What Does Project Runway 4 Make YOU Want to Do?

Well, thanks to said Project Runway 4, I've been Bitten with the urge to drive out to the burbs. (That's right. Far.)

See, the closest Steve & Barry's is at least 30 miles from my house. 30 miles. Of course, if it were four miles less, I'd walk it. But instead, I'm going to brave the elements, the traffic, and the giant limos filled with eight year olds going to JonBenet parties, and head out to the ginormall this weekend.
(You know. Just to see.)

Because did you guys see the PR episode last week?
(PR is now the official obsession of our PR department... See, they're the same abbreviation, but different. Get it? Get it?)

Well, guess what, I didn't. Because I was approximately 80,000 miles from any TV that would be broadcasting it. But I did see the repeat this evening, and now I need to see the winning SJP-chosen item in person.
(You know. Just to see.)

I'd also like to see where I can find the shoes that Mrs. Broderick is wearing in this article photo. (And I'm thinking not Steve & Barry's. Just a guess.)

More importantly...and back to topic...are you loving what you're seeing on PR4? Subquestion: Are you also inspired to drive long distances to see what this whole Steve & Barry's thing is all about? Sub-subquestion: Is there anything worth driving 30 miles into traffic to see?
(Not just at Steve & Barry's...but in the world.)

Turkey Hangover

In about six hours I have to board a plane for a business trip, while I'm completely hungover from days of turkey feasting, family greeting, and major traveling.

Oh, and Christmas.

We had our only Thanksgiving and first Christmas of the year last weekend. And I must say, there's nothing like kicking off the Christmas season with, um, Christmas. Full tree. Trimmings. Stockings hung. Names drawn. Gifts opened. Crackers popped. Champagne gargled. And a partridge in a pear tree.

It actually completely put me in the spirit for the next four weeks.

The Hurricane is pretty jazzed too. Plus, the very cool tricycle under the tree got him to thinking that this multiple holiday gig just might be okay.

More photos soon. But know, he's quite content with the fact that he has three more trees to attack before Boxing Day.

God help us every one.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Queso!

Happy Thanksgetting at Sk*rt

I can't believe Thanksgiving week is already here! Oh, and also Christmas week for us. I'm up to my eyeballs in turkey and tinsel. And sk*rt is giving stuff away.

Giveaway #1 – Two year-long subscriptions to Cooking Light magazine. Just leave a comment on this sk*rt Thanksgetting Givewaway post and you're registered to win!

Giveaway #2 – Three signed copies of The New InterCourses, an aphrodisiac cookbook, by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge. Just leave a comment on this sk*rt Thanksgetting Givewaway post and you're registered to win!

Giveaway #3 – Set of 20 holiday cards from Your Every Whim. Just leave a comment on this sk*rt Thanksgetting Givewaway post and you're registered to win!



Giveaway #4 –A personalized Grande Baby Coin from Julian & Co. Just leave a comment on this sk*rt Thanksgetting Giveaway post and you're registered to win!

Fun.

Happy Thanksgetting!

Mixing it Up.

Every year I make a little mixed company mixed tape for Thanksgiving. The Padrino does too, of course. But let's face it, mine's usually better. However, this year, because I'm still without computer and mainly working on a laptop that only runs Linux (which, when translated, means I'm seriously missing my iWorld), I've fallen a bit behind. In other words, I've made five mixed tapes...which haven't yet been narrowed down to one Thanksgiving iMix.

And since everything is all backwards this year anyway, because Thanksgiving falls early and we're having Christmas on Friday following Thanksgiving on Thursday, which comes before New Years on Saturday and Easter on Sunday. (Alright well maybe not Easter. But we'll hit all the others.) It looks like I'll be getting you my iThanksgiving mix next week. But until then, here are a few previews to be on the lookout for...




Irving.









The Cribs.







The Orange Lights.









Film School.






You won't be disappointed.

Go Dynamo!

Sweet.

Dressing Up (with my great grandmother's traditional cornbread dressing recipe)

By popular demand, I give you my great-grandmother's traditional Texas cornbread dressing recipe. Only there's not really a recipe for it. It's just something that every female in my family magically knows how to make....not because we pick it up in utero or anything like that, it's more just because it's just so darn easy. Easy and inexpensive. At least that is the case today. Perhaps it wasn't so when my GGM made it all from scratch, but today's modern version has a lot of inexpensive short cuts that make it oh so easy, just as good as (if not better than) the all-from-scratch version, and less than $3 to make a batch. Seriously. Fast food is more expensive. Plus, people always RAVE. In fact, serving a pan of this is an almost foolproof way to make people think you're awesome. My GGM was really smart.

Grandma Allen's Cornbread Dressing
with Modern Simplifications

1 box cornbread mix
(and whatever your mix calls for: usually eggs and milk)
About 22-26 oz of heated chicken broth
About a half of a sweet onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Make the cornbread mix. Follow baking directions, etc. Once you have created cornbread, take it out of the pan, put it in a large bowl, cut it up into small pieces or just mash it up with a potato masher or something. Add the onions to that. Move over to the stove top, put the chicken broth in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then pour the hot chicken broth into the cornbread mashup. Then add salt and pepper to your liking. I do less salt (because the broth is plenty salty for me) and more pepper (because I like it). But you do what works for you. The cornbread/broth mix should be pretty soupy. That's how it should be. Pour the mix into a baking pan and bake it uncovered at 350 for about 45 minutes. At this point, it should be perfect, your house will smell great, and everyone will think you're fab. Enjoy it while it lasts! And Happy Thanksgiving!