they saw someone else open and liked so they steal it away. About 6 or 7 women kept stealing the same 2 ornaments back and forth. The ornament I knitted was chosen at the way end, and the woman (or so she said) loved it! She had it on her wrist like a purse and 2 women said they wanted to steal it away but they didn't want to upset the woman. I got a LOUSY ornament, but didn't want to bother anyone and so I kept it. I think it might go in the garbage heap though. 2 of my friends were laughing at how ugly it was. It was a seashell that had lounge chairs and the beach painted on the inside. Plus there was not way to "hang" this seashell. WHATEVER! It was a fun night and nice to be with my friends.

OK it's Saturday and I'm lounging - thinking of NOT driving down to Wegmans and going tomorrow morning instead.

Bye for now!

Jane

NO MORE WHINING

Yep, that's my new mantra and or New Year's resolution 3 weeks early. I AM GOING TO BE MORE POSITIVE. Do you hear me out there? I'm a happy person - but I have to admit, I am a GLASS IS HALF EMPTY GIRL. I hold PITY PARTIES by myself quite frequently, but I'm turning the page. I AM I AM I AM - SERIOUSLY!

But here's a little jealousy that I have. See the picture of Gordie posted here on this blog. Oh how I wish I could crawl into bed and sleep this rainy day away and not have to listen to the negative news out there.

Since I cannot do this, I am here and busy working away. On that note, CALL ME - give me an order, say hi, make an appointment for a future trade show - anything!

Hope you are all busy in your stores selling items for XMAS.

Happy Holidays to all!

Regards,

Jane

I bet you didn't see this coming

For YEARS I have on my night table right next to my head practically this BEANIE BABY (remember those) named GiGi. My friend saw this item and just thought I had to have it. As you know, my Gordie sleeps all over the bed and I just had this brain storm last night to put Gigi on my pillow next to Gordie. He didn't care 1 way or the other for the stuffed animal but I sure think the picture is so cute!

PLEASE CALL ME FOR TIES!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm here at your beck and call!

Stay warm - it's freezing in NJ!

Best,

Jane

OH brother I'm STUCK on this ornament theme!

Last night I showed you my cookie ornaments and well today - since I can't stop, I made only a FEW ravioli's in the shape of the ornaments. Call me crazy, THAT'S ME! It's ccccold here in NJ and I decided to stay in this afternoon and cook. I made my ravioli dough, red sauce to go with it, chicken and steamed green beans. The only thing that was missing was my Emily helping me with the ravioli. You see I usually roll the dough and Em fills them and makes them into their shape.

Oh I did take a walk into my town. I have to remember to take my camera next time. Our town is really coming along. We now have this fantastic kitchen gadget store and also a new gourmet supermarket. You know where I spend my time! I bought the peanut butter and jelly spatula I've been wanting. My sister has this cool spatula and I have been gazing at it for months.

OK going to tune into the FOOD channel for the evening. I need to take a load off after all my work in the kitchen!

Jane

You know I'm going to the Ornament Exchange

this Friday. So...I have my ornament all knitted and wrapped and ready to go. But for my hostest, I said I'd bring some cookies. Little does she know years ago I bought an ornament copper cookie cutter! I was going to bake up my famous gingerbread, but I was surfing online and found this recipe for a nice sugar cookie. LOOK WHAT I JUST BAKED! I have another batch of dough in my fridge ready to go, but I wanted to try out 1 batch first. A) I wanted to see if the glitter and balls would stick and B) I wanted to make sure they taste good.

YES ON ALL COUNTS! (well at least in my opinion. And my Gary just said how great the house smells.

Here is how the cookies turned out. I think my friend will be THRILLED with the goodies I bring on Friday night.

See, this is what I do on a Saturday night. Wow I lead an exciting life! I can hardly stand myself!

BUY SOME TIES TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU NEED TIES - YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED TIES. WE MAKE GORGEOUS, WELL PRICED TIES! Sorry for shouting, I was just trying to be persuasive!

Good night for now! Enjoy my photos!

Jane

Did you know

Here's something you probably don't know about me. I LOVE THIS INDOOR/OUTDOOR THERMOMETER! 4 years ago I purchased my first thermometer which promptly broke 1 year later. Purchased my second which broke in a year...and now we are on our 3rd! Funny thing is we all are so used to this gadget that when it breaks we are all upset. This time, we surfed on Amazon and bought the cheapest model we could find. I LOVE THIS THERMOMETER! It even tells me the weather, rainy or sunny, a snowflake if the temp is below freezing. The size the moon, the time, the date - what more could I want? And did you all notice how thoroughly GREEN we at the Cahn's are??!!! The indoor temp in my kitchen is only 65 degrees. IT'S QUITE COLD IN THAT ROOM COME WINTER. I think 1 of the reasons why I do so much baking, is so I can keep the oven on to make the room a bit warmer!

OK that's all I have to say for tonight.

ANYONE NEED TIES OUT THERE? HOW ABOUT FORMAL WEAR FOR THOSE SPECIAL OCCASIONS? If you need me, you can always call or email!

Best,

Jane M

Jingle Bells Biscotti all the WAY!

Russell was back in school today and his Guidance Counselor, who received a package of my home baked biscotti, told Russ they were the best cookies HE HAS EVER TASTED! He ate them with coffee, he ate them with tea, he ate them with hot chocolate and he just ATE THEM ALL UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That surely made me feel good.

I'm feeling sad with Emily back at school. She has some issues with roommates she must resolve. AAAAAAAAAAAAH living with girls is NOT easy. Living with ANYONE is not easy! But I really feel for our Emily. Me, I'd like to go down to Washington and "set that girl straight". But I must hold off and let Emily handle things. It is not easy with the stress of school work, newspaper work, and next semester an internship - and then to be unhappy with a roommate. Well that's enough to SET ANYONE OFF THE EDGE!

Hope your XMAS/Holiday season is starting off well. TIS THE SEASON! IS ANYONE OUT THERE JOLLY?!

Oh look. Last night we found our best dog Gordie all sniggled in Emily's pillows. HE NEVER DOES THAT! He really missed Emily yesterday after we put her on the train too. Isn't it funny how dogs can sense things as well?

Best,

Jane