Friday Fragments - November is Over

So it's the last day of November but I'm still joining up with Mrs. 4444 for Friday Fragments. The end of the month doesn't mean we can't frag!



Here in Oklahoma, you know it is getting ready to be Christmas time when you hear the BC Clark Anniversary jingle. Whitney is doing her part to introduce it to all of her college friends who aren't here. It is just so darn catchy that I end up singing along every single time.

Thursday on my way to work there were a gaggle of geese at the park in the neighborhood park. It was a great way to start the day.

I'm starting to get impatient waiting for my autographed copy of "Cooking with Love". It better get here soon or the love will be leaving.

I had to learn some new software at work this week. There is a reason why I do everything in Excel. I like it. I was never meant to be a graphic artist. I've been working on the advertisement about a symposium we are co-hosting. But the good thing is I get to go to the symposium...in China!

I also have to do some major studying this weekend. My certification exam is Tuesday and while I know a lot, it is the nitty gritty specifics that always get me. I just have to know that stuff for the test so some cramming is in order.

Hodgepodge - Beginning to Look Like Christmas

Yes it is another edition of hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce for this week's questions.

1. With that being said I think I need to dive right in to some Christmas related questions, don't you? Which do you prefer-pretty gift wrap with a bow or a pretty gift bag with/without a bow? What percentage of your holiday gifts are currently (as in right this very minute) wrapped in some form or fashion?
I like shiny paper. It doesn't need to have a bow. But I like to coordinate my paper. This year everything will be in shiny blue and silver (bought last year on clearance). I have nothing wrapped because I have nothing in the house to wrap. I ordered a few things over the weekend but they aren't here yet.

2. What is one item on your Christmas list this year?
I just made a list up Monday and I put an iron on it. Practical and not exactly exciting but the iron I have I got in the 80's so I think it is time to replace it.

3. What makes a home?
Love.

4. Motown founder Berry Gordy celebrates his birthday on Hodgepodge Day-November 28th. Are you a fan of the Motown sound? If so, who's your favorite Motown artist and/or song? Here's a list in case you're stuck.
I always wanted to be be a backup singer. Not sure I have a favorite artist.

5. Red or green-which one is more prevalent in your closet?
Much more red. I like both colors but I look really good in red.

6. True or false-bacon makes it better? If you answered true, what's your favorite dish made with bacon?
Good bacon is delicious. I've posted a recipe for cinnamon bacon pasta that is super tasty.

7. Share a favorite holiday memory.
When I was young (aka before the mall) we would go visit Santa Claus in a little trailer parked on a side street. We always got a little candy cane from him.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Our building is slowly being decorated for Christmas. Four 12 foot trees, multiple hanging ornaments, four balconies covered in icicle lights. It truly is a wonderful sight when finished.

Post-It Note Tuesday

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

For thanksgiving morning I wanted to try something different so I found a recipe for pumpkin cranberry bread. This was a nice change to our normal pumpkin bread. The texture was moist and not too dense.




Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup picked-over fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350° F. and butter a loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 3/4 inches.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together pumpkin, sugar, water, eggs, and oil. Sift in flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices and stir just until batter is smooth. Stir in cranberries and spoon batter into loaf pan, spreading evenly.

Bake bread in middle of oven 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Turn bread out onto rack and cool completely. Bread may be made 4 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Friday fragments - Post Holiday Stuff

I'm joining up with Mrs. 4444 for another edition of fragments.



Can it really be called Black Friday if it starts on Thursday?

For all the Walmart employees thinking of striking today because you have to work...think about it. You work for Walmart...of course you have to work. You always have to work busy holiday seasons. That's what Walmart does.

Can you tell that I'm not going to do the crazy shopping today? Although by the afternoon most place have calmed down and it can be compared to a busy Saturday.

We planned on seeing Skyfall last night but the theater was sold out. So we are going today.

Good thing about that was Glee ran late because of football. If we hadn't been here we would have missed it because we didn't have the DVR set to go that late.

Today is leftover turkey day. We have lots of turkey left and I made extra mashed potatoes yesterday so we've got plenty to sustain ourselves.

Turkey Brine Recipe

Do you brine your turkey? I had never heard of it until years ago watching Alton Brown on Good Eats. We've done it ever since and it always is a moist bird.




This is the bird after it brined for 12 hours.

We tried a new recipe this year. What I liked about it was the we had everything for it already. That's the best kind of recipe.

Turkey Brine
Recipe courtesy food.com

2 gallons water
1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 T black peppercorns
3-4 T chopped garlic
2T Worcestershire sauce


Warm the water enough so all the salt and sugar dissolves. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Cool this mixture completely.

Rinse your turkey after it has thawed. Place your turkey in some kind of device that will hold the brine and be able to keep cool for 12-24 hours. We put ours in a big trash bag with the brine, then put that bag in a big ice chest. Then we put 2-3 bags of ice in the ice chest.

The next day take your turkey out of the brine. Completely rinse the bird and pat it dry. Then prepare the bird however you normally prepare it. This year we cooked ours with a butter soaked cheese cloth on top.



This was one moist bird.


Doesn't it look beautiful.

Hodgepodge - Happy Thanksgiving!

Another week of Hodgepodge with Joyce. Happy Thanksgiving!

1. Turkey-love it or leave it? White meat or dark? What's your favorite thing to make using leftover turkey?
I like white meat on turkey day and the dark meat in turkey noodle soup.

2. Gotta burn off all those carbs the day after a holiday feast so which would you rather do-run a 10K or climb a mountain?
This is a loaded question. I choose none of the above and maybe I'll work up the energy to WATCH someone else doing either of those activities. :)

3. Do you feel like social networking has made your relationships better or worse? Explain.
I think in many cases it is better. I have several co-workers as Facebook friends and I find out all sorts of stuff about them that I never would normally. They are pretty funny people!

4. How do you find and express gratitude for the hard things in your life?
Understand that the hard things in life make the good things seem that much sweeter.

5. In the US, the day after Thanksgiving has been dubbed 'Black Friday'. Is most of your holiday shopping done live and in person, or is it done more through the magic of the Internet? How do you feel about stores opening at midnight Thanksgiving night? Will you be out amongst the masses on Friday?
I avoid the stores like a plague. I've never understood the logic behind waiting in line to save some money. I never seem to want to buy anything that is on sale, plus we've never spent huge amounts of money on holidays. So the day has always seemed a waste. I spend the day usually decorating for Christmas. And I LOVE internet shopping.

6. Speaking of the color black-which black item in your wardrobe would you say is your favorite?
I love black clothes. I gravitate to black tops/sweaters every time I'm in the store. I'm wearing a black shirt as I type this. But my favorite would have to be a super soft black sweater I bought years ago.

7. What do you appreciate about your life today?
That overall we are healthy.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will be on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. How many people want to go have dinner with Snoopy serving toast, jelly beans, popcorn and pretzels?