Amish Style Apple Sausage Stuffing

     I'm from Maryland originally, just outside of west Baltimore to be more exact and the traditional recipes for a holiday table are as varied as the many different cultures that make up the citizenry.  The 1940's saw a surge in interest in Amish style cooking, probably because it was frugal and filling, 2 things that were necessary on a wartime rationing diet.

Scalloped Apples & Sweet Potatoes

     In the realm of sweet potato recipes lives the Southern style marshmallow baked sweet potatoes that seem to occupy space on every holiday table in America... right next to the green bean casserole.  I have fought with this denizen of overindulgence for many a year as I cannot abide this sticky sweet concoction yet I love sweet potatoes and yearned to be able to set them free from a syrupy, gooey, marshmallow laden fate.  At first I tried mashed sweet potatoes with a praline topping, better but equally as sweet and almost akin to an uncrusted sweet potato pie.  Luckily this year, thanks to the Gutenberg Project, I was able to find this recipe.

A Christmas Story Meatloaf Dinner: Braised Sweet & Sour Cabbage

     I was in the mood for meatloaf after receiving my vintage Universal Chopper and my mind was immediately drawn to the movie "A Christmas Story" where the family is seen eating the same dinner every night, namely meatloaf, mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage.  So what better way to break in my new kitchen gadget than by recreating that dinner.

Sunday Stealing: The Frankie Meme

Ah Sunday Stealing, the meme's have changed and so have the questions...

What are five things you would like to do more?

     1) Travel

     2) Exercise

     3) Write for my blog

     4&5) I can't really think of anything...

What is your quote to live by?

     "I did it my way"

What was the best thing that happened this week?

     I won an auction for a vintage Universal chopper/grinder.  Now I can start grinding my own meats to use in my recipes.

What is something you are stressed about?

     Time off... Seriously, I work for a school so I have maybe 1 week of work in December and I'm off 3 months in the Summer.

What book has influenced your life?

     I'm such a prolific reader that I can't say any one book but rather all of them as a whole and since I'm rather partial to fantasy books how much can really be applied to real life?

Share a childhood memory

     When I was 2 it was 1976 and the Bicentennial celebrations were in full swing.  Now they say you shouldn't be able to remember back that far but I do remember clear as a bell going to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and seeing the tall sailing ships that had come for the celebrations

What fictional character would you most like to be?

     That's a hard one, maybe Savitar, he's a character from the Dark Hunter novels y Sherrilyn Kenyon

What is something you are proud of?

     That through the last 5 years I've been able to keep this blog a going concern, even if I have to dust it off now and again.

What was the last thing you celebrated?

     My wife's birthday, October 8th.  I completely botched the cake due to a dead can of baking powder.

What are weird things you like?

     I like playing with old recipes and kitchen gadgets, many of my friends think I'm weird because of it.

What is your favorite song to sing?

      Anything Depeche Mode

Name three things you do well.

     1) Cook

     2) Write

     3) Listen

What are your priorities in life?

     I plan on dusting off this blog... again.  I also want to start shooting videos

What is something that scares you?

     Losing my wife

Best book you read this year?

     Styxx by Sherrlyn Kenyon