Shameless use of a blog

You see what this NaBloPoMo commitment has done? It's requirements of daily posting have caused me to reveal that today is my birthday--something I wouldn't have done otherwise!

But, since I'm announcing this occasion, I just want to say that I'm turning 29.

I'm fully aware that being 29 today means that I was only five when I married my husband. I have to admit that finding a wedding dress in the girls department was a bit difficult. For the wedding pictures they had me stand on a box. Instead of going on a honeymoon, I was sent back home to wait until I was really old enough, which was about nine years ago.

We celebrate our anniversary by saying that we've been married 24 years since it's the official date and all.

All presents of jewels and money can be sent to my home. Email for the address.

To You

Gravy as a Beverage

I'm in trouble. I just realized that I do NOT have gravy on my Thanksgiving Menu Plan. How did that happen? Gravy is important to life--it's practically a beverage!!

I think I'm going to attempt to ignore it's absence this time. If my cravings get bad, I can always whip up some gravy (and something incidental to put it on). If I do, I have a new dilemma: Which KIND of gravy should I make?

First, I have my all-time favorite--Milk Gravy. It's creamy, peppery, flat-out yummy.

But, since I have a turkey, it would follow that I go with a brown gravy made from the turkey drippings.

But, wait! I'm also making a ham. HAM gravy is another heavenly delicacy.

While I decide what to do, I thought I'd find out what YOUR preference would be. Hence, there's a poll on the sidebar. What do you consider to be your first-choice-gravy-beverage if you could just choose regardless of the circumstances?

Thanksgiving Plans

Since I'm in the US, we do a November Thanksgiving Day. Our plans are pretty low-key compared to others, but compared to what we had PLANNED on doing, we're about to party.

Before we knew that my MIL was going to come and live with us (it happened in about 3 days time), we were going to do something unusual. We didn't know what, yet, but in the past we've:

• Helped at a soup kitchen
• Made BBQ (as in southern-style with smoked meat and sauce)
• Gone to a Chinese restaurant
• and spent the holiday at a hotel in Mystic, CT

Now that she is here, we want to make it more of a traditional family time. After dinner we'll crack out the Christmas CDs and kick-off the Christmas season. We will NOT venture forth from our house for Black Friday, though. I went one year and I still have flashbacks.

I don't want to talk about it.

So, for our "traditional" take on Thanksgiving, here's the menu:

• Turkey
• Ham
• Martha Stewart's Mac and Cheese
• Green peas
• Tomato and Mozzarella salad
• Pillsbury crescent rolls
• Cranberry Relish
• Pumpkin pie
• Apple pie

Simple. I like simple. Is anyone else blogging about their menu? I'll come by and check and see if I need to revise my plans. . .

Only 5 Minutes

Yes. I. Did.

I have been debating and hemming and hawing about getting this book. Finally, I just broke down and bought it. I've only just started on it, but I am excited about getting to the fun part.

The concept (if you don't already know) is that you have a dough that makes up in just a few minutes (I'm assuming 5), that you keep in the frig for up to 2 weeks.. When you're ready, you pinch off an amount of dough, let it rise only once, and bake!

My MIL had a recipe similar to this several years ago. It didn't use whole grains, though. I'm hoping to get this started up after Thanksgiving. According to the authors, the cost per loaf is between 40 and 70 CENTS. That's what I'm talkin' about, now!

I'll give my review when I've made my first batch. Has anyone else used their method or gotten this new book (and used it)? All comments appreciated about your experience.

The Famous Fifty and their workmanship

A few days ago I posted about a circa 1919 catalog of homes called, The Famous Fifty. The catalog was put out by a company called The International Mill and Timber Co.. I finally did a bit of research and came across THIS SITE that gives some information. Their payment system was interesting--and apparently backfired on them.

Below are two scans showing the choices for the door slabs and built-ins. They may have been kit homes, but I would LOVE to have some of these in my house! (Clicking on them should enlarge them for reading, if I did it correctly.)

BRIGHT salad recipe

This cookbook is just like the one I had when I first got married. I found it at a thrift shop and carted it home to make meals for my brand new hubby. It was really meant for newlyweds because the instructions are precise and the meals are simple. There are even directions for cooking pasta! Somewhere along the way I decluttered it, but I have since regretted that decision.

Imagine my surprise when I was looking through my MIL's cookbooks and found this one! I was so excited to see it again. I brought it home to add to my growing collection of 50s/60s cookbooks. I've enjoyed using these recipes partly because they're not so common now, and partly because of nostalgia.

There aren't that many pictures, but the recipes are fun to work with. Here's one that I plan to try soon, just because of the names and the bright colors!

Orange and Grapefruit Pinwheel Salad

Arrange orange and grapefruit sections alternately in pinwheel pattern on lettuce on each salad plate. Center with sprig of deeper green (watercress, mint, parsley). Serve with Ruby Red Dressing.

Ruby Red Dressing

1/2 cup currant jelly
1/4 cup oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
dash of salt
few drops onion juice

Beat jelly with fork until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat again until smooth. Serve in small bowl on the side of the salad as a dipping sauce.