Welcome back to Links!
We’re about a month out from Thanksgiving and I’m slowly working on my share of the menu. For the past couple years, we’ve done an “all sides” Thanksgiving, because I don’t want to bother with a turkey. It’s just two of us and even a breast would probably be too much. I also think sides are the best part of the holiday anyway.
My partner is usually in charge of the carbs: mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. I usually do another veggie, dessert, and some other side that doesn’t require cooking.
Right now, I’ve got balsamic glazed Brussel sprouts, an autumn salad with fennel (love fennel!), and this apple cider donut cake from Smitten Kitchen (adjusted to be GF!).
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Elizabeth let us know about this Kickstarter for a dark romance bookstore in Connecticut:
This seemed like something the SBTB community might be interested in. Ash is a wonderful human who has been doing pop up book sales of dark romance across New England (mostly Connecticut). They are now looking to open a brick and mortar store in Middletown CT, not far from Wesleyan University. It would definitely add some diversity and interest to the town – as well as bring some joy and stability to Ash’s life.
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Humble Bundle has a deal on “momcore” games, which are cozy games designed to for short bursts of playtime. $10 for 12 games is a great deal.
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Illumicrate is producing special editions of Murderbot. The sale goes live on November 20th. If you’re already a subscriber, presale starts a couple days before.
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Previously I posted about the Hallmark birding romance movie. Well, birders are definitely displeased with all of the details they got wrong.
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Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
I see on the Kickstarter link that Ash has closed the Kickstarter. OMG WHY!? IMO this is something Connecticut needs badly! (I say with some authority as a former resident of that state.)
@EC Spurlock: Oh no! It was open when I put the post together this morning. Hopefully they’ll offer an update?
When you know too much about something, entertainment can be frustrating. I have read a few hockey romances where the author thinks that because Canadians and Americans both speak English, everything else is the same. One book I remember had a Canadian elementary school teacher heroine, but she kept referring to “4th grade” – Canadians say Grade 4. Little things like that add up, and can ruin the reading experience.
Honestly, when it comes to Thanksgiving, I live for green bean casserole, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, and Tofurky with cranberry jelly. I actually cook (for a change) and a friend comes over to my place and we just hang out and eat. We’re all about a low-key day. Then she goes with her partner to eat with his family and I take a nap.
A leftover turkey sandwich dripping with mayo is one of my favorite things to eat during/after Thanksgiving. 🙂
At my kid’s suggestion, we are doing a seafood boil and doing sides and pies this year. We long abandoned turkey and done a wide variety of proteins. So excited for this!!
I love Smitten Kitchen and I’m definitely trying that apple cider donut cake. But my hot tip for apple cider reduction which the recipe calls for, instead of cooking it on the stove, make it in your rice cooker or Instapot. It takes longer but you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on it or stirring.
And those birder bloopers were pretty obvious, basic stuff even a casual birder would know.
@Karin: I’m very curious about the rice cooker suggestion! Any recommendations on how to adjust the directions to accommodate?
Hi @Amanda, last time I think I put it on the white rice setting, but it wasn’t reduced enough, so I did it a second time. And I left the lid a little bit ajar to evaporate faster. I tend to get distracted and burn things left on the stove, so I use the rice cooker whenever I can. I’ve also been using it to stew fruit.
OMG thank you for the apple cider donut cake recipe! I’m gluten and lactose intolerant, so I think this would be great to make for Thanksgiving with my measure-for-measure GF flour.
Or you could just buy boiled cider…. https://www.woodscidermill.com/boiled-cider. I bought it through King Arthur, but it’s also available on Amazon. And for those of you in New England it may be available locally.
@Sandra, King Arthur also has a killer recipe for apple upside-down cake, which is what I needed the boiled cider for.
As the only vegetarian in my family, instead of turkey I cook up some Ikea vegetarian meatballs – goes GREAT with gravy and mashed potatoes, and is super easy!
Also my favorite side is my knock-off version of Whole Foods citrus-mashed sweet potatoes – I basically cook the sweet potatoes (bake or boil, maker’s choice), then cut them in chunks and add to my cuisinart along with orange juice, cinnamon, and butter (vegan or regular, depending on dietary needs). Sometimes I toss in sections of mandarins if it is getting too liquid-y but needs more citrus. It is super delish and semi-healthy 🙂
Late to the party but here to say I used to get individual chocolate turkeys for my vegetarian friends at Thanksgiving.