The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Hola mi amigos (and Denyer)

So I got this one single day off today to enjoy and then I work from Sunday all the way through Thanksgiving (we close at noon though). Plan on doing as little as I can. In fact I can't believe I'm taking the time to write all this! omg! lol

QotD: Do you have your Thanksgiving plans set yet?
Alternate QotD: If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, what are you plans for the upcoming week?

As recently as 3 or 4 years ago we would have had a huge family gathering of 20 or more ppl for the major holidays but a few of the more ancient members have passed on and somehow we all sorta drifted apart even though we still live close to each other. So this year like the last few it'll just be myself and my parents eating a quiet dinner and giving thanks for the blessing we have shared this year.

Thanksgiving plans: I will be at work. Christmas and New years as well, so there.

You can celebrate by being thankful that you have a job (right?).

Spud wrote:You can celebrate by being thankful that you have a job (right?).

Yes, absolutely. I actually wasn't complaining, I like working the holidays. But you're right, with new layoffs announced every day, I am glad to have a job in a relatively secure field. (health-care)

QOTD 1: Thanksgiving will be at my house and we have around 7 or 8 coming, but I make sure my boys invite any of their friends that don't have family or anyone to spend Thanksgiving with. I always plan for several more which generally works out perfect. I'm deep frying one turkey, doing one traditional style in the oven, and a honey baked ham. I'm making my famous peach cheese cake on Wednesday and instead of buying a frozen pecan pie, I'm trying my hand at a bourbon pecan pie. I saved a recipe after Niveous mentioned it some time ago. But I'm buying two Marie Callender's (a great pie place in Cali) pumpkin and a banana cream.

MmMmmmm! pie

Thanksgiving is in october, you silly americans.

All you bloody Seppos ever seem to do is have holidays. No wonder your country is broke.

You did realize I put an alternate QotD for you ppl in 3rd world countries right? lol

qotd: yes, going to a potluck. I will be bringing cranberry sauce and roasted green beans.

drc: Went grocery shopping. Decided to get fresh cranberries today and freeze them rather than worry about availability next Wednesday. Also bought a bunch of other stuff. One of those grocery shopping trips where I didn't really get anything substantive but still somehow ended up spending $80. I have no idea how that happens, although it's pretty rare. I think it's because I knew I had a bit too much for the handbaskets so instead I got a full-size cart and it was just so big and empty. Maybe that's why Safeway's handbaskets are so ridiculously tiny.

Whole Foods has perfectly-sized handbaskets. Yet another reason I miss Whole Foods.

(I mean I can still go to Whole Foods but now it's a bit out of my way and I don't have that much cargo capacity on my bike. I do keep meaning to go there on the way home from work though, but lately after work I just want to get the hell home.)

Fluf, you should get one of those little trailers that hook on the back of your bike that the baby boomers use to haul their babies in. Stuff it with groceries and peddle your ass off. Then you can get some bumper stickers on the back, like, Caution - Groceries On Board or My Groceries Were Commodities of the Month.

2. At the risk of Caravan Ray saying that we wear big girl blouses, how do you do your Cranberry sauce? I have a pretty killer method and I'm always interested in hearing others. I feel like I've asked you this be before, but I might just be confusing deja vu with fdrinkness.

3. Roasted green beans? I'll go look it up. Any tips? ........I know you're dying to say, "two per bean", but I'm referring to the cooking method.

1. I have grocery panniers (like saddlebags) for my bike. They're handy and lightweight. And I think you mean pedal my ass off, unless you think I am some sort of anal-sex prostitute with leprosy.

2. I start with the basic recipe on the bags of cranberries (one cup of water and one cup of sugar for each 12-ounce bag, bring to a simmer) and then I add orange zest, a couple cinnamon sticks, and some cloves.

3. I am not dying to say that as I it took me a while to get the joke. I take green beans, toss them with some olive oil and kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper and a little finely-chopped lemon zest, then I roast them at 425F until they're done. Then I top them with toasted slivered almonds.

M's parents are coming into town this week for the holiday. We'll be doing one turkey in the oven (for 4 people it would be silly to make more meat than that).
Isn't Marie Callender's one of the frozen meal people?
-bill

fluffy wrote:1. I have grocery panniers (like saddlebags) for my bike. They're handy and lightweight. And I think you mean pedal my ass off, unless you think I am some sort of anal-sex prostitute with leprosy.

2. I start with the basic recipe on the bags of cranberries (one cup of water and one cup of sugar for each 12-ounce bag, bring to a simmer) and then I add orange zest, a couple cinnamon sticks, and some cloves.

3. I am not dying to say that as I it took me a while to get the joke. I take green beans, toss them with some olive oil and kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper and a little finely-chopped lemon zest, then I roast them at 425F until they're done. Then I top them with toasted slivered almonds.

1. I meant to go sell the groceries on the corner, but being that you're riding a bike, pedaling your ass off would be way funnier, lol.

2. Ok, pretty simple and fresh. Mine is a bit more desserty. I make mine with orange jello celary, green apple and walnuts. The cranberrys keep the jello from setting so it stays jelled, but more relishy.

3. Yeah, I just wanted to say the joke, so I had to squeeze it in somehow. I laughed. Roasting sounds like a great way to do fresh green beans. I'd probably add one more "light" flavor if I try it. Probably a little fresh pressed garlic or even lighter, a little scallion. Not so much that it over powers, just to balance out the zest. But that's using my minds tongue, I'd have to try it your way first before I made that call.
I'll be doing a family fav, green bean casserole from the French's onion can. The only thing I add to the traditional recipe is a can of sliced water chestnuts.

@Bill. Yeah, that's the same Marie Callender's. But it's funny that the thing they are famous for, their pies, they don't sell in the frozen pie section. Just their dinners. Maybe they didn't want to put their name on a frozen pie, because it would lose quality. I hope that's why, because it's nice to see pride and standards over money in the corporate world. There isn't very much of that any more.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the shallots on the green beans. I tend to improvise when I cook. So I also add whatever herbs suit me at the time, like thyme or rosemary.

We will be going to my brother's because he has the biggest house. Of course, a direct consequence of that is that it's also the furthest away from everyone else.

When I was designing my parents' house (they didn't build the one that I designed, btw), I kept getting into an argument with my mom about her need for two ovens. All the time we were growing up, we had two small ovens, and I had never seen the second oven used. I figured it was a waste of space. She finally came clean that she really wanted to have thanksgiving at her house, and cook two turkeys, thus the need for two ovens. When I asked if she was going to have enough people over to warrant two turkeys, she said no, but one would get eaten, and she wanted leftovers. I never could convince here that it would be OK to cook another turkey on Friday, and use IT for the leftovers. She said it wouldn't be left over, it would be a new turkey.

Spud wrote:I never could convince here that it would be OK to cook another turkey on Friday, and use IT for the leftovers. She said it wouldn't be left over, it would be a new turkey.

That's great.

I personally love leftovers and I make sure that anyone that also shares my Thanksgiving leftover fondness, takes some home for later. I always buy a bunch of those throw away ziplock food containers so I can load'em up for them and they don't have to return the bowl. *taps side of head with finger*

Thanksgiving plans include working... so I can pay the bills... and be able to drink lots of beer.