Just TWO reasons!

Just TWO of the MANY reasons that I am SO very THANKFUL
during this Christmas season...and ALWAYS!



My children are healthy, happy, and SO lovable!

Have a wonderful week...

AND...

whatever you do...

DO NOT go to THE MALL...

on the weekend!

You will feel homicidal - trust me.

Love to All!

Turkey Throwdown Finale - Finally!

Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa & sit down...
this is gonna take me a sec!

Well, Thank You for choosing to tune back in for the finale...
I know that the wait has been painful & unusually long...
I know that you are SOOOOO sick of hearing
about the crazy Turkey Throwdown...
I mean, you have probably been
thinking - C'mon, you
freak...Just tell
us who the
winner
is!


And so - I will proceed with the final moments...

9:30am: Jen reluctantly peeks at Tom's temp...

And what to her wondering eyes did appear?

Tom = 165 degrees

And so, Jen's "near" perfectly roasted turkey...

shall sit...

for nearly 2 hours ...

before the Thanksgiving Meal is served.

9:45am: Jen is B-U-M-M-E-D. Greg is G-L-O-A-T-I-N-G.

Tom is D-R-Y-I-N-G out.

Now, I will spare you all of the other boring junk that happened between 9:45am & 11:05.

11:05am: Poppa, Nanny, Wyatt, & Avery arrive!

11:15am: Nanny makes gravy (because Jen is CLUELESS on turkey gravy - I'm all about sausage gravy with biscuits but, turkey gravy, not so much).

11:30am: Thanksgiving Lunch is served!

Let the JUDGING begin!

Now, hindsight being 20/20 - ideally we would have blind-folded Poppa (Jen's Dad, for those of you who do not know who the judge is) - but, since Jen was FRANTIC about getting the meal on before another droplet of juicy goodness emerged from Tom...the blind taste test did not occur.

For those of you who do not know "Poppa" - he is a man of MANY words...and he's NEVER afraid to use MANY of them to express whatever random thought might be rolling through his big brain! Poppa can be brutally honest...and yet, so lovable... all at the same time. =)

Isn't he adorable?

I love you, Daddy!
(brown-nosing the judge AFTER the fact, is allowed)

I must be completely honest here...upon seeing my turkey being carved into...it was apparent that Tom was NOT as juicy as what Jen had anticipated. (I was really disappointed.)
And, if we are judging this competition SOLELY on "Juiciness" -
Jen quickly admits that Henrietta turned out noticeably juicier than Tom.

11:35am: Poppa takes his first bite of Greg's brined & smoked turkey....followed by a bite of Jen's brined & roasted turkey. He tries both dark meat & white meat - and portions from identical sections of both birds.

Here is Tom - his insides looked a little funky & disturbing...
so I spared you the sight:


Notice the very last minute & bizarre garnish...NOT what I had originally intended...BUT, it'll do in a pinch! Darn those ridiculous looking wings...and the crazy legs that started out all snugly tucked under the cool flap of skin that Butterball already had ready for me. Nice string, eh?
Hey, it's all about the TASTE, right??

And, here is Henrietta the Hen:
(not sure if Greg named her or not...)


I MUST say, my darling husband, your bird is quite lovely!

* Poppa is STILL reluctant to state who's cuisine reigns supreme...*

Although my dad has made positive comments about each of our entries...he is still hesitant to name a WINNER - however - Jen can tell that Poppa seems to prefer Henrietta over Tom.

And that is OK!

Listen, had this been a Green Bean Throwdown, or perhaps...a Sweet Potato Throwdown...or a Strawberry Pretzel Salad Throwdown...or even a Mashed Potato Throwdown...Jen would absolutely be the winner - hands down! Did I mention that my green beans kicked booty?!

But, Poppa - being the generous (and wise) man that he is...

declared the 2008 Thanksgiving Turkey Throwdown...

a TIE!



You see, as Nanny put it...It's like comparing Apples to Oranges - you just cannot expect the same taste or texture from the two - they must not be compared.

Did I mention that Nanny is also very wise?

12:00pm: Jen & Greg lift their turkey platters to discover something very exciting...

Cha-Ching!

"Winner, winner...chicken dinner!"
(as my brother sings)

Oh, and let's not forget...it was a "TIE"...

And yes, I received a certificate too!
(the pic was really blurry...I'll try again later)

WOO-HOO - Let's CELEBRATE!

Umm, well - I mean...

~ THE END ~

Well, there you have it!

Hope it was worth the wait?

**OH! And the moral of this story: "Poppa's no dummy!"**

Love to All!

P.S. - There WILL be a re-match in 2009!
I know ALL the tricks now...

Throwdown Finale - Later Tonight!

Hey! I promise...I have NOT forgotten. I work tonight & hopefully will have enough down time to share the Throwdown conclusion with all of you!

See you later tonight!

Turkey Throwdown - Part II

So - I'm sure that you are all just completely on the edge of your seats, yes?
(if you are clueless, you may want to go back & read Part I)

The suspense is absolutely killing you, right?

Did Greg win? Did Jen win? Did anyone cry?



NO WAY! Are you kidding me?
Dragging it out is SO much more FuN!

Did she take out the turkey & tuck in the wings?

Did the Muffin Man make a guest appearance?

Did anyone burn themselves?

Are they still married?

SO many questions!

and so, the Throwdown resumes...

6:12am: Jen says to herself - "Just leave well enough alone" & curses the Muffin Man...and the stupid turkey wings...&@!%$...*deep breath*...more Diet Coke...

6:13am: Greg walks into kitchen, taking a little break from the cold weather, and mischievously places his frozen fingers on Jen's bare back...while laughing...and tickling...and laughing.

Greg continues to be in Jen's way, seemingly intending to be irritating only, rummaging through every cabinet and drawer...I really don't think that he needed a darn thing...

6:14am: Jen takes back control of the kitchen.

7:15am: Time for a Turkey Temp Check!

Jen's bird: 109 degrees ~ Greg's bird: 101 degrees

Meanwhile, Jen is preparing the other 11 dishes,
that will also be served alongside our beautifully brined birds.

8:15am: Time for another Turkey Temp Check!

Greg comes inside & does the freezing cold hand thing...again.

Jen's bird: 143 degrees ~ Greg's bird: I have no clue.

* Honestly, at this point, I am so stressed out that my bird is cooking SO fast...and my oven is only set at 225degrees...WHAT is happening? I do the math (well, sorta) and become REALLY anxious because it is apparent that Tom is going to be "done"...WAaaaaaaaaaay to soon!! *

8:20am: Jen considers downing a small portion of the "Jack Daniels" she has sitting out on the counter for the Whiskey Glazed Carrots...hey, just a tiny bit...not like I'm gonna be all schnockered at lunch with my parents & my kiddos or anything - Calm down, friends...I'm not quite THAT stressed.

To clarify: No, I did NOT drink any whiskey at 8:20am - I swear.
(did you SERIOUSLY think that I would?)

8:30am: Jen begins to prepare the table, runs upstairs to throw on some make-up (trust me, this is a NECESSARY step), curses the Muffin Man, makes the bed, cleans the downstairs toilet, & completes other random tedious tasks.

Let's take a little peek at Greg's bird, shall we?

Hmmm...well, Jen must admit...Greg's hen is coming along nicely!
*notice the secret pan, covered in foil...behind the turkey*

9:00am: Jen calls to check & see what time Poppa, Nanny, and the kiddos will arrive.

(secretly hoping that they might be ready for lunch at around 10:00am...considering the fact that Tom is now at 154 degrees).

9:15am: Jen begins to realize that she could have slept in for at least another 60-90 minutes...and curses the Muffin Man...again.

I'm afraid to even take a peek at the digital meat thermometer that I have strategically placed into Tom's torso...surely my turkey is not going to be at prime temperature...at 9:30am?

SAY IT ISN'T SO...

and, yep - YOU guessed it...



Stay tuned for the Throwdown Finale ~
Coming Soon!

Breakdown of the Throwdown - Part 1

4:42am: Jen awakens to the pleasant sounds of a grinding garbage disposal and Wrigley whining to go outside.

4:43am: Jen thinks to herself:

"Why am I hearing the garbage disposal at the butt-crack of dawn - surely this is just a bad dream?"

4:45am: *sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs* Jen is officially AWAKE - much to her dismay!


4:46am: Greg is serenading Jen with...are you ready for this?

"Do You Know the Muffin Man"

[this is WRONG...on SO many levels!]

4:46am: Jen puts pillow over her head and tries to pretend that this is NOT happening. NOT Muffin Man...before 5am - SERIOUSLY!?

4:47am: Greg is lecturing Jen...and it went something like this:

"You know...somebody's turkey is going to be RAW & nasty...if they don't get their butt outta bed...blah, blah, blah..."

4:48am: Jen concedes & commences the roasting ceremony.

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING, TO ME?"

{Important note: The kiddos stayed the night at a fancy hotel, about 55 minutes away, with Poppa & Nanny.)



HUGE Bonus! Thank you, Poppa & Nanny!

OK now - where the heck was I? Oh, yes...turkey prep...

Not having ANY experience with roasting a 20 pound bird, I was a bit unclear on the exact (or even ballpark figure) amount of time that it would take for my turkey to reach the proper temperature & be declared "done". During my research, I did learn that a brined turkey cooks at a faster speed than one that is not brined.

*Oh, and by the way - I did decide to BRINE my turkey!*

Before we begin cooking, I would like to introduce you to
Big T & Lil' T - say hello!

4:57am: Jen brushes teeth (and curses the Muffin Man)

5:02am: *Jen waiting ever-so-patiently for Greg to remove himself (and all of his turkey aftermath) from the kitchen*

5:12am: Jen dons herself with a bottle of Lysol Anti-bacterial Kitchen Cleaner and hot-pink designer infrared salmonella detecting goggles (which make her look super hot)...and then uses over half of the bottle, saturating every spot that Greg may have even considered coming into contact with. 2 semesters of Infection Control & Advanced Infection Control in college, well...it just does that to a person.

5:15am: Jen removes Tom from the 2 gallons of brine liquid, washes him, and pats him dry with love. Uses other half of the Lysol bottle.

5:21am: Jen consumes a large amount of Diet Coke (which is her coffee in the mornings).

5:25am: Greg's hen is on the grill - the smoking (or should I say "smirking"?) begins.

6:11am: Jen's ginormous, brined for 24 hours, buttery, & incorrectly trussed turkey goes into the oven...thermometer in place...herbs & secret ingredients in place...tightly wrapped in a double layer of heavy-duty foil...life is good!

*oops...I just realized that I forgot to tuck in the wings - CRAP!*

To be continued...

Yes, yes...I know!

OK - yes...I KNOW, already! I've had requests to please give an update in reference to the Turkey Throwdown - I'm SORRY...I'm SLOW! I haven't downloaded any pics yet, but it's on my Top 10 list.

I've been a little preoccupied this week with other tasks & I still don't have my Christmas tree up, but be assured, I will most certainly post something about the event within the next few days because I would hate to keep you all in limbo!

Seriously...

I PROMISE!

Stay tuned for: "Breakdown of a Throwdown!"

Love to All ~ Be good to yourselves!

To Brine, Or Not to Brine?

In all of my 34.97 years...I have had the privilege of enjoying my Thanksgiving Meal at my Mom's house. Year after year, the meal is ALWAYS so absolutely delicious & perfect! My mom is such a fabulous cook & I have always learned so many wonderful recipes & cooking tips from her...she just knows how to take a meal to the next level.

So - where am I going with this, you ask? Well - in all of those years - Jen has never had to prepare a TURKEY! No, I am NOT joking. I have NEVER prepared an entire turkey in all of my life. Are you shocked? I am! I DO know, that in all of those years, I never remember my mom "brining" her turkey before roasting it.

OK - so...guess what? I am having the Thanksgiving Meal at MY house this year & guess who will be attending? My parents! Yay! *holy guacamole - what am I thinking* Obviously, I am NOT an experienced bird baker - and that is where Pioneer Woman and YOU come in to play. I was reading Pioneer Womans blog yesterday & I clicked on her Holiday Recipe section. She goes into great detail (with awesome photos) of how to prepare, brine, & roast a turkey. I am in awe of Pioneer Woman!
CLICK HERE to check her out!



My question to all of you, my friends, is this:
"To Brine, or NOT to Brine?"

Do you brine your turkey before roasting it? If so, what ingredients do you prefer to use for brining? Please, if you can spare the time...share some Turkey Tips with me so that I can "1-up" the "Smoked Turkey" that my husband has vowed to kick my butt with this year! Yes - there is a healthy competition going on here - and the stakes are high! Greg has been so bold as to make statements insinuating that his turkey will reign far superior over mine - hmmmm - we shall see! My dad, who promises to remain impartial, will be the judge of who's turkey takes all - I am relying on all of you to help me prepare the MOST Fantabulous Turkey EVER!

Let's talk turkey, shall we?

As Seen on TV

Ok - so it's 3:06am...and I'm at work...7 hours 46 minutes down/4 hours 24 minutes to go - Yipee! TV is SO bad right now that I nearly phoned in to order "Pedi-Paws", after viewing the very lengthy infomercial for the 6th time. Hey, if I order within the next 10 minutes then I will receive the bonus shed ender absolutely FREE - yes, FREE! I mean...I'm SO tired that I even, for one brief second, considered just completing ALL of my Christmas shopping at that very moment - it's final - everyone shall receive a Pedi-Paws for Christmas! Who cares if you have a pet...try it on yourself for goodness sake...it's a gift!

Good grief...I need sleep.

But, seriously - the Pedi-Paws thing sounds REALLY cool & I'm sitting here wondering...Has anyone out there purchased & tried to clip their pets nails with it? If so, PLEASE, do share your review of this product with me. My basset hound, Wrigley, has the THICKEST and longest toenails ever know to dog - I kid you not! I would buy this product in a heartbeat, if I could be sure that it actually works - SO - I'm looking for some feedback here...let me know if you own one! Look - don't think I'm insane...it says right there on the telly...it's REVOLUTIONARY!!!!



Good Gravy! Why don't they warn people who work midnights in advance?? DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT take a debit/credit card to work with you on a graveyard shift...it's just not safe.

[sidebar] I take my dog to the groomer every 2 weeks & they clip her nails...WHY in the name of canines am I in need of a pet nail trimmer?

Well - I must go for now...I feel myself getting sucked into the Bowflex TreadClimber thing - only 6 million payments of $5/month - I'm looking for my credit card right now...

and then I'm going to finish my Vanilla Frosty from Wendy's. ;]

Love to all! Have a happy Monday!

Some recent pics...

Note to Reader

Note to readers & friends: I used to be a frequent blogger on MySpace (Myspace Blog) ...however, due to technical difficulties, & a complete re-arrangement of my priorities - a much needed break occurred!

I plan to be back in effect before too long & I look forward to adding many of my old friends to this blog! Thanks to my friends, Jennifer W. & Julie...I have decided that this will be the spot that I shall settle in to!

Have a beautiful & meaningful day ~:o]