Are you one of those crazy shopaholics that gets up at the crack of dawn to partake in that crazy US of A thing known as Black Friday?

I applaud your shopping gene, but the day after Thanksgiving I am thankful for the day off to sleep in.

You might have no choice but to wake early if you have a hungry cat like this one. Cracks me up. (note those mice…are they toys or unattended to snacks?)

Back to black.

Black Pudding. Y-U-M.

Every time we visit family in Ireland and the UK, Black Pudding is high on my ‘must have’ list.

Fortunately, we can get Black Pudding at our local grocery shop (still, not the same somehow). If you can pick some up, make this wicked good recipe.

Black Pudding With Apple Mash

Ingredients:

200g floury potatoes (such as russet), cut into chunks
1 small onion, chopped
150ml milk
Olive oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
200g black pudding, sliced
English mustard and watercress, to serve

Directions:

1. Put potato, onion and milk in a small pan. Season with salt and pepper and add a splash of olive oil. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain. Return to pan, mash and add apple sauce.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and fry the black pudding until well colored and crisp on the outside.

3. Plate the mash with black pudding topped with mustard and a scattering of watercress and apple sauce around.

Serves 2 (definitely double!)

Recipe from Olive Magazine

If shopping is in your plans, you might want to keep up your energy with some Fascist Groove Thang from Heaven 17. Fast and fun. (Thang?? For a laugh, look at the definitions in the Urban Dictionary.)

My favorite is number 4.

Thang

“Something often done by members of the ursus family of animals. It most often includes, but is not limited to, smoking cigars, drinking wine, and eating assorted nuts and berries.

Damn! Them bears be doin’ thangs!”

Ridiculous, but makes me laugh.

Okay, where were we?

Oh, yes…Fascist Groove Thang.

“You’re real tonight you move my soul
Let’s cruise out of the dance war
Come out your house and dance your dance
Shake that fascist groove thang”
Heaven 17-(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

Let Me Go was one of my favorite songs back in my university days. Still makes me smile.

“I walk alone and yet I never say goodbye
Let me go
A change of heart a change of mind and heaven fell that night
Let me go
I tried but could not bring
The best of everything
Too breathless then to wonder”
Heaven 17-Let Me Go

Check out Heaven 17 on their Website. You might not want to fork out for the January 14 VIP show (although it sounds like fun), but buy their music on Heaven 17.com.

Cheers!