E is for: Egg Nog Pudding Shots

Love it or hate it, egg nog is the known for being THE quintessential holiday drink. Me? I normally fall into the "hate it" category...or at the very least the "I'd rather have a Christmas Tree Jello Shot" category. 

But I'm proud to report that this particular version of egg nog gets the Jaymee Sire stamp of approval. It combines the classic taste of egg nog with whipped cream into an always-popular pudding shot. (So really, you can't go wrong).

If you've made pudding shots before, you know they are ridiculously easy. For these egg nog shots, just use store-bought nog in place of the milk and you're in business.

E is for: El Comedor, Sip 'N Dip, Thanksgiving & Happy Birthday Dad!

When people ask me where I'm from and I tell them, "Great Falls, Montana," the reaction is usually something to the effect of: "Huh...interesting. I've never met anyone from Montana." Either that or: "Really? Do you know so-and-so, I think he's from Kalispell."

Yes, less than a million people live in the entire state, but that state is also the fourth largest in the country landwise...so I don't likely know your long lost relative. :)

And as much as I loved growing up in Big Sky Country, I'm definitely a city girl at heart. If you read this blog, you know how much I'm obsessed with the food and culture of San Francisco. But that's not to say I don't enjoy my time back home...especially the time with my family, and even the trips to some of my favorite bars and restaurants.

E is for: Enchiladas {with leftover turkey}

Thanksgiving is quite possibly my favorite holiday.

Why? Because it involves three of my favorite "f's"...food, family, and football. (It's probably not too surprising to learn that my favorite holiday is one that revolves around food).

And as much as I adore cooking (and consuming) a big, fat turkey dinner...I love the leftovers just as much. But after a few meals of turkey sandwiches and reheating the leftover sides, you're still likely left with a lot of extra turkey.

That's where I come in!

I decided to combine two of my favorite meals (Thanksgiving and Mexican) to utilize some of that delicious turkey...and came up with Turkey Enchiladas!

E is for: Easy Marinara Sauce {and 9 other Make Ahead Freezer Meals}

Once the playoffs ended and the confetti had settled from another amazing World Series run by the Giants, I was so sick of traveling that I was positive I wouldn't be jumping on another airplane for a very long time. So what did I do as soon as I had a few days off? I booked a flight to Seattle.

No, I'm not crazy. I just couldn't wait one more minute to meet my best friend Kimmy's adorable newborn son, Tucker. The three of us spent an entire day together, and I got a first hand look at how much hard work goes into being a mom.

After a day full of feeding, diaper changing, and errand running...the last thing a busy mother wants to worry about is cooking dinner. Fortunately, Kimmy and some of my other Seattle friends formed a group called "Make-Ahead Mamas." Every 6-8 weeks, they get together and cook up a bevy of freezable meals, ready to unthaw for an easy dinner.

D is for: Delicata Squash {and 12 other Thanksgiving food ideas}

I'm seriously slacking on the food blog these days.

I just looked back at my posts from last November and I posted EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. the week before Thanksgiving. I was a food blogger possesed.

This year...not so much. I can only use my playoff "hangover" excuse so long, so I will blame it on the fact that I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year. Also, I tend to gravitate towards the "old standby" side dishes at Thanksgiving dinner, and I already shared most of those with my readers last year.

So this post will be two-fold. I'm happy to report I'm making my triumphant return to the cooking portion of my blog with this lovely delicata squash recipe. I'll also be sharing my top-12 Thanksgiving recipes if you are still looking for some delicious appetizers or sides for next week.

D is for: Detroit

Photo Coutesy: Karl Mondon

Soooo....I'm *finally* getting caught up. Both with my blogging and life in general.

Ok, that's a blatant lie.

I have a mountain of laundry at home, my gym card has a thick layer of dust on it, and I've only cooked twice in the last two weeks...neither of which made it to the blog.

But I promise I will get there. Eventually.

In the meantime, I'll share with you the third and final installment of my MLB Postseason Food Adventures. This one took us to the lovely city of Detroit, Michigan. Just as with Cincinnati and St. Louis, Detroit isn't traditionally known to be a destination for foodies. But thanks to Detroit product (and kickball captain) Sam Brown, we got some great recommendations during our short stay in the Motor City.