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So very sorry for your loss, he was very lucky to have you for his very best friend. Reprinted from a card from our vet:: They will not go quietly, the pets who've shared our lives. In subtle ways they let us know their spirit survives. Old habits still can make us think we hear them at the door. Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place where the food dish used to And sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly. And though time may bring new friends, and a new food dish to fill, that one place in our hearts belong to them...and always will.

Very happy with the way T Giving turned out. Just immediate family and kids' BFs and GFs.

Brined and roasted my cheapo 17 lb Jenny O turkey ala AB- forgot how much faster it cooked; it was super flavorful and moist, just getting around to the leftovers today. Going to make a turkey gumbo and maybe a tetrazzini type dish.

The sides are nearly gone, had them with a standing rib roast the next day, which was also a success, due to the way the meat guy tied and cut the bones out of the way. Just rubbed it with a mixture of kosher salt, cracked pepper, chopped thyme, rosemary and a whole roasted head of garlic. Had so much meat, my guests had the major meat sweats going on.

We don't have a cafeteria at work, just a fridge and micro, and my lunch break is very limited. Plus I follow an lc diet, so I have stayed on the straight and narrow by bringing my brekkie and lunch from home.

Typical at work breakfast is HB eggs, or homemade protein bar or gf/sf muffin tops with a schmear of cream cheese.

One of my fave lunches is tuna, HB eggs and/or chicken salad with bagged cole slaw mix instead of lettuce. I mix chipotle mustard in with the mayo, makes for a nice kick. The cabbage gives a nice crunch, has way more fiber and vitamin content than plain lettuce, and it keeps fresher longer in the bag.

Is it wrong there is a silent tear that just slipped out of the corner of my eye? Have not had a donut in YEARS...if I knew for sure when my last meal would be, this would be my dessert.

Forget the crust- how about topping with chopped sundried tomatoes(in oil) and toasted pine nuts? Or carmelized onion ? For something sweet, fruit preserves?

Is that a new tat on Mike V's chest, sure looks like one of those fakey paper ones teen girls press on each other during slumber parties.

Cauliflower makes a great potato sub, great news if you are ditching starchy veggies. Roasted cauli on its own, with a drizzle of o/o, sprinkle of coarse salt, cracked pepper & a sprinkle of fresh grated italian cheese as it comes from the oven is sublime.

Don't be hating on me, but Campbell's creamy onion soup is far superior to use in casseroles versus the cream of mushroom. When I took over Thanksgiving duty from my MIL, that marshmallow sweet potato monstrosity was banned from my menu. As well as the canned cranberry "sauce", I make my own SF version from the real cranberries from the produce section.

I make my own version of boursin cheese and stuff the multi colored sweet mini peppers with them. Way better and cheaper than store bought, I use roasted garlic cloves and fresh herbs. I also like to make portobellos stuffed with chopped artichoke hearts, parm cheese and the above mentioned boursin.

I also use the boursin shmeared between stacks of salami rounds, then quartered and toothpicked.

Still some good grilling days left in the season, the only problem is the hornets and wasps- UGH.

The day before I had made a huge vat of red peppers and sliced sweet onions, sauteed until caramelized. So, just warmed that in a crockpot while we grilled good Italian sausage. We also served the requisite burgers and smoked sausage as well. Like any gathering, the impact is in the sides that are served.

For a non putzy appie- we sliced fresh mozzarella, topped with a schmear of fresh pesto, topped with a fresh tomato slice, drizzled with olive oil and cracked black peper and garnished with basil leaf. Very pretty.

GRAPHIC TMI ALERT: It really helps to snip these with scissors, b/c they come out the same way the go in.

Yes, it truly helps to rinse them very well and use them only in asian type dishes. The chewy texture does not lend itself well to tomato or cream based dishes.