As seen on SA Live - Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026

Today @ 10:30 a.m., Salute to Veterans, Thanksgiving sides and sign-up deadlines for open enrollment.

BUBBA’S 33 VETERANS DAY HONORS

The show went live from Bubba’s 33 at 2638 SE Military Dr. in San Antonio, where the doors were about to open on a morning built around veterans past and present. There was live music before the national anthem, performed with the UTSA band in the house, and staff explained that the restaurant’s ties to the neighborhood run deep: it sits near Brooks City Base, and management said family members on both sides have served.

Veterans dining in got a free meal until 4 p.m., and anyone who could not make it in was handed a voucher to use on a later visit. The voucher choices included a cheeseburger or double cheeseburger smash burger, a crispy tender or grilled chicken salad, any 12-inch pizza, or bacon mac and cheese, with iced tea, soda or coffee to go with it. Regulars who served were recognized along with members of a local fire department crew, and an employee just back from training in California was honored with a hat and a name tag. The hosts also shared photos of family members who served and invited viewers to send in their own.

ELEVATED THANKSGIVING SIDES FROM EAT FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS

With 15 days on the Thanksgiving clock, a chef from Eat Fredericksburg Texas made the case for bringing something other than the usual stuffing and green bean casserole. Not that the classics are going anywhere: the argument was simply that the table has room for a few dishes nobody expects.

Three recipes came out of the kitchen. First, an Italian-style salad of oranges, fennel, pomegranate and microgreens with a citrus vinaigrette, which can be assembled a day or two ahead and dressed in the refrigerator so there is nothing to do when guests arrive. Second, a salmon mousse the chef has been making for about 20 years, built on chive cream cheese so there is no waiting for anything to soften; blend it smooth or leave it chunky, then top it with onion, dill and a little caviar and serve it with chips. Dessert was a pumpkin chai creme brulee, inspired by a drink from a coffee house in Fredericksburg, made by steeping chai tea bags in the cream and finishing it the traditional way. Start to refrigerator, about an hour. All three recipes are posted on SAlive.com.

COMPADRES HILL COUNTRY COCINA AND THE PURPLE HEART GALA

We take viewers to Compadres Hill Country Cocina at 209 Lohman St. in Boerne, where the owner, an Iraq war veteran, runs a Purple Heart Project out of his family restaurant. What began as a steak dinner for five Purple Heart recipients is now in its seventh year as an annual gala, drawing recipients, their families and supporters from across Texas. This year’s event honors a posthumous recipient, with the family of PFC Isabella Gonzalez of Carrollton traveling in.

The work does not stop at the one night. The project supports Gold Star families, awards scholarships and helps military families with expenses that range from youth sports to other financial needs, and the owner said families are honored alongside recipients because not every wound is visible. His closing advice was plain: shake a veteran’s hand, say thank you, buy a meal.

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF TEXAS OPEN ENROLLMENT

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas walks us through who the annual open enrollment period applies to: people under 65 who do not have job-based or government coverage such as Medicare or Medicaid, including the self-employed, part-time workers and anyone between jobs. Apply by Dec. 15 for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2027. Applications filed after that, up to Jan. 15, take effect Feb. 1.

Plan cover a lot more than just illness: preventive care, annual checkups, prescription costs and the emergencies nobody plans for. Virtual primary care visits were highlighted for people who cannot easily get to an office. On cost, many shoppers do not realize they may qualify for a subsidy, also called a premium tax credit, which lowers monthly premiums based on income and household size. Information is available at mycardbcbstx.com or by calling 888-731-0317.