Gator Pam

Last day of school until after winter break. I'm at an elementary school today, so...

Last time sharing the play I was in. Here's the upload to YouTube. Both the audio and video seems much improved.

For those of you who are fans of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but would like a new Christmas story, check out Symphony North. Comprised of former members of T-SO and other musicians of such caliber, their release last year of The Bell Ringer is worthy of an annual listen.

Congrats!

If anyone is interested, the videos for two of the performances of The Prince and The Pauper, where I played two roles is available. From what I understand, pnp1 is the preferred performance over pnp2. https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/11riLD2kbx57mjNa3RFo2cJpTJcdKEnY5

Ugh. I hope the clot dissolves or whatever treatment is supposed to do to it soon.

We finished up the planned overs on Tuesday. All we had left at that point was about 3 cups of white meat turkey which I cubed and froze for a future meal, and some crockpot stuffing. Since we are still in the midst of Hanukkah, I combined the stuffing with sweet potatoes and made stuffing-sweet potato latkes. Shredded white fleshed sweet potatoes lightly steamed until just tender What was left of the crockpot stuffing Stuffing and sweet potatoes combined with beaten eggs to form the batter. What was nice was since the sweet potatoes were slightly cooked, there was no risk of the batter discoloring due to oxidation. What I didn't consider was the recipe didn't call for additional seasoning; I think it was assumed the stuffing seasoning would be enough. I found the results to be a little flat. I should have fried up a small tasting latke to balance the seasoning before forming the rest. I feel it definitely needed some salt. Lesson learned. Latkes formed and placed on parchment lined sheet pan, which has been lightly oiled to hopefully prevent sticking. Placed in to the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up before frying. First batch in a shallow fry of extra light olive oil Nice golden brown on the flip As the oil got used, the latkes turned out a little darker. They didn't taste burnt to me, though. Dinner plate with a different protein than turkey! Steak, steamed broccoli crowns, stuffing-sweet potato latkes, and some apple sauce with ground Ceylon cinnamon for dipping. Happy Hanukkah!

Ouch!

Sounds great! Which one did you get? I keep looking at them, but truly have not researched. If I got one for Beorn, it would be a cheaper knock off for Android. Any recommendations?

Another Google Hanukkah game with a direct link this time. If anyone needs an explanation of how the game of dreidel works, feel free to ask. https://g.co/kgs/HTwAUQ

So happy you enjoyed!

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit

huh. Thanks, Brad. I'm still just seeing text.

I'm trying to post the following photos in the Thanksgiving Planned Overs thread in Holiday Discussion, but am only winding up with part of the text of the code displaying. Yep. Like that. Have I started doing something wrong? I went ahead and hid the post in the thread.

Tonight's Planned Over Meal #3 was a mashup of Turkey Tetrazzini and kugel for Hanukkah. It turned out pretty amazing. Tetrazzini Kugel fresh out of the oven The kugel didn't hold together the way a dairy or sweet kugel would, but it sure was tasty.

For Fun: Type the word Hanukkah into google. On the far right you see a yellow menorah. Click on it. Then click on the Shamash (Middle candle) and light the other candles and stand back and enjoy!! (works on the phone and the computer)

For those with Facebook, here's me lighting first night candles last year... Happy Hanukkah! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158602310991365&id=560391364&sfnsn=mo

For those with Facebook, here's me lighting first night candles last year... Happy Hanukkah! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158602310991365&id=560391364&sfnsn=mo

Night 2 of eating planned overs we try to get a bit more creative: Monte Cristo sandwiches with cranberry orange sauce for dipping, rather than raspberry preserves. We also finished up the green bean casserole for our vegetable. My version of a Bennigan's Monte Cristo sandwich Dipped in to cranberry orange sauce with rosemary and bourbon, rather than raspberry preserves

We wound up with a 14+ pound bird for our festive meal. There are only three of us, all approaching senior hood. So, while we cut back on our side dishes this year, we still have quite a bit left. Night 1 of using the planned overs always falls on Erev Shabbos, so that meal is easy:Festive Meal Redux. Sometimes I'll make matzah ball soup to serve at the start of the meal, just to change it up a little. But we just reheated the planned overs last night. How are y'all using what you have left?

Dinner was served about three hours ago. Timing came together pretty well. From left to right: Homemade cranberry orange sauce with rosemary and bourbon Homemade gravy from giblet stock and turkey drippings in thermos Keto green bean casserole Carved whole roasted turkey Crockpot stuffing Homemade pumpkin bread Homemade apple pie Close up of cranberry sauce Close up of keto green bean casserole Close up of whole carved turkey. On the platter is both legs, both thighs, both wings, and one breast Close up of crockpot stuffing Homemade gravy still on the stove My first dinner plate. I definitely had seconds, although much smaller servings of each item.

Final preparations attempting to be timed together. Fortified stock to flavor and moisten the stuffing Stuffing cubes with mirepoix on top Stuffing and mirepoix mixed together Stuffing mixture moistened with stock and butter Whipped eggs to add to stuffing mixture Buttered crockpot insert Mixture with whipped eggs in crockpot ready to go Birdie straight from fridge after 3-day dry brining My rosemary bush for fresh sprigs Aromatics for birdie's cavity: Apple, onion and cinnamon stick to be steeped Fresh sage and rosemary Steeped aromatics placed in cavity Followed by the fresh herbs Birdie after 500°F blast for 30 minutes Foil shield to protect breasts with two probe thermometers inserted Breast meat at 157°F, thigh at 175°F Remote receiver for thermometer in thigh so I can leave kitchen Birdie pulled at temperature, awaiting a light cover of foil to rest for an hour before carving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tonight I'll remove the flour sack towel from the birdie, pat it dry, and refrigerate uncovered overnight to really set in the dry brine. In the meantime, prep continues... Enhanced homemade poultry bone broth, enriched with the turkey neck, gizzards, heart, onion, carrot, parsnip, and celery. The strained out giblets and aromatics. Made for a great lunch today. The enhanced stock strained and defatted, awaiting the turkey drippings to be made in to gravy. Enhanced mirepoix or trinity, waiting to be mixed in to the crockpot stuffing tomorrow. Beginning of the cranberry sauce. I forgot the sprig of fresh rosemary prior to taking the photo. I added it after and simmered the sugar syrup an additional few minutes. Raw cranberries added to the sugar syrup, as well about a shot and a half of bourbon. The finished cranberry sauce with the orange zest stirred in cooling before packaging for the overnight chill. Cranberry sauce ready to chill overnight.

Turkey took two soak cycles, and it still had ice crystals inside. I scraped them out as best I could. Bird sprinkled with Sage and Bay dry brine. Set on a rack over a half sheet pan and set on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Loosely draped with a flour sack towel I reserve for pressure cooking my bone broth/stock.