Holiday Dessert Shortcuts From Some Real Experts

I was having lunch in my favorite Thai restaurant last week while waiting to discuss an order for hand embroidered Thai shirts for employees, and I had the privilege of being seated near enough to a group of eight ladies that I could clearly overhear their conversation.

After the usual ice-breaker conversation about how everyone was and how things were with their respective jobs, one of them asked, "So, what's everyone doing for the holidays?"

Answers included traveling to be with family, staying in town to attend an annual gathering of friends who live away from their families, and one ambitious one who announced she and her family would be meeting at their mountain cabin where she would cook the traditional Thanksgiving meal - all from scratch, including her apple and pumpkin pies.

The group quickly pronounced that ambitious one as insane even though she defended her fresh approach using organic and natural products, like honey in her pies and candied yams, as one of the greatest days of her year.

Finally, time came for the one who originally asked the question to answer the question. I've dubbed her the grandmother because she said her two children, their spouses, and five grandchildren were coming for Thanksgiving Day and she was planning to spend as much with them as possible.

Another lady asked the grandmother how she could spend any time with them while preparing a meal for that many people, and the answer really caught my ears, "You wanna hear a little secret?"

All heads nodded, so she continued, "I buy a really good brand of frozen apple pie, then let thaw for about a half-hour. Then I carefully slip it into my own pie dish, brush it with milk and sprinkle on a little sugar to give it that nice glazed top, then I bake as directed. Voila! In no time I have a pie people always rave about with very little effort."

"Wow, that would also work with pumpkin pie," one of the ladies planning to attend the friend get-together piped in. "That's what I've been asked to bring this year and I was going to buy the pie at the bakery, but I think I'll try 'baking my own.'"

They all laughed heartily, then the conversation continued with a suggestion that you could buy an entire turkey dinner at the supermarket and serve it beautifully on china platters and bowls and never have to admit to not having done all the work.

They discussed the virtues of instant mashed potatoes and how adding a few spices and some extra butter enhances the flavor. They mentioned gravy mixes for a lump free topping on those potatoes. Brown and serve rolls from the supermarket, and frozen vs canned string beans for a casserole.

The general theme of this group was to minimize how much time they spent in the kitchen and maximize how much time they spent with family and friends.

As the lunch hour wound down, I couldn't resist walking over to their table and presenting them with business cards with a World Shopper's Club first order discount code on the back. In an apologetic introductory tone, I said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and I'd like to suggest you check out the food items we have to help you with your holiday cooking. We have soup mixes, desserts, and of course spices and honey for those you who like to cook," as I deliberately gestured toward the previously proclaimed insane one planning to do the entire Thanksgiving meal from scratch.

Then, I thanked them in the best way I knew how by telling them with a wink ;) toward the grandmother that I'll be providing an apple pie for my family's Thanksgiving dinner. "Served from my own apple pie dish of course." ;) .

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Please REPLY at:

http://i-shoptheworld.com/2008/11/16/holiday-dessert-shortcuts-from-real-experts/

and Share with All of Your Friends around the world Your Holiday Dessert, Thanksgiving dinner, and/or other Holiday cooking Shortcuts, Tips and "Tricks", ok?

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REMINDER: Thanksgiving 2008 is Coming on November 27th!, so it is Important that you Order Everything You Need to cook All of Your Thanksgiving Dinner dishes Now! to insure You have Everything You Need in time and You are Ready for Your Thanksgiving Dinner, you know?

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... and Finally, ...