Thanksgiving Recipes

Just wanted to share a couple wonderful recipes that were hits for Thanksgiving - some family favorites and some new. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving meal with family, and then had a leftover night Friday night with some of our neighbors. Everyone brought a "specialty" they had prepared - it was great! You can't get too much Thanksgiving food!

GRAMMY'S CRANBERRY-APPLE RELISH

My grandma always prepared this for Thanksgiving - it is delicious and so pretty in a cut-glass bowl!

1 lb. cranberries
3 oranges (some rind)
1 large can crushed pineapple
3 red apples
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups sugar

Mix cranberries, oranges, and pineapple in food processor with metal blade. Remove to a bowl. Core and slice apples - squirt with lemon juice. Use grater blade to grate apples and transfer to the bowl with the cranberries. Add sugar and stir - keeps 1 week in refrigerator.

PHYLLO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

I got this recipe from my vegan daughter - easy and delicious! There was none leftover, and since it's a vegetable, that made me feel good.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

* 8 or 9 asparagus spears, depending on size
* 1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Unwrap the phyllo and cut the stack in half lengthwise. Reserve 1 stack for later use. Cover the phyllo with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. Take 1 sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with some melted butter. Sprinkle with some Parmesan. Place 2 to 3 asparagus spears on the short end of the sheet. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Place each piece, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Repeat until all the asparagus spears are used up. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Great Walking Songs

Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd
You May be Right - Billy Joel
Burning Love - Elvis Presley
An American Girl - Tom Petty

Book Review - Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad

This is a real page-turner - another true story I could not put it down! A true story about a young man who survived a small plane crash in the 70's. In the very first chapter, the plane containing the author and his father crashes in the California mountains. The next chapter begins the story of Mr. Ollestad's life, focusing on his larger-than-life father, a surfer and skier who tried to pass on those skills to his son. Using alternating chapters to tell both stories, this riveting story hangs on and never lets go. Read this book!!!

Book Review - My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme

All foodies must read this book! I'm always sad to see a wonderful book end, but especially was saddened to finish this one. All through the story, I could hear Julia's lovely lilting voice talking to me about her truly remarkable life. Following her husband to France where he worked as a civil servant, Julia's life was completely changed. I didn't know that she was basically a non-cook when she fell in love with French cuisine. Taking to French cooking with absolute intensity and study, she rapidly became a true gourmet. The book, which was co-written with the help of her nephew, completely captures the warmth and intelligence of both Paul and Julia Child. What a treasure they were to our country and our world. READ THIS BOOK!

Book Review - The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirstin Downey

Wow. It's wonderful to read a book about a subject you knew nothing about that affects how you see the world. This well-researched book is a biography of a fascinating woman - Frances Perkins. Ever hear of her? I never had, and just happened to hear the author talking about this book on NPR. I got the book from the library, and still didn't open it for weeks. But once I did - wow. Ms. Perkins was an amazing woman. She (NOT FDR and certainly not Eleanor Roosevelt) was truly the brains behind social security, unemployment insurance, the 40 hour work week, and the minimum wage. And talk about a work ethic! She worked right up until her death in her 80's. Frances was the first woman in the cabinet, and in a male dominated world, she continued to quietly fight for worker's rights, even though she dealt with a lot of gender-based prejudice. What a woman! What a book!