New Year's Eve at Home Appetizer and Menu Ideas

 

It's not too late! You can make some great and tasty treats for New Year's Eve tonight!

We are all looking forward to a brighter 2021 - maybe you've heard some fun ideas for welcoming in the New Year by opening your door at midnight or maybe you enjoy sweeping all the dirt out of your home so you can start the New Year fresh...

Whatever your custom, having a satisfying snack in hand and a glass of your favorite beverage is a wonderful way to celebrate!

Check out my blog post on Zulily for recipes and inspiration by clicking here.

Wishing you and the people you love all good things for 2021 and I hope you are Fed Well!

Shop the Day After Christmas Sales for the Kitchen! A few shopping tips for online deals...

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Wasn't it a great Christmas? Likely it was a bit different from your normal celebration - not better or worse but different. And hopefully you made some wonderful memories. I sure did.

And now, maybe you have some gift cards to spend, or just enjoy a leisurely morning of sipping and scrolling. Here are some tips on the day-after-Christmas sales. Yes, it's a real thing.

Today, not only should you be thinking about stockpiling some wrapping paper, or cards, or other holiday items that will be deeply slashed by the retailers but consider your home and especially the kitchen. Not only can you find great on-line deals for the most used room of your house - you can also find potential shower gifts, birthday presents, and maybe even stash away a few items for next Christmas season.

For the full list of sale ideas for your shopping pleasure today, click here.

Enjoy this day and the remainder of the holiday season. Wishing you joy and happiness from the Fed Well kitchen!

Last Minute Christmas Side Dish Recipes and Inspiration

Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels

It's here! It's Christmas Eve and it is the most wonderful time of the year!

Not sure yet what to cook and serve? The key to the best side dishes is to put a twist on a classic you already know your family loves!

Love Cesar salad? Grill the romaine first. Or replace it entirely with shredded brussels spouts.

Love broccoli? Try broccolini with a little olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Big fans of barbecue sauce? Don't save it for meat - try tossing roasted brussels sprouts in it and cook a bit longer for Cowboy Sprouts. (Plus, this hides the green color we all know some kids object to when they reject vegetables.)

Try the same method but substitute buffalo sauce for the barbecue and use with broccoli or cauliflower.

For complete recipes and more detailed how-to's click here.

However you are spending this Christmas holiday, I hope you take the time to prepare a few dishes you love and are feeling Fed Well.

Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas Gifts for the Kitchen - Last Minute Ideas

 Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels

Scrambling for the right gift for someone on your list? Not sure what size they are? Or if they drink wine or whiskey? Tired of gift certificates?  Switch things up and go with a kitchen gift. Yes, kitchen. It can be personal, it can be fun, and it is appropriate during these times of everyone spending more time at home, more time preparing and cooking meals, and being in the most used room of the house!

So consider everything from the whimsical to the practical and find some great ideas by clicking here.  Have gifs shipped directly to the your friends and family to save time and send an e-card letting them know their gift is on the way!

Hoping you enjoy a Merry Christmas and spend the day feeling Fed Well!

Christmas Appetizer Ideas

Photo by Oleg Zaicev from Pexels

Whether you are having a much smaller gathering, a virtual holiday, or are thinking of trying something different this Christmas, appetizers can still fit in to the plan.

A little something, a starter, a snack, a jumpstart to the meal - an appetizer says, "Hey, today is special! Let's enjoy!"

AND - the great thing about appetizer recipes is they can be interchanged for any holiday. The Fed Well blog post about Thanksgiving appetizers is all about customization, finding what works for you and your family for the holidays or anytime. Find the combination of tastes and flavors that you love and turn it into a skewer, or a crostini, or put it on the charcuterie board (by the way - have you seen those cute little individual charcuterie board ideas? Jarcuterie. No sharing and individual servings - germs are cut down and double dipping is encouraged in your own jarcuterie).

So find some inspiration by clicking here and plan a selection of two or three little bites to set the mood for you holiday to leave you and your family feeling Fed Well!

 

Shrimp Sleigh Appetizer Ideas for Christmas

Thinking of new ways to recreate classics? If you know you and your family love shrimp cocktail or if eating shrimp is like eating potato chips (who can stop at just one?) then creating Shrimp Sleigh Appetizers for the holidays are something you can certainly do.

The photo recipe are cucumber slices, topped with mashed avocado or guacamole, topped with a shrimp garnished with seasoned pepper - but you could switch things up to match your tastes! That's the beauty of these appetizers. Use paprika, red pepper flakes, leave out the guac - top with sliced green onion or a dollop of cocktail sauce, or salsa. Shrimp is one of the most versatile appetizers you can serve as it adopts the flavors you pair it with - a seafood chameleon if you will.

My younger son enjoys serving shrimp in individual tortilla scoop shaped chips and that is how the Shrimp Sleigh originated in this house. He grilled the shrimp and place them in the chip on a spoonful of guacamole. See how ideas can grow from one basic recipe?  

We find food inspiration from many places in our house, trial and error, and twisting or elevating classics are two of our favorite methods. It keeps us at the table together, talking and eating, and feeling Fed Well.

For more interpretations of the Shrimp Sleigh visit my Zulily blog post by clicking here.

 

Christmas Menu Ideas

 

The one thing we all have in common this holiday season is it is pretty likely we are experiencing some kind of change. We cling to the traditions we can safely keep but maybe we are not gathering in as large numbers as we have in years past. This could also mean menu changes simply due to down sizing.  

Ham seems to really be a popular Christmas main dish and while yes, you can just buy a smaller version and cut back on the number of side dishes - it may be the perfect time to try something a little different. Maybe pork chops with cheery cherry sauce would be a great swap for you and your family or friends.  

Pork Chops

What you need:

· 4 – 6 pork chops (many prefer bone in)
· Olive or vegetable oil
· Salt and Pepper
· Garlic powder
· Onion powder
· Paprika

1. Mix 1 tablespoon each garlic powder, onion powder and paprika in a small bowl.
2. Heat 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and let pan warm.
3. Rub seasonings on pork chops and place in heated pan. Let sear and brown for 4 – 5 minutes untouched.
4. Flip and cook an additional 4 minutes (if chops are very thick allow extra cooking time on each side or place chops in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes to finish cooking at the center).
5. Remove chops and set aside.
6. Use the same pan the chops were cooked in for the cherry sauce without cleaning the pan.

Cherry Sauce

What you need:

· 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted and stemmed
· 1 cup red wine a bit sweet/fruity (port would also work)
· 3 tablespoons butter
· 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
· Pinch of kosher salt

1. After cooking pork tenderloin, chops, or roast, remove meat to rest and use the same pan to make the cherry sauce.
2. On medium heat, add the cherries, red wine, thyme, and salt while stirring pan juices and scraping up bits of pork to incorporate in the sauce.
3. Let simmer approximately ten minutes until sauce reduces and deepens.
4. Add butter one tablespoon at a time to add depth of flavor and silky mouth feel as well as a beautiful glossiness.

I am looking forward to a small gathering of our closest family for Christmas. I will be lucky to see my grandson who is just starting to be old enough to appreciate that something special is happening but he can't quite put his finger on it. Every time we are able to be together is magic and we make sure everyone is Fed Well.

For more Christmas menu ideas - check out my post on the Zulily blog by clicking here.

Blitzen Baked Bananas

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Whether you are dreaming of a white Christmas, or just wondering how little you can decorate while still looking festive, planning your Christmas menu this year is probably different. Maybe you never usually cook or maybe you are downsizing considerably. Change can be hard. But, it is also a perfect time to work in some new and fresh ideas among the standard traditions.

Yes, everyone loves Christmas cookies, pies, and other sweet treats, but consider working in baked bananas. A little bit of healthy goodness, and they can be plated and served like a hot banana split giving you the comfort of an ooey gooey dessert without going too far.

Here's my recipe for Blitzen Baked Bananas:

What you’ll need:

• One banana per person
• Cinnamon
• Honey

Line a baking pan with foil while oven heats to 400 degrees. Split bananas lengthwise and arrange in pan. Sprinkle cinnamon and drizzle honey over the fruit to taste and bake about 12 minutes depending on ripeness and softness desired.

Topping Station Ideas:

• Ice Cream
• Whipped Cream
• Maraschino cherries
• Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Sauce
• Butterscotch Sauce
• Nuts
• Sprinkles

Toppings can be arranged in an assembly line style with individual spoons and bowls so guests can make their own creations.

Do what is best for you when planning your Christmas dinner list of items. Whether you are mixing a traditional Christmas dinner with restaurant or grocery store Christmas to go components, or redefining what makes a special Christmas menu, know that you are doing a wonderful job putting together a holiday filled with magical and loving memories that happen to include some really great food!

For more Christmas menu ideas - visit my blog on Zulily by clicking here and please feel free to share this blog or the post at Zulily.

I wish you joy this holiday season and hope you are indeed Fed Well.

Repurposed Party Food (AKA Leftovers)

Source: Photo by fu zhichao from Pexels

The world is a little bit different right now due to Covid-19 restrictions and recommendations. Celebrations are smaller, more intimate, and yet, we still serve an amazing amount of food at our family gatherings.

We recently had a little buffet style luncheon and even with scaled back amounts of food, we still had an enormous amount of leftover party food.

Now what?

I portioned out some take home containers for a few family members and still had plenty to reheat for two night's worth of dinner. Just as I worried we would end up throwing the rest away because we are tired of it, some inspiration struck.

Roasted veggies were turned into omelets. They can also be repurposed into tasty fajitas, quiche, and stir fry dishes.

The seasoned potatoes were also great with breakfast.

The burgundy beef just needs a layer of mashed potatoes and some oven time to transform into a make-shift Shepherd's Pie we can have one last time.

A common mistake with left over party food is exactly what we were doing - reheat and re-eat. The trick is to turn it into something new and fresh you want to eat again.

I'm thinking of mashing up the meatball leftovers and turning them into a meatloaf of sorts...what would you do?

We had no problem enjoying the leftover sweet treats with a cup of tea.

By the way, the celebration was in honor of the arrival of a new family member - scheduled to debut next year. She will be greeted with love and is already in our hearts. She will be cherished and Fed Well by us for all of our days.

Cook, Clean, and Care for your Cast Iron Pots and Pans

Why do cast iron pans seem so mysterious? Let's take the mystery out of caring for cast iron because that seems to be where they differ so vastly from other pots and pans.  

Stainless steel and aluminum cookware are similar in that you use them, rinse, wash with soap, rinse, dry and put them away.

Cast iron, like the Tinman in the Wizard of Oz, becomes useless when rusty. Rust most commonly occurs due to contact with moisture and that is where the need for more attention begins for cast iron pans. 

A few quick tips:

• Clean out food bits with a non-metal tool (think silicone, rubber, wood, bamboo) or soft cloth.
• You can wash cast iron but the trick is to make sure it is dry, really dry, before storing and re-season if necessary.
• The mysterious "seasoning" you hear of is simply applying a thin coat of oil to the pan, then inverting it in the oven at very high heat to provide a seal between the food you cook and the surface of the pan.
• Store cast iron between layers of paper towel or cloth to avoid moisture.
• Never place food in a cold pan, allow the surface of the pan to heat before cooking.
• Do not let liquids sit for an extended period of time in cast iron. Remember: liquids = rust.

For more information about cooking, cleaning, and caring, for your cast iron cookware, check out my post here on the Zulily blog.

Take out your cast iron pan today and use it without fear. The browning, crisping, and versatility of cooking with cast iron are all valuable benefits of this cookware. Warning: expanding your kitchen skills will likely lead to feelings of being Fed Well.

Last minute & make ahead Thanksgiving appetizer ideas

Not ready for Thanksgiving and watching the clock tick down? Don't panic! You can probably still make a really beautiful appetizer with minimal fuss! 

A charcuterie board is a great option for both last minute and make ahead - plus you can customize the ingredients to suit the dietary needs or restrictions of you and your guests!

Charcuterie is typically meat and cheese but if you need it to be vegetarian friendly, it can be, and if you need it to be dairy free, you can do that as well!

Optional items for a successful charcuterie board:

• Thinly sliced cured meats like salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, cappicolla
• Hard cheese - cheddar, provolone, or Gouda
• Soft cheese - brie, mozzarella, or bleu
• Fruits - grapes, figs, berries, sliced melon, cherries
• Olives
• Pickles
• Roast red peppers
• Marinated mushrooms and artichokes
• Nuts
• Crackers
• Spreads can be hearty mustard, fig spread, mashed avocado, or hummus

Tips for arranging:

• For wet ingredients or small items like pickles or olives, consider using a small bowl on the platter or board.
• Mix up colors and textures.
• Use two different types of crackers or considering mixing in small rounds of toasted bread.
• FILL the board or serving platter rather than leave empty space - the fuller it looks, the more appealing to guests.
• Provide small serving forks, toothpicks, or skewers to ensure guests avoid using their fingers especially during this pandemic holiday season.

Another bonus of preparing a charcuterie board is you can have more ingredients precut or rolled in the refrigerator to refill the board as needed.

Take time this holiday season to enjoy your family or friends, especially since the number of guests at the table is likely reduced this year due to Covid concerns.

Thanksgiving is my personal favorite holiday and I will certainly be enjoying a charcuterie board with my loved ones. We will share the things we are thankful for in this challenging year and appreciate being Fed Well.

For more Thanksgiving (or Christmas) make-ahead appetizer ideas, please visit my post on the Zulily blog - click here and feel free to share both posts!

Happy Thanksgiving from Fed Well!

A little something extra for Mrs. Claus

Plan on adding a little something extra this year for someone very special...

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Halloween is over and the calendar page is turned to November. Moms are making those critical lists, the ones sort of like Santa’s, the ones with all the names of all the children (alongside the rest of the family as well as teachers and friends) maybe with a few notes about what they would like for Christmas.

Staying focused on Thanksgiving and experiencing one holiday at a time simply won’t work for a super mom doing it all. She tries to stay one step ahead, moving through tasks without complaint - organizing, shopping, wrapping and stashing gifts all while planning holiday meals, working, and making sure the house and everyone in it is well cared for with love.

Scrolling through menu options, she decides which traditional dishes are must haves, if any can be updated, and revising one or two to meet allergy or other dietary needs of some family members.

Christmas ideas keep popping up and she tries to press snooze.

Fine, she sighs. Give in to it. Start drafting the Christmas menu now. Thumb through cookie recipes and imagine which ones will be put out for Santa with a glass of milk and a carrot or two for the reindeer. Maybe this year the magic oats mixed with environmentally safe glitter could be set on the porch for Rudolph and the gang.

What about Dear Mrs. Claus?

What would she like for Christmas? A little something extra should be set out on the table for her on Christmas Eve. Can you see her? Wrapped up in a robe, or more likely, a favorite and worn oversized sweatshirt or t-shirt, nestled in the corner of the couch, with her feet tucked under her, phone in hand.

It’s time to say thank you to Mrs. Claus. Take a moment to acknowledge all of her selfless acts of kindness, crossing off those seemingly endless items on the to-do list of not only Christmas but of every day.

What would be a little something extra she might enjoy?

Chocolate. Ah, a mug of velvety smooth hot chocolate…the possibilities.

Let’s begin with your favorite holiday mug! 

One way to make Dear Mrs. Claus a sweet and comforting reward this year (not just for Christmas Eve) – could be made from scratch with a chocolate bomb complete with tiny marshmallows inside. Recipes for these homemade treats can be found all over the Internet but basically, they are constructed by using a half-circle mold (preferably silicone) that is coated with chocolate, allowed to cool, then filled with cocoa powder, perhaps mini-marshmallows, and then sealed together with a thin layer of brushed on melted chocolate. Once the bombs are joined to form one “bomb” then can be chilled until ready to use. To use: drop one filled bomb in a mug then pour over 2 cups of warmed (not scalded) milk. Top with more marshmallows, whipped cream, or wherever whimsy and creativity take you. Remember, this is a special gift to Mrs. Claus after all.

Or dress up a cup of good quality instant hot chocolate prepared with milk (add a splash or two of half and half to really make it decadent) then stir using one of those cute little chocolate spoons drizzled with caramel then sprinkled with sea salt. They can be found on a variety of retail shelves this year from department stores to grocers or you can make yourself by simply dipping a spoon in caramel (disposable wooden spoons or your own flatware) and adding a pinch of sea salt over the top. Oh, now we are on to something. Other spoon ideas may include dark or white chocolate garnished with a bit of crushed candy cane or chopped up pieces of your favorite candy bar – the possibilities are endless.

Even better, hot chocolate with a tiny splash of maybe hazelnut flavored liquor (like Frangelico) with a small scoop of ice cream or rich, creamy, whipped cream.

Hot chocolate too hot for you? Maybe a chocolate martini? Turn a martini glass upside down in a thin layer of chocolate (or a hazlenut spread like Nutella) then dip into crushed candy cane or nuts. For the cocktail – choose either 4 oz. chocolate liquor with 2 oz. vodka or vanilla vodka and a splash of half and half, or 2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream with ¼ oz. chocolate liquor and ¼ oz. vodka.

Looking for a mocktail version with a little kick? Treat your glass like the martini options above or squeeze a little chocolate syrup inside the glass before adding a ¼ tsp. of cinnamon to your favorite chocolate milk recipe and enjoy straight up or over ice. Garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles.

Notice how a lot of the garnishes and rims are similar ingredients and likely good staples to have on hand during the holiday season to bring treats like hot chocolate and chocolate cocktails and mocktails to the next level. I can tell you are thinking about including the littles in this so here is a sample shopping/ingredient list:

Hot Chocolate - packaged, high-end, chocolate bomb, your choice

Marshmallows, mini-marshmallows, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, candy/caramel/marshamallow spoons (available at many retailers or can be made at home)

Crushed candy canes, favorite chocolate candies broken into small pieces, caramel, ice cream, sprinkles, maraschino cherries, hazlenut spread, crushed nuts, cinnamon, and coconut flakes would all look and taste great on the rim of glass or as garnishes and toppings.

Remember, you are preparing this little something extra for someone very special, someone who may not normally think to treat themselves during the holiday season, someone who may not receive the accolades or applause but makes sure the holidays are the stuff of magical memories.

For more about Mrs. Claus and making her an official and integral part of Christmas, visit  An Open Letter to Moms Everywhere and discover who she really is...you already know her very well.

Dear Mrs. Claus – thank you for all you do, every day, all year long. Please enjoy this treat prepared with love and gratitude. Take your time and savory each sip. You may be doing all of the work behind the scenes, but you very much deserve a little something special for yourself. So, start a new tradition this year and don’t think of it as adding another task, you deserve to be celebrated well, Fed Well, and recognized for all of that you do! This year, plan to prepare a little something extra for Mrs. Claus and ensure she is Fed Well.

Cider and Caramel Cocktail

 

Inside this sugar rimmed cocktail glass are two simple ingredients - 3 parts of my favorite local cider and 1 part caramel vodka. The glass was swiped with the apple slice then turned upside down in regular old granulated sugar.

Here are some of the best ways to use this very easy cocktail and make it your own:

Switch up the rim:

• Turn glass upside down and dip in caramel
• After running an apple slice across the rim, dip in salt
• Dip in caramel then salt
• Play with apple types for garnish
• Combine sugar with cinnamon and/or a sprinkle of nutmeg 

Expand the recipe for a crowd:

Remember, whenever a recipe is written in "parts," it means a part can equal whatever unit of measurement you need. So, this cocktail can be scaled up by cups to 3 cups cider to 1 cup caramel vodka. Combine in a large pitcher with ice and perhaps add slices of apples to the mix.

Bring the ingredients along:

This cocktail pairs beautifully with pumpkin carving, apple or pumpkin picking, Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, autumn birthdays, any outdoor gathering from September - November, and whenever you want to enjoy the flavors of fall.

Alcohol options:

Switch out the caramel vodka to your favorite bourbon or whiskey.

Hot, Warm, or Iced:

Experiment with the cocktail's best serving temperature as you alternate alcohols.

On the table with:

Since this drink is inherently sweet with the tang of apple, try serving with pork dishes, grilled or smoked meats and poultry, or roasted vegetarian dishes. Could be wonderful with a simmering pot of butternut squash soup. Or with a traditional apple cider donut (warm of course with a scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Cheers to being Fed Well!

Breakfast Bruschetta - All About that Toast

Back in the day, my mom taught me all I thought I needed to know about toast. It went like this:

1. Untwist bread tie

2. Remove two slices and place in toaster

3. Press lever on electric toaster until golden brown

4. When bread pops up, try to grab quickly with fingertips and get hot bread onto plate for buttering

5. Try to spread butter thinly without ripping bread

6. Enjoy

This method served me well for years!

However, last year, I whipped up a blend of olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (if I have garlic in the house, I use minced garlic in place of powder) then dipped the bread into the mixture and grilled. I felt like I discovered toast heaven. But, improvements could be made. 

Please note, I used grocery store bought Italian bread for this first effort. NOT white bread.

The Mr. thought this method made the outer flesh of the bread crunchy but with a soggy center from dipping it in oil.

The next effort still included the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic mixed in a bowl, but then I lightly dabbed it on each side of the bread with a pastry or basting brush. The slices were grilled until golden brown and the crispy, crunch was toast nirvana. The salt and pepper, simple as it sounds, added a ton of flavor to the toast and the elimination of butter meant my son could enjoy the bread as he has a dairy intolerance.  Win/Win so far!

Further experimentation meant using bakery bread then topping this deliciousness with my version of bruschetta (which also changes depending on the ingredients I have available in the house) but for the photographed version I have:

Chopped tomatoes

Salt

Pepper

Basil

On a rainy day in the Hudson Valley area of New York, I opted to use the broiler for the toasting rather than the grill.  Two minutes for the first side, flip the bread, time for one minute and then yes, you have to babysit the bread and check every 20 seconds otherwise in the blink of an eye it is garbage.

I enjoyed some for breakfast today! It made me feel Fed Well and a little bit like a rebel to have something non-traditional to start my day (although yes, you can argue the toast is perfectly breakfast-y).  Take care.

 

Right Now - catch a magic moment (Burger Night)

An ordinary Tuesday in October. I suppose dinner could have been tacos for Taco Tuesday but no, it's burgers from the grill. But nothing about sharing a meal together is ever ordinary.

To start, the burgers were 90% lean ground beef. Grilled on the gas grill and yes, the buns were lightly toasted as well. While perfect hatch marks may be an indication of grilled nirvana, we were quite happy with pretty good lines from the sear of the grill. A pool of clear juices on top meant to me they were ready to go! Only two burgers included melted cheese and if you look closely at the burger in the photo, it is beautifully upside down because the Mr. just finished building the bottom with toppings or bottomings if you will. As long as it makes sense to him.

The toppings available included crispy iceberg lettuce, a vine ripened tomato, dill pickle, sweet slices of Vidalia onion, just ready today avocado, creamy Thousand Island dressing, ketchup, mayo, and though no one wanted one, we could have fried an egg as well.

Side options were simple - sweet potato or regular fries which were crisped in the oven - help yourself and take seconds if you like, but this is not a meal accompanied by greens and salads.

The Mr. even opted for a cola - an RC Cola which he explained the merits of and how he became a fan in the '80's.  Ah, the 1980's, a time so revered, the era of our youth.

We sat at the kitchen table, set with real plates, silverware we didn't need or use, and glasses. We talked about our days. We shared our sadness about the loss of Eddie Van Halen and remembered the time we saw him just sitting on a bench at Bethel Woods, watching as the fans arrived, and then went out on stage and performed like, well, a rock star! 

On stage he was dressed like your Uncle Ed, and maybe more than one of us envisioned him in those spandex pants, or super tight jeans, with his red "striped" guitar slung over one shoulder, and slender biceps flexed as he played the guitar from one end to the other and tapped his way in between.

Before I knew it, the meal was eaten, the dishes were cleared, and our time together ended. Everyone had separate plans for those few hours between dinner and sleep. How simple. The sun had already set and now all is quiet. The song, "Panama," plays over and over in my head, I can see Eddie Van Halen smiling in that soft way he had when looking into the camera for a music video. 

How lucky he was to spend his life doing what he loved, a one of a kind creator, genius, legend... 

Stopping time, stopping the world, to spend time together at the table - what could be more important? I know tonight I was Fed Well with burgers, fries, and conversation that flowed easily. A perfect Tuesday night.