wish you were here

Ok, I really wish I was there. If you were there, too, that would be a bonus.

I have a pretty clear view of 580 East-bound traffic right now and all I can say is... THANK GOD we're staying local this Thanksgiving. I will be making Jesse's Yams and my semi-famous pumpkin pies tonight. The house will smell delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

gobble this down

Thanksgiving is a holiday full of family, friends and feasting. In our household, it is also a time for something we are truly thankful for - Jesse's Yams. Thanks to Rick Springfield and his unrequited love for his best friend's girlfriend, we also have a little chorus that rings in this gay mixture of candied wonderfulness. For marshmallow-free yams this Thanksgiving, try this delicious alternative:

You will need...
2 medium cans of yams
5-6 Granny Smith apples
1/2 - 1 c. raisins
1/2 – 1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. butter (2 sticks)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. cornstarch (dissolved in 1 c. water)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Place yams, apples, walnuts and raisins in a lightly greased 3 1/2-quart baking dish. In a saucepan stir granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch mixture, salt and cinnamon until smooth. Add butter and stir over medium heat, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over the yam/apple/raisin, walnut mixture and bake fo 2 hours. YUMMY!

Of course, I have to give a shout-out to our dear friend who passed this recipe on to us 5 years ago. Thanks, man. Your name will forever be etched in our hearts - and my recipe box.

back from maui

It was a rough week in Maui. Those gorgeous sunsets, mai tais, Hawaiian food, luaus, beaches and shave ice were hard to take. I mean, it was like pure torture. Absolutely awful.

(At least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself, now that it's over.)

a leaf on the wind

***POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING***
I love Alan Tudyk. His portrayal of Wash in Firefly may have been one of the main reasons I kept coming back for more. His comedic timing, his expressions... BRILLIANT. To my utmost horror, they ended the winsome pilot's life after an incredible effort to land the failing Serenity while dodging debris and enemy ships. He kept repeating, "I am a leaf on the wind" as he wove his way through the mess, ultimately landing the ship. The crew had no sooner counted their limbs and kissed the floor because Wash had gotten them through the whole ordeal alive, when he repeated his song "I am a leaf on the wi--"

BAAAM! His last words were interrupted by a harpoon right through the chest. As if the wind had been knocked out of me, I stared at the screen in disbelief for many minutes. I figured this must be the very sad end of Firefly, because I wasn't sure how their world could exist without him.

Recently Tudyk appeared back on the radar as a character in another movie. This character reminded me of the light-hearted Wash. Same timing. Same expressions. Of course, I was hooked. Everything about how I was drawn in reminded me of Firefly. We, the audience, grew to love him, trust him and depend on him. And OUT OF FRIGGIN' NOWHERE... BAAAAM! They kill him off. I swear he muttered, "I am a leaf on the wind."

Apparently, any time I run into a loveable Tudyk character on the silver screen, I should just prepare myself for his imminent death. Lame.