A Week of Recipes

I've been on a cooking roll this past week, and I've been doing especially well with buying items in bulk or on sale and finding multiple recipes that use a perishable ingredient. Here's my grocery list, and my lineup of recipes. (Disclaimer: A friend brought us dinner one day, so I added in an earlier day's meal.) Happy cooking!

What I Bought

Bulk pack of chicken breasts (on sale)
Sweet Italian sausage (buy one pack, get one free)
Heavy cream
Sour cream (on sale)
Fresh parsley
Fresh broccoli
Shredded mozzarella, shredded Mexican cheese (buy one pack, get one free)
Bean sprouts
Bell peppers (3-pack)
Fresh ginger
Caesar salad mix
Canned enchilada sauce

What I Had in My Pantry

Long grain rice
Canned diced tomatoes
Canned kidney beans
Canned black beans
Canned tomato sauce
Canned tomato paste
Chicken broth
Farfalle
Rice Noodles
Salted peanuts
Flour
Sugar
Yeast
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Peanut butter
Flour tortillas
Salsa
Soy sauce
Fish sauce
Honey
Rice vinegar
Italian seasoning
Smoked paprika
Chili powder
Cumin
Turmeric
Garam masala
Salt and pepper

What I Had in My Fridge and Freezer

Frozen diced onion
Frozen shrimp
Frozen corn
Grated Parmesan
Eggs
Milk
Butter
Bacon
Lime juice
Minced garlic
Fresh carrots

What I Cooked

Monday: Pad Thai

1 tsp plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 c frozen cooked shrimp (thawed; optional)
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 
6 oz rice noodles
3 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 eggs

Sauce:
¼ c soy sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Garnish (optional): 1/3 c chopped peanuts

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for several minutes, until warmed through. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon and set aside in a very large bowl. Drain moisture, then add 2 Tbsp oil. Heat until hot, then add the cubed chicken to the pan. Cook over medium high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely browned on all sides and cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, peanut butter and rice vinegar until well combined and set aside.

Once the chicken has cooked, remove from the pan and add to the bowl of shrimp. Add more oil if needed, then add the carrots, peppers, onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, then add bean sprouts. Stir together and cook for an additional 2 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare noodles as directed on package (use lowest recommended time). Drain when done and set aside. 

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and crack the eggs directly into the hot pan. Scramble until cooked, approximately 2 minutes. Stir eggs and vegetables together, then add to the bowl of shrimp and chicken. Add the sauce to the empty pan and increase heat to high. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add the noodles to the sauce and toss, then add contents of the large bowl. Toss until thoroughly coated in the sauce. Serve garnished with chopped peanuts. 

Tuesday: White Pizza with Shrimp and Bacon

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1-1/4 cup whole milk
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 tsps minced garlic
¼ cup grated parmesan

For the pizza:

Pizza crust, homemade (see recipe below) or store bought
8 oz shredded mozzarella
½ cup sauce (above)
¼ cup grated parmesan
½ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
4 slices bacon
Several handfuls frozen shrimp, thawed 

Fry bacon until crisp. Place on a paper towel to cool, then crumble and set aside. 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour. Continue whisking for about 2 minutes (do not brown). Slowly whisk in milk. Cook for 3-5 minutes, whisking continuously, until smooth, thick, and bubbly. Whisk in salt, pepper, and garlic. Add parmesan and whisk just until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool. (Can also be made ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered, for several days before using.)

Preheat oven to 450. Roll out the dough on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper. Brush crust with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Spread with sauce. Add mozzarella, parmesan, crumbled bacon, and shrimp. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheeses are melty. Cool slightly before cutting with a rotary cutter. 

Pizza Dough:

2 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil)
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, sugar and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until frothy. Add in the vegetable oil and salt. Stir in the flour, a little at a time, using a hand mixer with dough hooks when mixture begins to become stiff. When dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (but is still somewhat sticky), turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic. Wash the mixing bowl, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and place the dough ball in the bowl, flipping to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour). 

Turn the dough out onto the floured board. Pull the dough around to the bottom, stretching it to create a smooth ball. Cut the dough into 3 equal portions using a sharp knife. Each ball will be approximately 1 pound of dough. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed (but not more than about 24-36 hours). 

We added a fruit appetizer instead of vegetables to balance out the meal!

Wednesday: Smothered Baked Chicken Burritos

3 cups cooked chicken*, shredded
1 cup cooked rice
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned
1 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend for topping

* You can use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, or cook 2-3 chicken breasts one of two ways: 1) Place in a pot, cover with water, add a little salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, then allow to cool in the pot. Remove from liquid and shred with two forks. 2) If you have an Instant Pot, place 2-3 chicken breasts in the pot, season with salt and pepper, then add 3/4 cup chicken broth. Pressure cook for 14 minutes (18 if chicken is frozen), followed by natural release. Drain liquid then shred chicken with two forks. 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, stir together chicken, rice, beans, corn, salsa, and spices. Lay out tortillas; place several spoonfuls of filling and a handful of shredded cheese on each; roll, folding over and tucking in ends to seal. Arrange in prepared baking dish. 

Whisk together enchilada sauce and sour cream and pour over burritos in dish. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly.

Thursday: Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

12 oz. ground sausage (peel casing off links and pull meat into chunks)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (28-oz) can petite diced tomatoes
2 (15-oz) cans red beans
1 to 1-1/2 cups cooked rice
Cumin and smoked paprika to taste, optional
1/2 cup chicken broth, optional

In pot over medium heat, brown the sausage and onion and drain fat. Add beans and tomato (both undrained) to pot. Stir in spices to taste, if using. Stir in cooked rice (or omit and serve dish over rice). If you like a saucier dish, add chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Friday: Butter Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Naan, Jasmine Rice 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter. divided
2 pounds chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
5 tsps minced garlic
2 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon chili powder optional
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
½ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Cooked rice

In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Brown the diced chicken breast until golden. Move the chicken to one side, and add the rest of the butter. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add all of the spices and the salt, stir and cook for a minute, then add the tomato sauce. Stir well, then cover and simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the cream, then allow the sauce to reduce a little. Serve warm over rice, garnished with chopped parsley, with a side of steamed broccoli and naan (recipe below).

Naan

1 package (2-1/4 tsp) yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp milk
4+ cups flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add sugar, salt, egg, and milk and blend well. Gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured board (or in the mixing bowl) until smooth and elastic, adding flour if needed. Turn dough out into an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough, then pinch off golfball-sized handfuls of dough and form into smooth balls. Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil. Cover with a towel and allow to rise an additional 30 minutes.

Spray a griddle with oil and preheat to high heat. Flatten each dough ball into a thin circle with rolling pin or hands. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned and puffy. Brush the uncooked side with butter and flip with tongs or a spatula. Cook the second side for an additional 2-3 minutes, until browned, and remove from griddle.

Saturday: Creamy Sausage and Pasta with Caesar Salad

16 ounces hearty pasta (rigatoni or farfalle work well) 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 pound Italian sausage (remove from casing and pull into pieces)
3-4 tsp minced garlic 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Fresh chopped parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage. Cook, breaking into small pieces, until no longer pink. Drain grease if desired. Add garlic, red pepper and tomato paste and cook a few minutes more. Stir in the broth and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Gradually add pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency (I used about 1/2 cup). Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir in pasta and toss to coat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serve with a side of Caesar salad. 

Sunday: Mom's Night Off! Leftovers from the rest of the week. Feel free to call it "Smorgasbord Dinner" if you're feeling fancy. 

Wishing you all happy cooking, and even happier eating!

Interesting Stuff About the 2026 Winter Olympics That You Might Not Know

I love watching the Olympics, but one of my favorite parts isn't watching the competitions, it's hearing all the interesting tidbits and backstories that you learn in between events. And in our modern world of technology, there are all kinds of stories and videos online that tell us even more that we might otherwise miss. Here are some of the most interesting (and sometimes the funniest) stories and facts I've learned about the Olympics this year!

SkiMo

There is a new event this year called "Ski Mountaineering," or "SkiMo," for short. One commentator described it as "skiing, but without a ski lift." In other words, the skiers ski UP the mountain before skiing DOWN the mountain, plus an additional ski-less climbing section in the middle. Here's how it works:

Competitors begin by "skinning" uphill: they put special covers ("skins") on their skis which help them to not slide backwards, and they climb up a curving path. 

The hill then becomes steeper and they remove their skis, carrying them on their backs, and climb to the top of the course. 

At the top, they remove the "skins" from the skits, put the skis back on, and ski down a slalom course to the finish line. 

Events include men's and women's sprints, which follow the course as described above, plus a mixed relay, in which a male and female duo alternate a total of four laps of the course (the woman racing the first and third and the man the second and fourth lap), with each lap taking roughly 7-9 minutes. 

There are also a few interesting rules, such as that ski poles must be flat on the ground while removing skins and donning skis, the skins must be tucked inside the racer's bodysuit when not on the skis, and each racer must carry a survival backpack containing a Missing Avalanche Victim Detector (DVA). Racers/teams can receive time penalties for a number of violations, including missing or improper equipment (e.g., no batteries in the DVA, crampons not clipped to ankles, helmet not worn properly, etc.), missing a gate or checkpoint, "disrespecting the environment", pushing/shoving a competitor, or failing to assist a person in distress or danger. 

Not surprisingly, the teams favored to medal are all from countries near the Alps: France, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. 

Helmet Controversies

Great Britain's Skeleton team had developed a new, supposedly more aerodynamic crash helmet, but just days before the start of competition, the sport's ruling body, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), deemed it illegal due to its shape. The Brits disagreed and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration, but the ruling was upheld. Fortunately, the team had brought their old helmets with them to Italy, and will compete in those helmets. 

Another Skeleton Olympian was barred from wearing his preferred helmet, although for a completely different reason. Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych emblazoned his helmet (top photo, above) with images of Ukrainian athletes and coaches who were killed in the conflict with Russia, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned it, citing regulations which state, "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas." Similarly, Ukrainian freestyle skier Kateryna Kotsar was banned from wearing a helmet that stated, "BE BRAVE LIKE UKRAINIANS" (lower photo, above). 

Gender Parity

The 2024 Summer Olympics was the first Olympic Games with full gender parity on the field, and the 2026 Winter Olympics is set to be the most gender equal Winter Games so far. 47% of athletes are women, which is a 1.6% increase from Beijing in 2022. On the executive side, 50% of the positions on IOC commissions are held by women, and 47% of the IOC's Executive Board members are women, including its president.

In addition, the distances for all twelve cross-country skiing events are now the same for male and female competitions for the first time. 
 

The Mascots

You may know that the official mascots of the 2026 Winter Olympics are a pair of stoats named Milo and Tina (they're brother and sister), and you might even know - or have guessed from their names - that they represent that two host cities of Milano and Cortina, but did you know that Milo was born without one of his paws, and therefore also represents the Paralympic Games? 

Brothers and Sisters

Speaking of brothers and sisters, there are a number of sibling pairs competing in these games, including (but no doubt not limited to) Slovenian ski jumpers Nika and Domen Prevc (in photo above, winning gold in the mixed team event; their brother Peter won Olympic gold in the mixed team event in 2022), Swedish curlers Isabella and Rasmus Wranå (who won gold in mixed doubles), Italian freestyle skiers Miro and Flora Tabanelli, Danish biathletes Sondre and Ukaleq Slettemark, American ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani, American hockey players Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (whose father, Keith, is a four-time Olympian in the sport), and American hockey players Quinn and Jack Hughes. 

In addition to all the pairs, there is also a trio of skiing sisters on Team USA: Alpine skier Lauren Macuga, mogul skier Alli Macuga, and ski jumper Sam Macuga. And keep your eye on their family in the future, because they have a younger brother, Daniel, who is an Alpine skier with Olympic dreams.

The Name Game

Some of the best names spotted on the rosters:

• Saulius Ambrulevicius, Figure Skating (Lithuania)
• Daniel Barefoot, Skeleton (USA)
• Vinzenz Buff, Skeleton (Switzerland)
• Florian Chakiachvili, Ice Hockey (France)
• Vili Crv, XC Skiing (Slovenia)
• Jenning de Boo, Speed Skating (Netherlands)
• Bing Dong, Ski Jumping (China)
• Ariuntungalag Enkhbayar, XC Skiing (Mongolia)
• Mac Forehand, Freestyle Skiing (USA)
• Minerva Fabienne Hase, Figure Skating (Germany)
• Breezy Johnson, Alpine Skiing (USA)
• Cheyenne Loch, Snowboard (Germany)
• Emerance Maschmeyer, Women's Ice Hockey (Canada)
• AA Papathoma Paraskevaidou (Azerbaijan)
• River Radamus, Men's Alpine Skiing (USA)
• Maia Schwinghammer, Freestyle Skiing (Canada)
• Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Biathlon (Norway)
• Louis Philip Vito III, Snowboard (Italy)
• Vid Vrohovnik, Nordic Combined (Slovenia)
• Kira Weidle-Winkelmann, Alpine Skiing (Germany)

(And yes, I read the name of every single Olympian on the roster, from Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk all the way to Damien Zurek. You're welcome.)

Firsts

The Milano-Cortino Games mark not only the first time that two cities serve as official hosts, but also the first time the Parade of Athletes in the Opening Ceremonies was celebrated at multiple venues. The distances between the venues were too far for some of the already-competing athletes to travel to the Olympic Stadium in Milano, so organizers set up a large gold Olympic ring at each of four different venues for the athletes to march through, and coordinated the timing so each country's athletes would march together. 

This Olympics marks the debut of six new events: Ski Mountaineering, Women's Doubles Luge, Mixed-team Skeleton, Dual Moguls, Alpine Skiing Combined, and Women's Large Hill Ski Jumping. With 116 total medal events across 16 disciplines, this will be the largest Winter Games ever.

Three nations are making their Winter Olympic debut this year: Benin, Guinea-Bissau, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Benin's team consists of Alpine Skier Nathan Tchibozo; Guinea-Bissau is represented by Alpine Skier Winston Tang; and UAE has two Alpine Skiers, Alexander Astridge and Piera Hudson.

Ester Ledecka (above, women’s parallel giant slalom), Anna Gasser (women’s big air) and Chloe Kim (women’s halfpipe) all have a chance to become the first snowboarder to win gold in the same event at three straight Winter Olympics.

Random Fun Facts

The Winter Olympics were previously held in Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956 - exactly 70 years ago! The sliding center, Eugenio Monte, is in the same location as the 1956 venue (although heavily refurbished). The ice stadium, Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio, originally used for figure skating and ice hockey, will host curling and wheelchair curling, as well as the Paralympic closing ceremony. 

Austria’s Olympic snowboard team includes two Gen Xers (above, top photo): Claudia Riegler (52) and Andreas Prommegger (45). They both raced in the Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom, but were eliminated before the finals. Riegler is the oldest female athlete to ever compete in the Winter Olympics. Other "oldies but goodies" include 46-year-old Edson Bindilatti, a bobsledder for Team Brazil; Nick Baumgartner, a 46-year-old snowboarder for Team USA competing in his fifth Olympics; and Rich Ruohonen, a 54-year-old alternate for the USA curling team, and a first-time Olympian. If Ruohonen competes, he will be the oldest Team USA athlete in Olympic history. At age 40, Benjamin Karr became the oldest individual gold medalist ever in the Winter Games when he won the Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Snowboard competition for Team Austria. Following his win, Karr tore off his shirt and flexed in an homage to fellow Austrian Hermann Maier, who had once done the same (above, lower photo).

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the youngest competitors include 15-year-old freestyle skiers Abby Winterberger (USA) and Indra Brown (Australia; above) and 16-year-old snowboarders Choi Gaon (South Korea) and Lily Dhawornvej (USA). 

The Olympic medals are two joined halves, representing the two host cities, the partnership of athlete and team, and the union of Olympics and Paralympics. The medals are produced by the Italian State Mint using recycled materials and renewable energy, signifying sustainability and ecological awareness.  

Five Fast Facts about the Winter Olympics

#1) All the events take place on a surface of either ice or snow. At the 1964 Innsbruck Games, there wasn't enough natural snow, so the Austrian army carted more than 38,200 cubic meters of snow and 20,000 blocks of ice from the nearby mountains to the venues. 

#2) Animals have participated in the Winter Games: The 1928 Games included a demonstration sport called skijoring, in which athletes were towed on skis behind riderless horses; and the 1932 Games included a dog-sledding demonstration event.  

#3) Until 1948, the only Winter Olympic sport that allowed female competitors was figure skating. 

#4) The Opening Ceremonies of the 1960 Squaw Valley Games were coordinated by Walt Disney, and included 700 musicians, 2,000 doves, and more than 30,000 balloons.

#5) To date, only one person has won a gold medal in both the Summer and the Winter Olympics:  American Eddie Eagan won a gold medal for boxing at the 1920 Summer Games in Antwerp, and more than a decade later, was part of the gold medal-winning bobsled team at the 1932 Winter Games in Lake Placid. 

2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony and Team Uniform Fashion Review - part 2

If you haven't read it yet, be sure to go back and read part 1 of my review, which covers the first part of the Opening Ceremonies and the first part of the Parade of Nations, ending with Buzz Lightyear - err, the Islamic Republic of Iran.  

And the parade continues!

IRELAND: The Irish athletes are wearing cream fisherman sweaters under short kelly green jackets, with navy pants (with "IRELAND" in small white lettering on one leg), and cream beanies with a row of green shamrocks on the cuff. Some are also sporting blue neckerchiefs and gloves. 

ICELAND: Team Iceland dances into the stadium wearing white snowsuits with either black or silver zippers and black inserts at the pants hems, white beanies, and black mittens. Their dance stylings make up for any lack of sartorial distinction. Since their uniforms are customized Hornstrandir GORE-TEX Pro pieces, they were clearly going for function over form. 

ISRAEL: The Israelis are in bright blue jackets with black zippers, flared black pants, white beanies, and black gloves. 

KAZAKHSTAN: This team has thigh-length ombre white-to-aqua hooded jackets with navy sleeves and navy zippers, with "KAZAKHSTAN" in navy on the back of the jacket, over white vests with navy zippers, with navy pants and navy beanies with white cording. This is a really nice look.  

KENYA: The Kenyans are in short black jackets and sweatpants with "KENYA" printed in metallic gold on one wrist and one ankle. They are not wearing hats or gloves. They look...unprepared. And kind of chilly. 

KOSAVO: These athletes are in hip-length navy jackets with "KOSOVA" in yellow on the back, possibly with a black zip vest underneath, with black snow pants, white beanies, and black gloves. 

KYRGYZSTAN: The athletes are in short white puffer jackets and navy pants, with white felt hats with a short upturned brim and a small tassel, and white gloves. 

LATVIA: From Italian designer Don John, the Latvians are in knee-length white puffer coats over bright red pants, with white beanies bearing an insignia of three red stars on the cuff. Several of the groups are wearing gloves, either solid black or white with black palms.    

LEBANON: The Lebanese team is in a grey-green jacket with "LIBAN" in white down the front, over red hooded puffer coats (one of the athletes is not wearing his outer coat, so we can see the long sleeves), with black pants, and darker green beanies. 

LIECHTENSTEIN: This team is in short red coats with black zippers, black pants, black beanies, and black gloves. Other than the vivid red, the look is pretty nondescript, but most of the athletes are strutting like they're the coolest dudes in town (which, to be fair, they pretty much are), so they're making it work. 

LITHUANIA: Team Lithuania is in long dark grey puffer coats and bright green pants, with knit scarves in color blocks of bright green, red, and gold, green knit gloves with gold fingers, beanies with bands of red, green, and gold with gold pompoms, and white boots. It sounds like a lot, but the chunkiness of the color blocks and the dark coat make it work. 

LUXEMBOURG: Team Lux has pale blue thigh-length jackets with black pants, gray beanies, and black gloves. 

NORTH MACEDONIA: These athletes are in thigh-length navy blue puffer coats with matching pants, and plain navy beanies. Several athletes in the Cortina group are wearing a hip-length jacket, which seems to be the underlayer. The look is a little basic, but several of them are wrapped in the red-and-gold flag or are wearing a red and gold scarf, which livens up the look quite a bit. The flagbearer is also wearing black and white gloves. 

MADAGASCAR: The team is wearing white, red, and green diagonally striped coats, with black pants, black gloves or grey-green mittens, and white beanies; the coats, pants, and beanies all have a red and green crest on them, which ties the look together somewhat. A lot of them are also dancing and chanting, which always adds numbers to your fashion score. 

MALAYSIA: Wan Hor Fong of Universal Traveller Malaysia created the team's ensemble (note: Malaysia only has a single athlete at the Games, and I couldn't find a photo online so this is a publicity photo posted by the designer), which includes a knee-length white puffer coat with "MALAYSIA" down the front in black lettering, a black-lined hood, white pants, a white earflap beanie with black lines and a flag insignia on the cuff, black and white gloves, and Bean boots.

 

MALTA: The Maltese team is in hip-length navy puffer jackets with red zippers, navy pants, red beanies, and white mittens. The red zippers really make everything pop. 

MOROCCO: The Moroccans' uniform is a red jacket with an angular black panel on the front outlined in white, with red pants, a black knit cap with a red logo, and black gloves. 

MEXICO: The Mexican team is wearing a Charly-designed light gray hooded jacket with pink and grey embroidery forming a yoke and green shading to grey ombre sleeves, black pants, mixed styles of black hats (ballcap, beanie, headband), and black gloves. 

MOLDOVA: The Moldovians are in hip-length light blue puffer coats with matching gloves, black pants, dark gold knit scarves, and bright red beanies. The colors look odd together until you see they're the colors of the flag.  

MONACO: Monaco's sole athlete/flagbearer is in metallic silver pants and platform moon boots, a white sweater with metallic silver sleeves and a large metallic silver snowflake on the front, and a white beanie. His outfit looks like an "unusual materials" sewing challenge where the material is a Mylar blanket. [Note: We see later that this is what all the flagbearers wear to bring their flags into the arena later in the ceremony.]

MONGOLIA: These uniforms were created in a collaboration with cashmere manufacturer Goyol, and are based on a traditional high-collared cloak called a deel, which is worn worn for special occasions, with a tall fur hat. The deel is midnight blue and has an embroidered brown belt edged with bright pink, the matching blue conical hat is edged with white fur, white scarves with "MONGOLIA" in black lettering, and white gloves. The flagbearer's deel has more elaborate embroidered trim and short sleeves, and is open in front, revealing an ice blue satin dress with the same embroidered belt as the others. 

MONTENEGRO: The athletes are in dark grey jackets with darker grey inserts on the sides and the bottom of the sleeves, with black pants (one group has noticeably slimmer cut pants), and some have black or gray beanies. A few people have black and white gloves, and one person has a green version of the jacket. 

NIGERIA: Nigeria's single athlete and his coach have bright green & white vertically striped short jackets with a short fringe detail across the chest, wide-legged green pants with white cargo pockets, and white traditional style headpieces. 

NORWAY: Dale of Norway incorporated traditional geometric Nordic patterns in the team's white jackets with blue-grey-lined hoods and the word "NORGE" on the back in blue with a blue stripe above and a red stripe below, blue-gray pants, red and white traditional wool quarter-zip sweaters, red beanies, blue-gray mittens. and gray and tan boots. A few athletes are wearing their sweaters tucked in, with white suspenders over them. 
Fun Fact: Dale of Norway has dressed Team Norway at the Olympics for 70 years, its first time being at the 1956 Olympics which were also held in Cortina d'Ampezzo!

NEW ZEALAND: This is the first time the team's uniforms were designed by a NZ-based company, in this case, outdoor wear maker Kathmandu. The uniform includes a black puffer coat with large cargo pockets, black pants, a black beanie or headband, and white mittens with black palms. The flagbearers are also wearing the traditional feathered cloak called a kākahu. With the exception of the flagbearer, it looks boring. But warm. 

NETHERLANDS: Designed by Dutch company Denham, the orange and black color scheme is a nod to the 1972 Dutch Olympic team uniform. Athletes are in hip-length orange puffer coats with black zippers, black and orange pants, orange beanies with oversized black pompoms, and bright orange sneakers (apparently that's where some people drew the line; there are also more than a few non-orange shoes in each group). A few people are wearing black gloves. 

PAKISTAN: The team's sole competitor and flagbearer is wearing a diagonally divided green and white knee-length jacket and matching pants, with a white ballcap and a white scarf tucked into his collar. This is a great look.   

POLAND: The Polish team is wearing knee-length pale gray coats with black zippers and the word "POLSKA" down the front in red lettering, over darker gray pants, with red knit hats and white boots with red details, please black gloves for some groups. There also seemed to be a zip-front red layer underneath the coat. And these people were PARTYING. My favorite was the girl being carried overhead in a split. And the guy carrying her. 

PUERTO RICO: Team PR is wearing thigh-length white coats over red flared pants with black inserts at the hem, with bright blue fur bucket hats and red gloves. Their flag bearer is wearing a high-low ruffled white skirt, tall white boots, and a cropped red jacket designed to look like the flag over a black jersey. She has red silk flowers in her hair instead of a hat. 

PORTUGAL: This team is wearing hip-length white jackets with black zippers and trim, navy pants, and black gloves, beanies, and boots.    

ROMANIA: The Romanians are in hip-length white puffer coats with a purplish-blue pattern at the bottom and on one sleeve, dark blue pants, white beanies, and black gloves. Several people appear to have wide black suspenders dangling beneath their jackets. 

SAN MARINO: The team is wearing long navy jackets with baby blue stripes on the underside of the sleeves and baby blue lining the hood, with navy pants and no hats or gloves. 

SERBIA: The Serbs have knee-length black puffer coats with white yokes, white fur-trimmed hoods, and white sleeves, and a wide red band running down the front of the coat, over navy pants, with navy beanies with a large red insignia on the front. 

SINGAPORE: These athletes are wearing knee-length taupe coats with black pants, cream knit scarves tucked inside their collars, and black gloves. They look very elegant but also vaguely clerical.  

SLOVAKIA: This team is in bright blue mottled short puffer jackets, bright blue pants, blue and cream fleece beanies with a similar pattern, matching blue and cream fleece jackets as an underlayer, and some of the groups have matching bright blue gloves. 

SLOVENIA: Team Slovenia has calf-length white coats with navy yokes edged with wide lime green stripes, over blue pants, with white beanies and two-toned lime green gloves. 

SPAIN: The Spanish team is wearing hip-length red jackets with gold shoulder patches and gold hood linings, red pants with gold triangles at the hip (and gold lining, which shows when a few athletes cuff the pants), black beanies with red pompoms, and black gloves. 

SOUTH AFRICA: The South African uniform is a short white hooded jacket with forest green inserts at the sides and triangles at the bottom and green hood lining, with slim fitting white pants, forest green beanies with small pompoms, and white gloves. 

SWEDEN: Designed by the Japanese company Uniqlo, which has been teaming with Sweden for the past 7 Olympic cycles, the Swedes are wearing long navy jackets with gold zippers and "SWEDEN" in gold across the back, navy pants, gold or blue scarves, gold or blue beanies with striped cuffs and pompoms, and navy sneakers with gold soles (some groups are in black sneakers). 

SWITZERLAND: Team Swiss is in red jackets with a white hem and white swirled patterns across the red, white pants with gray knee patches, white beanies with "SUI+" in metallic silver on the cuff, gray gloves with black palms, and white boots with black trim. The Predazzo contingent is really working the crowd! 

CHINESE TAIPEI: This team is wearing thigh-length (well, knee-length on one rather petite woman) hooded white coats with black zippers, black pants, and black gloves with long cuffs. 

THAILAND: Team Thai is in bright blue jackets with red, white, and blue stripes across the chest and  white inserts on the sides, with matching blue pants (the flagbearers have black pants), and black beanies. Several of the athletes put their hands together and bow to the camera as they pass, which is simply delightful.  

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The team is wearing black hooded short puffer jackets, red (men) or white  (women) pants, and black beanies. 

TURKIYE: Designed by Adidas, the Turkish team is in knee-length red coats with "TURKIYE" in white lettering down the front, black pants, red beanies, and black gloves.  

UKRAINE: Echoing the colors of their flag, the Ukrainians are wearing short gold hooded jackets, blue pants with black inserts at the ankle, blue beanies, black boots, and black gloves. 

HUNGARY: Wearing an Adidas design, the Hungarians are in knee-length white coats with black zippers and "HUNGARY" down the front in black lettering, dark green pants and beanies, and black mittens. 

URUGUAY: Designed by Pelliot, the Uruguayan uniform is a calf-length white hooded puffer coat, white pants, white gloves, and no hat.

UZBEKISTAN: This team is in thigh-length baby blue jackets, slightly lighter blue pants, a white scarf with "UZBEKISTAN" in aqua lettering and lime green and blue stripes at the end, a white beanie with blue and lime green stripes on the cuff, and blue and white sneaker-style boots. 

VENEZUELA: The Venezuelan contingent of two is dressed in bright blue slim fit pants, white jackets with one blue and one red sleeve and a gold collar, a navy ballcap with "VEN" in gold on the front and a red underbrim, and black shoes with white laces. 

USA: Here comes Team USA! Dressed in Ralph Lauren, they are wearing knee-length hooded white wool coats (the flagbearer has a navy coat) with large wooden buttons, over knit sweaters bearing a red, white, and blue flower pattern as well as the US flag and the Olympic rings, white pants, work boots with red laces, and navy hats with braided strings emblazoned with a flower pattern matching the sweater. 

FRANCE: From the French design house Le Coq Sportif, the French team uniforms reflect an "icy color palette" evoking the mountains, and also the tricolor French flag. Athletes are in white belted cargo jackets and pants, with gray and white vertical striped beanies, with pink and blue hood linings and  matching pink and blue patterned gloves, and gray and white moon boots. Many are also carrying metallic gold water bottles in their voluminous pockets.

ITALY: We end the parade with our hosts, the Italians (who enter to a funky remix of Rossini's "Figaro"), and of COURSE Team Italy was dressed by Armani; specifically, Emporio Armani’s sports brand, EA7. They are wearing charcoal gray short jackets with a red, white, and green striped hem and cuffs and red, white, and green lined hoods, gray pleated pants, white knit pompom beanies with narrow red and green vertical stripes and "ITALIA" vertically in black lettering between the stripes for women or headbands with "ITALIA" printed horizontally for men, and black gloves. 

The Parade of Nations is over, and now we get back to the spectacular performances! The announcer officially welcomes the athletes, and we cut to a video showing Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore sitting on her couch, apparently watching the telecast, when suddenly huge versions of the Olympic stoat mascots appear behind her. She hugs them, then opens a book on Olympic history and is pulled into the book as a cartoon version of herself, zooming through past Winter Olympics venues (also in cartoon form). We go as far back as Chamonix in 1924, until cartoon Sabrina falls off an eagle, landing...as herself, wearing a gold and silver catsuit with a silver jacket, in the middle of the Olympic stadium in Milan, surrounded by dancers wearing historic Olympic costumes. Various characters move her around the stage through the scenes and eras, reenacting various winter sports in different decades, until, having traded her silver jacket for a shaggy fur coat, which she sheds as she is surrounded by snowboarders, she wanders onto the empty stage, running to the center and dancing, calling  other dancers, similarly clad in metallic catsuits but also in white fur helmets with sunglasses on their heads, to join her.  There is dancing, there is hugging, and there are fake snowflakes falling. 

The stage clears and a beautiful woman in a black sequin gown begins to awkwardly walk down the stairs. It is Italian actress and comedian Brenda Lodigiani, whose microphone is not functioning so she mimes her speech, since Italians speak with their hands anyway. (Maybe it's funnier if you're Italian, but I didn't find it especially funny.) The microphone works again just in time for her to say, "Welcome to Italy!" 

There is dramatic lighting as a huge group of flagbearers enter the ceremony. They are all wearing metallic silver pants and white sweaters with metallic silver sleeves and a large metallic snowflake on the front, and white beanies. The file onto the dais and ramp between the two ranks of seated athletes. In time with the music, they all raise their flags and tips them from side to side in unison, a visible symbol of "armonia," or harmony. 

The announcer introduces the President of the Italian Olympic Organizing Committee, Giovanni Malago, and the President of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry. Malago welcomes the crowd to Milano and Cortina, reminding them of Italy's history of hosting the Games, and mentions the values of excellence, friendship, and self-respect personified by the Games. He describes the beauty of Italy as a gift to be shared with the world, offering the beautiful statement: "Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."  After thanking the usual suspects and expressing his national pride and his hope for "armonia" engendered by the universal language of sport, he turns the microphone over to Coventry. 

Coventry greets the usual dignitaries and again welcomes the crowd, addressing the athletes in all the venues, recalling her own Olympic experiences. She ends by thanking the many volunteers assisting in the Games, and all the torchbearers, as we anticipate the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. She tells the athletes, "Let your flame spark hope. Let it ignite joy, and light the way for all of us." She then cedes the floor to Italian President Sergio Mattarella.  

Matterella speaks briefly in Italian, flames shoot up from around the arena stage, and we cut to another video montage, this time of the Olympic flame. We see the torch lit in Athens, escorted on planes, handed off, travelling over bridges and past historic Italian locations including the Colosseum, in a whitewater raft, carried by athletes in wheelchairs, through crowded streets and empty caverns, past the Parthenon, being put on a helicopter and climbing up a mountain, traveling in a horse-drawn cart and on horseback and bicycle, past cheering crowds of every shape and size, finally approaching the arena. We cut back to the interior of the arena, where Andrea Bocelli sings Nessun Dorma while wearing (I can only assume) an Armani suit. Could anything be more Italian than that? As the song draws to an end, two torch bearers slowly walk past Bocelli, passing the torch to a trio of athletes at the edge of the stage, and they slowly follow the spiral of the stage, passing the torch to a second trio as the song ends. The music changes as this trio walks to the outside of the spiral, leaving the arena. 

The music changes and a group of black and white-clad dancers enters, accompanying a tall figure in white. It is Italian rapper Ghali, who begins to recite a poem as the dancers swirl around him. Recorded voices in Italian and English join in and the dance continues.  

The dancers move out to form a circle around the stage, and Charlize Theron enters, wearing a sleek black dress. 

She quotes "a message of peace" from Nelson Mandela, and then a group of six people dressed in black process into the stadium carrying the Olympic flag, as the announcers introduce each of them.

The flag makes its way to the base of the platform, to an honor guard dressed in black with bright blue capes, who steps in to take the flag and carry it up to the base of the flagpoles. We cut to Cortina, where two athletes hand off the flag to uniformed guards who prepare to raise the flag there. The crowd stands for the Olympic anthem, which is played on the piano by Lang Lang and sung (in English) by Cecilia Bartoli, accompanied by a youth choir, as the flags in both locations are slowly raised. 

The Olympic Oath is recited in Cortina by a group of six Italian athletes and judges, then we cut back to the arena in Milan, where the giant head composers do a choreographed dance as they lead the crowd in the song Milano e Cortina.

Next we hear a brass fanfare, which leads into the opening strains of Beethoven's Ode to Joy and we see a starry galaxy projected onto the Arch of Constantine. We move back into the arena, where a young girl is examining a model of the solar system. She quotes a female astronomer as Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti approaches. They are joined by dancers with gold disks around their necks, and others with lighted rings around their necks. 

The dance ends and we again welcome the Olympic flame into the arena. For the first time, there are two cauldrons that will host the flame, one in Milano and one in Cortina. We see a pair of athletes carrying the torch in Milano, then they hand it off to Enrico Fabris, then we cut to an athlete in Cortina, Gustav Thoni, who passes it to Sofia Goggia. We cut back to Fabris, who approaches the Arch of Constantine, under which is suspended a lighted blue ring. 

Fabris waves to the crowd, lifting the torch, then passes it to a pair of athletes under the arch, Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni. The platform they are on rises up, and they lift the torch, which ignites the flame at the center of the ring, which turns red. 

Back in Cortina, Goggia stands on a platform next to a similar lighted ring, this one raised on a huge tripod. She extends her torch to it and the center flame ignites. 

Back at the arena in Milano, we see the astronaut and the young girl again, holding the lighted globe. We cut back to the cauldron and a huge display of fireworks begins above the Arch of Constantin. Inside the stadium, the Olympic rings overhead burst into flame. 

The Games are officially declared open, and the Opening Ceremonies are over. 

Let the Games begin!