Sharon, that tart looks delicious. Looking forward to the recipe. Beth, Tiramisu birthday cake. What a treat. Jim, this is definitely a keeper recipe. White Beans and Sausage Source: David Leite's - The New Portuguese Table - My Family's White Beans and Sausage 1 pound dried navy, small California white or great northern beans, washed and sorted 1/2 pound bacon 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced Bay leaf olive oil 3/4 pound Chourico, Linguica or Dry-Cured Smoked Spanish Chorizo cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste 1 tablespoon sweet paprika water ( I used chicken broth) Salt Freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons tomato paste (squeeze tube) Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley Heat a large pot over medium low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the meaty bits are crisp, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Bump up the heat to medium, add the chourico and sear until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chourico to paper towels. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Or, if the pot is dry , drizzle in some oil. Add the onions and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the onions from burning. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute more. Drain the beans and dump them into the pot, along with the chourico and red pepper flakes, and 3 1/2 cups of water (I used chicken broth). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let burble gently. Stiring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Begin checking at 45 minutes, but it may take as long as 1 1/2 hours , depending on your beans' add more water (chicken broth) if needed. Fish out and toss the bay leaf. Stir in the tomato paste and bacon and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the beans sit uncovered for 10 minutes to absorb and excess liquid. Serve. Here is a link that might be useful: Thibeault's Table White Beans and Sausage

I have made this turkey for the past several years and it is a big hit. Something about the salty pancetta and sage. Yum! We have about ten people. Most of us are continually watching our weight. We don't usually do appetizers or many desserts. My kids are weird, don't have favorites. I will make something special for my niece, she usually wants chocolate mousse. We have butternut squash, baked creamed spinach and celery, some sort of stuffing (that's where I experiment), and we alternate the potatoes. Not sure what we'll do this year. Sometimes I just love plain old mashed the best. This year we are having a family Christmas Ornament swap on November 23. Because of other commitments and stuff, I have to start decorating for Christmas this week. It is going to be weird having Thanksgiving with Santa. Beth P. Here is a link that might be useful: Pancetta Sage Turkey

More for ya: BACON AND GREEN CHILE ROLL-UPS 8 slices bacon 1 (9-oz.) container (1 cup) bean dip 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chiles Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. In medium bowl, combine bean dip and cream cheese; mix well. Spread each tortilla with bean dip mixture. Sprinkle each with bell pepper, green chiles and bacon. Roll up each tortilla. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. To serve, cut each roll into 8 pieces. If desired, secure each piece with toothpick. Makes: 48 snacks; 24 servings. Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury. Don't remember where this one came from, but it is yummers! BAKED PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD You can serve this with crackers, carrots, celery, or anything else you can think of. 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 4 oz. jar diced drained pimientos 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. finely grated onion 1/4 tsp. red pepper 8 oz. block of extra sharp cheese, grated 8 oz. block of sharp cheese, grated Mix together, spoon into greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Bake 20 minutes at 350° F. BBQ KIELBASA BITES 1 ring Kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1/3 cup ketchup 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 1/3 cup orange marmalade Combine sauce ingredients & pour over cut slices of meat in casserole dish. Bake at 350° F. for 20 minutes. BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.) 1 (12 oz.) bottle Frank's Hot Sauce 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese 1 (16 oz.) bottle blue cheese salad dressing (or Ranch if you prefer) 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack or a combination Boil chicken until cooked through, shred with 2 forks. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a 13- x9-inch pan, combine chicken with hot sauce and spread evenly. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream cheese and dressing, stirring until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 min., then sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Frito scoops, Ritz crackers, and celery sticks. Posted by GlendaAl at the ths.com Recipe Exchange. HERBED CHEESE-AND-CRACKER BITS 2 (10-1/2 oz.) boxes Ritz Bits cheese crackers (not peanut butter flavor) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 (1 oz.) pkg. Hidden Valley Original Ranch salad dressing mix 1 heaping Tblsp. dried dill 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. celery salt Place the crackers in a large sealable freezer container. In a bowl, mix the oil, salad dressing mix, dill, garlic powder, and celery salt. Pour this mixture over the crackers, cover the container, and invert it to coat the crackers with seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the container every so often to keep the crackers coated. Let the mixture come to room temperature before serving. Store in the covered container in refrigerator. Recipe courtesy Paula Deen. OLD BAY SHRIMP DIP 2 cans shrimp, drained 1/2 cup chopped scallions 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup sour cream 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning Parsley In a bowl combine sour cream and cream cheese; add seasoning. Add chopped scallions and green pepper. Lastly, fold in shrimp. Mold into a ball and chill. Roll in parsley. Serve with assorted crackers. Recipe courtesy of Clabber Girl. SAUSAGE CALZONE BITES 2 oz. Bulk Sweet Italian sausage 1/3 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 small) 1/4 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese 1/2 of an 8 oz. jar pizza sauce (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 tsp. Dried Italian seasoning, crushed 1 (10 oz.) pkg. Refrigerated pizza dough 2 tsp. Milk 2 Tblsp. Finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium skillet cook sausage and green pepper until sausage is no longer pink; drain off fat. Stir in the provolone cheese, half of the pizza sauce, and the Italian seasoning. Unroll the pizza dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough to a 12-inch square. Cut into sixteen 3-inch squares. Spoon a rounded teaspoonful of sausage mixture onto half of each square. Moisten edges of dough with water and fold over, forming a rectangle. Pinch or press with a fork to seal edges. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Prick tops of calzones with a fork; brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Warm remaining pizza sauce to serve with calzones for dipping. Makes 16 mini calzones. SLOW COOKER FIRECRACKER MIX 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 4 Tblsp. margarine or butter, melted 2 Tblsp. brown sugar 1-1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne), optional 8 cups popped corn 4 cups corn cereal squares 3 cups pretzel sticks Mix together Worcestershire, margarine, brown sugar, salt and cayenne pepper (if using). Place popped corn, corn cereal squares and pretzel sticks in 6-quart slow cooker. Pour Worcestershire sauce, softened margarine, brown sugar, salt and cayenne mixture over all and mix thoroughly. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Remove lid for 1 more hour. Pour mixture onto wax paper and allow to cool. Store in storage bags or containers. The mix may be made up to one week in advance. Makes 12 to 15 (1-cup) servings. From Good Housekeeping Best Recipes 1999. Recipe directions and proportions adapted by Julie Kay - From The Baton Rouge Advocate Newspaper 6/29/00. SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS Meatballs: 2 lbs. ground sirloin 1 can french-fried onion rings 1 egg Sauce: 1 jar chili sauce 1 jar water (in bottle for chili sauce) 1 can whole cranberry sauce 1 can sauerkraut, drained (don't be deterred by this) 1 cup light brown sugar Mix meat ingredients and form meatballs. Put all sauce ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the meatballs; bake at 350° F. covered for one hour; uncover and bake an additional half hour. Truly, these are wonderful. And for those who like to dunk bread in the gravy, it's the best! Posted at Mimis Cyber-Kitchen by Elinorw 09-25-98. GLORIFIED VIDALIA ONIONS 5 to 6 medium sweet onions 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup sugar 2 cups water 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. celery seed Finely chop or grate onions. Soak onions in the water, sugar, and vinegar for 4 hours. Drain well. Pat dry. Mix onions with mayonnaise and celery seed. Serve with buttery crackers. Recipe courtesy of Ms. Betty Lees of Savannah, GA. One of my personal favorites: SPICED SWEET ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained 1 (4 oz.) jar roasted red peppers (or homemade) 3 Tblsp. lemon juice 1-1/2 Tblsp. tahini 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper *(I used 1/4 tsp.) 1/4 tsp. salt 1 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley Blend all ingredients except parsley in electric blender. Process until fairly smooth. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Sprinkle with parsley before serving. Serve with pita bread cut into strips or triangles. Posted by SharonCb at the ths.com Cooking Forum. SPICY CRAB DIP 1 bunch of green onions chopped, including all of green part 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. cumin 8 to 10 oz. crabmeat (canned or fresh) 1 can of chopped green chilies 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (or Monterey Jack) Sauté the onions, chilies and cumin in a very small amount of olive oil. Add the crab. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to the crab mixture. Mix continuously until cream cheese is melted. Pour into a 1-quart casserole and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in a 350° F. oven until lightly brown and bubbly. Serve with Tortilla chips. Make a lot it goes fast! Posted by Barbara Talbott at wwrecipes.com 2/21/01. SPINACH ONION AND BACON DIP 1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened 1 (5 oz.) pkg. shredded Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup mayonnaise Corn chips, Wheat Thins, or Triscuits Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine all ingredients except chips/crackers in a medium bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with chips and/or crackers. Serves 12-15. Dip may be made ahead up to 2 days ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated. Let stand 20 minutes before baking as directed. Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen. BANDITO CHICKEN WINGS 12 whole chicken wings (about 2 lbs.) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup butter, divided 2 Tblsp. vegetable oil 1/2 cup taco sauce 1/4 cup barbecue sauce 1/4 cup French salad dressing 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce Cut chicken wings into three sections; discard wing tips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium heat, combine 2 Tblsp. butter and oil. Fry chicken until brown, about 6-8 minutes on each side. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. In a saucepan, combine taco sauce, barbecue sauce, French dressing, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and remaining butter; cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sauce is blended. Pour 1/2 cup over the chicken wings. Bake, uncovered, at 300° F. for 15-20 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Serve with the remaining sauce. Yield: 8-10 servings. Recipe courtesy of Gloria Jarrett of Loveland, Ohio.

Diane, definitely get the software installed, I love to see everyone's pictures! For the muffins I used a King Arthur recipe, which I took some liberties with. I added a grated carrot, some leftover chopped pineapple and a handful of dried cherries. They didn't rise high and were a little dense, but very good. Apple Muffins These dark, moist muffins, studded with fresh apple, will keep well for several days. You don't even need to heat them up to enjoy them, which makes them a perfect after-school snack. The brown sugar sprinkled on top adds a nice, crunchy touch. 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar, divided 1 large egg 1 cup buttermilk; or 1 cup plain (not Greek-style) yogurt; or 3/4 cup Greek-style yogurt + 1/4 cup milk 1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples; about 2 large apples, about 3/4 pound whole apples 1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin pan, or line with papers and grease the insides of the papers. 2) Mix together the butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, beating until fluffy. 3) Add the egg and mix well, stopping once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. 4) Gently mix in the buttermilk or yogurt. 5) Stir in the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 6) Fold in the chopped apples. 7) Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar on top. 8) Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 9) Remove the muffins from the oven, cool them for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling completely. Yield: 12 muffins. In the meantime, my day started with a sore throat. We went to the farm where we found the water faucet had frozen so we hauled 150 gallons of water in a barrel to fill the stock tank. The tractor wouldn't start because of the cold so we towed a 1,000 round bale with the pick up. On the way home we broke a belt and limped the truck to Dave's for repair. (sigh) It was not a good day, and Elery made chicken soup when we got home. OK, that Asian fish wrap picture just isn't right, it looks fine on Photobucket, but won't copy over so I'm deleting it. Onward and upward! One night we had chicken quesadillas with refried beans and a side of wheat berries in a vinegar based dressing: Another night we had brisket, using Carol/Dishesdone's recipe. I didn't use catsup and chile sauce, though, I used a pint of Chase's chile sauce and in place of the beer I used some apple cider. It was really good and we had mashed turnips, peas and some multigrain bread with it. The multi-grain bread thread made me think about baking a loaf: And Johnliu's Fried Chicken thread made me haul out the cast iron skillet and make some fried chicken, along with some homecanned kale, warm cornbread and chipotle mashed sweet potatoes. Who knows what tomorrow might bring, in the kitchen or otherwise! Annie