Posted on 11/27/2003 5:50:40 PM PST by MJY1288
President Bush made a surprise visit to our troops in Iraq today, he arrived on Airforce One at Baghdad International Airport just after dark and surprised some 600 soldiers before being served a full course traditional Thanksgiving meal. President Bush was greeted with a thunderous applause from the surprised troops that clearly touched the Commander-in-Chief
Enjoy this special Thanksgiving Day "Dose"
I'm gonna start calling GWB the "stealth" President! LOL!
I LOVE this president!
W04!
Can I have the recipe?
(The recipe originated with that show Chef, Emeril, and my father was at home and watched it when he first made it. So, that Thanksgiving, we had it, and it was wonderful!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
• 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely ground pecans
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• One 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in the melted butter. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolks and beat just until blended. Mix in the pumpkin and cream. Spread the batter in the pan, and place it on a baking sheet.
4. Bake until the center is nearly set, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
5. Carefully run a sharp knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Remove the sides of the pan. Cool completely on the rack before covering tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled before serving, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Recipe excerpted from Prime Time Emeril, by Emeril Lagasse, William Morrow, 2001©
Look at #184. :O)
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A perfect night for me to share the details of my visit to two brave Soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital that were under the command of mystery-ak's husband 1st Sgt. Mike.
First off, these two soldiers (Spec. Chad Baetke and Sgt Gerald Santos) survived the crash of their Chinook Helicopter after it was hit by a Rocket. Many of their buddies were not as lucky as they were and this will weigh heavy on their minds in the months and years to come. So please keep these two brave men in your prayers.
Around 1:00 Pm I went to Walter Reed to deliver a message and a gift from mystery-ak and her husband to Sgt Santos and Spec Baetke. I went to see Sgt Santos first and I was worried that I might be an imposition or he might not be up for a visitor. I walked into his room and he was sitting upright in a wheelchair and judging by hie recently licked clean dinner plate, he must have just eaten :-)
I introduced myself and shook his hand, I told him that I was a friend of 1st Sgt Mike and was here to check in and see how he was coming along, Sgt. Santos got a big smile on his face and said "How do you know Mike" I told him that him and his wife are FReepers and since I lived in the area I told his wife that I would stop by and see how he was doing.
Sgt. Santos suffered a broken back and a severely broken leg in the crash and seems to be doing quite well considering it was just 4 weeks ago when he was injured. Sgt. Santos said he appreciated all the gifts and cards from the 'Dose" and FR, I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said he was being treated very well and I shook his hand and told him how much myself and the rest of America appreciates what he does for all of us and that I would keep him in my prayers.
I then went to see Spec Chad Baetke and much to my surprise he was in street clothes waiting to get his orders to go home. His parents were their to fly back with him to Iowa. Spec Baetke suffered a broken leg and some serious facial injuries that required steel plates, you would never know it by looking at him, Walter Reed did a great job fixing him up. I told him much the same I did Sgt Santos, I also spoke with Mr. Baetke (Gerald's dad) he was very talkative and told me their entire plans for the Holidays and told me that this Thanksgiving was going to be very special.
It was an honor to visit such great Americans and I will remember this day forever. As I went in and out of the Hospital, I couldn't help but notice all the young men that were missing a limb. One extremely young man was walking out of the hospital with a stainless steel leg smiling from ear to ear, I found it hard to believe that someone who had just lost a leg could be so positive. We are truly blessed to have such brave young men and women willing to sacrifice so much for all of us. I am a grown man that doesn't get emotional too often, but once I got in my car to leave, I had to take a minute to shed some tears for these GREAT AMERICANS.
Before you retire this evening, please pray for the injured of this war, we hear very little about them, but they will have to live with these injuries for the rest of their lives and they need our prayers.
Mike
You know, this may sound fake but when I was searching the usual sites for news of the President's Thanksgiving plans, it stood out to me that there seemed to be a hole in his plans. It honestly did. I thought, Why aren't I seeing a normal announcement of his holiday plans? Something is not in the usual flow. Then when I saw Wendell Goler's report on Fox about the Bush family plans -- given so late at night -- and the menu, I posted that. But it just seemed hollow.
Can't explain how it felt, but that is why I used the word "apparently."
He pulled off The Big One here. =)
He taught selected media and the Congress (Cong. David Drier, R-CA, said on Hannity & Colmes last night that Bush contacted every MOC before the trip about the trip, insisting on secrecy) that they really, really can keep a secret, which even they must admit is very unexpected. I wish H&C would have followed up on his remark because I must admit it seemed to me inconceivable that 435 Congressmen and 100 Senators knew this and no one leaked it.
You have a way of cutting to the marrow of the matter, Mike. I love it when you share your insights and analysis.
Thanks for a Dose that will surely live in the Top Ten.
DU's lefty_mcduff gets it!
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