The Crabby Cook - by Jessica Harper

So, the turkey’s in the oven, you are making the stuffing, omitting the chestnuts to accommodate Cousin Larry and leaving the pecans out of the cranberry relish because your daughter won’t eat them and making the mashed potatoes with soy milk because a niece is lactose-intolerant and you’ve just burned the green beans while everyone else is out playing touch football. You’re getting a tad crabby. Read More

CRANBERRY SAUCES

Although I have to tell you that Thanksgiving is one meal I really don’t mind making (the holiday spirit propels you through the rough parts), this year I’ll be giving thanks that my sister-in-law is hosting, so all I have to do is bring a side dish.

I like to offer to make cranberry sauce, since this is the easiest task there is. Plus you can make it days in advance, and just de-fridge it on the day, dump it into a scenic bowl, go to Julie’s house and grab a martini.

Here are two recipes for cranberry sauce. Read More

I admit to being an Obamaniac, and now that we’re down to the wire, I’ve got the election day jitters. I find I’m seeking comfort: I can’t take the suspense one more. big fat minute.

Today I lined up one therapeutic activity after the next. First, I went to the Santa Monica flea market with my friend Cynthia. It rained, so many of the vendors did not show up. But I bought stuff anyway: a small, ugly shelf, some mismatched linen napkins, a jelly spoon. On that confessional line on the check where you explain why you bought all those useless items I wrote, retail therapy. Read More