As a kid I was, as are most children, a huge fan of October 31st.  I find that as I got older, I don’t care for the holiday as much, but I was wondering…  What are your Halloween traditions?

Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, is it trick-or-treating or just watching a bunch of scary movies throughout the month?  do you look forward to costume parties and get-togethers or are you more the sit-home and pass out candy type? Are you involved at all, or do you just turn off the porch light and pray you don’t get T-P’ed or, like my sister, do you deck the yard with everything you can imagine to frighten the youn-ones that will invariably be passing your way on October 31st?

Just wondering.  Leave a comment and share in the discussion.

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Have you ever wondered what to do with a leftover ham, especially through the Holidays?  If you’re like us and prefer to have ham on the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as a turkey or roast beef (Or whatever your tradition happens to be), then this quick little throw together might be just what you’ve been looking for as a way to get a bit of new life out of some of your leftover holiday feast.

Almost everyone has a few boxes of mac-n-cheese stuffed somewhere in their pantries.  You may not use it regularly, but I’m sure its in there somewhere.  This recipe calls for two standard sized boxes, but hey, I’m not going to say you can’t make your own Mac and Cheese and make this up either.  It would surely be better, but I always have the boxed stuff, because my son doesn’t prefer homemade yet.

So with a few boxes of noodles, a bit of cheese leftover from an Antipasto platter that I made, a bag of frozen broccoli and a bit of this and that, you can have a beautiful comfort food meal on the table and go through some of those leftovers in the process.  Not a bad deal, is it?

And did I mention that this is freaking wonderful?  It really is.  We actually ate the leftovers of the leftover solution for lunch the next day…  Yup.  It’s that good.

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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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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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I saw this aricle at Voracious yesterday and had to chuckle.  Spam, Turkeys, and Other Food News of the Week

In this article Jonathan Kauffman discusses the truths behind the food writer and thanksgiving.  As he puts it:

Yes, boys and girls, it’s the start of holiday season, in which the nation’s greatest food writers are forced once again to reinvent the wheel. Every November I say a prayer of thanks that I write for an alt-weekly. God bless the Scrooges of the publishing industry.

How to Host a Successful Holiday Meal by Russ Parsons (LA Times): Spoiler alert — it’s all about delegating properly.

Using Salt and Science, We Can Roast a Nearly Perfect Bird by Andreas Viestad (Washington Post): The debates begin — brining or not brining, stuffing or not stuffing. (More critically, did you think to order the turkey yet?) I think this is the recipe I will try this year. It’s a little involved, but if Viestad swears it’s better than Cooks Illustrated…

There’s a lot more to the article, please check it out.  It really is a great piece of writing.

It is indeed that time of year for us Americans, and in fact the time has already passed for our Canadian Friends.  I’ve already had the brining/no brining discussion with a few people myself. (I do not, by the way.  I think that it changes the texture of the bird, and I don’t make a dry turkey, so…) As for stuffing.  Nope. Stuffing is evil.  I dress on the side.  If I’m feeling particualrly Rockwellian I add the dressing to the bird at the end, then toss it back in the oven for a few minutes.

So waht are your thoughts?  Brine or no brine? Stuffing or no stuffing? Smoked, roasted or fried?  Leave a comment and share!

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Well folks, it’s that time of year again. parties, gatherings, family, friends and food are the order of the day for the next month and a half or so. The holidays are here, and here at CbsoP, we’re gearing up for the whole thing, both sweet and savory. It’s looking like there will be a flurry of recipes posted over the next week. Way more than my usual. I hope none of them get lost in the shuffle.

Dessert recipes are on the menu for the next few days.  With Turkey day and thanksgiving approaching rapidly, we’re all going to be looking for all the sweets we can get, and I’m here for you… Or to defeat a year of getting in better shape, one of the two. We’re going to have a slew of tartlets, barks, cookies and who knows what else (I think there’s a pie or two coming… )  it’s gonna be great!

And I’m gonna be fat.  But I suffer for my art, you know?

And it is all for you.

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I’ll say it again.  I Love the Holidays.  It brings out the best in people and companies alike.  Check out this press release:

12 News & KMLE Country Team Up With Bashas’ & Food City Stores to Hold Turkey Tuesday Drive for St. Vincent de Paul
Arizona Residents Invited to Donate Frozen Turkeys on Tuesday, Nov. 25

Last update: 11:00 a.m. EST Nov. 13, 2008
PHOENIX, Nov 13, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The nation’s largest one-day turkey drive, 12 News’ Turkey Tuesday, will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 25. On this designated Tuesday, nearly 100 Bashas’ and Food City stores will collect frozen turkeys and monetary donations for St. Vincent de Paul.
Now in its 15th year, 12 News’ Turkey Tuesday has become a Thanksgiving tradition for many Arizona families, schools and businesses. From 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25, residents are invited to make a frozen turkey or monetary donation at any Bashas’ or Food City store in metropolitan Phoenix and northern Arizona.
All donations will benefit hungry families just in time for Thanksgiving. According to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a local non-profit that cooks and distributes more than 3,000 meals each day to the hungry, turkey donations are the key to meeting an increased demand this year.
“The need in our community has never been so critical,” said Steve Zabilski, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul. “This year, more families are asking us for help. They’re living on the economic edge, struggling to stay in their homes, pay their bills and feed their families.”
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Turkey Tuesday, 12 News Sports Anchor Bruce Cooper and Weather Anchor James Quinones will challenge one another to see who can collect the most turkeys for St. Vincent de Paul. KMLE Country personalities Gwen Foster and Stu Evans will join the challenge, broadcasting live throughout the afternoon. 12 News also will dedicate a phone bank of volunteers to take donations from individuals unable to visit a store.
During last year’s Turkey Tuesday drive, Arizonans donated a record 25,181 frozen turkeys, which fed thousands of local, needy families. St. Vincent de Paul volunteers collected the frozen birds, and packaged thousands of the donated turkeys into food boxes, which were immediately delivered to hungry families throughout Arizona.
“We’re so thankful for this annual turkey drive because it helps us to meet the strong need we’re facing,” said Zabilski. “Even when times are tough, we’re blessed by the generosity of our community.”
In addition to the one-day drive, during the month of November, all Bashas’ and Food City stores statewide will be selling $1 paper turkey icons to benefit St. Vincent de Paul. Customers can customize the turkey-shaped icons by writing in what they are most thankful for this holiday season. To find a Bashas’ or Food City store near you, visit http://www.bashas.com or http://www.myfoodcity.com.
About Society of St. Vincent de Paul
No other organization in the Valley provides so many services to so many people using so many volunteers. From hunger and homelessness to healthcare, St. Vincent de Paul reaches out to help those in need in the Arizona while providing the community with opportunities to serve the economically disadvantaged. For more information, visit http://www.stvincentdepaul.net.
About Bashas’ Family of Stores
Bashas’ Family of Stores — the family-owned grocer that operates Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods, Sportsman’s Wine & Spirits, Ike’s Farmers Market, Eddie’s Country Store, and both Bashas’ and Bashas’ Dine supermarkets — is an Arizona-based company founded by brothers Ike and Eddie Basha, Sr. With more than 13,000 members and 160 grocery stores, it is the 8th-largest employer in the state and one of the Best Places to Work in Arizona. Since the company’s inception in 1932, Bashas’ has given back more than $100 million to the communities it serves. For more information, visit http://www.bashas.com and http://www.myfoodcity.com.
About Gannett Co., Inc.
Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 90 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns nearly 1,000 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes nearly 300 titles, including 18 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 23 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.
SOURCE Bashas’ Family of Stores

http://www.bashas.com

Now, why can’t we all do this for the rest of the year?

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Now there’s even more to love at the CbsoP Store.  I’ve just put out a few new Holiday themed T’s, with more coming in the next few days.

The photo at right is one example of what you’ll find in the Thanksgiving section of the store.  Meet Rambo Turkey.  He’s not going in without a fight!  Wouldn’t it be cool to wear this around just before the Holidays?

I’ve got a few coming in the next day or so that should make vegetarians and vegans happy at this time of year, as well as the beef lovers in our midst.

I’ve got some ideas for christmas attire as well, adn will be putting togeter as many other items as possible before Thanksgiving weekend.  After that I’ll be prety much buried by the pressures of keeping up with everything we’ll be cooking.

Do drop by the store and have a look!  If you would like to see these images on any other product that CafePress has available, just let me know, I’ll gt it set up as quickly as possible!

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At first glance you might think that these little guys are sad and looking for their mummies, but on closer inspection you’ll see that they’re all just waiting for a dip in the hot tub. (OK, I couldn’t pass up the mummy joke, sorry.)

sometimes simple is better, and it doesn’t get a whole lot simpler than this when it comes to appetizers.  Just cocktail sausages wrapped in refrigerated crescent dough and served with a side of mustard, spiced with your favorite hot sauce or horseradish and you’ve got yourself a wiener! (I know. It’s bad, but I can’t help myself!)

These little guys make a perfect party opener, but be warned, too many and your guests won’t want dinner.  They’re filling!  we used beef Lil’ Smokies for this one, but any cocktail wiener you can find will do just as well, I’m sure.  They’re great hot out of the oven or at room temp and can be served with ketchup for kids too little to appreciate a good mustard. (Or adults that just don’t like mustard, for that matter)

Any way you serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!

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