Santa Landed ... Holiday Menus and Recipe Links

... as he always does, right in front of Macy's in New York City. I always get excited, like a little kid, and there is something wrong with that picture because 1. I'm not a little kid and 2. I don't celebrate Christmas. Well, maybe I do, a little. I love the happy mood of the holiday. I love that billions of Christians are celebrating the birth of a little Jewish baby.  I love Christmas carols and the Christmas windows in the big New York department stores and the tree in Rockefeller Center. I love baking cookies for Christmas. The only things I don't like about Christmas are the crass commercialism and the fact that my birthday, which is the very next day, has always gotten lost in the rest of the Christmas holiday. I think I've gotten over it ... I'll be 63 next month ... but when I was a kid, it really hurt.  My parents could be really clueless at times.

Black-and-white cat on black-and-white cow on Black Friday

Anakin says, "Black-and-white lives matter"

Today is Black Friday, and I am as far away from the Florida Mall and the Mall of Millenia as I can possibly get.  I dislike malls at the best of times, and this ain't the best of times. I've often said that the internet was invented with me in mind - yes, I can be awfully egocentric - because any shopping I wish to do can be done from the same iPad I use to create this blog.  I am in bed wearing a comfortable robe, no shoes, no bra, no dentures to pinch me, and if I wanted to shop - which I don't - I'll head over to Amazon and wave my credit card around. Let all the shopping sadists and masochists have their fun. I have declared Walmart a no-fly zone until after New Years.

Our Thanksgiving was quiet and lovely and I am truly thankful that we spent it with my in-laws.  It reminds me that Rob and I were married on October 20, 1974, and just a month later, I invited both our families over for Thanksgiving dinner.  Pretty cheeky, since I didn't know how to cook.  Back then I was fearless (read: stupid) and ploughed ahead, relying on memories of my mother's kitchen, telephone consultations with both mothers, and the only cookbook I owned at the time, The Joy of Cooking. I had a great time and I've been cooking like a madwoman ever since.

With Christmas coming up in less than a month, I wanted to share most of my Thanksgiving recipes with you because, let's face it, the menus are practically interchangeable.  I seriously recommend Ina Garten's Virginia Ham (yes, I'm Jewish. Yes, I eat ham. And bacon, pork, sausage, shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, mussels, cheeseburgers and beef stroganoff. People who keep kosher are not better Jews than I am, especially when they think they are. Oops. Let me tuck my soapbox back into its little old corner.)

Deviled Scotch Eggs http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2014/10/which-came-first-pig-or-egg-scotch-eggs.html  Here are the changes: For the sausage, I used premade sausage meatballs, two meatballs to cover each extra large egg.  For breading, I switched to panko crumbs and single breaded. And instead of frying, I baked them in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning them once halfway through. I am here to tell you that the baked version is better than the fried. Maybe it was the silpat. NOW - if you like, after you cut the eggs in half, remove the yolks and mash them together with your favorite deviled egg ingredients. Fill the egg halves, and finish with a stripe of Louisiana remoulade  http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/11/well-always-have-paris-crab-stuffed.html

Roast Turkey http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/10/cooking-big-bird-turkey-rebel.html This time it was unstuffed, except for some oranges and lemon and fresh rosemary and sage. I rubbed the skin with mayonnaise (yes, mayonnaise. Hellmann's) and sprinkled with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and paprika. This 12-pound bird, unstuffed, took 3 hours and came out perfect. Surprised myself.

Stuffing http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/10/hell-no-joe-turkey-stuffing.html  Of course I made some changes using 1 pound of Jimmy Dean's Italian sausage and a can of well-drained fruit cocktail.

Ina Garten's Baked Virginia Ham http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/baked-virginia-ham-recipe.html

Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Yams http://www.pauladeen.com/ol-no-7-yams I could not find the recipe I prepared online, but if you have Paula's first cookbook you will find it there.  The link will lead you to another Paula Deen sweet potato recipe that includes bourbon. Bourbon rocks (for cooking, I don't drink the stuff).

Hot German Potato Salad http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/03/last-night-i-didnt-get-to-sleep-at-all.html I used baking potatoes this time, baking them off, letting them cool and then peeling them. Either potato works well; the petite reds make a "neat" potato salad, while the baking potatoes are a "messy" version.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans and Cranberries http://juliasalbum.com/2015/10/roasted-brussels-sprouts-cinnamon-butternut-squash-pecans-and-cranberries/ What can I say, except "delicious?"

Guy Fieri's Grilled Cauliflower with Bacon and Brie  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/grilled-cauliflower-with-bacon-and-brie.html  I oven-roasted the cauliflower. Also, I came up a trifle short on the brie, and made up the difference with some shredded mozzarella.

Roasted Garlic Creamed Spinach http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/11/we-are-at-war-said-everybody-except.html

Cranberry Raspberry Orange Mini Muffins http://brkexpat1952.blogspot.com/2015/11/its-hard-knock-life-double-blueberry.html I made half the recipe, using one box of the Jiffy cake mix and one box of their raspberry muffins. I substituted chopped cranberries (mine were frozen) for the blueberries, and orange rind for the lemon. As to the liquid, I squeezed the orange, which yielded about 1/4 cup, and also 3/4 cup sour cream. I baked them in mini muffin tins, but I was so tired I seriously  overfilled the little cups.  Major muffin tops!

If I may, let me remind you that this blog contains around 500 recipes and a pretty adequate search engine. I am reasonably sure you will be able to find any number of vegetable and side dishes, breads and desserts, and even main dishes for your holiday tables. Let's all resolve to continue in the holiday spirit as we move towards Hanukkah and Christmas; to be grateful for family and friends and food on our tables; and to pray for peace.

Giving thanks for Thanksgiving

The past few days have been a whirlwind of cooking punctuated by short breaks for swallowing rather copious amounts of Advil.  I was depressed to think this might be my last Thanksgiving cooking binge, because I really felt the effects of the fibromyalgia during this one.  One year from now, who knows what sort of physical condition I will be in.

All this cooking and kitchen-cleaning has absorbed whatever time I might have had for blogging, so even though this is a cooking blog, I have no recipes to share, just some pictures. Even now, I have to crawl out of my nice, warm, supportive bed and finish my preparations before loading up the car to head over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I hope your day is filled with love, family, and friends, and food to share. 

I will be spending Black Friday as I always have - at home. If you are one of those people who bring your sleeping bag so you can stake out a first-in-line spot in front of Toys R Us or Best Buy, good luck.

"We are at war." Said everybody except the President ... Roasted Garlic Creamed Spinach

I tried staying away from the news for a few days because it has been frankly frightening and nerve-shattering.  I hardly need my nerves shattered any more than they already are, but there is no way to avoid what is happening out there.  There are terrorists among us. Our President is unwilling to face the enormity of the danger.  There are reports that the White House has induced advisors to "cook the books" regarding the nature and import of available intelligence, and there are three different investigations ongoing. "Intelligence manipulation." Remember those two words.

Okay. If I go into it any further, my head will explode. 

Oh dearie dearie me. My Orlando Magic is playing tonight, away game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. You know, the team in the city that Lebron James calls home. We are screwed. I'm thinking about going back to FOX News. It's going to be a bloodbath, either way.

I continue to slog through the whole disability process - both of them, state and federal. Today, totally frustrated, I posted to my timeline on Facebook:

Today I officially applied for regular early retirement through the state.  Although my doctor has never been able to certify that I can go back to work after almost nine rather terrible months, he is unwilling to check the little box that says "permanently disabled." With that lack of support, I cannot proceed on an appeal of the Retirement Commission's decision. Seriously there are days I cannot get out of bed and other days that the pain borders on unbearable.  I didn't ask you to lie, doc ... I asked you to listen to me, and to take the time to educate yourself on fibromyalgia.

Going through this process I have come to believe that the people who understand fibromyalgia the least, and who have the least sympathy for fibromyalgia patients, are medical doctors. Fancy that.

So the Saga of State Disability is over. Stay tuned for the Federal Fandance. Oy!!!

Today, I also happened to get mail asking me to submit to a physical examination for purposes of social security disability determination, and that is happening because my doctor did not send my medical records as requested.  Proverbial last straw and all that, so yes, I will be changing primary doctors. This is my life we're talking about.

We are officially in the Interregnum of the Cookies. Normal cookie-baking is suspended while Thanksgiving planning and cooking takes place.  This is one of the dishes I will be making for our dinner.

Roasted Garlic Creamed Spinach

This is a variation on the creamed spinach recipe my mother in law gave me over 40 years ago, which had exactly two ingredients - frozen chopped spinach and cream cheese. I cannot count how many times I have prepared the original recipe. It is one of those no-fail recipes every young bride should have in her back pocket: heat together 2-10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well-drained, with 1-8 oz. bar of good quality cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

I recently decided to tamper with perfection by adding roasted garlic, which can't help but improve anything it is added to. The amount of roasted garlic is completely adjustable, as is the heavy cream. Or you can add another half of a bar of cream cheese instead of the cream.  Creamed spinach is a favorite around these parts, and in fact was part of my Last Supper at the Yachtsman Steakhouse just before my gastric bypass surgery in 2003.  Of that fabulous meal, the only food I can still eat is - you guessed it - creamed spinach.

1-6 oz. jar peeled garlic cloves (Spice World brand)

olive oil

3-10 oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well-drained (press out excess liquid)

1-8 oz. bar cream cheese

1 cup heavy cream, divided

kosher salt

black pepper

First prepare the garlic. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Empty the entire jar of garlic cloves into a shallow baking pan so that they are in a single layer. Add just enough olive oil to coat all of the garlic cloves. Season with some salt and pepper, and place in the oven. Roast the garlic for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn all of the cloves. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.  Avoid allowing the garlic to turn brown.  Mash the roasted garlic with a fork and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, begin to soften the cream cheese. Add as much of the mashed garlic as you wish (I used all of it, which comes to about 1/2 cup) and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Stir constantly until the cream cheese is almost completely smooth. Start adding in the spinach, stirring well to incorporate it into the cream cheese sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

I did all that and then piled it into a pretty little Corningware  casserole dish, and then I took a picture to show my cousin Steve Schneider that I occasionally do serve food in something other than aluminum pans. (Love you, Cousin Steve.)

Random Thoughts - Mandarin Orange Cookies

Sunday - My heart rate does not bear counting. I just know, by the wild and crazy flutter in my chest that it is much too fast.  Let's hope the Inderal works its magic, and quickly, quickly.

The Magic lost last night, having played badly throughout the entire game.  I suspect Coach Skiles took them all back for a team ass-whooping after that performance. As if that wasn't bad enough, last night's Doctor Who saw the onscreen death of the Doctor's longtime companion, Clara Oswald.  And I was just beginning to like her. The day started very well with an 8:00 AM Tai chi class, but it was downhill after that. Especially for Clara.

I haven't really discussed Thanksgiving, just 4 days from now, and I wonder who among my readers still prepares a traditional Thanksgiving dinner? Someone please correct my notion that an entire generation of adults pride themselves on not knowing how to cook. Anyway, I had my menu planned out, and then as always happened, while walking through BJ's and Publix and letting my fingers do the walking through the Internet, a couple of dishes get added.  There is going to be a lot of leftovers, which is the idea.

New recipes to try, newly developed recipes to test, and a bunch of old favorites and I am excited about all of them. Does that make me old-fashioned? And me one of the original feminists, hammering at that glass ceiling. Young women, it's okay to cook for your family. Better than okay, it is wonderful. You cherish and nourish your family all at the same time.

So today I planned on baking a batch of Chinese Almond Cookies, and took out the butter and lard with that project in mind, but a very few hours shopping have knocked me out and I'm sitting on my ass instead.  I hurt, damn it.

I do, however, have those four cookie recipes in reserve, and I would like to start sharing them with you, especially since cookie-baking is scheduled to take a back seat to Thanksgiving cooking for the remainder of the week. This is one of my favorites - I am a freak for citrus - from Camilla Saulsbury. Go to Amazon and buy her book. Seriously.

Mandarin Orange Cookies

1 - 18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix
1/3 cup canola oil
1 extra large egg
grated zest of one large orange
1 - 11 oz. can Mandarin oranges, well-drained and coarsely chopped (I used kitchen scissors)

There are a few minor changes from the original recipe, based on what I actually did. Also, I did not bother with the icing.  Too much work and too sweet for me and my family. Besides, the unadorned cookie is fabulous as is.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Silpat or no-stick spray your cookie sheets.

In a large mixing bowl combine half of the cake mix with the oil, egg, and orange zest. With an electric mixer (I used hand-held) beat on medium-high for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the remaining cake mix with a wooden spoon and/or rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Gently fold in the chopped Mandarin oranges.

With a cookie scoop (I used the 2 tablespoon scoop I favor for cookies) place the dough on the cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.  Bake for 11-14 minutes until the cookies are set at the edges but barely set at the center.  The bottoms of the cookies should be an even golden brown.  Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then using a metal spatula, move the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Short, Sweet, and Savory Sausage Bread Pudding

Saturday - Yesterday I was resolved to bake multiple batches of cookies. Thursday evening I went to my tai chi class and was feeling pretty good.  I even had a positive mental attitude! So come Friday, bake I did.  Stand on my feet for 6 hours I did. Knocked out 4 different recipes I did. Knocked myself out in the process, but it was worth it. Mandarin Orange Cookies, Pine Nut Cookies, Peanut Butter Rebels (Wookie Cookies), and Paradise Cookies. Recipes, you say? Why yes, I got 'em, but I've got to gather the energy to type them up. You may have noticed I've missed posting to the blog here and there, and that's just part of the fibromyalgia, which I find pretty damn depressing. I look forward to my daily posts, and being limited in even that is infuriating.

I seem to be shopping for food every day, and I am finding that tiring and painful.  I am determined to prepare a "proper" Thanksgiving dinner for my family, "proper" requiring hours and hours of cooking and baking. In some ways, Thanksgiving is what I live for. My favorite cooking holiday of all, even though the big family gatherings are a thing of the past.  I used to cook for 20; now it is just five. People move away, people pass away, and couples divorce, fracturing the family dynamic. Still, I want every Thanksgiving dinner to be special, and this year involves both turkey and spiral-cut ham.  Stay tuned.

In the middle of all my planning, I had a brainstorm and proceeded to put together a recipe for a breakfast casserole that my husband insists on eating for dinner.  We used to call them "stratas" which tells you nothing, but I prefer to think of this as a savory bread pudding.  No matter what you call it, I think you will love it

Savory Sausage Bread Pudding

About 15 slices buttercrust bread, torn into smaller pieces (from a 20 oz. package)

1 pound roll of pork sausage (Jimmy Dean's, Tennessee Pride, Publix) - I used maple for this

1 large onion, chopped

canola oil

kosher salt

ground black pepper

sweet paprika

dried thyme

1 - 7 oz can chopped green chiles (fire roasted and peeled), drained

5 cups whole milk

8 eggs

Kosher salt

ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon maple syrup

1 pound shredded cheese (I used 8 oz. each of sharp cheddar and hot jalapeno & habanero jack cheeses)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the bread pieces on a baking sheet and into the preheated oven for several minutes until the bread dries out, without toasting them.  Set the bread aside.

In a large skillet, heat a very small amount of canola oil and add the sausage.  Break the sausage apart as it brown, and about halfway through, add the chopped onions. salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme.  Cook until the sausage is done and the onions are well-softened. Stir in the drained chiles. Set the skillet aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together. add the milk, salt, pepper, hot sauce and maple syrup and whisk until well-blended.

Grease or no-stick spray a large baking dish. Layer the ingredients in this order: one-third of the bread, then one-half of the sausage mixture, then one-third of the combined cheeses. Repeat one time, then add the last of the bread. Carefully pour the egg and milk mixture over the entire casserole, and finish with the remaining cheese and a sprinkle of paprika.  Bake for 60 - 75 minutes until the cheese is melted and the casserole is puffy. Check the internal temperature, which should read at least 125 degrees.

You can serve it immediately or at room temperature, plain, with more maple syrup, or some sour cream. So good.