Feed the Hungry, Pigtail Dinner.

The blogging community is going to be holding a food drive on the web December 4-6, 2014 and it will be held in memory of our dear friend Tina Downey. Everyone who can is being asked to help spread the word and to do what they can to help food banks in their area. To read more about it go here. This necessitates finding out about food banks in our own areas, publicising them as much as we can and helping out if we are able. So please tell everybody you know whatever country you are in and join in during December. Posting the logo will also help very much. I must admit I posted information about this on Facebook and it was received like a damp squib. I also emailed our local foodbank.

Luckily the freezing rain never materialised on Saturday although the weather was cold, wet and extremely miserable. However, we were able to make it to our Pigtail dinner. Sadly our very good friends couldn’t make it because they had visiting relatives. Disappointing as they are fun people to be with. They tried to get extra tickets but couldn’t do so. It turned out there were lots of spaces and I am certain there was lots of extra food. Oh well. It was still a fun evening. I duly ate my three pigtails (two done in barbecue sauce and one with garlic and honey) with a good helping of sauerkraut. Got sticky as all get out and washed it down with red wine. They used to have a Newfie band but they have disbanded now which is a shame. I always enjoyed them although can’t say the same for Matt. The picture shows barbecued tails, most of the pix on line look most unappetising.

For those of you who are about to celebrate Thanksgiving, here’s a cute recipe from Giada de Laurentis on FoodTV. The recipe is rated as easy by the way.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Makes 6 turkeys

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 30 candy corn candies, plus 6 white tips of candy corn
• 6 chocolate sandwich cookies
• 6 mini peanut butter cups
• 6 malt balls
• 1 cup Red Frosting, recipe follows
• 6 chocolate sandwich cookies with top cookies removed

Red Frosting:

• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• Red food coloring, as needed

Directions

Place the chocolate chips in a medium stainless steel or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
For each turkey, push 5 candy corn candies, tip-side down, into the cream filling of a chocolate sandwich cookie to make the feathers for the turkey. Lay the cookie on a work surface.
Dip the flat, larger end of a peanut butter cup in the melted chocolate allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the peanut butter cup, chocolate-dipped end down, onto the sandwich cookie.
Dip a malt ball into the melted chocolate allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the malt ball above the peanut butter cup to make the head of the turkey.
Dip the flat end of the white candy corn tip in the chocolate. Place on the malt ball, to make the turkey beak. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.
Place the Red Frosting in a piping bag. Using scissors, cut a small opening in the end of the piping bag. Pipe a small piece of frosting under the malt ball to make the turkey's beard.
Place a cookie (with top half removed) on a platter. Stand the turkey upright into the cream filling. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Red Frosting:
In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is smooth. Color the frosting by mixing in 1 drop of red food coloring at a time until the desired color is reached.

Have a great day