Stuffing and Nonsense

Standard

‘Nothing’s on the back burner this week’

My cart at the IGA this morning actually inspired comment from my fellow shoppers. “Wow, you sure have a lot of cooking to do!” (“That I do, that I do.”) “You must be expecting a crowd!” (“Not so many. But they’re young!”) And my favorite: “Such gorgeous short ribs. So meaty!” (Sage nod.)

What happens to 15 nice meaty short ribs. I have a batch cooling right now. This is what I serve Friday when everyone’s sick and tired of turkey

See, not only did I have a twenty-pound turkey propped up in the cart’s kiddie seat, but I had a Saran-Wrapped slab of fifteen big old beef short ribs balanced on top. The rest of the cart was filled with various and sundry: Granny Smith apples (for the pies), cranberries (for the sauce and the pies), plus breads, milks, tons of deli meats and loads of snacks to keep the Young’ns at bay. (Note: this was just the perishable stuff. I’d shopped for all the nonperishable stuff on Sunday.)

Shopping was somewhat more complicated than usual this year because some of those Near and Dear to Moi have (ahem) dietary issues. Real dietary issues, not trendy ones like in that New Yorker cartoon where the woman tells her friend she’s “only been gluten-free for a week and already she’s tiresome.”

Some of my treasured recipes. Written in longhand on Kaskaskia College stationery by none other than My Mom

So I had to hunt down special foods for special needs and tweak my recipes. (Gonna give that Mr. Turkey an olive-oil rubdown this year instead of a butter one. And nope, I did not shake those short ribs in flour before browning them.)

I’ve been so busy shopping and chopping and browning and braising that I almost skipped this week’s post.

My never-ending Pie Crust Quest has not ended. And never will

But then I remembered what a wise woman (Hi, Becca!) wrote in my comments last week when I was whining about my birthday. First, she asked for my secrets to my “youthfulness” and then she encouraged me to “blog on a regular basis.” I replied that “staying regular” is no doubt a secret to youthfulness — if not just plain ole happiness — so I’m going to try not to skip my weekly posts from now on.

Well. We’ll see how well that goes. In the meantime, that’s it for this week — I still have turkey necks and giblets to simmer — but here’s a little parting treat: my very favorite Thanksgiving photo.

Yup. This is from my post, “Flipping the Bird.” See you next week! (I hope)

Amagansett, New York. November 2022

 

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8 thoughts on “Stuffing and Nonsense”

  1. Thank you for the shoutout! And “wise”–well, I’m not so sure. But I’m so honored. And I absolutely love to give advice to bloggers I never ever keep myself–ha. Oh, I love a turkey, but those short ribs look to die for! I was very happy with my turkey smoked by our local bbq place–easy peasy. However, I did miss simmering the turkey giblets for gravy. But it was time with family and friends, which is what counts. (Although I might trade a family member or two for a test of those ribs.) Happy holiday cooking!

    • Actually, I shouldn’t have called you “wise.” “Wise” is a word for Old People, and you are definitely not one of those! “Sharp” might have been a better word choice. At any rate, I love getting your comments! Thank you, Becca!

  2. Colleen Bentley

    Love that photo every year! No family for T-day this year (we are Christmas- bound in Santa Cruz this year, another not normal event!). So I’m spending time on the beach with good pals eating Turkey Tacos – beat that! Weather should be in the 70s-80s, so good to get sand in your feet and a jacket!
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Alice!

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