Okay so I admit it- I am a crazy person! What kind of person attempts to write a 50,000 word novel in the space of 30 days- let alone have those days be November days -which are notoriously over-scheduled to begin with? Well all of the participants in National Novel Writing Month (NanoWrimo) do- of course! I participated in 2005 and like some sort of self-flagellating mutant I am back at it again. Of course every other participant is perfectly sane to do this- this observation is just for myself.

So, if my blog- the laundry- the cat- and the green “science experiment” creating itself in the back of my fridge have to wait a bit for some attention, this is the reason. Of course my sweetheart always gets his fair share of attention in return for his kind attentiveness to me- so at least my conscience is clear there. 🙂

In order to stay on track for each day you must write 1,667 words (or to be exact you must write 1,666.666 words- proving of course that the devil is in the details. HAHA!)

I quickly got behind- needing to do things like sleep, eat, work, and breathe. Suddenly I was feeling enormous pressure – it was like I was back in school and months behind on my homework. So silly am I- this is a writing exercise after all- a way to force myself to write beyond the blocks and over the self criticism that makes me balk after a few words or a few thousand words and stumble over myself. The process is important- not the final goal- I have to keep reminding myself. I try to content myself with progress- not perfection. I learn to say those words “progress-not perfection” as a constant mantra.

NanoWrimo is a yearly quest to do the improbable- to scale Everest without altitude sickness- to dive to the bottom of the ocean using only a snorkel. Not impossible with total commitment and super human strength- but alas unlikely for me… at least this year.

So, I chug along at a speed I can live with without creating a psychotic episode and happily participate like an oxygen deficient mountain climber whose comfort level reaches to only the base camp. One day I may reach the summit but for now I am just content to come along for the journey.

I am about half way there with only 10 days remaining, but I am sure my month of 50,000 words will need extend into another until I am finished with this story – late but not lost.

In the meantime- I need some comfort food to cheer me in the days that are shortening and growing colder. I thought back to some of my favorite meals as a child and one that stood out for me was my Gran’s Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. Her Scalloped Potatoes cooked in a long, slow oven along side the Sunday dinner ham. She layered thinly sliced, peeled russet potatoes and onions, with flour, salt and pepper and poured milk over it all. Then she let it bake until the flour and milk formed a sauce that the potatoes soaked up as they cooked. They were so delicious- forming a rich browned crust on top and tender layers beneath.

I have streamlined them a bit for my own use. By boiling the potatoes in their skins until just tender and making a Mornay sauce for speed- they are ready in just over an hour. I also add cubed ham into the potatoes to make it a one dish meal- good in a month when I have a need for speed.

Gabi’s Ham and Potato Casserole

• 4-5 medium Russet potatoes – you want starchy not waxy potatoes here
• Mornay sauce (use Parmesan for the cheese and make a double batch- save some for another use)
• 1 large onion sliced
• 2 Cups shredded Gruyere cheese (you can use what you like)
• 1 tsp dried of 1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme and Parsley
• 1 large fully cooked smoked ham steak or 1-1/2 cup similar cubed ham
• salt and pepper to taste

Scrub the potatoes skins and (depending on size) cut them across into thirds or quarters. Put them in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until just fork tender. Drain in a colander and let cool a bit. Remove the skins and slice into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. While the potatoes are cooking prepare a Mornay sauce and grate your cheese. Fry the ham steak in a large skillet over medium high heat, until seared and browning- about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and fry the onions in the pan juices- adding a little butter or olive oil if necessary- until translucent. Add the thyme, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Cut the ham into small cubes.

Put a little sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and then layer potatoes, onions, ham and cheese at least three times ending with an extra layer of sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over and a bit of parsley to make it pretty. Bake in a 375F oven for about an hour or until bubbly and heated through. You might want to place the baking dish on a parchment lined baking sheet as it has a tendency to bubble over. Let it sit for a few minutes after removing from the oven to re-absorb some of the juices and serve.

My best wishes to all the other participants in this year’s NanoWrimo, I salute your efforts, I wish you well and whether or not you make the 50,000 word mark by Nov 30th I think you’re all something special!

xoxo