• Traditional homemade roasted Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner

    A feast to remember

    November 12, 2023 / 4 Comments

    Sorry it’s been so quiet here of late. In addition to work (war/shootings/elections/etc.), I’ve been dealing with a few medical issues. But that’s a post for another time.

    Today, I’d like to talk about Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays, it’s an annual celebration that seems to be specifically designed for people like me (i.e., those who love to cook, bake and feed others). I always go overboard, filling folks’ bellies to the brim with a mostly traditional feast. And though it’s an exhausting endeavor, I love the whole process, from planning to plate. I just wish I had a second fridge because mine always runs out of room.

    This year we’ll be having a small gathering: M and I and another couple. One of them is a vegetarian. One of them is on a diet that’s gluten-free and low FODMAP. As I started to plan the menu, I told myself that while everyone will need several dishes they can enjoy, I don’t want to spend three days prepping the meal.

    So after researching recipes and whittling down my list, I’ve decided to make only…. 12 dishes! Wait, how the heck did that happen?!?

    Anyway, here’s our menu:

    Appetizers:

    Deviled eggs
    Caprese salad bites

    Main:

    Roasted butternut squash with browned butter and hazelnuts
    Turkey

    Sides:

    Broccoli cheese bake
    Buttered corn
    Mashed potatoes and gravy
    Cranberry sauce
    Biscuits (regular and gluten-free)

    Dessert:

    Pumpkin pie
    GF chocolate cake bites with fresh berries
    Cherries jubilee

    What are you making?

  • autumn leaves

    Quote of the day

    August 31, 2023 / No Comments

    “To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall.” –Ann Patchett

  • social media icons

    In case you’re feeling social

    July 9, 2023 / No Comments

    Social media sites come and go (remember MySpace and LiveJournal?), but I always try to join the latest ones as soon as possible.

    One reason I do so is because I’m curious about the next new thing. Will it connect with people? Will it help them connect with others? Will it assist me in sharing information with the world, be it news or pictures of cute kitties?

    I also sign up for a professional reason: I want to brand my name. There are 26 Jade Walkers in the U.S., at least two or three in the U.K. and possibly two or three more in Australia. If I want to use my name as a screenname, I have to snag it first. Note: I’m not always successful.

    Although my accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Goodreads and Tumblr are still active, I’ve been using them less than in the past. However, if you, like me, have jumped head-first into the burgeoning worlds of Post+, Spoutible and Threads, feel free to say hello.

  • Pen writing

    Mark my words v.5

    June 1, 2023 / 2 Comments

    As I’ve mentioned in past blog posts (seen here, here, here and here), I’m drawn to certain words. The attraction is often a word’s meaning or spelling, but sometimes I just like the way a word rolls off my tongue.

    These are more of my favorites:

    Anemones

    Rigmarole

    Paralian

    Demitasse

    Finagle

    Antiquarian

    Librarian

    Attic

    Maelstrom

    Sabaism

    Beguile

    Bejeweled

    Bedeviled

    Dumfungled

    Obituary

    Gossamer

    Halcyon

    Volcanologist

    Donair

    Laminate

    Amok

    Elixir

    Gobblefunk

    Latibulate

    Schmuck

    What are some of your favorites?