Holiday foods all the time.

You can use applesauce that way as well. A great substitute for pumpkin is to microwave a butternut squash and puree it. Yes, most places do not have those foods except at holidays. I better see if I can find any. I have a huge bag of fresh cranberries in the freezer from Sam's club this winter.

Lots of things to do with cranberry sauce. Oh, I like to buy sweet potatoes, but I like to microwave or roast them and not necessarily make "candied yams". I will grind most any meat with fruits or veggies and make sandwich spread. I know what is in it then.

I like my potatoes with their jackets still on. One restaurant serves them with butter and " add your own" brown sugar and cinnamon. I like the food to come to my house in a simple form.

I've never especially liked 'candied' sweet potatoes, either. They're sweet enough without all the added junk. Plus, saves room for dessert that way...lol. And, I agree with you on the sandwich spreads, too. I got a free can of a chicken salad mix (a major company, too.) and it was terrible. Nothing worse than pickled bits of celery to ruin it. I'm buying fewer and fewer packaged foods. If I can't pronounce the ingredients, how can I digest them?

I know, isn't it silly? I figured they got paid from insurance or something rather than taking a loss. I buy dented cans and have never had a problem with them. You just have to pay attention and not buy the ones that are dented near the rim or have a really deep dent. Otherwise, they're fine. And cheap.

I have not had stuffed celery in years, makes me want some.It would be a lovely summer food. The dented cans can be okay. I have a couple of damaged freight stores I go to. One is not as cheap as it could be, but it is in town. You look for swelling or seepage on the cans as well.

Your grocery store couldn't sell a can of cranberries because the label was upside down? OMG I understand that but it was a processor mistake and the supermarket took a very small loss to liquidate the cans. Wish I could find a deal like that-I only find dented cans and I have this thing about purchasing them-don't know why.

I have one big batch of cranberries from Sam's in the freezer. I fully intend to make more with jalapeno. I water bath canned it in jelly jars and gave some as presents. It is also good with chopped apple in it. Such a healthy fruit.

Oh, that recipe sound delicious and it is ironic that you brought up canning. I had started a post on canning 2 years ago and had canned blackberry and black raspberry jam. I did't last year because the harvest was bad and this year, my husband brought home many bags of strawberries and blackberries, so I want to can some jam this year. Yesterday I made blackberry jam and when I went to can, I think I did it all wrong. I don't have a canner, but I was told a large pan works and that is what I did two years ago. I also placed a towel on the bottom to keep the jars from hitting each other. It started off bad too, I spilled lost at least a good size jar of jam, , then I thought I was to place the jars in boiling water, bit after reading the instructions for the 5th time, I saw I was suppose to pour boiling water in the pan, but not on the jars themselves.[b] So do I start off with no water in the pan, and pour boiling water on top? [/b] Another problem I had, I have no idea what I used to get the jars out of the hot water, and the two items I picked, I almost lost the bigger jar. I ended up with only two jars to can, one pint, the other I guess a 2-pint jar and so I wonder if canning two different sizes is not a good idea? Lastly, I never heard a popping sound, but I let it boil for a good 10 minutes. So I took them out, and I guess will try and see if they sealed somehow and if not, I will have two jars in the fridge instead on the shelf.. Today I want to make and can strawberry jam, so I hope you see this and respond if you can, to my questions. I won't start until early this evening and I will check in to see you have any tips for me..

I responded on your other discussion, Carmela. You are also welcome to email directly. I start with my big pan full of water and heating up as I am putting the cooked jam into the jars. The major thing is that the water has to be higher than the top of the lid. I have one of those old blue speckled pans. If I cannot find my canning lifter tongs I grab a pair of tongs and lift the jar till the top is above the water and using a hot mitt on the other hand grasp it and move it to a towel on the counter. I am jealous of all those berries.

There are some things that I only want to make during the holidays. I bet your date and walnut cake is delicious. I have memories of certain foods that were only for the holidays, but I also do appreciate the meats especially as they are economical and go a long way. I use sweet spices a lot more during the winter holidays.

Have a bite!

I am sorry that you feel left out. Yes, cranberry is a good food that is good for you. Many of the herbs and spices that we use just for taste I understand have great medicinal properties. Do you eat roast chicken? I like that as well and some people eat that for holidays, or goose or duck, which I do not have. I have maybe had one time. Do you make holiday cakes or other kinds of fruit and vegetable dishes?

We seldom eat roast chicken or something,We like eating pot-stewed duck and others instead.As for fruit dishes,we hardly make them .We take stir-frying vegetables as our main dish .

We are beginning to see some good prices on turkeys now. I am sure they will go lower, though. Yes, the get togethers make good memories, along with everyone fixing their own special dishes.

I cook the turkey differently for the holidays, or rather my brother does for Thanksgiving. I get the boneless hams during the year and we eat the whole bone in roasted ham at the holidays. I make the whole berry homemade cranberry jelly and switch it up for different occasions with apples or peppers. It is all the baking and candy making that really happens only for holidays at my house.

You are right, if we did all the extra desserts we would not be very healthy at all.

I know that's right. I also love turkey salad stuffed in a good ol' homegrown tomato.Happy weekend to u.

Oooh, both of you are making me really hungry right now. I can hardly wait for tomato season.

Some days that probably seems pretty boring. It is good to have someone who will cook for you, though.

Especially when I am not interested in anything anymore.

They had best be helping with the groceries, too. I love when I find real bargains on food.

yes my son made sure of that. but i did have an issue for a while about my daughter only paying a fourth for the 2 of them. we devy up the grocery bill between us all and she was paying only a fourth. but since i added coco to my fourth i let it go

We had pumpkin pie at Easter. I like pumpkin and believe it is a really healthy food. I will eat almost any kind of pie, any time.

I am fortunate to live where the utilities are less expensive and so it makes good sense to use a freezer. I actually also have two refrigerators. The newer appliances are more energy efficient.

You can do so much with both kinds of potatoes, and make them seem festive. Yummy stuffed potatoes. I think I need to go cook a potato right now.

You are really making me hungry. My sister in law lives in New Hampshire and there is this family business/restaurant called Hart's Turkey Farm, and you can get all of your Thanksgiving foods, plus probably others year around. It is soooooo good. They have a huge collection of Turkey Platters for decor as well.

A roasted pig would quite likely be very tasty. Turkey is cheap in the US at least around here, but I can understand that in other countries it may be a luxury food.

I think that the Turkey is cheaper and more available because the growers raise more than can reasonably be sold at that time and they have to get them moved somehow. It seems like beef and chicken are expensive all of the time any more. I hope you are enjoying being a member of MyLot. I think we are a friendly group of people.

The holiday foods I am thinking of are not the desserts and breads and cream sauces. I am thinking more of roasted meat and hearty vegetables and fruit side dishes. I would not want to eat the rich creamy fatty foods all the time. Hope you are enjoying being on MyLot.