#21: "Surprisingly, the ice did not melt."

[gbmifan]

I had my first experience shopping on Black Friday. My husband had a few things he wanted so I decided to go for it. We had four stores in mind, with 1-2 items per store. We got to the first store 1/2 hour before they opened and stood in line. They were well organized. When you entered the store if you wanted something on the first page of the ad you were given a ticket to the tickets were gone. There was no pushing or shoving. We got what we went for and went to the next store. At every store we went into we got what we wanted and was home in less than 2 hours. I know this was probably a freak thing, so I do not know if I will try again next year. But it was fun, and I got to view the extremes that some people will go through. Our local news had on at 11 last night the picture of Best Buy with everyone camped out in tents and sleeping bags. There is no way I would do that.

It is cold here in Michigan. Last night got down to 12 degrees. Our local ski hill where I patrol has been making snow for the last to days. I was just e-mailed that I have to patrol this weekend. I am not ready, I wanted to decorate the house and start baking. I did get the outside done today, but the inside will take me about three days to get done. And nothing is interferring with Kalamazoo next Friday.

[Scarlett]

That was me talking about the chocolate pecan pie, Scarlett. Yes, it was evil to talk about it. And it was maybe even foolish for me to buy it in the first place, 'cuz most everybody here is eating the pumpkin pie instead. Which means I have this whole pie to myself, and it's been calling my name. All day yesterday, and all day today. And yes, I've eaten several pieces. But oh, my, is it goooooood!

Gibby, they are so goooooood! We can console each other on the diet thread come Monday morning (*waves to Toots*). I was at a potluck party with friends but only 1 person brought dessert and we were running out. I remembered reading your post about chocolate pecan pie before leaving the house and also knew that there was a Cracker Barrel close by. I volunteered to go get some dessert and came back with: a pecan pie, a chocolate pecan pie, a box of Moonpies and 2 bars of Hershey's all natural Extra Dark Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts and Cranberries, one of which I'm sending to jazzgirl. Any takers for the other one?

cha cha trusty, that's a much classier recipe for sweet potatoes (and I bet more luscious) than I'm used to. Back home we just peel, slice and fry them and when they're almost done, sprinkle brown sugar directly into the pan -- Filipino Kamote-que.

Ansa, LOL! I'm not even in the money league. When I play, it's for M&M's.

[sheiladownunder]

I thought that was strips of bacon on the squash at first, but tomatoes yummy. It looks good to me-I love squash and zucchini but no one else does so I don't make it much.

Scarlett - love your interview skit. Thanks for the laugh!!

I decided not to do the 5 am rush. Too early for me.

JJ, did you ever find the MDYK fingersnap version? I have it on my computer at work but won't be back there until Wednesday of next week. Let me know and I can send it to you. Someone made a utube montage using it. I love the snap version.

[luckiest1]

2 bars of Hershey's all natural Extra Dark Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts and Cranberries, one of which I'm sending to jazzgirl. Any takers for the other one?

Mmmmmmmmm, yummy! I'd say yes, but it'd probably cost you more to send it than it did to buy it!

[Guest Toots]

Funny stuff Scarlett!

I love squash of any kind but the squash parmesan dish, no thank you. Parmesan and other aged cheeses give me migraine headaches and I never get migraines unless one of those old cheeses slips into my mouth. I love the stuff but...........

Thanks to all for the recipes, some good ones to try. I did have a recipe for the chocolate pecan pie in one of my cookbooks and thought seriously about making it...it uses dark chocolate so I'll like it.

I really have nothing to say and while it hasn't stopped me before it will this time because my dinner company is arriving shortly. White Bean Soup with Kilbasa! It is superb and I'll put it into the recipe section tomorrow.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Gibby]

JJ, did you ever find the MDYK fingersnap version? I have it on my computer at work but won't be back there until Wednesday of next week. Let me know and I can send it to you. Someone made a utube montage using it. I love the snap version.

Where was that version of MDYK recorded? I want to add it to my itunes!

[Scarlett]

Mmmmmmmmm, yummy! I'd say yes, but it'd probably cost you more to send it than it did to buy it!

Well we are going to meet at Kalamazoo, won't we? And we can justify our eating it because we need the calories to keep warm. We can also convince cindilu2 to have some. *giggles*

Stops abruptly with sudden realization -- it's just 1 week away. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

JennaZ, I remember galantina too but I never learned to make it. (I think it contains brains). If it has soy sauce, is baked and served hot, it's "Chicken Relleno". If it doesn't have soy sauce, is wrapped in cheesecloth and steamed or boiled & served cold, it's gallantina -- I think.

I didn't realize we had so many Filipinos here. Could we invite emmasage too?

[jumpingjacks]

JJ, did you ever find the MDYK fingersnap version? I have it on my computer at work but won't be back there until Wednesday of next week. Let me know and I can send it to you. Someone made a utube montage using it. I love the snap version.

Yes! I did find it. Thanks so much. It was in the CV vault.

I like that version so much.

[sheiladownunder]

JJ, did you ever find the MDYK fingersnap version? I have it on my computer at work but won't be back there until Wednesday of next week. Let me know and I can send it to you. Someone made a utube montage using it. I love the snap version.

Where was that version of MDYK recorded? I want to add it to my itunes!

I think it was a leaked version before MCWL came out. I think that version was on a compilation CD but I can't remember which one and my CDs are at work.

[cha cha trusty]

My kids are into the de-consummerism of Christmas and so I've been encouraged to call today "BUY-NOTHING DAY" -- I was in no shape to go anywhere this morning except HOME anyway! I slept for a couple more hours when I got here and didn't go out all day.

Until...... hubby does trash pickup for "Adopt-a-Highway" on a 2 mile stretch of our main road, and when he came back inside he said someone had lost a Christmas tree and it was laying on the side of the road.

So we did a "Free Tree Retrieval!" It's not a great tree, it looks like someone may have left it there on purpose! Anyhow, now we have an extra tree!!

For those who like squash I have to say, it was pretty tasty!! I'll try and get the recipe from my Son-in-law!

Scarlett - it was yummy and definitely different from the mashed sweet potatoes I usually make. But they are yummy too!! I add butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper to boiled & mashed sweet potatoes, and then bake in the oven and sometimes add a layer of mini-marshmallows in the last 5 minutes. My daughter who usually likes them that way flew to Tuscon with her hubby to visit his parents. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

eta: that version was on the Holiday Compilation - was it RCA? Along with a bunch of other artists. I have it here somewhere and I'll let you know when I find it - but I think I also have it on the computer - I can email it to you if you'd like!!

[luckiest1]

Scarlett - :F_05BL17blowkiss: See you in Kalamazoo! Maybe we should figure out a pre or post concert meeting spot for FCAers?

I just posted a squash recipe in the recipe thread. I made it on Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and it was a big hit!

[jumpingjacks]

I believe it was on the NBC Sounds of the Seasons CD....

[bottlecap]

Scarlett - :F_05BL17blowkiss: See you in Kalamazoo! Maybe we should figure out a pre or post concert meeting spot for FCAers?

Yes, please!

[laughn]

Scarlett - :F_05BL17blowkiss: See you in Kalamazoo! Maybe we should figure out a pre or post concert meeting spot for FCAers?

Yes, please!

me too!?! :PickMe-1:

[JennaZ]

oh yeah those magic sing or mic are so much fun and so convenient too. My girls bring it to their school and everyone wants one but I don;t have any idea where they can get it. My daughter found a trick for the score...just sing lou and close to the mic...she gets 90 scores even when she does not know the song.

Leeana...we are totally in the .25 cents league with Mahjong. My friends have this pile of coins that circulates among them...its so much more fun when we don't worry about losing money.

Ansa, I've gotta try that. My scores are never that great, even when I think I'm doing well! I was kind of shy about singing at first, but my husband's family LOVES karaoke so every family event includes it. My brother's wife's family enjoy it too, and they're all shockingly good, even the younger ones.

I learned mah jong from my cousins, and we used to play for candy or beads. In grad school, I had a group of friends who played with the Chinese rules using sets with no English numbers. Luckily, we played for a penny a point, so I could have a bad night and still walk away only a dollar or two lighter! I don't really know anyone around here who plays, though, so I haven't done it in a while.

I know there are good deals out there today, but I just don't like dealing with the impossible parking, long lines, and massive crowds. As it is, I prefer to buy online. There are some good deals, they deliver straight to my office (or to the gift recipient), and I find it much less stressful.

[ldyjocelyn]

Hey gang! I missed you guys!

Turkey day was with my Mom in the nursing home. The food was really pretty good -- turkey (and not those stupid flat slices either, it was a couple of good chunks), dressing and gravy, sweet potatoes (which I didn't eat, don't care for the things), cranberry jello salad (I don't like cranberries, but this was good) and pumpkin pie. Two great things about this -- we didn't gorge ourselves, and no cleanup either. Now tomorrow is my cooking day, and I've mentioned my menu.

Today my Mom and I helped my SIL decorate Christmas cookies. It has been a LONG time since I've done that. I actually don't do a lot of holiday baking most of the time -- there's usually so many OTHER people that make things and give them to us that I don't feel the need. But a few years ago my MIL gave me a cookie press, and it's a lot of fun. You can also make a mean home-made cheese cracker with it.

Question: what is beaujolais? I've heard of it, but I don't know what it is.

What? No M&G for me yet? WAH!!!!

Loved the "second place" article.

Scarlett, your "interview" was hilarious! *wanders off, muttering "I fart in your general direction..."*

On that note....time to do some "Dance Dance Revolution" to burn off some calories!

Shoot, I'm gonna have to dance on everyone below me. I hope I don't hurt you guys too much...

[Gibby]

JJ, did you ever find the MDYK fingersnap version? I have it on my computer at work but won't be back there until Wednesday of next week. Let me know and I can send it to you. Someone made a utube montage using it. I love the snap version.

Yes! I did find it. Thanks so much. It was in the CV vault.

I like that version so much.

Cool, thanks for letting us know it's in the vault! Here's the link, for those who have access to the CV vault:

NBC Sounds of the Season MDYK

[Scarlett]

Scarlett - :F_05BL17blowkiss: See you in Kalamazoo! Maybe we should figure out a pre or post concert meeting spot for FCAers?

Yes, please!

me too!?! :PickMe-1:

Wow, there's so many of us!!! How about an after-party? Please post suggestions, your hotel locations and preferences in the tour thread - Kalamazoo...

(Who's got that LynninNJ "Party-All-Night" picture from Sterling Heights? We need to <insert> that here!!!)

ETA: ldyjocelyn, what a nice time you must have had with your mom. *sniff* I miss mine.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a unique wine that is made and drunk just weeks after the grapes are harvested (ie. in November of the same year). I had some yesterday too and it was great!

[FromClaygary]

What the heck is "watergate salad"??

Watergate Salad is more of a dessert that the kids demand for the holidays -- whether Christmas or the 4th of July. It's a box of Jello pistachio pudding mixed with a can of crushed pineapple with juice, folding in 2 cups of miniature marshmallows and a tub of Cool Whip and then a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, and cherries -- and coconut is optional. I don't have a clue where the name comes from, but it's pretty well known by that name and we've been making it since the 70's.

Ahh, got it, thanks! That sounds like what we call Ambrosia salad...and it is, except I'm allergic to the pistachios so it's a no-go for me.

Turporken? Turducken?? How about TurImgonnastrokeoutfromcholesteraloverdosen?

Y'all are Turgrossen me out!!!

:lmaosmiley-1:

[jumpingjacks]

Sorry I didn't bring the link over from CV....not sure what the protocol is on stuff like that. I'm a little gun shy over there, anyway...

Can someone answer an Itunes question for me? I have a couple of songs that will not play unless the original mp3 is on my desktop....any ideas as to why?

Thanks.

[FromClaygary]

Can someone answer an Itunes question for me? I have a couple of songs that will not play unless the original mp3 is on my desktop....any ideas as to why?

Thanks.

Not sure if this is really your question...but Itunes songs won't play if you "move" them from their original location. To fix that, just double click (if your associations for .mp3's are set to Itunes) and it will add it again to Itunes in its new location. Or, if associations are not set to Itunes, right click the new location and select "Open with".

Hope that helps!!

[Couch Tomato]

Yay an afterparty. I get so excited about those and I'm not even going.

I didn't realize we had so many Filipinos here. Could we invite emmasage too?

She's a member here but pulling her out of lurkdom will probably prove a difficult task. She was going to help me package and mail the pins but I managed to get it done without bothering her the day after Thanksgiving.

me too!?! :PickMe-1:

heee love this little guy.

Well off to see So You Think You Can Dance folks. This is the first time out of AI2 that I've seen any sort of tv show act. To be honest, I should have known 4 months later I wouldn't really be intersted. But I'll have fun watching my neice have fun.

The board has been so enjoyable to read over the break. I love the food stuff..so much better than watching food network hee.

[bottlecap]

Scarlett - :F_05BL17blowkiss: See you in Kalamazoo! Maybe we should figure out a pre or post concert meeting spot for FCAers?

Yes, please!

me too!?! :PickMe-1:

Wow, there's so many of us!!! How about an after-party? Please post suggestions, your hotel locations and preferences in the tour thread - Kalamazoo...

(Who's got that LynninNJ "Party-All-Night" picture from Sterling Heights? We need to <insert> that here!!!)

:04:

[jumpingjacks]

Can someone answer an Itunes question for me? I have a couple of songs that will not play unless the original mp3 is on my desktop....any ideas as to why?

Thanks.

Not sure if this is really your question...but Itunes songs won't play if you "move" them from their original location. To fix that, just double click (if your associations for .mp3's are set to Itunes) and it will add it again to Itunes in its new location. Or, if associations are not set to Itunes, right click the new location and select "Open with".

Hope that helps!!

I did the open with thing....put the mp3 in the recycle bin...tried to play it and got the same message.

Crap. Guess I'll just leave them on my desktop. What's interesting is that the songs download just fine to my IPod.

[Claygasm]

I wish I were going to Kalamazoo!! I had promised myself if Clay ever played in Kalamazoo I would be there and use it as an excuse to trip down memory lane.

But he had to pick a year I couldn't get off work.

And you guys are going to have so much fun!!

And I'm jealous!!

Ok, whining over.