Holiday recipes from guest Tracey Bloom:

For Salad:
2 head fennel (sliced or shaved super thin)
1/2 of a red onion julienne
1 orange segmented
1 cup of arugula

For dressing:
1to2 lemons (juiced)
8ounces of olive oil or blend
2ounce of champagne or rice wine vinegar
1 pomegranite (seeds only)
1 Tablespoon of honey

Garnish:
Reserved fennel frawns
Shaved pecorino cheese

Braised Pork Shank
Parsnip Puree, Apricot-Bacon Jam, Pea Shoots and Pork Reduction Sauce
Serves 4 each

To Braise The Shank:
Brine Overnight or Season the Day of Cooking with Salt and Pepper

Brine
1 Gallon of Water
2 Cups of Kosher Salt
½ Cup of Brown Sugar
2 Cups of Red wine
Fresh herbs (thyme, bay leave, sage, rosemary)

1. Sear Seasoned Shanks at high heat to get good color (do not burn)
2. Put Seared Shanks In a braising pot cover with mirepoix (1 carrot peeled and chopped, one onion chopped and 3 stalks of celery). 1 Gallon of Chicken Stock and 3 cups of red wine.
3. cover with tin foil and place in a 325 degree oven for 3 ½ to 4 hours till almost falling off bone.
4. Strain braising liquid and reduce for sauce

Parsnip Puree
10 parsnips peeled and chopped
½ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: cover the chopped parsnips in water and simmer till tender. Next puree the parsnips till smooth. Add cream by hand to make creamy.

Apricot-Bacon Jam
1 cup of Dried Apricots
1 cup of sugar
3 cups of hot water
1 lemon juiced
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped thyme
3ounces of bacon chopped and rendered (reserve fat with bacon to add to jam)
Method: simmer all ingredients except for the bacon and rendered fat for 30 minutes, add bacon and fat then stir

Ostensibly, Festivus was designed as secular holiday, as a way to celebrate this joyous season without caving to its commercialism. Is it just a way to get out of buying presents? Puh-shaw! Is it simply a scurrilous way to generate money for “The Human Fund”? Stow it, Scrooge McGrinch! No, in the end—it’s all about the Festivus pole. And the “Feats of Strength.” But mostly, the “Airing of Grievances.” So get into the Festivus spirit! Below, air your grievances from this past year.

Tell us the things that torked you off from this past year—be it from your personal life or from something you saw in the news.
Leave a coment below and Kyra might just read it in our 10 o’clock (ET) hour.

Santa Claus gets a lot of letters this time of year...millions of them, in fact. It can be overwhelming, so the man in red turns to the post office to get some help sorting them out. But his post office elves have noticed a change in the wish lists this year. A lot of kids aren't asking for iPads or X-boxes. They're not asking for hot wheels or dolls. They are asking for winter coats, for socks... or for help paying the heating bill. For more information you can call the Operation Santa hotline at (212) 330-3000 on go to: http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/holiday/santa.htm

Kyra Phillips talks to Keith Fitzhugh about his decision.