Black Friday Mayhem

I was just chatting with some of my co-workers about what they did for Thanksgiving and after a few minutes we got to talking about Black Friday. I asked if any of them had waited in line and found out that all of us had opted to sleep in, no doubt recuperating from the large amount of food we had eaten earlier.

In 2003 I worked for a popular electronics retailer and witnessed first hand the mayhem that takes place in the wee-hours on the morning after Thanksgiving. This video is the closest thing I've found to what I saw:



Did any of the readers of the metroinsider blog get up early to take advantage of the big discounts? Was it worth it?

By Jon

Visiting with Friends and Family

Hi! I'm down in Florida visiting my brother and his wife in their new home. He is "demanding" Thanksgiving cupcakes since we are not having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. He is kidding of course...kind of.

My brother is a Wildlife Biologist, so I got to go to work with him this week and watch him give a presentation on the Everglades. Tomorrow I'll get to go on tour with him through the Everglades on an airboat and see all kinds of interesting birds and trees and of course alligators. I can't wait!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, however you choose to celebrate!

-Kyndall

Cranberry Walnut Pie

True story - I found this recipe in the most unlikely of places, a grocery store flyer, about 5 years ago. The first time I made it I got rave reviews, and I have made it every Thanksgiving since then! It is a simple dish, but the blend of cranberries, brown sugar and walnuts with a light crust absolutely melts in your mouth...

Cranberry Walnut Pie

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Layer cranberries on the bottom of an ungreased pie plate. Sprinkle walnuts and brown sugar over cranberries. In a medium bowl, beat egg until thick. Gradually add sugar. Stir in flour and butter. Blend well and pour over cranberries. Bake 45 minutes. Enjoy!

by Suzy

Are you girls making cannolis again?

Ha ha ha.... one memory my family won’t ever let my sister and I forgot...

In my opinion Thanksgiving is an American holiday. But the way I grew up, my family might of had me thinking otherwise. My family is Italian, very Italian, and they can’t help but feel comforted by a bowl of pasta next to the potatoes and stuffing. So it is only natural that we have Italian desserts. We usually have the family from New York pick up a box of assorted cookies and cannolis from Arthur Ave before making their trek up north to our house in Mass. But one particular year my mother decided it was be a good idea for my sister and I to make our own cannolis.

My mother, also being a health food freak, wanted “healthy” cannolis so she purchased ingredients such as fat-free ricotta and Splenda. BAD IDEA. (Mom if your reading this, I love you but some things you just got to go big or go home) Desserts aren’t suppose to be all that healthy for a reason that’s why they’re so good!

The filling never thicken and it slid right threw the shells as we tried to “freshly fill the cannolis”. Our family was in hysterics over our efforts but there might have been a slight disappointment in not having them to eat because they seem to never let this story go. Maybe next year...

So here’s a recipe for the good stuff! You can buy the canoli shells at any local bakery cheap.

3 c. very dry ricotta
1 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate chips




Drain ricotta in a colander until very dry, overnight or longer if necessary.
Mix with sugar and vanilla.
Beat with electric mixer at high speed for 8-10 minutes.
Fold in some chocolate chips and use to fill cannoli.
Fills about 15-18 cannoli.

Look Who's Coming to Dinner!

One of my more memorable Thanksgiving dinners was when I invited my vegetarian boyfriend for dinner. It didn't occur to me that I should have mentioned this little fact to my mother before we all started serving ourselves. I have two older brothers, who like most boys in their teens, could eat everything in site in seconds flat as if they were competing for a world record. Louie, being the polite guest, didn't get in their way and waited patiently for things to get passed his way. By the time we all started eating, my mother looked at Louie's plate and noticed that there wasn't much on his and told him to help himself to some turkey and not to be shy. Louie spoke up and said that he was all set and did not eat turkey because he was a vegetarian. I saw my mom's jaw drop, as she looked from me, to my brother's overflowing plates loaded with mashed potatoes and veggies and then to the almost empty dishes on the table. By now I was thinking, 'Just run, I can outrun her right?!' She managed not to choke me. She apologized for her rude and gluttonous family and then told poor Louie to take the little bit of mashed potatoes and veggies that were left. I think he was a little embarrassed and still hungry because he ended up having a small piece of turkey. Needless to say I apologized up and down to both Louie and my mom.

To this day, we still tell that story at every Thanksgiving dinner and my mom continues to give me a look that could kill. Do you have any memorable Thanksgiving stories that get passed along each year? I hope that you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving and many laughs!

by Izzy

Poll: What will you wear on Thanksgiving?

What is your fashion "must" on Thanksgiving?
- A fabulous festive outfit
- Comfortable casual clothes
- Team colors (hometown or NFL)
- Anything with an elastic waist



Results from the previous poll:
Special thanks to all who voted for the Steal of the Day. The winner was posted on metrostyle.com on Tuesday, 11/17.

Skirtsuit 132 (57%) winner
Knit Cami 37 (16%)
Poplin Shirt (25%)

By: Bren B

Fruit Pizza (Kids Love It!)

How about this as a kids' dessert on Thanksgiving? I love these, and you cut them up like a pizza.

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice cookie dough and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.
3. Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.
4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.

By: Lisa

My Favorite Thanksgiving Dessert!

Pumpkin cheesecake is a must in my house for Thanksgiving. If you love pumpkin pie and cheesecake you will love this double layer pumpkin cheesecake! Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cram cheese, softened
½ Cup white sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
½ cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bow, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
3. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

By Diane

New Addition to this Thanksgiving!!

This is a recipe I found online, because I was craving apple crisp. It seemed to have a lot of prep work but let me tell you… well worth it!!
In my family there ends up being like 5 pies, so I am pretty happy to have something a little different and delicious this year!

Happy Eating!!



Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored
and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water


1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

by jani

My Favorite Thanksgiving Dish!!

Broccoli Casserole is one of my favorite side dishes on Thanksgiving! Enjoy!

Ingrediants:
2 packages (16 oz each) frozen broccoli florets
1 can (10- 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (6 oz) french-fried onions, divided

Directions:
Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain well. In a large saucepan, combine the soup, the sour cream, 1 cup of cheese and 1 1/4 cup onions. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the broccoli.

Pour into a greased 2-qt baking dish. Bake uncovered at 325* for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with the reamining cheese and onions. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 6-8 servings

Vote for next Tuesday's Steal of the Day!

The metrostyle team wants to know what you'd like to see on sale! The merchandising team chose 3 of our top products. The item that receives the most votes will be next Tuesday's steal of the day. For those of you who are not familiar with steal of the day, let me fill you in! Everyday we post a new item that is heavily marked down. The deal lasts for only 24 hours, so you must act fast. The deals are updated everyday between 8:30 & 9:00am.

You'll have 3 days to vote on the products, so don't miss out. At the end of the day Friday, we'll post the winner. Don't forget, the winning item will be next Tuesday's steal of the day. Good luck! :)




























~Sally

Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes!

This is my favorite Holiday recipe....my Thanksgiving is not complete without a slice of delicious pumpkin pie!

Classic Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ground ginger1/4 teaspoon ground cloves2 large eggs1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shellWhipped cream (optional)

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. 2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice may be substituted for ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
POUR into pie shell.
BAKE in preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Stayed tuned for more favorite Thanksgiving recipes from the folks at metrostyle.

sara

My New FAV Purchase!

I'm fairly new here at metrostyle (okay 3 months, but that's still new!) and a few weeks ago, I made my first metrostyle purchase, the Bubble Hem Topper. I cannot say how much I LOVE my Bubble Hem Topper! It's very warm and comfy, made of a nice fleece-y material but also super-fashionable and I've received TONS of compliments on it. A woman even stopped me in the airport and asked me who designed it, and I was proud to say the company I work for! It's always exciting to be able to show off our products. I think I even convinced some of my fellow co-workers here to get one too!

It's definitely become my new favorite sweater to throw on and can be worn with so many different outfits. As the weather gets cooler here in New England, you'll be sure that my Bubble Hem Topper will get me through it! What are some of your favorite purchases from us?

What do you want from me?

So, it's my turn to write for the blog. I have SO much that I'm working on. I have no idea what I should share with you. What do you want to know? What could I possibly have that would interest you?

This week I got the latest metrostyle catalog. Loving all the clothes as always, but the front cover wouldn't have been my first choice. It was a bit strange. I know, I work here right, I'm supposed to love everything.

Tried on some of our jeans and love the top stitch jeans 13959. That's the bonus of working in the corporate offices. We have all the approved fit samples from the catalog. I'm psyched that you can search by item number now in the new website! Go find them, they fit perfectly and they are a steal!

I'm trying to work-out more in preparation for a trip to Florida. I try to stay in shape, but there will be some hiking and volleyball involved so I need to get even more fit! (I prefer to wear soft pants while working out haha that's "previous post" humor)

Well, gotta go. I have to go shopping actually. Chat at ya later!
-Kyndall

Dressing for the Holidays

As soon as Halloween has passed the Holiday madness starts! The biggest Holiday question...what will you be wearing??? I like to plan cute tops for each of the holidays.

I go for something in a warm, rich color to give thanks. This ruffled lace top is super cute, and should get as many compliments as my cranberry pie!
For Christmas I like to be cozy and conservative. I know that it is a little cheesy, but I like to wear red or green to keep with the season...so I am thinking of this kimono sleeve sweater.Finally, you've gotta have some sparkle and shine for New Year's Eve! This gold top should help me rock into the new year!I have all of my fav Holiday fashions saved on my wish list at metrostyle.com, in case you want to get me an early Christmas present ; )

by Suzy

What were you for Halloween?

So the music has died down, the last pumpkin has been carved and the costumes have been put away... Halloween is officially over for 2009. I don't know about you but I had a blast this Halloween. The best part of it all was that I was able to put together my costume with less than $20 worth of accessories; a hat, a mask, 2 guns with holsters and a scarf (not shown in pic). Everyone loved my costume although more people thought it was "cute" rather than "suave" which was the look I was trying to achieve. What are some of the best and worst costumes you saw people in this year?

by keNzo