I know that just about everyone that reads my little ramblings knows that I’m a veteran and my wife is Active Duty.  (And if you didn’t you do now. *grin*) We’re dong wonderfully this holiday season.  We’re lucky enough to be together, lucky enough to have more than we need in the way of income and lucky enough to have help whenever we need it.

We’re doing fine, but there are a lot of Military families who are struggling this Holiday season.  You probably know that the Military doesn’t pay junior NCO’s very well.  For those with families and only one income, or those of us who have suffered some kind of financial setback (and who doesn’t when they’re young, as most of these guys and girls are), or for veterans and their families that are pulling it together after being wounded in action, the holidays can be a time of great stress.  For others, Mom or Dad is away this season.  Money is tight and spirits are low for both the parents and their children.

These brave men and women serve to provide us with the freedom we take for granted every day.  Their duty is to serve the needs of this country and they need our help.  Sears has given us a way to do just that.

Please visit the Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry and donate what you can.  Every dollar counts, no sum is too small.  Sears disburses the money to all families who have registered with the program in the form of a gift card so that these families can afford to give their children and loved ones the Christmas they deserve. Consider it a “Thank You” for the people who have sworn to do everything and give everything to ensure that we all have the opportunity to live in the greatest country in the world today.

Am I writing this because I’m getting paid for it?

No. This is a sponsored opportunity, but the money I would have earned from this post is being donated to Autism Speaks in my son’s name.  I don’t take opportunities like this for the money.  I take them because I feel privileged to help spread the word about a great cause. (and if this program was on the list of options I have to donate to, I would have sent the money there.  Instead, I’ll be dropping off a few dollars there tonight.)

Am I going to profit from this with a gift card?

No.  As I said, we’re doing just fine.  I don’t need the help for my wife or my son, so my name is not in the pot for this.  I would just like to see a few families that don’t have much get the opportunity to put a smile on the faces of their children this Christmas morning.

Please, even if its only a few dollars, it’s worth it.

Thanks for listening, and to you and yours, a very Merry Christmas, or a happy and joyful season, regardless of which holiday you celebrate.

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For the first time in 40 years, I’ve strung the entire front of a house with Christmas lights. it was a bit of work, yes, but I’m just loving the heck out of it! We’re going nuts decorating this year, since it’s the first time we really get to do so since we’ve been married. Lights are up, tomorrow the 7 foot tree in my yard gets decorated, as does the flowerbed fence, with garland, ribbon and its own lights.

As for the inside of the house, a massive 7.5 x 5′ tree goes up, all 400 lights aglow.  Ornaments, wall hangings and the christmas music won’t stop playing until December 25th.  There will eb cookis, candies, cakes and lots of turkey leftovers!

I Friggin’ Love Christmas!

What about you?  Are you feelin’ the spirit yet, or still scroogin’ it up after Turkey day?

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This is a true story sent to my wife.  It was so hilarious I just had to pass it along!

*PREGNANT TURKEY STORY *

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister’s
house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my
sister is, my mom decided to play a trick.

She told my sister that she needed something from the
store. When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of
the oven. She removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen,
inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey.

She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.

When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey
out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing.

When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and
pulled out the little bird. With a look of total shock on
her face, my mother exclaimed,

‘Patricia,
You’ve cooked a pregnant bird!’

At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started
to cry. It took the family two hours to convince her that
turkeys lay eggs!

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Thanksgiving this year was both a challenge and a pleasure. The pre-Turkey Day prep didn’t go as planned, which left us making a full dinner, both indoors and out in less than four hours. (And Thank God for smoker grills!)  I’m not totally used to our new oven, and there just isn’t enough room for the two of us in that kitchen.  Thankfully we’ll be looking to buy a home at our next duty station.

The meal, however frazzled its prep may have been, was fabulous.  I started things off with something that was traditional at all of my holiday gatherings as a kid.  Growing up in a predominantly Italian community, the antipasto platter was present at any large gathering, and I couldn’t have friends over without laying out one of my own.

This one featured Prosciutto, Mortadella, Sopresetta, Mozzarella, Italian Dry Salami, Garlic stuffed olives, ripe black olives, pepperoncini, pepper jack cheese (a nod to Sonoma, my home town and the place that pepper jack was invented) a variety of veggies and the ranch dip that came with the store-bought veggie platter. Poor thing never had a chance

From there we moved to an abridged version of my original T-Day menu, but really there was still more than anyone could have put a serious dent into.

This year’s dinner was turkey, ham, roast beef, traditional Southern cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, ham gravy collard greens, rolls and twice baked sweet potato casserole.  More than enough for four adults and 1 1/2 kids, wouldn’t you say?

The surprise star of the show was the ham.  Since I didn’t have enough time to cook it as I had planned to the night before, I fired up my smoker and tossed its spiral-sliced butt (pun intended) into a tray and into a 350 degree smoke box.  I’ve never had better, and it just became a hodidy prerequisite.  It’s simple and its fabulous.

After several hours of chatting and absorbing good company, we went our respective ways and a good portion of the food was packaged up.  The turkey I made the day before Thanksgiving, half the leftover dressing and the cranberry sauce was delivered to the dormitories for Airmen that could not make it home for the holidays.

My wife was showered with thank-yous and even a few tears. Good wishes sent to me through her and in the end, a few people that would have otherwise had a less than enjoyable holiday got to go to bed happy and full with a home cooked meal to warm them.  Whatever trouble I went through to make that happen was worth all the effort, and has already been forgotten.  I’ll do it again, happily.

And there you have it folks, a perfect day of giving thanks.  i’ll remember this one for a very long time.

Oh, and be looking for the perfect apple pie recipe to show on my front page very soon.  The one our friends brought is the best I’ve ever had.  Of course I got the recipe.

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This is the third in a series of three white chocolate mousse tartlets for the holiday season, look to the end of the article for other recipes.

Although all three of the white chocolate mousse tartlets in this series have the same simple base, the toppings (or additions, if you would like to mix them in with the mousse) make all the difference.  They elevate what is in its own right something magnificent.  This is my personal favorite among the three.

The cranberry compote contrasts wonderfully against the sweet silkiness of the white chocolate mousse in a way it never could against a milk or dark chocolate.  The flavors start out in-your-face, but then blend into something I can only describe as a symphony of flavors and textures unlike any I’ve had before, but I’ll be looking for it in other foods.

If I had to give a description of the way this tartlet tastes, I think I’d compare it to cranberry juice and vanilla bean ice cream, but that really does it no justice. It’s just so much more than that.  You really just have to make this for yourself and see what the end result is.  Trust me, you’ll love it.  I did, and i usually can’t stand white chocolate.

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This is the second in a series of three white chocolate mousse tartlets for the holiday season, look to the end of the article for other recipes.

This version of white chocolate mousse tartlet bears the same humble base of white chocolate mousse and mini fillo pastry shell as the others in this series, but the flavor combinations are most decidedly more refined.  Topped with toasted macadamias, macerated golden raisins and white chocolate chips, this tartlet is awash with subtle yet intensely different flavors and textures that will tantilize even the most fearsome food snob in your group of friends.

The silky mousse is contrasted wonderfully by the crunch of the white chocolate chip, fillo dough and macadamias, while the raisin packs a small but very potent burst of flavor that is beyond heavenly.

Note: this is an adult treat.  There’s too much alcohol in this particular version for the kiddies!

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If you’re looking for a bit of “wow” factor at your next dinner or dessert party, give these little guys a go.  They’re number one in a series of three white chocolate tartlets that will have anyone you serve them to thinking you are a pastry chef extraordinaire, even though they are quite simple to make.

Not only are these little tartlets simple, elegant and, of course extremely tasty, they’re the perfect dessert for a larger gathering, since prep can be done on sheet pans or directly on serving platters.  Just lay them out and let your guests, friends or family dive in.  The taste is something like vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with caramel, but a bit subtler, so these should appeal to just about anyone!

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This mousse was originally made to be a part of a different article, nothing more than a part of a larger recipe, but once it was made I had to put the mousse itself in the place it deserves to be.  Firmly in the spotlight.

Let me start by saying this:  I am not a huge white chocolate fan.  Generally speaking I’d rather be going for dark chocolate, or better, chocolate toffee. This recipe may have changed my mind.

This mousse is light, delicate, fluffy, airy, silky, velvety and other adjectives I just can’t come up with at the moment.  Basically it’s like eating a slightly whipped-cream flavored cloud, but with the flavor intensified by a factor of 100.  I could sit and just spoon down a cup of this mousse without ever trying hard, though a full cup might be a little much for anyone.

The mousse is simplicity in itself to make and could be used for any number of absolutely decadent desserts.  Drop a dollop on a pie the next time you were craving whipped cream, use it as a substitute for butter cream in a cake recipe, the filling for a pie or tart, or as a classic mousse.  My personal favorite way to eat it is drizzled with a bit of fruit compote and a spoon ;-)

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I can usually avoid desserts, but cheesecake is my weakness.  I can’t be in the same room with a cheesecake and not just have to have some.  It was love at first bite for me, and it’s a love affair I’m happy to say is still alive and well. That’s why when I saw a recipe for Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake on the cover of a store circular, I knew I just had to make it.

I’m glad I did.  The result was an intensely mousse-like custard with the subtle flavor of a pumpkin pie covered in melting vanilla ice cream.  And you don’t need any ice cream!  This really is one for the “go to” list of recipes, especially if you’re looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie for the holidays.

A word of warning though.  This is a massive cheesecake.  You probably won’t want to make this unless you’ve either  got help polishing it off, or you’re addicted to the gym.  It’s good enough that you won’t be able to stop eating it, and according to the information on the unmodified version, each slice is going to cost you about a quarter of a recommended daily caloric intake. (My version is most definitely higher in calories.)

This thing is like pumpkin flavored crack.  It’s addictive.  You have been warned.

Now where’s my dessert plate?

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For those of you with an interest in what will be on other people’s tables this Thanksgiving, I thought I’d lay out our plans for the holiday.  For us, Holiday dinners are a week-long affair, and like any other holiday, I’ve already begun on this one.  I’d rather spend the actual day chatting with my friends and family than being “the cook”, because the whole point of a holiday like this one is enjoying each others company, don’t you think?

Well, that and the leftovers…  I love that part.

Our 2008 Thanksgiving Menu

• Deviled Eggs, 2 types.  One spicy and one not
• Crab dip and a platter of “stuff” to dip into it with
• An Antipasto platter
• Roast Turkey (2 of ‘em)
• Cranberry Sauce
• Turkey giblet gravy
• Brown gravy
• Southern cornbread dressing
• Ham braised in wine, onions, apples and cloves
• Garlic and herb smashed potatoes
• Cloverleaf dinner rolls
• Twice baked sweet potato casserole with crispy bacon
• Green bean casserole (for the rest of us)
• Butter and herb sweet corn
• Collard greens with bacon and garlic
• Pumpkin Pie
• Bourbon pecan pie
• about 6 kinds of cookies

And to top all of that off, our guests are bringing a rosast and an apple pie.  Think that’s enough food?

We had worked out a schedule for the week prior, but I’ve already pretty much blown that.  Tomorrow will be hectic!  At this point I’ve made turkey stock, got the cornbread for the dressing done and have my shopping list ready to go.  Changes may still happen.  I’ll keep you posted on what we get done throughout the week, because come Turkey day the only things I want in the oven are things that have to be cooked right then and there!

Happy Holidays everyone.

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