This Blog has Moved!

I'VE MOVED!

Do please follow my blog at its new address:

moretimeatthetable.com

Can't wait to see you there!

Sing a new song, Alyce

Baked Chili on Tortilla Chips for the Broncos to Win the Super Bowl

A replay of a favorite post, CHILI FRITO, for Super Bowl Sunday.  If you'd like the real-deal Chili Frito, substitute Fritos for the tortilla chips.

 GO BRONCOS!!!!

When Dave and I were in college, the cafeterias did their best to serve food that was wholesome and healthy (a salad bar appeared at student request), but that also made a teenager's heart sing rather than sink.  As I spent a couple of years there cracking eggs--this is true--I know better than some.  Saturday nights were "steak nights," and you seldom missed that meal, even if you had eaten all day long that day or were out at the lake at a kegger.   It was there I first heard the words London Broil or realized steaks could have sauces.  In the house where I grew up, good steak didn't need sauce; it simply wasn't done. (Groan.)  You wouldn't ruin a gorgeous piece of midwest beef like that.  Looking back, of course the cafeteria steaks probably needed sauce.  The rarely-seen (ha) summer ribeye at home was fine with only a bit of garlic salt with pepper and a nice big crunchy salad right out of my Dad's garden.  Mayonnaise was the dressing of choice.

This is Lincoln Hall.  I lived in Washington, it's nearby exact twin.

Current dorm room--exactly the same as mine in 1971.  Some things don't change. The site does say the rooms were renovated in the '90s.  Hm.

I don't remember a lot of the meals I ate at the cafeteria, though I can see the room clearly if I close my eyes. I do know for a fact we had real scrambled eggs because any eggs with broken yolks went in the scrambled egg vat.  But one meal that has stood out in my mind all these years was something called "Chili Frito."  In 1971, Chili Frito wasn't a familiar concept on the western Illinois border near Keokuk, Iowa.  Chili, yes.  Fritos, of course.  But Chili Frito?  Well, today you know immediately what it was: a bowl of Fritos topped with chili and maybe cheese. You probably call it "Frito Pie."  We loved it. If there was Chili Frito for dinner, we were cheering in the halls of the dorms and we made it to dinner almost as if it were steak night.

What's for dinner tonight? Anybody see?  ...  "CHILI FRITO!"  "Oh, my God."  (We spelled it out back then.)

The precursor to the ubiquitous plate of nachos (that we'd never heard of), it was luscious--crunchy, tomatoey, full of chili powder and loaded with cheese.  Remember, we had just gotten our first Jack In The Box tacos--our first-- in the south-western Chicago suburbs around 1970.  Chili Frito was IT.

Over the years, I occasionally would throw some leftover chili on top of Fritos for my kids with a smile of remembrance, but only when the chili pot was almost empty or there was no time to cook something else.  I never made Chili Frito from scratch that I can think of, though I remembered it fondly.  In the intervening years, I had chili with spaghetti in it at friends' houses or Chili Mac at Dave's folks'.  I lived in places in Europe where was no chili at all and I spent four years in San Antonio where if you knew beans about chili, you knew there were no beans in chili.  As you might remember from other posts.

Last night, though, I had Chili Frito on my heart.  I had no idea what was for dinner, but it was dinner time.  The weather (another snow storm) had been awful; I didn't even want to go to the garage to get something from the freezer.  I knew I had ground turkey and bison in my kitchen freezer that needed cooking  and that a bag of soon-to-be-stale tortilla chips (XOCHITL) was sitting looking forlorn on the floor of the basement pantry.  In the frig was a bag of already-grated cheddar leftover from a soup tasting.  And within about forty minutes, we were watching The Big Chill (which Dave had somehow never seen) and eating Chili Chips.  Without Fritos, I had to rename the dish.  It was all the same; we adored them and were happy as clams eating a nearly junk-food dinner.  Funny how food and movies kinda match sometimes. Or that comfort food is sometimes not from your mom's kitchen, but from the college cafeteria.  I sang through the whole movie and I'm still mad they cut Kevin Costner out; he was the corpse in the casket.  (On the DVD version, are there out takes with him in it????)   Here's how to make updated Chili Frito right before you put on THE BIG CHILL:

FIRST:  Make nearly instant chili or bring a couple quarts home from Wendy's, I guess

In a 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven, cook until softened over medium heat a chopped, large onion and a chopped red or green bell pepper in a tablespoon of olive oil flavored with a pinch of crushed red pepper, a tablespoon of chili powder, and a few grinds of black pepper.  Stir in a pound each of ground bison and turkey, as well as 2 minced garlic cloves. Add 2 teaspoons ground cumin, another tablespoon chili powder, and a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Cook, stirring, until meat is browned and nearly done.

Pour in a 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes, a 6-ounce can of tomato paste, a cup each of red wine and water.  Stir in 2 tablespoons each Dijon-style mustard  and lemon juice, as well as 2 teaspoons dried dill weed and a teaspoon each of granulated sugar and kosher salt.   Stir and bring to a boil.  Let cook five minutes or so and pour in two cans of drained beans such as pintos, black beans, or kidney beans.  Let cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives (optional.) Taste and adjust seasonings.   Add more chili powder or shake in hot sauce if needed.

• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and fill a 9-inch x 13-inch rectangular casserole with tortilla chips (8 ounces or so)
• Ladle chili generously over all the chips (about six cups) and top with about a cup of grated cheddar cheese.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.  Serve hot, of course, with milk, which is how we ate it in college.  Ok, beer, though I only drank beer once in college.  That was enough, you see.
• 6 servings
• Dear God, I promise we'll have grilled white fish the next three days. But there is still chili left for lunch.  Love, Alyce

Two-Dog Kitchen

Go away, winter; you're bothering me.
... ... ... ...

 THIS WEEK ON DINNER PLACE:

FROSTED BROWNIES JUST FOR YOU-A SMALL PAN

LINCOLN HALL AND DORM ROOM PHOTOS - COURTESY WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

A NOTE TO READERS:  This blog has moved to WordPress and is now published at http://www.moretimeatthetable.com.  Please update your links and favorites! I'll publish on both sites for a while, but not for long!! Thanks for following me to the new site.

Tortellini and Shredded Beef in Broth with Vegetables

Note to readers:  This blog is now published on WordPress:  www.moretimeatthetable.com.  I'll publish at both sites for a while, but not for too long!  Please change your links and favorites and follow me to the new site!  Thanks to my smart daughter, Emily Suzanne Morgan, for managing the migration.  Follow Emily @ www.fightthebees.com

*************

The famous Italian dish, Tortellini en brodo, is a beautiful, well-known holiday pasta and broth soup upon which my simplified, shredded-beef American version is based.  I truly didn't have this dish in mind, I just happened to have a pot roast, a bunch of tortellini, and a desire for something besides the things I usually make with pot roast on a cold snowy day: pot roast and vegetables,  beef-vegetable soup, beef-barley soup, beef burgundy, and so on. If you'd like to make the real Tortellini en brodo, visit a blog that has the directions in English; many are in Italian!  Here's a good home-made blogger's  version  (Stefan's Gourmet Blog) that is totally from scratch, including the meat filling for the tortellini, and looks luscious.  If you'd rather have a little video action and a Mario Batali recipe, here's that link.  The simplest shortcut recipe is here.  In other words, you're not cooking meat for broth, bones for stock, or making homemade pasta and filling in my soup, but you are cooking a pot roast!  And while my ingredients' list isn't short, the method is simple and gives you time for other things.  

Baby Kale and Kluski Noodles with Chicken

Note to Readers:  This blog has moved to WordPress and is now published at moretimeatthetable.com.  Please change your links and favorites and follow me at the new site!  I'll post in both places for a while, but not for long!  Many thanks to my smart daughter, Emily, for managing the migration.  Follow Emily on fightthebees.com.

When you google Chicken and Noodles, there are over 23 million results.  Anyone who cooks and isn't a vegetarian has probably made some variation on the Chicken and Noodles theme, such as this one from a couple of years ago on this very blog:

How quickly can you say Chicken and Noodles?

Mom's Turtle Cheesecake for a Special Son's Birthday

A note to More Time Readers:  I've moved the blog to WordPress and it is now published at moretimeatthetable.com.  Please change your links, favorites, etc.  I'll publish both places for a while, but not for long!  Great thanks to smart, gorgeous daughter Emily Morgan for managing the migration and for being my super-tech.  Follow Emily on fightthebees.com.

**  **  **  ** **  **

When your children are growing up, if you're a baker (and sometimes even if you're not), you bake a cake for their birthdays.  I wonder if that's still true?  Most of the time my kids' parties were simple affairs---celebratory and fun, to be sure--but sort of cake and ice cream parties for a bunch of their buddies or maybe even just the family and neighbors.

(below:  Sean, a marvelous cook, making his world-renowned pizza--one of my frequent requests.  He's also a fine brewer.  Nice combination, huh?)

Green Chile Beef with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Note:  This blog has moved to WordPress. I am now publishing at moretimeatthetable.com and hope to see you there!  Please reset your favorites and links and follow me at the new beautiful location.  Migration accomplished by my smart youngest, Emily Morgan.  (I'll publish here as well for the next little while, but not for long!)  

Over the holidays, and since, we've been making big pots of soup when we weren't finishing off the leftovers.  Colds, strep throat, and the need for lighter fare after all the heavy meals were the instigators, but the weather contributed…  Today, the sun came out to melt the snow--

and it was time for something else:  real cooking in the oven maybe?  Two big pot roasts called my name at the store the other day, and one of them simply jumped into the Dutch oven cut up with a big bunch of cooked green chiles and onions.  Sounded incredible--a green chile braise--but I also decided to whip up a pot of cheddar mashed potatoes to keep it company.  A side of barely tender green beans, stirred up with just the teensiest bit of butter rounded out the meal.

Chicken-Wild Rice Soup with Butternut Squash and Pecans

WE'VE MOVED! More Time at the Table is now published on wordpress.com!  This blog has been hosted on blogger for the past four-plus years and will be published at both urls for a month or so…or until all the kinks are worked out of the transition process.  Do change your bookmarks or links, please, and follow me here on Word Press:  http://www.moretimeatthetable.com/   Great thanks to my gorgeous daughter Emily who managed the migration.  So cool to have smart kids!

In January it's so nice
While slippin' on the slidin' ice
To sip hot chicken soup with rice
Sippin' once, sippin' twice
Sippin' chicken soup with rice...

--Maurice Sendak, lyrics; music by Carole King:   REALLY ROSIE (click to listen to the music)  Original text from Sendak's book CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE one book in the Nutshell Library:

As a student in library school, I once was in charge of a weekend seminar about famed children's author, Maurice Sendak.  I had to plan the event from soup to nuts, including speeches, lunches, lodging, etc.  I also had to invite the man himself.  I was flabbergasted when he accepted.  I was near collapse when his assistant called a few days ahead, and citing illness, informed me the author would need to miss this particular conference.  Hundreds of people from miles around were nearly on their way.  Crushing…  But, still--the weekend went on as planned….though we certainly missed the main attraction.  No great matter in the long run, though, I never lost my deep and sincere admiration for the man, nor my love for his sweet lyrics about one of my favorite soups ever.  All of my children heard the Sendak books and we kept the REALLY ROSIE book around until…well, actually I still have it.

Ina Fridays -- Salads, Soups, and Sides -- Winter Minestrone with Garlic Bruschetta

WE'VE MOVED! More Time at the Table is now published on wordpress.com!  This blog has been hosted on blogger for the past four-plus years and will be published at both urls for a month or so…or until all the kinks are worked out of the transition process.  Do change your bookmarks or links, please, and follow me here on Word Press:  http://www.moretimeatthetable.com/   Great thanks to my gorgeous daughter Emily who managed the migration.  So cool to have smart kids!

A fast, hearty, healthy, rich, and inexpensive main course is what this soup is all about. A little pancetta to set the stage for the quickly sautéed vegetables bolstered by a heart-happy hit of garlic.  A big blustery can of Italian tomatoes added to chicken stock to create instant broth.  Pasta and beans to fill your tummy.  A few fresh leaves of spinach and a splash each of white wine and pesto to top it all off and make it so.

Kalamata Eggs with Vegetables

Note:  This blog, with all its previous posts, has moved to  moretimeatthetable.com, but I will continue to post here, as well as there, for another month or so to assure the transition.  Great thanks to my beautiful daughter, Emily Morgan, who managed the migration for me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

There comes a moment between Christmas and New Year's when you simply look around the kitchen and say, "I've had enough meat, cheese, and bread."  Parties, quick meals, egg casseroles, roast beast dinners, COO-KEES…

 Argh, they begin to add up.  If you haven't packed away a big tub of vegetable soup in the freezer,  maybe you'd like to try one of my quick breakfast-lunch-dinner skillets.

Out to brunch…eating… more!

This little meal takes the loveliness spinach has to sell (think cooked salad), combines it with the summery delight of onions with tomatoes, and tops it all off with a couple of quickly fried and runny eggs.  A piquant dollop or two of chopped kalamata olives or a spoonful of that tapenade leftover from the cocktail party might gild the lily, but probably not.  Make one for you and one for whomever else is still rambling about the holiday house.  OH, OK; have it with another mimosa.

kalamata eggs with vegetables                 makes one breakfast

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• pinch each crushed red pepper, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 large slice onion, broken into rings or pieces
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives or tapenade

1. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat with oil and spices for 30 seconds.  
2. Add onion and cook five minutes or so, stirring regularly, until onion is soft and beginning to brown. Add garlic, spinach, and tomatoes.  Cook another 2 minutes or until spinach is wilting and tomatoes are softening. 
3. Break two eggs on top of the vegetables -- one in each half the pan --  and sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper. Lower heat and cover for 2- 3 minutes or until eggs are done to your liking.  
4. Tip pan out onto a warmed plate and top with olives or tapenade.  Serve with hot buttered toast and jam.

Sing a new song as you plan for New Year's,

Alyce

Stained Glass Shortbread Hearts

I used INDIA TREE Sparkling Sugar--Confetti "color."

I have a group of favorite Christmas cookies and I make most of them every year.  Not all.  Some years there's just no time for the cranberry bars and the candy canes do only make it into the round up every so often.  I'm not sure what gives one cookie a spot at the top of the favorites' team or what makes another a relief pitcher, but I'm thinking it's which little crispy piece of sweetness draws the most desirable oooos and ahhs from family and friends versus those that are still in the freezer at Easter.

To say I love my grandson's help in the Christmas kitchen is not an understatement.

That I love to make cookies is undeniable.  That I must, absolutely must, make a new recipe or two every year is something I know.  If only there were more days for baking, more mouths for chewing, more mugs of cocoa that needed a sidecar, more glasses of Vin Santo calling out for biscotti.

In fact, since my kids have left home, I schedule a  cookie party of some kind so that I have a reason to bake.  And bake.

An ornament I bought in Taos--it stays in my front window year-round.

Early in the season, I often place a cookie book or two next to my reading chair.   I put sticky notes at the recipes that appear promising and assure myself I'll try this one or the other -- and sometimes I do. Sometimes I'll see something online or in the newspaper that will call me.  My sister will send a recipe and those are treasures to tempt and attempt.

This uses the add the sugar to the dough method. (See *)

Inevitably, I drag out the old recipe box and find the tried and true blue friends of years past, and make those first, second, third….  Ginger Cookies, Chocolate Snowballs, 7-Layer Bars, Shortbread, Sugar Cookies, Pecan Bars, Date Bars…  (The list goes on.)

This is the add-the-sugar-to-the-top-of-the-hearts method described in the recipe.

And the new cookie may wait its turn patiently.  Might even have to wait until next year.

Cookies at left have sugar added at top.  At right, sugar added to the dough. (Same in next photo)

But sometime its turn at bat will arrive.

The music will start….
I bake to Peter, Paul, and Mary's Holiday Celebration  --  at least to begin with.

Double hearts.  This one just came out like this.  Ah. Sigh.

The counters are cleared of the coffee pots, salt and pepper, olive oil, crushed red pepper….

so that there's room for  a standing mixer, 3 or 4 favorite cookie sheets, and some cooling racks.

It takes a clear counter to bake a cookie.


This year's new cookie not exactly new, but it's a new version of my favorite shortbread.  And I think it's a perfect newbie.  Tender, but crisp all the way through.  Bright in affect.  Tiny.  Also a bit time-consuming, but worth it.  These meltable mouthfuls are just an inch long and hence are perfect for those who want a cookie, but don't want a cookie -- if you know what I mean.  An inch long cookie? What harm could that do?  (None if you stop at one.)  Here's how:

stained-glass window shortbread hearts

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter--soft
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups white, unbleached flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• sparkling sugar (confetti)*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

With an electric mixer or very strong hands, beat together the butter and sugar; add the vanilla.  

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the salt.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing slowly at first to avoid a flour shower.  When dough begins to hold together, stop mixer and remove dough. 

Shape first into a ball and then flatten into a disc.  Wrap with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate 30 minutes.  (If you refrigerate the dough longer, you may have to let it warm up a bit.  I've left it overnight or longer; it has no eggs, so keeps a bit more than most doughs.) 

Divide dough into approximately 1-cup portions and, using a rolling pin,** roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured board or counter.

Cut out using 1-inch heart cookie cutters and press sparkling sugar into each.*  Place on baking sheets.  Bake 6-9 minutes or until set and just beginning to color at edges. Remove to cooling racks.  Store in tightly covered containers for up to a month.

*Alternately, add sugar to dough as you roll and then cut out the hearts; the cookies will look a bit differently, but will be just as good.

**No rolling pin?  Watch this little video.  A wine bottle might work just as well!

Provenance and Truth in Lending:  The ingredients (except for the sparkling sugar) for this recipe are from Eli Zabar via Ina Garten with great appreciation.

--

Around the 'Hood

 This year's twins munching in my front yard. (above)

Their vigilant mom. (above)

The family out back. (above)

On a clear day, you can see forever.  Well, you definitely can see Pike's Peak from my front door.

Click here for my Ginger Cookie recipe.  It's a keeper.

Our cookie party -- "Cookies, Carols, and Champagne," is Monday night. I am, uh, a bit behind.  Think of me.

Happy December…as you sing a new song,
Alyce

Slow Cooker Bean Soup at Altitude--Ski Day Special!

                                                        

When I first moved to altitude, everyone seemed to talk about the changes needed to cook here.  There were lots of suggestions about baking particularly (use less yeast and sugar--more salt for bread), but also about cooking anything at all (cook longer and with more liquid) and I paid attention.  To be sure, some baking required a bit of adjustment -- a few things never did come around -- but the biggest hurdle was lack of humidity.  Leave a piece of bread on the counter for a few minutes  (say the phone rang when you were about to make a sandwich) and you'd return to dry bread--as if you left it out all night in Chicago or were drying bread for stuffing in Miami.  Bake cookies, leave them to cool on the rack a couple of hours instead of a couple of minutes, and you'd have rocks. All Colorado cookies are biscotti is how I look at it.  Cookies must be eaten, stored in very tightly-sealed containers,  and/or frozen as soon as they're cool. More than one Colorado baker has just thrown in the towel at Christmas.  You simply can't eat them before they're stale. My method is to freeze every batch, taking out just the number of cookies you'll eat -- or give away-- at one sitting. It works, but you need a big freezer --or a freezing garage-- if you're a happy baker in December.

Ina Fridays -- Appetizers -- Grilled Lemon Chicken Skewers with Satay Dip

Grilled Lemon Chicken Skewers with Satay Dip:  scroll down for link to recipe.

Perhaps it would have been better if I'd chosen something that didn't require grilling on a day when the high was 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

                                                           
But, oh no, I had to make a grilled chicken dish.  Right oh.

Last Gasp Broccoli Soup

I hope your Thanksgiving was all you needed it to be.  Dave and I, having moved back into our Colorado Springs house just last month, were blessed to eat dinner at friends'.  Sean smoked a turkey; I made rolls and pies, as well as a pot of curried Butternut Squash Soup. Jami and Dave made a 4-quart Cauliflower Grantinee.  We ferried it all over to the north side of town, where a gorgeous table and a big group of friends waited.  All we had to do was sit down and enjoy it all.  Thanks, God.  I did bring home some leftovers...and hence this soup.  Enjoy this first week of Advent or the rest of Hanukkah...and make some broccoli soup.

Pie 101 - Pumpkin

              Pumpkin Pie should quiver, shiver, and shimmer. 

If your pie is solid and unmoving--like old jello-it's overdone or old.  If  the filling is pulling away from the crust, it's too old.  If it's cracked, well, that just happens once in a while (it's overbaked)--but next time bake it for less time.  Stay away from store pies.  While, big, easy, available, and portable, they were baked....when?  And are in the stores how far ahead?  This pie, full of eggs and cream, should be absolutely fresh.  Nearly right out of your oven.  Almost warm.  And, if not, at least at room temperature.  It's custard.  Plain and simple.   And, if you don't want to make pie dough or want a Gluten-Free Pumpkin "Pie," you can bake the filling in a greased pie pan or casserole without any pastry.  Just call it pumpkin custard; that's what it is.

Thanksgiving Music--Wednesday through Sunday

Philip Stopford directing my favorite Thanksgiving anthem.


        It is of course possible to dance a prayer. 
                                                                         ~Terri Guillemets


CDs or MP3:   VocalEssence, Garrison Keillor, and the Hopeful Gospel Quartet

                        Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.  
                                                    ~W.J. Cameron
.                           

Welcome to a little playlist of Thanksgiving music.  Have additions?  Leave them in the comments!

---

Wednesday:  Baking, Cleaning, Setting the Table, Cooking Ahead, Traveling............

Over the River and Through the Woods

Garrison Keillor's Thanksgiving Song--Prairie Home Companion  "Where ya goin' for Thanksgiving??"

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Chattanooga Choo Choo

Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram --"American Tail")

Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell)


Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.
         ~Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear.

Thursday Cooking and Prep:

The Muppets: Popcorn

Bolero (Ravel--Wiener Philharmonic)

Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)

Memphis Women and Chicken    (She's got biscuits in the oven---cornbread in the pan...)

Traveling Wilburys:  End of the Line

Red, Red Wine

In the Mood (Andrews Sisters)

A Case of You (Diana Krall cover of the  famous Joni Mitchell tune)

Turkey in the Straw

Thursday-- Before Dinner:

A grace could be very simply giving thanks for the hands that made the meal, for the workers in the stores, on the trucks, in the gardens. on the farms and ranches, and  the vineyards.  Even a toast to all who made it possible would work.  Mark the moment.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Mumford and Sons)

Now Thank We All Our God  (organ-Giovanni Danda)

All Good Gifts (Godspell     We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land....

Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Iz)

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow  (instrumental)

Thanksgiving Song (Mary Chapin Carpenter)

Thursday--Dinner

America by Simon and Garfunkel              We've all come-------to look for America.

Four Seasons (Antonio Vivaldi)

Coming to America (Neil Diamond)

I Like to Be in America (West Side Story--Bernstein)

Autumn Leaves (Miles Davis)

Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi Trio/Charlie Brown)

Thursday  Dessert/ After Dinner

Take it Easy (Eagles)

American Pie (Don McLean)

Lollypop (Chordettes)

I Love Coffee, I Love Tea -- Java Jive (Manhattan Transfer)

Pie! Me-oh My; I love Pie   (sung  by Andie McDowell in "Michael" after Michael says he invented pie--
"Just kidding! ... Sing, Dorothy.  Now.")   This tune is not on the soundtrack for some inexplicable reason.

Pie, pie, me oh my,
Nothing tastes better, wet, salty and dry,
all at once – oh, well it’s pie.
Apple and pumpkin and mince and black bottom,
I’ll come to your place every day if you’ve got ‘em.
Pie, me oh my, I love piiiiieeeeeee

Sleigh Ride (Ella Fitzgerald)    Ok-it bridges the seasons."...when they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie."


Thursday:  Clean-up

Lean on Me (Michael Bolton version)

Let's Stay Together (Al Green)

Barney: The Clean up Song

Washing Dishes (Jack  Johnson)

Stay--Just a  Little Bit Longer (Temptations)

Walkin' in Memphis (Marc Cohn)


Friday/Saturday/Sunday:  Leftovers, Tired of Turkey, Goin' Home

A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You  (Ukelele Ukester Brown)

Lady and the Tramp Spaghetti Scene (Bella Notte)

Cheeseburger in Paradise (Jimmy Buffett)

The Last Time I Felt Like This   (Johnny Mathis and Jane Oliver)  from "Same Time Next Year"

One for my Baby and One More for the Road  (Sinatra)

Go Now (Moody Blues)

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone (Bill Withers)

Going Home (Paul Robeson's version)

Time to Say Goodbye (Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman)

River (Joni Mitchell)

Happy Thanksgiving,
Alyce