Dread Pirate Alice

How did HE get this job?

Dear Sun-Times,

I just wanted to send you a note to let you know how disappointed I am at the choice of a replacement television critic at the Chicago Sun-Times.

Today’s column by Mr Elfman discusses his opinions of the WB’s American Girl Movie, “Felicity”. In his column he mentions that he’s never heard of the American Girl dolls or the store. How can this man live in Chicago and not know of the existence of the American Girl store or the dolls? Has he never walked along Michigan Ave? Has he never seen the legions of girls and parents with the trademark red bag in their hands? Aren’t critics supposed to do some sort of research before writing about something?

He also admits that he had no idea there was a previous American Girl movie that aired about 5 times last year on the WB. What kind of television critic doesn’t know or hasn’t heard of the Samantha movie? Who IS this guy? How old is he? Is he like 10 or is he older than dirt?!

I expect my television critics to know more about the television shows they’re reporting on than I do. And if they know nothing about it, I expect them to do some research on it before talking about it, and they’d better not admit to not knowing about things, especially things that if this guy had taken the time to read the paper he works for he would have known that the American Girl store had picketers on Black Friday…he might also have known that people had picketed the store for the same reason a couple months ago. But if he read his own paper he’d have at least known the store and the dolls existed. If he bothered to do any research he might also have known about the books that this movie gets its story from in the first place, books he doesn’t even mention in his report.

Dude, you know how much I love my television, don’t make me go to the other guys searching for Phil Rosenthal who you guys let get away…

The Menu

With some help from little sis, Thanksgiving dinner made it to the table. Here are the recipes that were used.

The turkey was prepared the way Ina Garten – the Barefoot Contessa recommended. It was really very good. The recipe doesn’t quite say what was shown on the episode. She takes some of the thyme butter and oozes it under the skin of the turkey and then on the outside of the turkey too.

Everyone loved the Definitive Mashed Potato with Roasted Garlic I added some diced up fresh chives to it for a little extra punch.

Wayne’s Cranberry Sauce went over HUGE! Everyone loved it. We still had the “canberries” cuz Thanksgiving is nothing without the can shaped cranberries.

I also made the sausage and apple stuffing from Dad’s Own Cookbook that I bought forever ago. I loved it, but there are certain people who wont eat sausage that were unhappy with the stuffing. Next time I’ll have to trade the sausage for raisins.

Also made some Creamy Pumpkin Soup that wasn’t as loved as I had hoped. But it’s a great soup.

I also made the usual Green Bean Casserole and then some glazed carrots. I can’t find the recipe I used for the carrots though. But it’s pretty much brown sugar liquified and poured over the cooked carrots.

Let me just say, for the left overs. If you toast up the bread, and then take the turky and stuffing heated up on the toast….what a yummy sandwich!! I hope you all had a great Turkey day!