We usually don’t put up our Christmas tree early but, this year everything is happening a little sooner on account of Kellen spending the holidays in Denmark.

In our house the Jef and the boys go out and hunt up the perfect tree and I stay at home and get out all the decorations and untangle the lights. It’s still cool that the boys find ornaments that they made in preschool or fight over their favorites they want to put up.

Here are some lovely things I found clicking around on the internet:
Click on the photos to go to the link

The following is in no way a thinly veiled attempt at suggestions for holiday gifts for myself. Heck no!
If you just happen to have a daughter, mother, wife, girlfriend, wife, or wife in your life you might want to check these out, Jef. Or you know, whom ever.
It’s a public service I’m offering selflessly here. Yep, I’m all about helping others.


Fortune Cookie Coin Purse


Silver Pearl and Crystal Bracelet


Micheal Kors iPhone Wallet


Hidden Owl Tea Cup


Design Sponge At Home

You’ve no idea how long I’ve been saving that picture just so I could use it today!

Ahem…
General Thanksgiving Knowledge and Troubleshooting:
Food Network
Martha Stewart
Real Simple

When in doubt call The Butterball Hotline! (1-800-288-8372)
What’s more traditional than turkey on Thanksgiving? Why the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
If you’re up and about at 9am EST or 6am PST Why not catch it live on EARTHCAM!
I just checked out the link and it looks like they are setting up right now.
Hi New Yorkers!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

As you know, I love the internet. In this series I’ll introduce you to the bloggers, vloggers and sites that inspire me.

Meet Maureen Johnson

Maureen is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are people I wish I could befriend in real life. She’s one of those writers whose work I gobble up as soon as it’s out then re-read while I wait impatiently for my next fix!
My favorites include:

(click to see book info!)

And her newest:


History buffs will know what the title alludes to but, for those who entertain less geeky pursuits, here’s a hint: “Jack’s Back!”
She’s kindly offering a 78 page preview HERE!

Recently, to show her support of National Novel Writing Month, (NaNoWriMo) she’s started a Tumblr blog to answer questions about writing. If you’ve ever had a question about the ins and outs of writing, this is the place to get started!

There is an Indian place near campus here in Eugene called Evergreen. This is my amateurish attempt of their squeal inducing mango curry.

While the following recipe features apricot jam and heavy cream (because that’s what I had on hand) a mango chutney or jam and coconut cream would make this taste more authentic.

Apricot Curry Chicken With Rice

4 boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Apricot Jam
1/2 cup White Wine
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper

For the Curry:
1 1/2 teaspoons Cardamom
1 teaspoon Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/8 Cumin
1 teaspoon finely chopped Parsley
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Of course you can use the pre-made Curry powder from the spice section. It’s what I’d planed on doing until I discovered I was out, and trudging back to the store didn’t appeal at all.

In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken about 3 minutes a side. No need to cook it through at this point, it will finish cooking in the sauce. Set aside the chicken.
Turn the heat to medium and add the curry mixture, Stir the curry into the remaining chicken juices and toast the spices for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and the apricot jam, stir until the jam is melted in to the sauce. Add the heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce seems too think add a bit of water.

Add the chicken back into the pan, flipping it over once so that it is covered in the sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (165 internal temp.)

Serve with Jasmine rice.

The Song Of Lunch is a narrative poem by Christopher Reid. It’s the story of a man meeting an old lover for lunch. It ended badly 15 years prior, and as we travel back with the man’s memories we see what went down.

Recently on PBS, American viewers were treated to the BBC produced version starring Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson; who if you remember, played a couple before in Love Actually.

You can view it on-line At Masterpiece Contemporary.

Here’s a trailer:

It’s so brilliant, I can’t even tell you. Perhaps I shouldn’t, I tried to tell Jef all about it but made a hash of it. He wound up giving me that “if you say so” look.
So go check it out for yourself and, don’t let the arty title spook you. There’s plenty of swearing, public drunkenness, nudity and sex. I mentioned it’s NSFW?

When ever I see ground lamb at the grocery I always snap up two or three packages and stash them in the freezer.

For the Meat Mixture:

1 pound Ground Beef
1 pound Ground Lamb
1/4 cup finely chopped Green Onion
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Allspice
1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup plain Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

For the Sandwiches:

Greek Flat Bread or Pita Bread
Shredded Lettuce
Tomato
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Calamata Olives
Tzatziki Sauce (Recipe to Follow)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I like to smush it around with my hands. The amount of bread crumbs needed will vary depending on how wet your meat is. Cover and let set out for about 30 minutes.

Shape your meat mixture into small patties, or meat balls or smush it onto skewers (if grilling), what ever shape suits you.

Cook the meat over medium high heat 4 minutes a side or until the meat is just cooked through.

To assemble the sandwiches fold the meat into a flat bread and top with Shredded Lettuce, Tomato, Feta Cheese, Calamata Olives and Tzatziki Sauce.

For the Taztziki Sauce:

2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped Cucumber
1 1/2 cups Plain Greek Style Yoghurt
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 tablespoon Fresh Dill (or dried is fine too)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 clove grated Fresh Garlic

Combine everything in a bowl then taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Ideally you can make this ahead and store it for days.

The debate has raged for decades at potlucks and cookouts; beans or no beans. Tomatoes? Turkey chili!?! This is the “3 B’s” school of chili: beef, beans, and beer. None of that citified ground beef and green peppers nonsense, also, not one speck of tomatoes.

Truly Texan Chili

For the Seasoning Mix:
3 tablespoons Chili powder
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose Flour
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Cocoa Powder
Combine all ingredients and set aside.

For the Chili:
2 tablespoons Canola or Olive oil
3 pounds Stew Beef
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
3 cups Beef Stock combined with 1 cup Beer
1 15 oz. can Pinto Beans (drained)

Combine beef broth and beer; set aside. Heat the oil in a large stew pot. Brown beef until no longer pink, and drain most of the extra liquid off. Reduce heat and stir in garlic.

Sprinkle the seasoning mix over meat, stirring until evenly coated. Add broth/beer mixture and stir then bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer on low for 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring occasionally until thick and meat is tender. Stir in pinto beans.
Serve with corn bread muffins with lots of honey and butter.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fire pit in the back yard then you’re aware of how lovely bonfire night is!

Expats and Anglophiles are aware of Guy Fawkes Night aka: Bonfire Night its, (I’ve been told) a celebration to commemorate the foiling of a plot to blow up Parliament in 1605.

Modern day celebrants take the opportunity to build a bonfire, drink and blow stuff up; well, set off fireworks.
Ever Remember The 5th of November

The history of Guy Fawkes and The Gun Powder Plot is fascinating and a bit comical; the fact being that a bigger bunch of screw-ups could not have been in cahoots. The scary part is that they almost got away with it. There’s a deeper meaning here, but I need to go shopping for s’mores supplies and effigy masks.

Have a nice Bonfire Night!