Tuesday Trivia Tie-in #18 - What it's all about.

Welcome to Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where I invite and encourage everyone to join, with a post about something they find interesting.

My posts are usually about one of the ties in my collection, but yours can be about anything!I only ask that you include some little known information that relates to your topic.

It's coming up on the Fourth of July, one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it's just because I hate to be told what to do, but the idea of declaring independence, and telling the king he isn't going to have old Troy to kick around any more seems right up my alley. I'd like to think that had I been around 234 years ago, my name would have been right there next to John Hancock.

In honor of Independence Day, I thought I'd show my Flag Tie. This tie, by Roberto Cellini is made from 100% genuine Polyester, using only the finest polyester fibers from specially grown Polyester plants.


OK, it isn't silk, but I still like it:

My flag tie and I went on a trip today, to see what we needed for the perfect 4th of July.

First, of course, we'd pack up a cooler, with all the fixins for hot dogs.


We looked at fancy-schmancy grills, but really all you need is a little grill to have a good time.

You need drinks, of course, and a bucket of ice to keep them in.
Some dessert



And a pillow to lay on and watch the fireworks, when you are all done eating.


That seemed like we had everything for the perfect picnic, after all isn't that what America is all about?

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet?



But then I started thinking. What is it really all about?

I know that a Pledge of Allegiance is the opposite of a Declaration of Independence,
But to me, there is no better day than Independence Day, to stop and think about what I am saying every time I recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

So, lets look at it, one line at a time.

I pledge allegiance,

I promise loyalty

To The Flag of The United States of America

To an emblem, a symbol, a piece of red white and blue cloth.

And to the republic for which it stands.

And to the United States of America, which is represented by that symbolic piece of cloth.

One Nation.

The USA is 50 different states, but all are one nation and are all part of something greater than any one of the states.

Under God.

No matter how great that nation gets, though, we must remember that there is a power even greater than we can ever be.

Indivisible

A nation that can not be torn apart. People have tried. People have failed. A nation united, by trial and tribulation, by blood and sweat and tears. Many states, but we are truly one nation.

With liberty

We have freedom, more freedom that any other nation, to do, say, think, and act, as we wish.

and justice

Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. With the freedom to act, comes an obligation to see to it that no one acts in a way that harms someone else.

for all.

That's all as in everybody. No matter what. A nation where all have the freedom to act, and all have the obligation to act responsibly. Where all have equal rights and equal accountability.

So maybe baseball, apple pie, hot dogs and Chevrolet aren't really what the Fourth of July is all about after all.

Maybe it is all about The freedom we have, and the obligation we have to ensure that others enjoy that freedom.

I want to take just a minute to thank those who serve in our armed forces, and their families, for the sacrifice they are making, to make sure that I get to enjoy those freedoms.

To make sure that I get to have liberty and justice. To make sure that I live in a nation, under God, that is indivisible.

And a special thank you to a soldier who is very important to me. He even told me I could use his picture, as long as I didn't do it in a way that would embarass him.

I can't call him my baby brother any more, at least not to his face, because he is taller, stronger and in way better shape than I am. But he will always be my little brother, and I am proud to be his brother.

PFC Solomon H.

Thank you, to you, and everyone who wears a uniform for our country. That's what it's really all about!

OK, now it's your turn.

Write a blog post about something that matters to you. Include some interesting information and link it here. Make sure and link to your post and not your main blog.

Another Day, Another Year, Another Decade, life marches on.

Like clockwork, New Years Day follows Christmas every year by just one week. One week to clear the cobwebs and clutter of Christmas from your brain and prepare to start a new year. Diann and I were just talking the other day about how, although it makes no real sense, we both view New Years as kind of a clean slate day.

The blackboard, or in a more modern and updated classroom, the whiteboard, has been cleared and cleaned, the erasers dusted, and we are ready to start a new term.

As we do, it is not uncommon to look back at the term we finished. To carry the classroom analogy forward, to look back and see what kind of grades we earned.

Every so often, about every ten years or so, we reach the end, not only of a year, but of a decade.

Ten years ago, we got to watch a day, a year, a decade, a century and a millennium all come to an end at once, and we started anew, with clean slates.

We entered the decade I fondly refer to as the "Zeros".

Looking back at that New Years Eve, ten years ago, I am amazed at the journey of the last ten years.

If life is High School. then the 'zeros' were, for me, the equivalent of Advanced Placement College Prep Calculus. And I think maybe I entered the class immediately from Remedial Math.

At the end of 1999, I had just got a new job, in fact, I was hired on Dec 23, and told to take the holidays off.
Christmas was a Friday, so I was to report to work Monday Dec 28.
I got a phone call over the weekend, and Monday morning had me at the airport at 5:00 AM to fly across the county, to Arizona to be precise. I was to pick up a brand new truck, and drive it back to Michigan.

It was late afternoon, on the 28th before I had my paperwork done, my truck keys in my hand, and was ready to head out.

This was the year of the Y2K scare, so there was no way of knowing, if at midnight on Dec 31, all of the fuel pumps, ATM's and even traffic lights would still be working, so we were all advised to find a place to park early on the 31st and not drive anywhere until we were sure that things were working. Nobody knew exactly what would happen at midnight that day, but we were all cautioned that anything could happen, and warned to be prepared for the worst.

So, I had a little over 48 hours to drive, and I was just over 2000 miles from home. Federal law at the time would allow me to drive 10 hours, then I had to stop for 8 hours. Scheduling that trip normally, I would schedule it for a four day trip. But I put my mind to it, didn't stop for anything except necessities and allowed myself no distractions. I pushed myself as had as I could safely and legally push, (and occasionally a bit harder) and I arrived home in Michigan at about 7 PM New Years Eve. Together, Diann and I watched Y2K arrive safely and happily.

I share this story, not for congratulations or sympathy, but because that trip kind of set the scene and the mood for the next ten years.

Diann and I were married 4 months later, and the next decade, the 'zeros' was filled with a series of impossible tasks that loomed before us. All too often, we had unrealistic expectations placed on us and inflexible deadlines imposed, with little or no knowledge of what would happen if we missed a deadline.

But we had learned that if we set our minds to it, didn't allow for any distractions, didn't stop for anything but necessities, pushed ourselves as hard as we could safely push, we could accomplish anything, overcome anything, and make it home safe. If we face obstacles together, we can watch the problems come, and go, and be safe and happy.

It's a good thing we learned that lesson, because the zeros were filled with our fair share of challenges and trials. We had a roller coaster ride of health, financial, spiritual, emotional highs and lows. It was a wild ride, with twists and turns and surprises around every corner, yet here we are, ready to face another new year, together, safe and happy.

I wonder what tomorrow, next year, the next decade will bring?

Whatever it is, I am glad that I have the friends and family that I do, to help me along the way.

I am thankful that I have the companion that I have, making the ride with me.

Good Bye Zeros!

Christmas Tree Stand

I like fresh Christmas trees. The smell of the tree is one of the things I look forward to at Christmas time.

The tree stand is the most unappreciated yet one of the most important part of your Christmas tree. A bad stand can make a good tree become a disaster, and a good stand can take a lot of the headache out of putting up a tree.

Years ago, when I lived in Utah, The big craze was water stands with a spike up the middle.

The tree lots had a grid with spikes on it that they displayed trees on, The drilled a hole up the trunk of the trees, and put the trees on the spikes, then they just lifted them off the spike and loaded it in your vehicle.

You took your tree home, and if you had the tree stand with the spike, you just set your tree down on it, filled it full of water, and it was ready to go.

When I moved East, nobody used that system, and I found myself using those stands with the thumbscrews that you have to try to level.

Patience is not one of my more dominant personality traits, and it didn't take long for me to start saying lots of uncomplimentary words each time I put up a Christmas tree.

So, I enlisted some help, and set out to build a Christmas Tree Stand that would help me keep my sanity and help to maintain peace and goodwill in our home at Christmas time.

I rescued a piece of pipe from a scrap pile that used to be the top rail of a chain link fence.

I cut two pieces, 32" long. I found the center of each piece and using a reciprocal saw I cut a rounded notch in each piece, so they would fit together.

I asked my brother in law, who is much handier than I am with such things to do my welding for me.

We drilled a hole up the center and stuck A 1/2" carriage bolt 6" long up through the hole and welded that in place.

I bought a cheap metal bucket, drilled a hole in the center of the bottom, and put it down over the bolt. We put a tack weld on each of the four contact spots to hold it in place, then I used JB Weld, (one of the magic wonder tools no toolbox should be without) to seal the hole around the bolt.

A can of spray paint finished the project.





Now, each time we get a tree, I just have to drill a 1/2" diameter hole 5" deep up the trunk of the tree, then stick the tree on the spike, fill the bucket full of water and it's ready to start decorating.

But wait, there's more....

We discovered a few years back, that there are several advantages to buying a slightly shorter tree and then elevating it.

Shorter trees cost a little less generally. Smaller trees fit in a corner of a small room a little better, and by elevating a tree you can put presents UNDER the tree, rather than in front of it, without having to cut branches off the tree.

All of this led to us buying trees between seven and eight feet tall, even though we have a nine foot ceiling. Then we would set our tree on a low table.

So the next step of this project was part utilitarian, part convenient, and part because I wanted to play in the garage with the tools.

I built a box 2' x 2' x 1', out of OSB board. A hinged lid and a magnetic latch made it just right.

Since it was esentially built around my tree stand, it holds the stand just perfectly, to keep it from being banged around while it is in storage, and when I take it out it serves as a pedestal to elevate the tree a foot off the ground.

I am giving serious consideration to installing a fourplex electical outlet on the side of the box. If I do, I will do it with an inline switch, and about a 6'cord. That way we can plug all our lights into the side of the box, turn them on and off with the flip of a switch, and only have one cord running to the wall.

But that's a project for the off season, when it's nice and warm.

For now, I'll just be happy with what I have:




This week, I'll be joining:



Do It Yourself Day
And any other blog parties that I discover throughout the week. Many of my favorites are taking the week off for Christmas, but if I see that they are up, I will join them too!

2686

Late, Local, Lovely

I have news, It's December already! Not just December, mind you, but the month is more than half over and there is less than a week until Christmas.

Every year it sneaks up on me, but this year Christmas was especially sneaky. It's been 15 years since I had a two year old, and now, out of the blue, we have one again, and quite honestly, I'm fifteen years older than I was back then. I forgot just how much time and attention one tiny little bundle of energy can demand, and did I mention, I'm fifteen years older now?

So anyway, we finally got a Christmas Tree. Now, I'm not one for putting up a tree the day afterThanksgiving anyway, I like "real" trees, and if you put one up too early, by Christmas you have a scratchy, brittle, fire hazard sitting in your living room. When you do that, the safest thing to do is to take it outside Christmas day along with the wrapping paper. But I do like to have a tree up by about two weeks before Christmas.

This year though, time just flew by and we realized that if we didn't hurry and get one, we would be putting it up Christmas Morning.

There are a whole bunch of places around to buy a tree. All of the big box hardware stores sell them, and there are several tree lots in the area. The Kiwanis aren't selling them this year. In the past we bought from them, because they had nice trees, reasonable prices, and I knew that at least a portion of what we paid would be used for community service projects.

But this year, None of the local service organizations had lots.

So, we went to a commercial lot, a Michigan Tree Farm, that has a local lot.
As soon as we walked on the lot we saw a trailer. The trailer still had a price tag on it and was obviously a loaner/rental from one of the local RV places, no problem, locals helping locals, I can dig it. A young guy came out of a trailer and greeted us, then was quick to put down the Black Hills Spruce that we usually get, He explained that they are not very good trees, and we wouldn't be happy with one. (that's what we had the last three years and we loved them!) He also pointed out that the Black Hills Spruce were the lowest priced trees he had, at $35 each, and he highly recommended a Frazier Fir, which started at $50 and went up from there.

And, no they don't take plastic, only cash. (Get real people, this is the 21st century! If I can take plastic at my home, on Ebay, via paypal, than certainly any legitimate business can do it.)

OK, we looked at his trees. They were picked over, unattractive and overpriced. We were disappointed and went on our merry way, treeless.

Then we stopped at the local Bait Shop, which also sells trees. We were met outside by the owner, who told us it was wheel-and-deal day. Yippee! my favorite day of the week!

We found two trees we liked, Tree A was taller, fuller and prettier, and marked $40 Tree B was nice, but a little shorter, and was marked $30. I was all prepared to ask him to split the difference, when he surprised us by offering us Tree A for $20.

SOLD!

I remember when $25 bought the most expensive tree on the lot. As a matter of fact, when I was in high school, trees routinely sold for $1.50 per foot, so a 6 foot tree was less than $10.

When did Christmas Trees become such a high dollar commodity?

So, now everyone is happy. The bait shop guy has one less tree that will go unsold this year. We have a Christmas tree, and even undecorated, unlit, just standing in the living room in the stand it made the little princess's eyes light up, and we didn't have to pay the gross national product of a lesser developed country to get it.

Not to mention, guess who will be the first place we check with next year?

You would think that the big box stores, with their high falutin' business ideas, and college educated management would realize by now the value of customer loyalty.

For now, though, I'm just going to sit here and enjoy the smell of a fresh Christmas tree, one of my favorite parts of this season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't get into the whole touchy-feely thing very much. I don't wear my feelings on my sleeve and as a general rule, I try to keep emotion out of my blog and just stick with fact and reality.

But sometimes, emotions ARE fact and reality.

I am thankful, every day for some of the things in my life, so, it being Thanksgiving and all, I thought I'd take a minute and reflect a bit.

I'm thankful that I have a wife who loves me, no matter what, unconditionally. I'm thankful for that goofy little girl who drives me crazy and wears out the last of my patience, then crawls in my lap, lays her head on my shoulder and makes it all worth it.

I'm thankful, dare I say it, for the trials that we have faced in the last four years. My injury caused me a lot of pain, but it showed me the things that really mattered. It helped me know who my friends were and learn what a true friend really is.

It got me out of an occupation that destroys people slowly, mentally and physically, and forced me to take another path in life. it hasn't always been an easy path, but it leads where I want to go.

It's helped Diann and I to learn more about each other and by facing trials together, to get stronger together.

I am Thankful for family and friends and the roles they play in our lives.

And I am thankful to each of the loyal people who wade through my blog and leave me the comments that inspire me to keep going.

Each of you help make it all worth it.

And if you don't have anything else to be thankful for on Thanksgiving, be thankful you aren't a turkey!

Herbs for the Holidays -- Pie

I know that desserts means more than just pie, but when I think Thanksgiving dessert, I automatically think pie.

Cookies and cakes are more Christmas foods to me. So, maybe between now and Christmas I can do a few of those.

When I was a kid, we had two kinds of pie at Thanksgiving, Pumpkin or mince meat. That was it. When Diann and I got married, she introduced me to such novelties as pecan pie, apple pie and even cream pies at Thanksgiving. To me, they seem non-traditional, but I've never been one to turn down a piece of pie, traditional or otherwise.

So each of these pies uses herbs that we grew this year. The sweet potato pie is a bit of a stretch, because it only uses fresh mint, and only as a garnish, but I love sweet potato pie, so I included it anyway.
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Rosemary Apple Pie

Rosemary Syrup:

1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C water
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary

In small microwave-safe bowl combine sugar, water, and Rosemary. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes; remove rosemary sprigs and discard.

1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t. Salt
1 t. finely snipped fresh rosemary
6 C cored, peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. whipping cream
1 t. vanilla
1/4 C butter
Pastry for one 9” double crust pie.
1 egg white, beaten
2 t. granulated sugar

In small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, salt and 1 teaspoon finely snipped rosemary; set aside.
In very large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar mixture; toss to coat.
Add whipping cream, vanilla, and rosemary syrup.
In large skillet melt butter over medium heat; add apple mixture. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll first half of pastry and line 9” pan.. Trim pastry even with rim of pie pan; spoon in apple mixture.
Roll second half of pastry. Cut large slits in pastry. Place pastry circle on apple filling; trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pan. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.
To prevent over browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack; serve slightly warm.

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Cinnamon Basil Pumpkin Pie

1/2 C Milk
2 t. Fresh Basil

1 can pumpkin
1 t. Cinnamon
1/2 t. ground Ginger
1 t. Salt
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. Honey, warmed slightly
1/2 C heavy Cream
9″ single deep dish pie crust

Puree the Basil leaves with milk and set aside. You can use a blender or a food processor.
While beating the pumpkin, gradually add cinnamon, ginger and salt. Turn off the beater; add about ¼ of the eggs and resume mixing until it is blended in, repeat this until all the eggs are added. .Add the honey, milk with the basil.and finally the cream. Beat the whole mixture until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Fill it to the rim, be careful not to splash or overfill, as it will burn and look unattractive. You can use a pie guard over the crust or foil so that you do not burn the edges of the pie crust.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 – 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the filling comes out clean.

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Sweet Potato Pie

1/4 C butter, softened
2 eggs, separated
1 C sugar
3/4 C evaporated milk
1 1/2 C cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat until blended then add egg yolks and beat.
Stir in sweet potatoes, vanilla, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites. When foamy, slowly add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff. Fold into the sweet potato mixture. Place in pie crust, bake about 40 minutes until firm. Serve with whipped cream garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

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Marbled Lemon Tart with Sage Cornmeal Sage Crust

Sage Cornmeal Pie Crust

Makes enough for two 9-inch tarts
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
3/4 C coarse yellow cornmeal
3 T. sugar
1 T. plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. finely grated lemon zest
3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 large egg yolks
5 T ice water



Pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, sage, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolks and ice water in a small bowl. With machine running, add to flour mixture through feed tube; process until dough just holds together.
Turn out dough onto a work surface. Divide in half, and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 disk to a 10-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim edges flush with rim. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Reserve remaining dough for another use (it can be frozen up to 3 months).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick bottom of tart shell with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool.

Pie Filling

1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

3 tablespoons creme fraiche

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in lemon juice.
1.Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk constantly until mixture has thickened and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Whisk in gelatin mixture. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until smooth. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Prepare an ice-water bath. Place bowl of yolk mixture over bath, and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Spread curd into crust; smooth top. Dollop creme fraiche on top. Using a wooden skewer or the tip of a knife, swirl creme fraiche into curd to create a marbleized effect. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).

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Make sure you don't miss my other Herbs for the Holidays posts

Herbs for the Holidays -- Stuffing

Herbs for the Holidays -- Cranberries

Herbs for the Holidays -- Sweet Potatoes

Herbs for the Holidays -- Sweet Potatoes

My third segment of Herbs for the holidays is dedicated to Sweet Potatoes.
Sweet Potatoes were always a part of my Thanksgiving meal as a child. My mom cooked them in butter and brown sugar, then topped them with marshmallows. I always liked them, but since Diann isn't a big fan of sweet potatoes, they don't play a starring role at our table. I usually manage to sneak some in, but for the most part we try to cook things that we both like.

OK, time out, for Troy's Trivia Tips:

Although people often use the terms "Sweet Potatoes" and "Yams" interchangeably, they are in fact two distinctly different vegetables.


Sweet Potatoes come in two varieties, A pale skinned variety, with a light yellow skin, a darker yellow, dry, crumbly flesh, not unlike a russet potato, and a darker skinned variety, with a reddish skin and a moist, sweet, brilliant orange flesh.
Often, when you buy "canned yams" at the local grocery store, you are actually getting dark skinned sweet potatoes.



Yams, native to Africa, Asia, Latin America and The Caribbean, have a dark brown or black skin, similar to tree bark, and generally an off white or reddish purple flesh. They are often sweeter than Sweet Potatoes, and they can grow up to seven feet long. They must be cooked to be eaten safely, as the raw yam can cause illness, and bare skin contact with raw yams can cause skin irritation.

So, now we have that out of the way, lets talk about some recipes that combine sweet potatoes with the herbs we grew this year:

Herbed Sweet Potatoes




4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
3 T olive oil
2 t dried thyme leaves
2 t dried marjoram leaves

Preheat oven to 425° F. Lightly oil a sheet pan, large enough to hold the potatoes in one layer. Cut the potatoes into about 1-inch cubes. Place on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil . Add the herbs, salt and pepper to taste and; toss well. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes, until tender. Serve immediately or cover lightly with foil to keep warm.
Can be served as is, or mashed together lightly with some butter.

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(Note: The peels add flavor, nutrients and texture, but if you must, go ahead and peel them, just don't blame me when you don't get all the vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Copper that you could have otherwise.
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Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Onion




3 slices thick sliced bacon, diced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 medium onions, cut into 8 wedges
1 t salt
1 t dried thyme
¼ t black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook bacon in large, deep skillet until crisp. Remove from heat. Transfer bacon to paper towels; set aside. Add potatoes and onions to drippings in skillet; toss until coated. Stir in salt, thyme and pepper. Spread mixture in single layer in ungreased 15X10-inch jelly-roll pan or shallow roasting pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Transfer to serving bowl; sprinkle with bacon.

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Skillet Sweet Potatoes~




2 lbs sweet potatoes
2 t smoked paprika
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Small handful minced fresh sage and thyme, -
Wash the sweet potatoes - don't peel. Cut into a fine, 1/2" dice. Toss with paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and oil. Add half the sweet potatoes. Let cook without stirring for about three minutes, then stir and turn them over. Let cook for another few minutes - until they are quite golden and seared.
Add the other half, along with the garlic, and cook them all until tender. The potatoes you added first will get slightly mushier and soft, while the ones added later should keep their shape with a tender bite.
Just as they get tender stir in the herbs and cook just until wilted and fragrant.

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Finally, for those who are tired of the same old thing, mix it up a bit by adding a few twists. Instead of just plain old Sweet Potatoes, try serving Sweet Potato Au Gratin

OK, Troy's Trivia Tip #2:

Au Gratin is not a term that refers to a dish made from potatoes, but instead refers to a cooking technique.

Technically Au Gratin means covered in bread crumbs, topped with butter and cheese and baked in the oven. But we have slowly allowed the term to evolve into meaning a creamy potato casserole.

This recipe is more the latter than the former, but as long as you add the "optional" breadcrumbs, it has all the requisite ingredients.

Sweet Potato, Gouda and Herb Au Gratin



4 lb sweet potatoes
1 1/2 t salt
1 C heavy cream
1 C whole milk
3 T unsalted butter, softened
6 oz finely grated five-year aged gouda
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 T. chopped fresh sage
4 sprigs thyme, leaves only, stems removed
2 C Bread Crumbs (optional)

Put oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat 350°F.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. You should have enough potatoes for about five layers. Stir together cream, milk and salt.
Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and dot with half of butter. Pour in 1/3 cup milk and cream mixture.
Place one layer of potatoes in baking dish. Pour 1/3 cup cream mixture and sprinkle one fourth of cheese between layers. On the fourth layer, sprinkle the herbs, before topping with the final layer. Otherwise the herbs will burn if placed on top. You can garnish the top later with a few additional herbs if desired. Easy on the sage.
Pour remaining cream mixture over potatoes and dot with rest of butter. You can optionally sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs, too. But the top layer gets dark golden and crisp, so this is not required.
Bake, uncovered, until potatoes are very tender and top is browned, about 2 hours. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

They all sound good to me, but I don't ever see us having four different kinds of sweet potatoes on the table all at one meal.

Besides, my favorite sweet potato recipe is Sweet Potato Pie. Watch for my segment on desserts for that recipe.

Herbs for the Holidays -- Cranberries

Welcome to the next segment of Herbs for the Holidays.

I recently read an article in one of my favorite bogs about that gelatinous tube of cranberry that was always served by our mothers, glimmering, shimmering and somewhat intimidating.

Over the years I have experimented with various cranberry sauce ideas, without ever finding the one that I absolutely had to have every year. I had some with hot pepper, some with green peppers and celery, one with corn, and a lot of other varieties. One year, my sister's contribution to my mothers Thanksgiving dinner was four different cranberry sauces.

Finally a few years back, Diann made one with mandarin oranges and walnuts that has turned into a keeper.

But I wanted to explore some ways to incorporate herbs into our Holiday meals, so I found some different recipes.

The first one seems more like a gravy and less like traditional cranberry sauces, (which I suppose are more of a relish than a sauce, when it comes right down to it.)

Cranberry Herb Sauce

2 small onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
2-1/2 cups water
2 cups dry red wine
2/3 cup honey
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
4 whole bay leaves
5 drops Worcestershire sauce
Dash rosemary
Dash ground red pepper

Cook and stir onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until onions are softened. Add cranberries, water, wine, honey, bouillon, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about I hour or until mixture reduces by half, stirring frequently. Remove and discard bay leaves. Puree sauce in blender or food processor or press through sieve. (The sauce will be the consistency of a thick gravy.)

Serve with poultry, lamb or pork. Also wonderful over dressing or sweet potatoes.

Tip: This sauce freezes well.

This next one sounds good, It has quite a bit of sugar in it, but you could use Splenda, Honey, or whatever substitute you choose.

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Herb-infused, Spiced Cranberry-Orange Relish

1/2 orange with skin on, cut up for ease of blending
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1 cinnamon stick (2-1/2 inches)
3 whole cloves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup port (optional but recommended)

2 (12-ounce) bags fresh cranberries

In a food processor or blender blend orange and orange juice concentrate until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a medium pot and add cinnamon, cloves, rosemary or thyme, sugar, water and port.
Bring mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes.
Add the cranberries and simmer until the cranberries burst and mixture starts to thicken, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir often to keep from burning.
Place relish into a container and refrigerate.

When chilled, remove the cinnamon stick, rosemary and thyme.

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Here is one of those recipes you can make the day before, in fact, it's better if you do.

I wouldn't suggest it as a healthy alternative to fresh fruit or anything, but it looks interesting.
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Baked Cranberry Sauce.

•1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
•1 1/4 cups brown sugar
•1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch allspice
•1/4 cup bourbon,
•1 T fresh Rosemary, chopped
•1 t fresh Thyme, chopped
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.Combine the cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a small baking dish and cover.
3.Bake for about 55 minutes.
4.Remove the cover and stir to melt any un-dissolved sugar. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and surrounded by a syrupy sauce.
5.Remove the dish from the oven and immediately stir in the bourbon, Rosemary and Thyme. Let the dish cool to room temperature, then chill for at least hour before serving. The sauce will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

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Troy's Trivia Tidbit:

Allspice is made from the ground dried berries of the Pimento tree, also known as the East Indian Pepper Tree. Incidentally, Pimentos, like the ones found inside green olives, do not come from the pimento tree. Pimentos are just red bell peppers, usually cooked. And also incidentally, most green bell peppers will turn red if left on the vine.

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Some people prefer the traditional approach to cranberries and some opt for the less conventional accents. Sara Foster, owner of Foster's Market in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, makes two batches of relish: one enhanced with citrus to suit more traditional tastes, and the other with seven-pepper jelly for those who love the spicy flavor.

For best results, use fresh cranberries -- never frozen -- and the best oranges you can find. Presented with the individual tastes of guests in mind, cranberry relish served two ways can be a thoughtful addition to this year's Thanksgiving table.
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Cranberry Relish, served two ways.

1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
4 oranges, segmented, pith and membranes removed
1 cup seven-pepper jelly
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, such as rosemary and thyme
Directions
1.In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a simmer. Add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest. Stir until sugar is dissolved and the cranberries begin to pop, about 15 minutes.
2.Remove from heat. Divide relish in half, reserving half. Add orange segments to half of the cranberries. Stir to combine.
3.Add pepper jelly and fresh herbs to the remaining half. Stir to combine. Serve relishes in separate dishes.

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I have to admit, my favorite way to eat cranberry sauce is to eat it cold, on cold turkey, tucked inside a homemade roll, often eaten after midnight while standing in front of the refrigerator trying to decide whether I want something to eat bad enough to get out all the containers and fix a plate.

So, whether you want the shimmering simplicity of a can of jelly in a cut glass bowl, or you want a cranberry relish that everyone will actually eat, make sure and make enough so that you can enjoy the leftovers.

Herbs for the Holidays.-- Stuffing

We are still without our desktop, but the backup laptop is now virus-free and running like a racehorse so I hope it isn't too late to do this.

For a couple of weeks I have wanted to explore some holiday recipes that would allow us to highlight some of the herbs we are all so proud of having grown this year.

I know we all have our traditional family recipes handed down for multiple generations. Some foods are just such standards at our table that it feels disloyal to Grandma Wagstaff, or Great Aunt Golda to serve something else.

But sometimes it's fun to play. And sometimes, it's time to shake things up a little.

So over the next few days I want to highlight some different traditional holiday foods, and explore some new ideas.

So lets's kick it off with stuffings, OK?

Lemon & Herb Stuffing

3 C fresh bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
¾ cup of chopped fresh parsley
1 T fresh thyme
grated zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
¼ stick melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Use a fork to avoid the mixture becoming too compacted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This stuffing is suitable to use to stuff the cavity of an 8 to 10 pound turkey.

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While you can make most turkey stuffing recipes into vegetarian recipes, this one was created especially for vegetarians. As a bonus, this is one of the few turkey stuffing recipes made in the crockpot, freeing up oven space for other things. If you're looking for "turkey" stuffing recipes that veggie and non-veggies guests alike will swoon over (that is, as long as you don't actually stuff the turkey), you've found it.

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Crockpot Vegetarian Stuffing

Ingredients:
3 C coarsely chopped onion
3 C crimini or button mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 C chopped celery
1/2 C (1 stick) butter
10 C stale bread, in small cubes or crumbled
1/4 C chopped fresh sage
1/3 C chopped fresh parsley
3/4 t salt
3/4 t freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
1/4 C vegetable broth

In a skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms. Cook until tender.

Place onion/mushroom mixture in a large mixing bowl.
Add bread and mix well. Add herbs and spices.

Beat eggs in a small bowl and stir into bread mixture.

Place stuffing in a crockpot. Drizzle vegetable broth over the top. Cook, covered, on low heat for 4 hours.

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Fresh Herb Stuffing with Turkey Sausage and Cranberries

1 16 oz loaf whole wheat bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 oz spicy or regular bulk turkey sausage
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
4 large stalks celery, very thinly sliced
1 large (10-ounce) red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
12 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (about 3 T)
3 C natural, fat-free chicken broth
1/3 C dried, sweetened cranberries
3 T unsalted butter
3/4 t fine sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange bread cubes evenly on two large baking pans. Brown in oven for about 25 minutes.
Brown sausage over medium high heat for 5 minutes, breaking into small pieces as it browns; place in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery, onion, garlic, and sage. Lightly brown, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer broth, cranberries, and butter for about 10 minutes.
Add celery mixture, bread cubes, and cranberry broth to sausage. Stir until broth is absorbed. Season with salt to taste.
Evenly spread stuffing in pan; cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes.

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Walnut Herb & Apple Stuffing

1/3 cup butter
3 medium onions, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
12 cups cubed bread
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups California Walnut pieces
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh sage
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
1/2 cup fresh thyme
3/4 to 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

In non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and celery; cook 5 minutes or until soft.
In large bowl, mix bread, onion mixture, apples and walnuts. Add parsley, sage rosemary and thyme. Mix in enough chicken stock to moisten bread. Season with salt and pepper.
Loosely fill turkey cavity.


So there are a few ways to add a twist to your stuffing and use some of the herbs you grew this year.

Tune in next time, when we explore how to blend Cranberries and herbs...