Thanksgiving Success

Photos courtesy of my brother - Thanksgiving Day eats

Final turkey prep


Turkey going in the oven



The spread!


A full plate

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

This list is more of a reminder for me this week, but I wanted to share what we'll be eating this Thursday :)



Apps/Light lunch
Veggies/dip
Chips/Salsa
Hot Spinach/Artichoke dip
Pigs in blanket

Dinner
Herb Roasted Turkey breast (Barefoot Contessa recipe)
Turkey Gravy
Garlic Yukon gold potatoes (recipe)
Stuffing
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potato Casserole (with marshmallows on top!)
Yellow squash Casserole (squash from mom & dad's summer garden)
Green Bean Casserole
Watergate Salad
Fresh yeast rolls

Desserts
Pumpkin Pie (recipe)
Pecan Pie
Fresh whipped cream
Flavored coffee

YUMMY! I can't wait until Thursday!

Holiday Eating Tips

I'm sure most everyone has seen this gem in an email at one time or another. However, I do think it needs repeating with the impending (eat-yourself-silly) holidays.



HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet
table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see
carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum
balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You
cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares
that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going
to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it.
Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of
gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of
your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk
or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a
sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to
control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is
to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.
This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plat e of food and that vat of
eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or
if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor
Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory & celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean,
have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the
party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.
Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Soup for you!

Well, the correct quote from Seinfield would be, "NO Soup for YOU!" But it's not true! Well, at least not at The Original Soupman franchised locations. Although, the website does list the rules for ordering...



We were craving a nice bowl of soup yesterday and decided to try out the 'soup place,' despite its TV reputation. A quick idea of what you can get at the Soupman - everyday they make a soup from the following varieties:

Hot Soups
· One seafood (Lobster, Crab, Shrimp, Seafood Combination, ...) bisque.
· One vegetarian (Black Bean, Lentil, Yankee Bean, Lima Bean, Black Eye Pea, ...)
· One spicy Mexican chili (Turkey, Beef, Chicken, Sausage, Mushroom, Beans, Vegetarian ...)
· One clear broth (Chicken Vegetable, Chicken Broccoli, .......)

And a few other soups such as:
· Barley (Mushroom, Chicken, Beef, Vegetable, Turkey, ...)
· Gumbo (Beef, Chicken, Shrimp, Seafood, Turkey)
· Goulash (Beef, Veal, ...)
· Creamless Vegetable (Asparagus, Mushroom, Potatoes & Corn, ...)

Chilled Soups (in season)

· Gazpacho, Cucumber, Vichyssoise, Fruit, Borscht, ...

You also receive a slice of crusty bread, a piece of fresh fruit and a square of tasty chocolate with your cup or bowl (a cup was enough!). I tried the lobster bisque and Paul had the mushroom barley - both were delicious! You can also get salads, wraps, paninis and sandwiches. We'll be back.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - just in time for fall!


• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used a little more than a cup - I'm a choco-holic)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com