Yeeeeesh!
You may consider The Fork as being holiday hungover, and Christmas hasn't even happened yet. Yes, we do Christmas, but we're not, like, religious about it. In fact, if we're being totally honest, this year doesn't feel very Christmassy at all. We're trying, friends, we're trying … we're trying to be there for you because we know that getting these emails is easily the best part of any given Thursday, and because we know that even though our heart is as black and cold as the coal that goes to bad kids, some of y'all are feeling festive and like this time of the year and blah, blah blah blah blah. But let's just keep this one nice and easy because, frankly, we're about to take a little break (the only one we really get each year), so we need everybody to JUST BE COOL.
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So here's what we're thinking about: Leftovers.
Assuming you wind up with leftovers from whatever holiday stuff you do, you'll really have a few choices—pawn them off on anyone you can, let them go to waste … or use them shits in interesting ways.
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For example, say you've got some leftover turkey, a slow cooker and the kind of can-do attitude that freaks everyone in your life out miserably. Easy—make you some pho. We figure that the classic holiday recipes are probably wearing a little thin around the house this time of year, so check out this recipe that uses up the turkey and also brings out the Asian flare. Seriously, though, you'll need a slow cooker.
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The next one's more of a breakfast guy, but it also gets rid of those pesky mashed potatoes (because everyone always makes too much) … you'll need a skillet, some mashed potatoes, a few eggs, cheese and, like, seasoning like salt and pepper and stuff (whatever makes you happy, y'know?). In case you haven't deciphered it yet, we're talking cheesy mashed potato egg … skillet … uhhhhh … explosion of, ummm, flavors that, like, are sooooo good. You can do it right in the skillet, and other than the potatoes, which should already be made, here's what you do:
-Put the leftover mashed potatoes in the skillet with a little butter. We want those bad boys to be crispy, so, like, be aware of that.
-Add a little milk … just enough to make 'em a little softer. Non-dairy milk works, but remember that those often add flavor you might not be looking for.
-Whip 'em up just a little. You do you, there's no right answer.
-Fold in a little butter, cheese of your choice (probably cheddar because we're not monsters), a pinch of pepper, a little bit of salt (you know how much of that stuff you like) as you heat on medium.
-Start spreading out evenly on the skillet with a spatula. Remember that you want it a little thick, because we're gonna get some eggs in there.
-Press down ever so slightly/flip the potatoes … you know—like you're doing a pancake almost.
-Once the cheese starts melting in there, carve out a couple little spots where one might place an egg. You know what we mean … like, you're gonna wanna fry some eggs in the skillet without pulling the potatoes out. Does that make sense? It should, dammit!
-Crack an egg or two or three or even four all up in those spots. Depending on how you want the ultimate product, you might flip the whole thing, you might not. Your choice. You're doing great!
-Garnish to taste once you have it where you want it, then go to town!
Wow. What a great recipe we just made up (or maybe we've known it for years, we'll never tell)! And it really gets us thinking that more recipes should be written like people talking to people. Sometimes they scare us because they sound so harsh, and ain't no Martha Stewart or Barefoot Contessa out there who can make us feel OK. Trust The Fork. Send us money. Or don't. But do tell us if you somehow make this because we'll wanna see photos.
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We'll give you one more idea because we're tired and, like we said, vacation (we like being honest with you, friends), and this one's about pumpkin. Now then, we know not everyone is gonna have pumpkin stuff for Christmas, but there's still time to make it happen because this recipe we found for soup looks AMAZING. It includes grilled cheese and just, like, so much good stuff. Trust us, click the link and plan ahead.
At The Fork's house for Christmas, we usually watch the 1980s classic A Child's Christmas in Wales featuring Denholm Elliott (whom some of you may know as Indiana Jones' Marcus Brody). Anyway, this is the whole movie, it's adorable and less than an hour—and if you watch it let us know how it went.
Also
-Starting yesterday (being Dec. 18), Arroyo Vino kicked off a HUGE sale on fancy scotch for the scotch drinker in your lives. Some of these sound incredible, and we don't even like scotch that much. Their wine shop (where the scotch lives) is open Monday from 11 am-4 pm, then Tuesday-Saturday from 11 am-7 pm. Call 983.2100 if you want more information. We don't know how long this one runs, so hurry!
-If you're thinking of traveling in the new year, our buds at Edible New Mexico have broken down their eight favorite craft brews from around New Mexico, and a beer tour sounds as good a reason to visit places like TorC, Mesilla, Lincoln and elsewhere. We think Billy the Kid was killed in Lincoln. Jailed there? Who are we, Gore Vidal? We're just talkin' about beer here.
-As we speak, the things happening at the Santa Fe Brewing Co. are INSANE, but good INSANE. In fact, come this Friday Dec. 20, you'll be able to get all up in there at the brewery's location on the outskirts of town where, for the past few years, owner Brian Lock has been renovating and adding and subtracting and building and … look, it's going to be amazing. We toured some of the early stuff awhile back, but now that it's opening in its gigantic compound of beer-fueled glory, we really recommend.
-Speaking of beer (we don't know how this edition of The Fork got so beer-y), in SFR's just-published Winter Guide, contributing editor Jeff Proctor took one for the team and sampled some winter beers from Santa Fe Brewing, Second Street Brewery and even one fanciful British one. Check it.
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¡WHO'S OPEN?!? ALERT!
Again, visit sfreporter.com, look to The Fork from a few weeks ago and … ugh, y'know what? Look, here's a link. A lot of those places will be open for Christmas, too. Call ahead, make reservations and above all TIP WELL.
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More Tidbits
-If you're out there zippin' around and going through airports because of the holidays, we've recently learned that Burger Kings inside airports are fixin' to give free coupons for Impossible Whoppers (yes, that's the no-meat one) to delayed flyers. We think this rules and it runs through Dec. 30.
-Speaking of free food, Uber Eats is reportedly giving out free apple pies from McDonald's. The Fork longs for a time when they were deep fried and actually awesome, but as far as free things go, it sounds better than a sharp stick in the eye.
-Meanwhile, Food & Wine breaks down what they believe to be the most important restaurants of the decade, which include but are not limited to places like Husk, Benu, Next and Sqirl. These all sound like apps developed by jerks, but they're real restaurants, promise. Click here, you'll see.
-Lastly in not-so-local but maybe kind of local news, Starbucks has revealed a new at-home coffee creamer, and it's toffee flavored, apparently, which we think was maybe a big deal because they were being coy abotu the flavor but also we don't care. Anyway, it's out there, you can get it, go wild.
-Apologies for the curt tone of the last item. It's just … vacation! It's vacation! We love you all, but we gotta go. OK? Ok, bye!
Finally
Oh, shit, there was one more section. OK, word. Here we go:
In the print edition of SFR, food writer-abouter Cole Rehbein would like to remind everyone that even though Chipotle is open in Santa Fe now, there are better burritos right nearby.
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A Totally Scientific Breakdown of The Fork’s Correspondence
Number of Letters Received
39
*And pretty much all of them auto-replies … see? Y’all do vacation, too!
Most Helpful Tip of the Week
Nuthin’.
*Not a thing.
Actually Helpful Tip
Also nuthin’.
*You dorks are really leaning into the season, huh?
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Gone fishin’,
The Fork
