Nothing like I expected

Oh dear. My pictures of Portland's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony didn't turn out at all. According to this picture, the tree is constructed of sponged-on tempera paint, flecked with glitter, and topped with a gold foil star.

The 70-foot tree sparkled in real life. At the ceremony, Raymond and I snaked our way through a jovial crowd and made friends (plus registered to vote!) in line for coffee. We bopped along to a global cocktail of holiday tunes, sung by a gospel choir and a dude with a saxophone. Classy.

After the ceremony, we walked over Macy's. Posh mannequins in puffer vests vogued in the window displays, but inside.....inside there was already an endless line of children waiting to see Santa Claus. After a steady diet of A Christmas Story marathons on TNT as a kid, you can imagine my joy at finally living in a town with a Macy's.

I could ask Santa for a Red Ryder BB gun!

The line was so long, we opted to watch kids write letters to Santa instead. Macy's donates a dollar to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for each letter, so what's the harm in sending a note?


I think the postal service should place these boxes at every corner. Although, can you imagine accidentally dropping your electric bill into the slot? PGE would not be pleased.

Before we left Santaland for other Macy's adventures -- namely flopping on bed displays, spritzing ourselves with perfume and cologne, and riding escalators -- I took the picture. The Norman Rockwell Christmas picture. I had to whip out the camera quickly, in stealth, and without a flash, but...

It turned out nothing like I expected. See the girl's fancy Christmas dress? See her red bow? And the boy -- his hands are pressed against the glass, waiting for the toy train to appear. See the white-frosted tree on the right with its miniature lights? This makes up for every blurry tree picture, those shots I set up with care. A perfect end to a perfect evening.

Like this pasta I made later that night. Though on the surface, this dish is only rigatoni in red sauce, you'll find a secret sweetness inside. Maybe it's nothing like you expected. Maybe it's better.


Rigatoni with red pepper cream sauce
serves 4

• 1 1/2 medium red or orange bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, diced
  
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/3 cup cooked yam or sweet potato (canned, fresh, or from Thanksgiving leftovers)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano (or 1 tsp. fresh)
• 3 cups dry rigatoni noodles
  
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup aged cheddar cheese (like Australian Boxing cheddar), shredded
  
• 1/2 cup medium cheddar, shredded

Saute the peppers, garlic, and onion in olive oil on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the veggies are tender but not mushy; cover the pan and add more oil if they dry out. When the veggies are almost tender, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add the rigatoni. Cook the pasta for 7-10 minutes or until al dente.

Transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add the cream, water (or broth), sweet potato and spices; blend until the sauce is creamy. Drain the pasta, then pour it into a medium casserole dish. Smother the pasta with sauce. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pasta and stir thoroughly. Top it with the rest of the cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy (and happy holidays, all.)