I'm working today, so I'm still waiting on it. My GF is over at her Mom's house; they're going to swing by after they eat and drop off dinner. Which is very sweet, but I'd still rather be there myself. *sigh*

On the other hand, I'm thankful that I have a job in the first place.

Mmm, boiled dinner with kielbasa with cabbage and rutabaga, one of my favorites. Coulda gone with chili, but I said, nah, save that for a special day.

*burp*

We aren't gonna eat for another hour or so. Friends are working today. But I talked to the host, and everything's ready her end. We are just doing the mashed potatoes, making a salad and a couple more sides, and downing a gigantic GnT here.

I'm heading off to my friend Samantha's potluck dinner in about 5 minutes. I made my New York Times recipe for cranberry chutney that I've been making every year since about 1986 or 1987. There will probably be a bunch of people there. I will probably be too drunk when I return to report back. See you later!

I'm having orphan Thanksgiving with a friend. SHE made the green bean casserole.

The jury is still out on the roasted garlic mashed potatoes I made. I used fresh rosemary (probably too much) and three bulbs of nice mushy roasted garlic (definitely too much).

Also, in my fear of undercooking the turkey, the breast came out a tad dry.

No, I didn't have any mushrooms (unless you count the bits in the GB casserole).

I am proud that the two of us pulled it off for the most part, though. Pumpkin pie awaits for our reward, after I burp a bit and make some space.

mihail: I little garlic goes a long way in a Thanksgiving dinner. I have found too that if you try to make every dish something special, it overdoes the entire meal; that's why when I do TG dinner, I leave the mashed potatoes alone, cream and butter only and whipped to a froth.

Also, the same goes for my GB casserole, simple green beans, Campbell's cream of mushroom, some extra mushrooms and toasted onions on top.

By leaving these dishes traditional I am free to go crazy with everything else.

Glad to hear you pulled it off though, that really is what counts.

Our dinner was delicious. My stepmom made a HUGE turkey that came out perfect: succulent and delicious. We had good homemade gravy, lovely mashed potatoes, and sausage dressing to die for. Bro and sis-in-law brought a great bottle of white wine - and I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called. I was so stuffed with bird and sides that I had to pass on the homemade pumpkin pie, although I hear it was divine.

It was really great but my stepmom gets so tired putting on such a spread. I told her next year she wasn't touching a thing. The kids will do the cooking and all she has to do is relax with her feet up and a beer in her hand.

Happy Turkey Day!

it's about to start!

Got something at Cracker Barrel and brought it home. Whoopty doo. Before my grandmother died we always cooked a huge meal and since then we have done nothing. If I have time I am going to cook it all myself next year because this going to Cracker Barrel shit is for the birds.

We still cook tons of shit for Christmas but I miss having something decent for Thanksgiving + leftovers.

We're having a kiwi Thanksgiving tonight, since hubby and I are honorary Californians and our sister-in-law is from PA. Should be great fun. We're doing pot luck and I'm in charge of mashed potato, vegetables, and whipped cream for the pumpkin pie. I didn't even think about a green bean casserole -- I've been drooling at the thought of candied yams all day (well, the NZ equivalent).

My roommate's mother made a great turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing- much better than my family makes, I'll admit. I didn't care for the green bean casserole since I don't like Cream of Mushroom soup. And the crescent roles were undercooked and doughy, which made them extra good.

I had an amazing dinner with my best friend/roommate and two friends of ours. Certainly the most interesting thanksgiving I've ever had (imaging goths and drag queens, and that was our group).

We had stuffed mushrooms, deviled eggs, and a dill dip in a pumpernickle bread bowl (My first attempt... tastes JUST like the one my grandmother has always made) for starters.
The moistest turkey I have EVER had in my life, I'm going to email my friend and see what the trick was (and hope the answer isn't "ancient drag queen secrets!") yummy gravy, stuffing, mashed taters, mashed acorn squash, glazed baby carrots, green bean casserole, green beans with a sweet hot bacon dressing (my roommate made those, they were amazing).
Then we had a pumpkin cheesecake (I made it... not as firm as I would have liked, I think using organic pumpkin threw me off on the cooking time, but still quite good and praised by all), and a apple cranberry cobbler.

So much food, so many leftovers. And hours of great conversation. Dinner with friends was certainly far less stress than with relations, without a doubt.
And we'll be doing it again soon, since my roommate's mom gave him a turkey that is currently occupying three quarters of our freezer real estate. What a great day.

We also had wine... lots of. And tequila rose. And a few other things... you can see why I would forget that part.

I'm back. It was loads fun. Too much pie. Tummy hurts.

I had an awkward family Thanksgiving, in tune with my awkward family life lately. My irritable and pushy post-cancer dad, my resigned mom, my nephew, my potty-mouthed and selfish niece, and my Stage 3 Dementia uncle. We went to a restaurant buffet, where there were plasma TV screens on all the walls and a little switchbox speaker at each table. My dad tried to remember when we were last there -- perhaps ten years ago. My uncle insisted we'd been there with his late wife, because he remembered the TV screens. Which weren't there, you know?

I got my cranberry but went with ham instead of turkey. And a slice of cheesecake at the end. I had two Long Island Iced Teas to get through it all -- they didn't know how to make them. I mean they did, but they didn't. Hell, after two, you don't care!

Had to explain to my dad that the football game was live. We're concerned that he's only a few years behind his brother.

Back home we had a pumpkin/cool whip pie creation my mom and niece put together from a recipe, but it failed to jell and you sort of scooped it.

Oh stilicho, I'm sorry you had an awkward evening.

We had a nice time, except our friend Frank had to be in hospital with his mom who is dying. Which kind of puts you in perspective.

But the 5 of us (Frank's gf ate with us) had a good evening. We had cheese and crackers and dates wrapped in bacon. then we had green salad (with blue cheese, pecans, apples and raspberry vinagrette dressing), corn and kidney bean salad, garlic mashed potatoes, baby carrots, turkey, duck, chicken, rolls, then apple pie, cupcakes and ice cream. and lots of wine and beer. Damn, it was good.

Now I have drunk hiccups and am going to bed. And yes, I do have to work in the mornign. sucks.

"mornign"? I recommend that you turn on your spell-check first thing in the morning, gaspode darling.

A half teaspoon of Angustora bitters in half a glass of luke warm water will settle that "too full" feeling in a jiffy.

Stand by for Flikr posting with miraculous apparation.

Sausage stuffing and a miraculous apparation.

We flew home from NYC yesterday around 1:30ish. Trundled off to the irish pub for black & tans and a sandwich around 3:30. Dinner was some frozen poundcake squares and some semi sweet chocolate cips out of the bag. :D And football. And our four leggers.

I successfully avoided going to my control freakery sister's down the road; she insists on bringing Dad up for Turkey every year even though he can't handle being out of his environment (stroke dementia). Between her neurotic bent and him I decided I'm done with family on holidays. Period.

The kitchen remains a disaster area. There was SO MUCH good food and tasty wine. The company was most excellent. No one left before 1am. My face and stomach still hurt from laughing.

Who wants to come over for Christmas?

Warbaby, what in the hell is that thing?

It's a miraculous apparition, clearly.

Dinner was excellent.

I cooked for 3 hours on Wednesday and solidly for about 7 yesterday - squash soup (my mom can't eat solids) turkey (brined, herbed, etc), stuffing, gravy, mashed potatos, carrots, broccoli, turnips, 2 kinds of cranberry sauce, creamed onions, green bean casserole, 2 pies: pumpkin & apple, both with whipped cream. The only things that weren't completely from scratch were the pie crusts & the green bean casserole, which of course must use canned stuff. I even made the pumpkin pie from an actual pumpkin, woot. Served 6 people. 2 bottles of wine, quite a few beers. Everything was great, everyone had a nice time; I only wish we'd had a few more people. But that's cool, since less people = more leftovers & right now I'm having a turkey sandwich and more pumpkin pie. ;-)

≡ Click to see image ≡ The turkey in its glory.