Candie's blog

I currently have the worst cold I have had in years but it will not stop me from celebrating St Patty's Day! I have some hearty Irish blood in me and love any chance I get to show it. Even though I will be dragging my sorry sick butt into the kitchen to cook I will enjoy it. Boxty is never hard to make as it by tradition a way to use up your leftovers by filling these tasty "pancakes" with leftovers and an easy sauce. Today I have a beef roast that I originally thought would because either beef stew or pot roast is now going to be our Boxty filling.

You have to excuse my absence I have had the flu twice (currently working on a cold) and have been working hard to finish book keeping for Culinary Teas so I can file taxes. I am finally getting to the end of the book keeping and the all to soon coming of spring is motivating me to get back in here and get blogging. I have pages and pages of recipes that I readied but never put up and I have been planning and ordering for my gardens.

I have to excuse my absence for the last month but between Thanksgiving and Christmas we ship more tea than any 3 months combined at Culinary Teas and that keep me busy.

I am starting to feel a little panic as I come into the home stretch of Thanksgiving. The menu is pretty much set in stone as a family tradition so it becomes a little easier each year to produce this feast. This doesn't mean I don't still get nervous each year, especially this year with several sick kids going into the holiday.

This is our traditional menu -

Do you have one seasoning that you use in almost every dish you make? My favorite seasoning during the holiday season is my blend of Mulling spices. This seasoning contains whole allspice, cloves, cinnamon chunks, and dried orange peel. I make a mulled wine for cozy adult evenings, a much loved mulled cider that I serve at all family gatherings. My favorite use of my mulling spices is an incredible brine that I use on pork, chicken and most importantly my holiday turkeys. Brining the turkey for 24 hours makes for an extremely juicy and flavorful turkey.