Dallas Food Blog

When it comes to movie holidays, Thanksgiving usually takes a back seat to that overplayed holiday in December. The one with the elves. The one that rhymes with "isthmus." (Sort of.)

But why the second-class status, Thanksgiving? The holiday's got all the same potential for family chaos, waxing moral on the spirit of the holiday, and elaborate turkey disasters, without any of the reindeer and polar bears. The only animal you're going to see in a Thanksgiving movie is the one that's about to get eaten.

Our own best movie memories from Thanksgiving involve falling asleep on the couch during USA Network's Planet of the Apes marathon, but here are 10 films that get the holiday meal just right.

10. Grumpy Old Men

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Honestly, we haven't seen this movie in like 15 years, but something about Walter Matthau calling Jack Lemmon a dickhead on a cold Minnesota morning just screams Thanksgiving. There may or may not have been an actual turkey dinner in there, too, though we might be confusing it with the sequel, Grumpier Old Men.

​Nothin' says summer like a hot dog.

Okay, burgers and ice cream do a pretty good job of getting the point across. Cold beer, too. But you gotta admit, hot dogs hold a special place in our hearts.

Why? Because no matter how you dress 'em up, they're always more PBR than Pinot Noir (kinda like us that way). You'll find no haute dogs on this list, no overpriced cheese-and-lobster renditions--just great Dallas dogs, perfect for the longest, hottest days of the year.

The Angry Dog: Halt a hangover in its tracks with an original Angry Dog, Voted Dallas' Best Hot Dog by the Observer in 1994, 2001 and 2002. The all-beef kosher dog is loaded with mustard, chili, grilled onions and cheddar cheese and it comes with fries for just $5.95.

Megan Feldman

Linda (right) and Angela Riordan

If you've been slacking on your Valentine's Day preparations and you happen to be in Addison, the folks over at Yo Pop Etc. are happy to help.

The place seems an unlikely spot for romantic sweet nothings given its non-descript strip mall location on Midway Road, not to mention the honey glazed hams painted on the windows. But walk in, and along with gift cards, flavored popcorn, deli soups, spuds and sandwiches, you'll find a truffle case and counter packed with handmade holiday confections. There's pink cinnamon popcorn covered in white chocolate, caramel popcorn with chocolate drizzle, chocolate covered rice crispy pops, chocolate Grahams, cinnamon toast pretzels, chocolate covered Oreos and cherry vanilla popcorn, all decorated in red and pink Valentines kitsch.

Of course, you can always claim you made the stuff yourself. Who would guess it's all made daily by three of owner Linda Riordan's employees--who right now at least are rushing to meet this weekend's demand.

"We're been really busy," Riordan said, sporting a bright red v-neck and directing her daughter, Angela, who was working the register. "We've sold out of some things but we're making more."

Riordan has been at the popcorn game--betcha didn't know there was one--for more than 20 years, and it's not surprising. I didn't indulge in any of the Valentine's confections, but I can definitely vouch for the caramel corn.

Furr's Fresh Buffet
1540 Eastgate Drive
Garland
972-682-8948

A couple weeks ago a family member informed me of the decision to forgo the traditional home cooked Thanksgiving meal in favor of eating out. Several reasons were cited, including--but not limited to--old age, convenience, disparate meat/vegetable preferences among family members and of course, holiday stress.

"Fine with me," I said, thinking naturally of the many press
releases I'd received from local restaurants offering prettified holiday grub. But then my family hit me with a bomb--"We're going to Furr's!"

Go anywhere, from high-dollar sit-downs to drive-thrus and you'll find restaurants digging into seasonal fare. Right now, pumpkin gets the honors. So I drove around town checking out grab-and-go treats that showcase pumpkin's autumnal flavor. On into December, I'll look into gingerbread, cranberry, peppermint and more stocking-related goodies, but with Thanksgiving tomorrow, I'm going gourd.

Holiday giving is all around us now. If you're not already the generous type, you're being guilted into it by a bell-ringing Santa, or Will Smith, or even Wal-Mart.

If you think you can get away with tossing another can of creamed spinach into the bin -- the one in your kitchen cabinet, back where you found the dusty bamboo shoots last year -- well, you're right. But that doesn't mean you should feel good about it.

Talk to the people who actually hand out the food, and it'll take a lot more to impress them than an old can of ranch style beans.

There are plenty of good ways to give this holiday season (including at a local virtual food drive), but you know the donation misfires are a lot funnier. After the jump, our list of the 10 worst foods collected in Texas food drives.