Fresh Thanksgiving Cranberry Salad Recipe (That doesn't suck!)

Ah, 'tis the season for food that you really don't want to eat. Right!? The old 'if it's not shaped like can then it's not really cranberry' adage? Because of this, I'd pretty much given up on cranberry sauce (crap-berry, anyone?). So, I was more than thrilled when J's grandma served us this salad last week. It's a-maz-ing. Like eat it with a spoon for leftovers good. Fresh Thanksgiving Cranberry Salad Recipe (That doesn't suck!)

 Ingredients:

2 cups of each (ground fresh cranberries, sugar, ground pecans, crushed pineapple)

2 packs cranberry (or strawberry) Jell-O

 Procedure:

Grind cranberries, pour sugar over and set overnight.  Add the pecans, pineapple to the Jell-O and add cranberries.  Place in fridge until ready to use.  I use the juice of the pineapple for some of the liquid to make Jell-O.

Grandma's Thanksgiving Roasted Bacon Mushroom Green Beans

Happy holidays, Macrander family! It's here finally. Last night, J and I went over to his grandmother's house for Thanksgiving-Christmas dinner with his out-of-town aunt. She's going to be with her partner for the holidays and they will not be traveling so we had to celebrate early. Here's the standout dish from last night. Grandma's Thanksgiving Roasted Bacon Mushroom Green Beans

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 20 minutes

Heat oven: 375 F

Ingredients:

2 lbs. fresh green beans

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 tbsp. all purpose seasoning

6 slices (or more) thick-cut bacon

1/3 cup sliced shallots

2 tbsp. (or more) garlic

12 oz. fresh mushrooms

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Procedure:

1. Trim and wash the green beans. Toss with EVOO and seasoning.

2. Roast beans in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Dice and cook bacon in deep skillet (iron skillets make magic). When bacon begins to brown, add shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Stir fry until bacon is brown. (You might want to drain out the bacon fat at this point, or what the hell, YOLO, leave it in.)

4. Add roasted beans to the mix and add 1 cup broth. Cover pan and cook on medium for 10 minutes.

Happy Halloween from Emily (and some of my Flow-Cal coworkers!)

Dancing at The Post in Marathon, Texas

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPJTbjyEz84&w=560&h=315] Friday morning, Chelsea and I were told that we needed to go to The Post in Marathon to meet all of the "strapping young cowboys" by our guide director at Far Flung.

Saturday evening, late-late by my standards, Chelsea and I left Marfa and headed out toward Marathon. We hadn't eaten yet because we were waiting on the famous grilled cheese in Marfa. When we got around to checking out the Grilled Cheese Parlor, however, we found out that the wait would be around 30 minutes to get a sandwich and they only took cash or check.

So, we did what every good American would do and we went to Dairy Queen. I tell you what, the chicken fingers were hot off the fryer even five minutes before they closed. And if you get the chance, check out the S'mores Blizzard, it's the bomb.

It would have taken us around 40 minutes to get to The Post, but it turns out it's not on any published map (do as the locals do and ask). So we burned some time driving around and getting lost. Finally, we stopped by The Gage Hotel and I ran in to ask. I was surprised to find that our waitress Meghan, from a few nights before was working the bar. She gave me directions and told me that "everyone in town will be there."

Her directions were as follows: "Take a right at the railroad tracks and drive for about two miles." Um, make that 10-15 miles in the middle of nowhere with no lights. The only reason that Chelsea and I kept trucking was that we get being passed by cars going in the opposite direction. That seemed hopeful.

Finally we arrived. Chelsea and I both thought that we were going to a two-stepping bar. What we didn't realize was that we were really going to a community gathering. It wasn't a bar at all. There were grandparents and grandchildren and high schoolers. There were popular kids and misfits. It was a scene. People were sitting on lawn chairs, popping beers out of coolers. Chelsea and I found a space on a cement bench and watched.

There was a live band and a big cement block that people were dancing on. After some rag tag Texas Country, they played "Sweet Home Alabama" and I knew that these people were alright and everything was OK.

Christmas with Nick & Todd

We just spent 3+ great days here in Baton Rouge with Todd & Nick. It was a really special Christmas. We had great food, lots of good wine, did some shopping and sight seeing, farkled (Thanks to Sarah for introducing our family to farling) and, generally relaxed.

There are many special times for a parent. The birth (of course), first step, first goal, off to school, becoming an adult and accomplishments and honors along the way. What must rank right up there is being with your child as they cross into that special relationship that makes them whole, happy, and secure. Being with Todd & Nick feels that way. Our family is bigger and stronger.

May you always continue to grow in love and support one another as you mature as people and expand their horizons individually and together.

Thanks for a wonderful three days.

Nanni's / Michael's rolls

One of those recipes that should not get lost is this great family standard.  Just remember, in Alabama these are officially Nanni's rolls.  In TX, AK, etc. they are Michael's rolls.  I will give the real recipe.  For most family occasions, I usually do a double recipe. This is easiest done with a stand mixer, but many rolls have been made with a bowl, a spoon, and elbow grease

Ingredients

1 package yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

3 1/2 cups self-rising flour  (this is approximate.  use enough flour to bring the dough together)

Butter or margarine

Directions

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand for a couple of minutes.   Add sugar and oil.  Let stand another couple of minutes, so that the yeast can start working on the sugar.  Add the buttermilk and sitr until well blended.  Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball away from the bowl.  Turn the dough onto a floured pastry cloth and knead until it is not sticky.

Roll out to a thickness of 3/4 - 1 inch.  Cut into rolls about 2 inches across.   Using a knife, cut each roll through partially, place a small pat of butter in the middle and fold over.  Place each roll on a greased baking sheet.  Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour.

Bake at 400 until browned on the top.

Twas a Macrander eve before Christmas eve

On the eve before Christmas eve and all through the nation, Mom and Dad were driving to Baton Rouge and trying to agree on a radio station.

Excited to visit Todd and Nick, and wave goodbye to their daughter,

Mom exclaimed, ‘Oh my! Texas couldn’t be hotter.’

So far in the trip Dad had visited his sister,

And Mom had bought some cheap shoes that dad swore would cause a blister,

Shout out to Kayla, the newest addition to us all,

Who was born at just over six pounds on Friday and oh so small.

Todd was busy cleaning, while Nick busy mixing,

Lots of treats to fill their home, Mom and Dad would surely find transfixing,

Sarah was still in Denver, though lonely was not she,

For the beauty of friends and mountains, how much better could life be?

So this morning, Emily sits at her computer not working, oh no, no,

Excited to see Jarrod and family, but more to the point Santa, ho ho ho.

God is great, Jesus is born, this is the reason for the season,

But getting to see the ones we love sure is extra pleasin’

So as we close this year before,

Let’s enjoy our moments together and plan for many more.

Christmas in New Zealand

I will report out on my trip to New Zealand in another entry in the blog, but I thought this was perfect for a funny happenings entry.

The New Zealand that I saw from the air and in the brief taxi ride from the airport into town was a phenomenal landscape of mountains, coastline, and agrarian fields that were reminiscent of Hawaii and the Lord of the Rings movies. The town of Dunedin (pronounce doon-ee-dn), though, was nothing spectacular. Actually, it very much had the look and feel of a mid-sized Midwestern city, buildings 2-3 stories high sidewalks overhung by awnings on storefronts, small businesses, etc. There was kind of a barely prosperous look to the whole thing. My hotel was about a mile from the meeting sight, so I got in nice walks each day going to and from.

Similar to the city, the people were very English, not the most attractive people in the world. It was a combination of rosy-cheeked flat- faced young boys growing into stolid George Smiley (literary reference here) older men. And, there were pinch-faced girls trending toward stout Mrs. Doubtfire matrons.

The first two days were cool, overcast, and drizzly. The weather made me glad I had taken my gortex, and, leant an even greater sense of a community in doldrums. On the third day I hung in my room catching up on email and work until about 11, then, headed out under clearing skies and warming temperatures for the walk to the conference. With the great weather, the sidewalks were packed with shoppers that I realized were beginning to get serious about the Christmas holidays. I caught the festive feel and there was a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

Walking along, I became aware of a car driving down the street with the windows rolled down and a Christmas song blasting from the radio. The jingling bells and piano of the instrumental break were from jingle-bell rock. Looking at the car I saw a grundgy boy behind the wheel and a tattooed and pierced tough looking girl hanging a cigarette out the window with a smirk on her face. Ah, the wonders of Christmas. Even the young toughs have the spirit. How nice.

As the car passed me and the music began to fade, the next verse started up. “You make my d--- swell, as I moan and yell….” OMG! Did I really hear that? As the sound of the song faded into the traffic and street noise, I wanted to turn and chase the car to see if it was real or just my dirty mind playing tricks on me. But, the rest of the day, as I tried to listen to complex talks on whale genomics and sound propagation and exposure, those two lines continued to bounce around my head.

I did a search on Jingle Bell Rock spoofs and, indeed, the song is real and I heard correctly. It is so bad that I will not post the link here. WARNING. This is pretty graphic stuff and you may not want to forever have these lyrics in your head. DO NOT listen to this at work, unless you have earphones in. Having given these warnings, I know everyone will listen. Happy Holidays.

Holiday travels begin

First, Mom and Dad visit Sarah in Denver for Thanksgiving.

Then, Mom flew from Denver to Houston to hang with me in Houston for a week.

Mom and I were blessed to be able to visit Brookewood, a home for functionally handicapped adults, on their open house! Many Christmas gifts were purchased.