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The Union Oyster House in Boston has the best lobster rolls. Had one there several weeks ago.

I understand perfectly what voting "present" means. Obama will be completing his first year as a senator soon. Now THAT requires a barbecue!

Good work! At least McCain has a voting history. Obama voted "present" didn't he?

Your opinion has been noted.

Obama is the perfect example that through hard work, dedication and higher education you can realize the American dream of owning a lovely home in an upscale neighborhood and run for the President of the United States. I have to worry about his "spread the wealth" position. It conflicts with the American dream. This election reminds me of our food recipes and our personal recipes for life...."if you send a ship out expect one to come in" and the food is only as good as the ingredients you put in. We should all be held accountable for the choices we make for ourselves. The sub-prime mortgages are an excellent example of making bad choices. Many of us did not get into a sub-prime mortgage and there was a very good reason why...it would've been a bad choice. Yet, as taxpayers we now have to take responsibility for those who did. Each candidate will make big promises that they will never keep. It reminds me of being given an old family recipe only to discover that a few ingredients were left out....key ingredients...necessary to making it work. When you go out and vote keep in mind that neither candidate is going to make a noticeable change in your life. Maintaining a strong military force is vital to our continued safety against terrorism and holding our strong position as a world leader. If we don't maintain that now we will put our children and grandchildren in a place of constant uncertainty. We still live in the best country in the world. We have our problems but they, in no way, compare to what other countries are experiencing with socialized medicine and a "spreading of the wealth" mentality. Everyone wants to live in America and we all need to remember why that is. It is our responsibility to vote for the candidate who will not take the American dream away from us and give it to others. I'll vote on November 4th for the candidate who will protect us across the board. I will vote for John McCain. He has the permanet injuries to remind him of what a great country he was fighting for. And....he is still fighting to make it better and stronger.

Honestly!

I think steaming the whole breast on a rack, using chicken broth as your liquid, place in a large dutch oven type pot would be the way to go. It will guarantee your turkey to be extremely moist. You'll be the envy of quite a few cooks on Thanksgiving Day! You can use the broth later for the gravy and stuffing. Since you only have two burners you may want to use a bamboo type steamer and layer your potatoes and vegetables so that everything will be hot at the same time. I am assuming you do not have a microwave over there. Hey...good luck....what an adventure!!

Have absolutely no desire to eat frozen vegetables. Am I missing something?

Try roasting brussel sprouts for a change. Prepare the bsprouts by removing any discolored leaves. Generously cover in olive oil and a quality sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast @ 350 degrees until crispy...approx 40 min. Stir halfway through cooking time. Also....

I prepare 3 to 4 lbs of fresh green beans by cutting off the ends. I add olive oil to cover the bottom in a hot large skillet quickly adding the beans continually turning them until slightly brown. Add l/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce and l/2 cup of water. Stir and continue cooking 5 minutes. Add four cloves of chopped garlic and freshly ground pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the cover and stir rotating the beans. Cover and cook five minutes more! You will love these beans anytime but especially for Thanksgiving!
optional: slightly roasted slivered almonds to garnish

Although I have never worked in a restaurant, I have respect for those who do. I am overly polite and appreciative when receiving good service. I have been in the company of other people who are, in fact, rude to waitors because they are basically rude and uncaring. Unfortunately not everyone has good manners and good people skills. I believe people who are rude to the service industry are low class, insecure people who enjoy the act of bullying.

I enjoy having a waitor who gives his/her name when they approach my table. I am not, however, inclined to introduce myself. I don't think it is necessary unless I dine there often.

Not often, but I have, after tasting the newly opened bottle of wine, refused it because it did not taste right. When you order a bottle of Silver Oak 1998 you know right away if it has not been stored properly. Another bottle was brought to the table and it was perfectly fine. It's not the restaurant owner or the server's fault.

I make homemade doughs in mine....for pizza, calzones and stromboli! You can make the perfect pie crust, too! When making tomato sauces I use mine to puree the tomatoes....gazpacho...gosh, the list goes on. You will discover the many valuable uses this machine provides. Happy Birthday and jump right in. It's big fun!

Our personal favorite here in northern Virginia is "Italian Wedding Soup" made with homemade chicken broth, onions, escarole and lots of small hand rolled ground veal balls. I drop a small cheese rind in for added flavor. I serve it pipping hot and sprinkle a good quality aged cheese and drizzle olive oil over the top. Yum!!

GranaPadana Regi/Parma, aged Provolone and aged Cheddar. When I am entertaining I buy a soft cheese, a semi-soft and a hard cheese. The best mac and cheese has been made with all of the leftovers!!