Thanksgiving Thursday & Black Friday Things

Time for a few Thursday Things.  A few eye-catching and noteworthy items this include:

1. The meal I cooked for Scott.  He and Skylar raved about it so that was a success.

I mostly followed the Thanksgiving Recipes I intended on making.

Orange, ginger, and rosemary roasted turkey with gravy (photo taken before gravy explosion), ginger roasted carrots, stuffing, Cranberry & Orange Ginger Mango Chutney

And Caramel Apple Bars for dessert

We didn’t end up with too many leftovers so I consider that a success.  Nothing says foodborne illness like still working on that Thanksgiving turkey and those leftovers next Wednesday.

A day or two of leftovers is plenty I think.  Then again, I don’t ‘love’ Thanksgiving food as a general rule and I could do without the meal or the subsequent leftovers but I know there are entire online sites devoted to what to do with all that leftover food now.  Good thing we don’t have that problem.

2. 20% off your entire purchase (not just one item) at BB & B on Black Friday.

3. And a reminder to save your coupons for BB & B.  They never expire.  Even though there is an expiration date printed on them, they really don’t expire.  Save and hoard them like gold.  Or like bloggers save and hoard cans of pumpkin puree.

4. Reminder to set the pumpkin aside now that Halloween and Thanksgiving are over.  And pick up more mint and chocolate.

 Mint Chocolate Coconut Snowballs (No-Bake, Vegan, GF).  Melted chocolate, coconut, melted coconut oil, and mint.  Scott loves these things.   I love that they’re one bowl and easy.

5. How to Take Better Pics With Your Phone.  One additional tip I have is to edit the pictures if you plan on posting them online or sharing them with others.

Try Lightroom 3, Photoshop, iPhoto, anything is better than nothing and even taking 5 seconds to bump up the clarity or sharpness and brighten them bu increase the exposure or brightness levels tends to help volumes.

6. Christi’s Roundup of Black Friday Deals for the Kitchen, Cooks, & Bakers. Normally I think most “deals” I see advertised are over-rated and often a thorough google search tends to yield similar results but that’s not the case with these deals.  Christi found some true gems that may make me a little lighter in the wallet.  Thanks, Christi.

7. Reminder to enter the Enjoy Life Giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow.

8. I’m so glad the dishes are done.  I am really thankful for that.

Bowls by ZAK.  Someone always asks.

9. I’m Thankful for my Family, my friends, my blog, my health and the fact that we’re done with Thanksgiving now.

Suffing and gravy could never compete with Christmas and the Holiday Baking Season!

10. Now if you’ll excuse me.  My couch and a drink are waiting for me.  Or a cookie loaded with rum.

If you can’t decide if you want a drink or dessert, you can always have both.  I suggest Dark Rum Oatmeal Raisin Cookies as a good way to test out that approach.

Questions:

1. Have you seen any things lately that have you excited?  Food, products, people, places, trips, tips?  What are your things?

2. How was your Thanksgiving?  Are you doing any Black Friday Shopping?

I had said before that I wasn’t going to do any more in-store shopping this year.  But there are some stellar online deals I am seeing.  Someone take my Amex away from me.  My fingers are about to do the walking…

Have a great day and Holiday Weekend.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you were celebrating!