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Home made Turkey Pot Pie with Betty Crockers Origional Homemade bisquits on top....I am in heaven..

Turkey chunks, dark meat is great
Left over dressing, potatoes,
Steamed potatoes, sweet french carrots, haricot verts,
Diced red pepper
10 ounces frozen petite peas

Saute sweet onion or shallots, until soft add sliced chantrelles, or button mushrooms add 3 T flour thicken cook, then add 1 can evaporated (it makes the right consistency) milk, left over poultry gravy, or chicken broth, and a little cream. Put all in a large greased ovenproof casserole I prefer those thick white ceramic oval or rectange, type 2 inches depth at least. Bake in 400o oven when pipin hot add homemade bisquits bake 12-15 additional minutes until done, and you are a happy camper, The best eating for a cold winter night with a nice friend and wine.

I claim this as prairie food, from the Ranch in Nebraska in the 50's.
I make this also with hind quarter baked chicken legs and thighs it is a delicious inexpensive meal, they are the most under utilized bargin protein. Shelie the dietitian

One of the silpats I have is not for heating or baking, just rolling pastry, it is white the ones I use in the oven are brown, with orange trim, I think the color difference implies a function difference. I think they are great for under hot oven dishes to catch spills and for pastry rolling I like it better than marble as you can pick it up and lay it over your pie, tart, pan and very nicely peel it off.

The best meal I may ...have ever eaten may have been a simple French omlete served with shaved fresh truffle at the restaurant La Beaugraviere in Mondragon, in southern France. Au pays de la Truffe(www.beaugraviere.com) The wine was from Gigondias, Domaine Les Palliets (?) I remember everything about that lunch with complete clarity, including the other diners how the waiter poured, as to taste something that devine will leave you in a transformed state....I am fortunate to eat many wonderful meals, but this is an sensory experience, its not about food artistry. It is a experience you must pursue if you are serious about food. I live in Oregon and cook with the Oregon truffles,(even just tonight grated on shrimp fra diavolo) we are extremely proud of them whether they will truely compete with the wild truffles of southern France, will be debated and tested for decades. You must try them and tell us what you think...

One of my favorite is to take wonton wrappers in small muffin tins, bake 400o 5-10 minutes untill crisp, ( brush with oil first),later at time of serving then take a crab leg, or claw shelled a wedge of avocado, very thin lime piece and a dash of cocktail sauce or salsa, add a garnish, usually I use cilantro, every one likes them and they are fast and easy to serve and eat...could use those baby tortillas they now make and make them flat instead of cups like baby quesadillas. If wontons are too drull, just make baby cream puffs stuff with crab filling with whipped cream cheese thinned with lemon juice, and minced parsley and green onion, if you have great fresh crab it needs very little but a dash of paprika!~

I am doing old fashion candys, divinity, fudge, 3 nut brittle, chocolate covered cherries, carmel corn, penache, toffee, rocky road, chocolate dipped hazelnuts, gingerbread boys for kids, and popcorn balls with red hots.
These are the foods I associated with Christmas in the midwest, now I live in Oregon so I add hazelnuts to the brittle. Also I have been making Meyer lemon marmelade, quince jelly, pickeled peaches for duck confit, and cutneys, pear and or peach all of these are very well received. If I am short on time toasted hazelnuts, with differert flavors are good as well.