I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and a great holiday weekend! I was able to spend some time with my sister and her family, and we had a lot of fun: Thanksgiving Dinner, Black Friday shopping, and then a visit to a train museum that was entrancing to both our sons.
We were responsible for preparing the entire Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time in our lives, even though we’re both at least 30 years old! We both love cooking, though, so it was a lot of fun. It’s a great privilege to be able to cook Thanksgiving dinner with my sister; one I don’t take lightly.
(Note: Sorry about the picture quality. My camera went all funky over the holiday, so the pictures are terrible. It appears to have resolved its issues now, but too late for the Thanksgiving food pics…)
My sister had the hard task of making the turkey, and wow, she exceeded expectations! And her first time cooking a turkey too! She did a maple-flavored brine, which was so delicious: flavorful and moist.
She also dressed up some green beans with bacon, and some seasonings and butter. Yum!
The gravy was up to me, as my DH requires that gravy be served any time there are mashed potatoes and turkey. He will never let me forget the one year he spent Thanksgiving with my family and … oh, the horror!… there was no gravy! Ever since then, it’s been my job to make sure there is gravy on the table. I couldn’t make it in the roasting pan, which is the traditional method, and ideal because it includes the flavorful browned bits in the bottom of the pan. All I did was use the juices from the pan, add some chicken broth so there was enough, and simmered it with a cornstarch/water paste. Because of all the flavor in the turkey, it was quite delicious gravy, and I have to say it was a pretty smooth texture, too.
As you already saw in a previous post, I made some roasted carrots and parsnips for one of the sides. I had to reheat them in the microwave because the oven was busy, so they ended being not as crisp as they would have been otherwise. Also, I felt they could have used more cumin; I should have added a little extra before reheating them.
I also made my Mashed and Squashed Potatoes. I forgot my potato ricer, so the texture was not what I was hoping for, but the flavor was good.
My sister made a family tradition: Old-Fashioned Pan Rolls. We were a little crunched for time, so they didn’t rise as long as they usually would, but they were still fantastic.
And here is my sister’s Corn Pudding/Casserole, which was very good.
And her delicious fruit salad, which had a dressing made with orange juice, red wine vinegar and olive juice. Delicious!
Whew! That was a lot of food! We were quite stuffed after all of that, so we all took a nap, and let it settle in before we enjoyed dessert (with spiced cider, of course!).
My sister made a White Chocolate Cheesecake that we will all be raving about for years to come:
And the selection was rounded out with a 3-layer Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, made by yours truly. I actually found it was better after a day or two in the fridge.
What about you? What was on your Thanksgiving plate this year?
Our Fall Fest is drawing to a close, as Thanksgiving, for all intents and purposes, marks the end of the fall season and the beginning of the “Holiday” season.
Thanksgiving is a fitting conclusion to a season of abundance, as we all rejoice in the many pleasures of life we enjoy – family, friends, food… of course, food!
I know I will have a wonderful day tomorrow spending time with family, friends and good food, recounting my blessings and refocusing my mind on all the many positive things in my life.
I hope you also have a wonderful Thanksgiving in your own home! I will disappear from the blogosphere for the rest of the week most likely, but I will be back next week in full holiday spirit, helping you get ready for Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year!
But before I leave you, I’d love to pass on some great deals that my affiliates have allowed me to share with you. As you get busy preparing for your Black Friday shopping spree, please consider these great deals:
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Once again, Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! I will be giving thanks for you tomorrow!
I agreed to make carrots for Thanksgiving, but I was stumped for quite a while as to what exactly I was going to do with the carrots. It would be boring to make them the way I always do (or one of the ways I always do), but to be honest, I don’t really love carrots cooked most other ways; you know, with a glaze or some other kind of sweet treatment. Nor do I really like creamed carrots, another option.
Enter roasting. With parsnips!
Roasting carrots is something I don’t do very often, although I do enjoy them prepared in that way. The addition of parsnips adds extra color, flavor and texture to make it even more interesting. And the use of cumin is genius! At least I think so. I love cumin! Usually, it’s combined with other spices, but it stands alone as the star flavor in this dish.
Just in case you need another last-minute addition to your Thanksgiving menu, this one’s for you!
Cumin, Carrots and Parsnips
2 lbs carrots
1 lb parsnips
2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut into 3″ strips. Be sure not to cut them too thinly, because they will burn (I speak from experience!). Place in a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Stir until all pieces are coated. Add spices and continue to stir until they are distributed throughout the vegetables. Divide the carrots and parsnips equally between 2 greased cookie sheets, and spread into a single layer. Place pans, on separate racks if necessary in a 450F oven and roast for 15 minutes. Use a spatula to flip all the vegetables, and if they are on two separate oven racks, switch them at this point. Continue roasting for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
The wonderful thing is that this recipe can be made ahead, which is why I made it today. My plan is to reheat it in a 350ish oven for 20-25 minutes or so on Thanksgiving Day. So if you have more time on Wednesday than you will on Thursday, it’s ideal for you!
It’s certainly not as QUICK as my usual method of microwave steaming, then mixing with melted butter and seasonings. And I have to admit that peeling and chopping all those vegetables took what seemed like forever! This is why I don’t roast carrots on a regular basis, but it’s worth it for Thanksgiving. AND because I can make them ahead, it saves considerable time on the actual day.
It is EASY, though, aside from the hard labor of peeling and chopping.
It’s pretty CHEAP, aside from the massive quantities of vegetables, which totaled close to $4 for me. If I were just fixing it for my family for a regular weeknight dinner, I’d use half the vegetables or less, which puts it into perspective.
I CAN say that it is definitely HEALTHY! You know carrots are healthy, with all the vitamin A evident in that vivid orange, but parsnips are also very good for you. They are great sources of folic acid, vitamin C, niacin and fiber, so eat up!
A long time ago, I think when I was a teenager (a very long time ago, indeed), I started making spiced cider for my family on special holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s since become a tradition, at least for me! I don’t know if anybody else still wants hot spiced cider, but for me the holiday is not complete without it.
When I first began making it, I used a recipe, but after making it a few times, I just kind of started dumping stuff into the pot. As long as there is cider (or even apple juice in a pinch) and some holiday spices, it’s all good. I even like to add cranberry juice sometimes for an extra kick, or a small amount of lemon juice.
Most of the time I make it in the crock pot, which is perfect, because it frees up the stove for other important things like boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes and the like. The slow cooker is also convenient because you can set it going pretty much at any time that is convenient to you, as long as it is a few hours before you plan to serve it. Otherwise, if it’s on low, you can let it go for quite a while.
Of course, the stove top is definitely an option, but it’s not as convenient. You have to keep a much closer eye on it, and the longer it sits on the stove, the more it will simmer and burn or evaporate away.
I did my best to come up with some accurate measurements for you, but there are two things you should keep in mind:
The spices can definitely be adjusted to taste. If you love cinnamon, use the full amount or more, but if it’s not your favorite, reduce as much as you want.
This is hardly an exact science. Increase the sugar, use half cranberry juice and half cider, add some additional spices, take away any spices you don’t want, etc. etc. Completely flexible! So do it your own way!
Holiday Spiced Cider
1 gallon apple cider
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
6 2″ cinnamon sticks
Place all ingredients in slow cooker and set on low. Serve as soon it’s heated through, although allowing it to heat in the slow cooker for a while will blend the flavors and bring out the spices more.
For an elegant touch, serve with cinnamon sticks as stirrers.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it ahead. All you have to do is rinse out and dry the apple cider container, and set it aside until the cider is finished to your satisfaction (at least a few hours on low). Allow it to cool until it is room temperature or close to it. Use a mesh strainer to remove the spices.
Place a funnel over the opening of the apple cider container. It might be useful to place the mesh strainer over the funnel as well to catch any remaining cloves or berries. Pour the cider carefully through the strainer and funnel into the gallon container.
Store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, you can do either of the following:
Reheat one cup at a time in the microwave.
Heat the contents of the entire container in the slow cooker (this will naturally take some time).
Heat the contents of the entire container in a large pot on the stove.
It is perhaps not as QUICK as using a packet of mulled cider flavoring, but if you use a slow cooker, you can forget about it once it’s mixed together.
It’s very EASY, just as easy as using one of those afore-mentioned packets.
Well, a gallon of cider isn’t exactly CHEAP, not in my book anyway, but if you’re really on a tight budget, you can use apple juice instead. (Nothing beats the cider, though, it’s definitely worth the splurge for the holidays.)
It’s one of the HEALTHY-est holiday drinks you can indulge in throughout the season. There is sugar in it, to be sure, but not much: that 1/2 cup is spread throughout approximately 16 servings.So enjoy guilt-free!
I’m stuck at the moment. My refrigerator is almost completely bare, and I have limited time to do my grocery shopping this weekend. Which scares me a little (or a lot) because next week – next week! – is Thanksgiving already. I am supposed to make sweet potatoes, carrots, spiced apple cider, mashed squashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, and I do not have any:
sweet potatoes (well, I do, but I need to cook them up now, they won’t last until next Thursday)
carrots or parsnips (see below)
apple cider
pumpkin
potatoes or cooked squash
Yikes.
If you are as unprepared as I am, hopefully this will make you feel a little better about yourself. And I guess you and I will be joining the throngs of Thanksgiving food shoppers this weekend. Joy, joy.
The good news is that I am also supposed to make gravy, and I’m all set for that. At least my DH will be happy.
And the other good news is that I did find a recipe for carrots (you were worried that I wouldn’t, weren’t you?) in a recent Woman’s Day magazine. I have never made it before, but thankfully, it comes with the timely suggestion that it can be made up to 2 days ahead and re-heated in a 375F oven. Perfect! I can make it ahead so I know if it turns out or not, and also I won’t be quite as crushed for time on the actual big day. Very Important! I also love that it uses parsnips together with the carrots, and cumin, one of my favorite spices. Another big plus: it’s allergen-free, so my Certain Little Someone can enjoy it as well. Which is good, because he really loves carrots, and I want him to enjoy his Thanksgiving dinner, too.
Stay tuned next week, because I’m hoping to post both my experiment with the above carrot recipe, as well as my recipe (loosely termed) for spiced apple cider before Thanksgiving actually happens.
And right now, head on over to Our Peaceful Home, where Becky has graciously allowed me to guest post today. You’ll find there the recipe for a super-easy, no crust pumpkin pie. I better go buy some pumpkin (or squash!) so I can make it myself…
I don’t know about you; but I always enjoy a delicious, decadent breakfast the day of (or the day after) a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas. After all, days off of work and other responsibilities were meant for relaxing, enjoyable mornings full of goodness.
Here’s a recipe that will fit nicely into your Thanksgiving weekend breakfast plans. They can easily be made ahead, with several options:
Individually freeze the finished product (if you opt for the chocolate glaze, you’ll want to make that just before serving). When ready to serve, bring to room temperature, then zap in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Freeze the sliced raw rolls. To bake, remove from freezer, bring to room temperature, then allow to rise before baking.
You can even freeze the entire log, before slicing. Some people say that it’s easier to slice the log when it’s still semi-frozen. Allow to completely defrost and rise before baking.
Alternatively, you can make the dough the day before, prepare the rolls for baking, then refrigerate the entire baking pan(s) covered with plastic wrap, over night. Bring to room temp and rise before baking.
I used the bread machine to make these, but if you’re more comfortable with the usual mixing and kneading process, it’s easily adaptable. Just follow the usual method for old-fashioned bread baking. I am biased, though; I highly recommend using a bread machine because it frees you up to do other things while the dough is preparing. The whole process becomes much quicker!
Pumpkin Sweet Rolls
Dough:
1/3 cup milk
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP honey
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast
Place ingredients in this order in the bread machine pan. Choose the “dough” option, and allow to run its full course.
Make the filling:
6 TBSP butter, softened
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raw sugar
Punch dough down and remove from pan onto a floured surface. Roll out into a large rectangle. Spread filling over surface of dough, then roll the dough into a log, starting on the long side.
For honey glazed sweet rolls, make the honey glaze:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Put all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, frequently stirring with a whisk. Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Pour the mixture into the bottom of prepared pans.
For both varieties:
Slice the log into 1″ or 1 1/2″ thick slices, and place them cut side up into greased pans (or right into the honey mixture for the honey glazed variety). I usually use a 9×13 and an 8×8 pan.
Bake at 350F for 20-22 minutes. For honey glazed sweet rolls, immediately turn rolls out onto a wire cooling rack set into a cookie sheet (to catch the drips).
Chocolate glaze :
1/2 cup melting chocolate wafers (I find them at Trader Joe’s)
1 tsp oil
Melt together in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each time in the microwave, until a smooth, flowing consistency. Drizzle over cooled pumpkin sweet rolls. Allow to set slightly before serving.
Using a bread machine makes these pretty QUICK, as does using one of the above make-ahead options. After the bread dough is ready (which takes about an hour and 40 minutes in my bread machine), the rest of it finishes up in about an hour, including baking.
Using a bread machine also makes it very EASY! No mixing or kneading or extra risings. Simple!
These are a bit of an indulgence to be sure (in more ways than one), so they aren’t CHEAP enough for me personally to make very often. Holidays are a great reason!
They’re also an indulgence when it comes to HEALTHY-ness, although I try to use the healthiest ingredients possible: at least partially whole wheat flour, raw sugar, honey, plenty of spices, real butter, and of course, pumpkin. I also like how this recipe has no sugar in the actual dough, and only a quarter cup in the filling. If you eat them without any glaze at all, there’s actually very little sugar. But who wants to eat them without the glaze? Umm….. not me!
One doesn’t usually think of rice as “wild”; in fact, it’s really rather more of a sedate food in general. No exciting flavor, nothing really exotic about it, kind of bland overall in fact, the wallflower of the food world. Dependable, available, loyal, wonderful qualities often overlooked.
Of course, rice does have a cousin that likes to live on the wild side: difficult to cultivate, much more expensive, and loves to play hard-to-get. Yes, that would be wild rice. And yes, it’s true: wild rice is significantly much more difficult to cultivate than regular old rice, usually costs a lot more, and is not nearly as readily available as plain old boring -not-very-wild rice.
Which would be why I have never made wild rice in my life before. Because, you know, I like quick and easy things, and it didn’t seem to fit the bill. However, recently I was able to procure a bunch of wild rice for a really good price at a couple different grocery stores in town, thanks to some coupons and sales, so I set about finding a way to tame it without having to get wild myself.
Soup seemed a good solution, since it wouldn’t be the star of the show, and therefore wouldn’t have to cook perfectly in order to still be good. I also needed to use up some leftover turkey (yes, already!) so I thought that sounded like a delicious combination.
It ended up being extremely easy, and quite delicious. I did make the mistake of falling asleep while the soup was simmering on the stove, and it simmered a little bit too long, leaving very little broth in the soup and resulting in very soft wild rice. Still delicious, though, so this is a good recipe to try if you’ve got a lot going on. Apparently, a little extra time on the stove doesn’t ruin it completely.
**Hint: This recipe will be a great use of your leftover turkey after the big day. Use the turkey bones to make a broth (I got 2 batches out of my 14lb turkey) as the base for this soup. **
Wild Turkey Soup
6-8 cups chicken or turkey broth
1 cup wild rice
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp oregano
freshly ground black pepper
Bring the broth to a simmer in a large soup pot; add the rice, carrots and celery. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, then add remaining ingredients. Continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes until all vegetables and rice are tender.
You can also add 1/2 cup of cream at the end if you prefer a creamy soup. Serve with a thick slice of hot buttered bread.
This is a great QUICK weeknight recipe, particularly if you have leftovers of turkey (or chicken) on hand. It comes together in less than an hour.
It’s also very EASY. Wild rice, at least in this format, was not as tricky as I was expecting (I have trouble with rice).
Wild rice is not the CHEAPest form of rice (well, it isn’t actually even rice, but whatever) available, to be sure. However, I am testimony to the fact that it can be found for a good price if you keep your eyes peeled for deals.
It’s very HEALTHY; it’s actually one of the healthiest “grains”. It is particularly famous for being high in folic acid, which is of particular interest to pregnant women. It’s also low in calories but high in protein, so it’s great for anyone trying to lose weight.
Congratulations to Kate, winner of the Orinoco Coffee giveaway! Enjoy! Thanks to all who entered and good luck next time!
Normally, being mashed and squashed is not exactly comfortable, but when we’re talking about potatoes, it’s a totally different matter. Potatoes love to be mashed and squashed. OK, maybe they don’t love it, but they don’t really have a say. Tough cookies for them. And good for us, because we get to enjoy the yummy deliciousness of mashed and squashed potatoes.
I’m sure you’re all familiar enough with the concept of mashed potatoes, but you may be wondering exactly what I mean by “squashed” potatoes. It’s easy: just add squash to the mashed potatoes. That’s it! Brilliant and simple, and oh, by the way, also very quick, easy, cheap and healthy! (PS. Add it to your Thanksgiving menu. Your guests will love it.)
As I’ve mentioned before, many people have their own favorite way to prepare mashed potatoes and if you are one of them, the easiest thing in the world to do is mash them the way you usually do, and then just add about a cup of pureed squash. Or, you can follow the recipe below:
Mashed and Squashed Potatoes
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup pureed winter squash
1/2 -1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp crumbled or powdered sage
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Rinse the potatoes, then cover them with water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Boil until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and drain in a colander; rinse again. Push through a potato ricer:
Isn’t it cute? I was thrilled to find a potato ricer at a thrift store so I could try it out. I had never used one, and I’m never going back to mashing potatoes any other way. In my experience, potatoes simply do not mash up as smoothly and fluffily without a potato ricer. If you don’t want to wait until you stumble across one at a thrift store, try this potato ricer.
If you have a stand mixer, use the whipping attachment on medium or high to whip the potatoes into a nice fluffy mash, adding chicken broth a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Add pureed squash and spices and whip until blended. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently so it’s well mixed.
Serve with butter and gravy.
This is just as QUICK as mashed potatoes, if you have pureed squash on hand. I keep some frozen to use when I need it, or you could use store-bought frozen butternut squash puree. Canned pumpkin is also an option, although it will definitely alter the color.
It’s just as EASY as regular mashed potatoes, too, once again, especially if you have the pureed squash handy. (Yet another easy-ish option is to buy the cubed butternut squash, steam it, then puree it in the blender.)
It’s a great CHEAP side dish, also, especially this time of year. I just paid $0.79/lb for acorn and butternut squash, and each one will make at least 2 cups of puree. Potatoes are also very inexpensive this time of year; I’ve found them for as cheap as $1.50 for a 5lb bag.
It’s very HEALTHY, too, if you use homemade broth especially! In fact, I dare say it’s healthier than mashed potatoes alone, because the squash offers a lot of additional nutrients.
Congratulations to Kelly, the winner of the $20 gift code to Dayspring! You could be the next lucky winner: there’s still time to enter the Orinoco Coffee Giveaway!
I have confessed before that I have never in my life hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. And I won’t be hosting this year either. But since all the ones in the family who usually do host Thanksgiving are fleeing the coop to other parts of the world, the majority of the responsibility has fallen to the capable shoulders of my sister (who has never hosted Thanksgiving either. Both of us are kind of low on the totem pole when it comes to stuff like that.). She is the lucky ducky who gets to roast the turkey, but I’ve offered to help out with the sides and desserts.
No-Crust Pumpkin Pie (Hopefully allergen-free so my Certain Little Someone can enjoy it, too. Keep your eyes peeled for both versions of the recipe soon.)
So, how about you? Are your Thanksgiving plans coming along? The day will go a lot smoother if you plan ahead, so at least you can be sure you have all the ingredients. Many dishes can also be made ahead: I plan to make at least the pumpkin pie the day before, and have all the spices ready to drop into the cider in a slow cooker to cook all day.
If you’re still coming up with your Thanksgiving menu, or looking for inspiration, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for you! Check out these links from the archives – there’s sure to be something to catch your eye, whether you’re looking for traditional dishes or something a little different!
Main Dish
Roast Turkey - very traditional, oven-roasted method (w/ tips to make it extra juicy!)
I’m talking about one Thanksgiving side dish that has reached “tradition” status in many a household: the sweet potato casserole. You know, the one filled with canned sweet potato, tons of sugar, topped with marshmallows? Yeah, that one. It has a few variations – like the kind with sweetened condensed milk in addition to the tons of sugar, or the kind with crushed sugared cornflakes on top instead of marshmallows – but they all have one thing in common: a lot of extra sugar. And I mean a lot.
Which is something I don’t really get. Aren’t sweet potatoes, well, umm…. sweet? Do they really need all that extra sugar?
I think not.
Which is one reason why I found a totally different sweet potato recipe that uses minimal sugar and lets the sweet potato flavor shine through. Try it this Thanksgiving and see if your family doesn’t love it, too! I’ve made this recipe many times, mostly for my Certain Little Someone, who looooooooovvveeessss sweet potatoes, and can’t have all the milk and egg that are often found in traditional sweet potato recipes. It’s one of my favorite ways to prepare sweet potatoes for him, and it also receives rave reviews when I serve it to guests or at other events.
Note: I’m usually making this for my Certain Little Someone, so the recipe is scaled down. I find it’s actually pretty convenient, though: all the other ingredient ratios are based on one sweet potato, so you can multiply them to fit however many sweet potatoes and/or guests you are serving.
Sweet-Enough Sweet Potatoes
For each sweet potato, you will need:
2 TBSP coconut oil
1 TBSP raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Wash, peel and slice the sweet potato. Place the coconut oil in a square baking dish and place in oven heated to 375F for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully add the sliced sweet potatoes, turning with a spatula until all are covered with the oil. Return to oven and bake for about 10 minutes. While they’re baking, mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture. Stir carefully with spatula until all pieces are covered, Return pan to oven and continue to bake at least 10 minutes, until potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork. (It may take up to 20 minutes.) Drain sweet potatoes on paper towel, then remove to serving bowl.
The original recipe I found suggested drizzling some fresh lime juice over the sweet potatoes just before serving, which is a great gourmet touch, perfect for your Thanksgiving table. I have to admit, though, that I haven’t found it to change the taste significantly, so I usually just omit that part and consider it purely optional!
This is just as QUICK as the famous sweet potato casserole, despite the fact that it starts with fresh rather than canned sweet potato.
It’s very EASY, too. It’s very much like roasting vegetables, which anyone can do.
It is much CHEAPer than a regular sweet potato casserole because there are no marshmallows or sweetened condensed milk, both of which add at least $1 to the cost.
It is so. much. HEALTHY-er than that other recipe, too. Aside from the little bit of sugar, the ingredients are all very basic, good-for-you ingredients.
Add it to your Thanksgiving menu!
Here are some other great ideas if you are bringing a dish to a Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration:
* QUICK - because who has time for anything more?
* EASY - because I'm no gourmet.
* CHEAP - because who has money for anything more?
* HEALTHY - because you are what you eat.
