Still have that "charcoaled turkey" smell in the air at your house? Okay, so it was a little well done.)

So, did ole' Tom stay in the oven just a little (or a lot) too long? Were your local firefighters unexpected guests at your meal yesterday? (Hey, there IS a reason why they work on holidays, isn't there?)

There is a silver lining to burning the bird, honest. Check out these twelve reasons to be thankful your bird was, well, let's just say, incinerated!

* Salmonella won't be a concern.

*No one will overeat.

*Everyone will think it's Cajun Blackened.

*Uninvited guests will think twice next year.

*Your cheese broccoli lima bean casserole will gain
new found appreciation.

*Pets won't pester for scraps.

*The smoke alarm was due for a test.

*Carving the bird will provide a good cardiovascular workout.

*After dinner, the guys can take the bird out to the yard
and play football.

*The less turkey Uncle George eats, the less likely he will be to walk
around with his pants unbuttoned.

*You'll get to dessert quicker.

* You won't be eating turkey sandwiches for the next three weeks.

So, simply grit your teeth, smile, and go shopping!! Shopping cures most ills!! (or so it seems!)

** Yeah, I did run this one last year but I really do think it makes you smile!!

Happy Thanksgiving to All !!!

"...No one will remember the perfect Thanksgiving anyway. Five and ten years from now, family and friends will be laughing over the time the turkey burned and you had to order in Chinese food. Or the impossibly hard biscuits Aunt Beth insisted on making every year. All the perfect food will be long forgotten. ...relax and enjoy [yourself]. It's the mishaps and the funny incidents that create the best memories --Sophie"

So says Krista Davis in The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

As you rush about today, doing all those last minute preps for the big meal, keep these words in mind. They are, oh, so true. Go ahead and ask your family about their most memorable Thanksgivings (if you dare). I'm sure the ones that stand out will be the "imperfect" events. A bonus of doing this is the laughs you'll all share as a family reliving those unique memories.

Want to read some tales of Thanksgiving meals gone wrong? Check out this thread on the Etsy Forum. There's everything from a turkey flying off the tray across the kitchen and right into the dining room, to flour covering the cat just as the doorbell rings, to a miraculous diving catch of mashed potatoes. Some of these will make your worst story sound pretty good.


Now, go ahead and get that pie in the oven, today!

Then, sit down and have a glass of wine while you contemplate all the rest of that work.

ENJOY !!!

So, you burned the turkey...

So, did ole' Tom stay in the oven just a little (or a lot) too long? Were your local firefighters unexpected guests at your meal yesterday? (Hey, there IS a reason why they work on holidays, isn't there?There is a silver lining to burning the bird, honest. Check out these twelve reasons to be thankful your bird was, well, let's just say, incinerated!

* Salmonella won't be a concern.

*No one will overeat.

*Everyone will think it's Cajun Blackened.

*Uninvited guests will think twice next year.

*Your cheese broccoli lime a bean casserole will gain
new found appreciation.

*Pets won't pester for scraps.

*The smoke alarm was due for a test.

*Carving the bird will provide a good cardiovascular workout.

*After dinner, the guys can take the bird out to the yard
and play football.

*The less turkey Uncle George eats, the less likely he will be to walk
around with his pants unbuttoned.

*You'll get to dessert quicker.

* You won't be eating turkey sandwiches for the next three weeks.

So, simply grit your teeth, smile, and go shopping!! Shopping cures most ills!! (or so it seems!)

Gobble! Gobble! - Waddle! Waddle!

Ahhh! Home from our second Thanksgiving meal of the week and feeling full!

No, he didn't eat off the table with us but he sure tried!

For the last 18 years or so, we've had Thanksgiving Dinner at my sister-in-law's. This year was no exception she has it down to an art and it seems to be flawless in all ways that count. ( Kudos to H!!!!)

We do, however, miss having leftovers at home this way. So, every year, somewhere close to Thanksgiving Day, we prepare a full turkey dinner, complete with all the appropriate sides, at home, too. Sometimes we have guests and sometimes it's just us. This year, I cooked on Wednesday and it was just us. Yep, just us and an 18 1/2 lb turkey and enough food to feed a family of at least 10!!! We definitely have leftovers, now!!

Those dark spots are simply the seasoned rub we used.
It was done perfectly!!

I'd have normally waited a week or so but I earned a free frozen turkey at my regular market and it didn't fit in the freezer. So, what's a gal to do? Thaw and bake, obviously. We also usually do our turkeys on the outdoor smoker but this dude was way too plump to fit under the hood.

I'd love to say that means I don't need to do any cooking for a few days but we've committed to a number of get-togethers all of which involve "bringing something". None of the "somethings" should be leftovers! So, I'll be back in the kitchen in the morning.

Tomorrow we'll be attending a Pie Party at my cousin's. She used to do a full sit-down Thanksgiving meal for the crowd, with everyone bringing an assigned dish but at some point, folks do get "turkeyed out," no matter how much they enjoy the menu. So, a few years ago, she revamped and renamed it. Now, everyone brings a pie and a finger food of some sort. It's really fun trying a bit of this and a bit of that. Amazingly, there is very little duplication in the pie arena. I think we each consider it a challenge to come up with something different and unique.

It took me till just a few minutes ago to decide what I'm making. (This is an annual event so I've had lots of time to plan.) I found a peach pie with a struesel type topping and you can use canned peaches in it. Sounds very simple and looks beautiful in the picture. Maybe I'll share a pic tomorrow with you.

Hope y'all had a great day, too!

Countdown to turkey...

"...No one will remember the perfect Thanksgiving anyway. Five and ten years from now, family and friends will be laughing over the time the turkey burned and you had to order in Chinese food. Or the impossibly hard biscuits Aunt Beth insisted on making every year. All the perfect food will be long forgotten. ...relax and enjoy [yourself]. It's the mishaps and the funny incidents that create the best memories --Sophie"

So says Krista Davis in The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

As you rush about today, doing all those last minute preps for the big meal, keep these words in mind. They are, oh, so true. Go ahead and ask your family about their most memorable Thanksgivings (if you dare). I'm sure the ones that stand out will be the "imperfect" events. A bonus of doing this is the laughs you'll all share as a family reliving those unique memories.

Want to read some tales of Thanksgiving meals gone wrong? Check out this thread on the Etsy Forum. There's everything from a turkey flying off the tray across the kitchen and right into the dining room, to flour covering the cat just as the doorbell rings, to a miraculous diving catch of mashed potatoes. Some of these will make your worst story sound pretty good.


Now, go ahead and get that pie in the oven, today!

Then, sit down and have a glass of wine while you contemplate all the rest of that work.

ENJOY !!!

Martha's not coming!?!?!

Oh No!!!
I just received this email from my cousin, our hostess for our family get-together:

Dear Family and Friends:

I know that you were eager to accept our family's invitation to Thanksgiving dinner when you found out that the famous Martha Stewart would be joining us. However, due to scheduling conflicts beyond her control, Ms Stewart finds that she is unable to grace our table this year. With that in mind, there will be a few minor changes regarding the meal and decor, as outlined below. Please be aware of them, and adjust your appetite and dress appropriately.

Thank you

1) Our driveway will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries. After several trial runs and two visits from the fire department, it was decided that, no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.

2) Once inside, please note that the entry space will not be decorated with swags of Indian corn and fall foliage. Instead, we included our dog in decorating by having him track in colorful autumn leaves from the back yard. The mud was his idea.

3) The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy china, or crystal goblets. If possible, we will use dishes that match and everyone will get a fork. Since this is Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the paper SpongeBob dinner plates, the leftover Halloween napkins, and our plastic cup collection.

4) Our centerpiece will not be a tower of fresh fruit and flowers. Instead we will be proudly displaying a hedgehog-like decoration hand-crafted from the finest construction paper and pine cones. The artist assures me it is a turkey, albeit one without wings, legs, or a beak.

5) We will be dining somewhat later than planned. However, our daughter will entertain you while you wait. I'm sure she will be happy to share every choice comment her mother made regarding Thanksgiving, pilgrims, stuffing choices, the turkey hotline, and, especially, her husband. Please remember that most of these comments were made at 7:00AM upon discovering that said husband had only remembered to pull the turkey from the freezer at 6:00 AM, and that the thing was still hard enough to cut diamonds.

6) As an accompaniment to our daughter's recital of these events, I will play a recording of Native American tribal drumming. Curiously, the tribal drumming sounds a great deal like a frozen turkey in a clothes dryer, but that only enhances the holiday appropriateness. If our daughter should mention that we don't own a recording of Native American tribal drumming, ignore her. She's only nine; what does she know?

7) A dainty silver bell will not be rung to announce the start of our feast. We have chosen to keep our traditional method of assembling when the smoke alarm goes off.

8) There will be no formal seating arrangement. When the smoke alarm sounds, please gather around the table and sit where you like. In the spirit of harmony, we will ask all the children to sit at a separate table. In a separate room. Next door. And I would like to take this opportunity to remind our younger diners that "passing the rolls" is neither a football play nor an excuse to bean your cousin in the head with bread.

9) The turkey will not be carved at the table. I know you have seen the Norman Rockwell image of one person carving a turkey in front of a crowd of appreciative onlookers. Such a scene may occur somewhere in America, but it won't be happening at our dinner table. For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in the kitchen at a private ceremony. I stress "private", meaning Do not, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh at me. Do not send small, unsuspecting children, or older, helpful grandparents into the kitchen to check on my progress. I have a very large, very sharp knife. The turkey is unarmed. It stands to reason that I will eventually win the battle. When I do, we will eat.

10) For the duration of the meal, we will refer to the gravy by its lesser-known name: Kraft Cheese Sauce. If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or makeup of the Kraft Cheese Sauce, smile kindly and say that you know the answer, but it's a secret that can't be revealed to them until they are 18.

11) Instead of offering a choice among 12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin pie, garnished with whipped cream and dog tongue marks. You still have a choice: take it or leave it.

That concludes our list of alterations. Again, I apologize that Martha will not be joining us this year. Come to think of it, she probably won't come next year, either.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Last minute Thanksgiving advice --

"...No one will remember the perfect Thanksgiving anyway. Five and ten years from now, family and friends will be laughing over the time the turkey burned and you had to order in Chinese food. Or the impossibly hard biscuits Aunt Beth insisted on making every year. All the perfect food will be long forgotten. ...relax and enjoy [yourself]. It's the mishaps and the funny incidents that create the best memories --Sophie"

So says Krista Davis in The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

As you rush about today, doing all those last minute preps for the big meal, keep these words in mind. They are, oh, so true. Go ahead and ask your family about their most memorable Thanksgivings (if you dare). I'm sure the ones that stand out will be the "imperfect" events. A bonus of doing this is the laughs you'll all share as a family reliving those unique memories.
Now, go ahead and get that pie in the oven, today!

Then, sit down and have a glass of wine while you contemplate all the rest of that work.

ENJOY !!!

Christmas Countdown is Accelerating!

Okay, so you know what they say about the best laid plans. So much for my 30-Day Countdown to Christmas - I missed two days completely! I guess it's now down to a 24-Day Countdown.

Thanksgiving Day and the Friday and Saturday afterward seemed to fly by. I barely got my thoughts together, let alone find time to write them down. We don't do the big dinner at our house. We are always invited elsewhere and only need to bring one or two dishes. This does make life easy but I often do wish we had the gang here. I've only had a crowd for Thanksgiving Day once in my own home and I loved it. I also really like the leftovers which there are none of when you eat elsewhere. To make up for it, we always do a whole Thanksgiving style meal for ourselves somewhere around the actual holiday. This year, we did it a few weeks early and did have a guest couple to share it with. As we were leaving for two weeks, we ended up freezing the last of the leftovers and had our own mini-Thanksgiving meal with those last Monday. We've already purchased another turkey for the freezer and will do our own Christmas feast soon, too.

We did enjoy our holiday meal with The Big Guy's brother and his family at their house and were glad to spend time with a niece and nephew we haven't caught up with much this year. They're at that age where they really don't "waste" a lot of time with us old folks. We had a second holiday celebration with my cousins and other family members on Friday when we attended a "Pie Party." A change from the usual full holiday meal, this year everyone was to bring a pie and some sort of finger food or appetizer. This one was fun with a wide array of desserts and a slew of creative nibbles. I intended to take a Peanut Butter Pie made from a recipe my sister has had for years and I've made a few times along the way. However, I started playing on the web looking for even more creative variations and found a better recipe.

I made a few adaptations and received rave reviews for this one. It's a keeper!

Peanut Butter Pie:

2 - 9"cookie crumb crusts (I used chocolate cookie crusts. Original recipe called for graham cracker crusts and another suggestion was to use crushed Nutter Butter cookies. All are wonderful ideas and should work just as well.)
8 oz. cream cheese (lite will work)
1 1/2 C confectioner's sugar
1 cup of milk
1 cup peanut butter
16 oz. Cool Whip (low fat or sugar free will work - although, in the case of the latter, why bother?)
10 oz. chopped peanut butter cups - divided in half

In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar together. Beat in the peanut butter and milk. Fold in the Cool Whip. Stir in half of the chopped peanut butter cups. Fill both crusts with this mixture. Sprinkle the remaining pieces of peanut butter cups over the top of the pies. Chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours before serving. Original recipe called for freezing the pie which creates a more ice cream like consistency. Try one each way!!!

Crafts/Gifts:

As for today's craft/gift idea, try a slight variation on gift baskets. I suggest aprons with pockets for a favorite cook. Spend a few minutes decorating the apron with paints, appliques or even just laundry markers. If the apron is for Grandma, try tracing each child's handprint and labeling each with their name and age. Decorations can be as simple as printing food words all over like: saute, bake, broil, fry, etc. Stuff the pockets with all the ingredients needed for a special meal - for example : pizza crust mix, a jar of tomato sauce, seasonings, a pizza cutter etc. Just before presenting the gift, add a package of shredded cheese and a pack of pepperoni. For a young cook without all the normal kitchen accessories, run through the dollar store and fill the apron with things like wooden spoons, spatulas, etc. Add some recipe cards with some simple, tried and true recipes. If the recipient isn't the apron type, try putting all the cooking accessories in an appropriate pan or even one of the reusable "green" shopping bags available in most markets.

Word to live by:

I watched Disney's Ratatouille for the first time yesterday and loved it! If you're into food or are a Food Network junkie, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it, too. When the movie was over and they featured a few words from Walt Disney himself (Yes, I realize he died many years before this movie was ever imagined.), a phrase he used stuck with me and became my words of wisdom for the day -- "Always Move Forward!" Sounds like a great mantra!