I hope those in the U.S. had a great Thanksgiving holiday. This year, my sibling families scattered for the holiday, so it was just me, the BF, and my parents. I did something I haven't done in almost 25 years... Cook a Thanksgiving dinner! I did come up with a couple of tips for those who are a bit rusty, like myself:
TIP #1
When using the water method of thawing a turkey, it does not mean to drown the poor thing. After all, it's already dead!
This is what happens when I try to multi-task. I walked away to check my email while the sink was filling up. You know how it is... I got immersed in reading and then "Oh Crap!" Off I ran to the sink. I'm not exaggerating when I say: Five seconds later and water would've been running onto the floor! See how the water went over the right side of the sink and across the stainless steel portion of the counter? Luckily, there's a ridge around it!
TIP #2
When the store bought pie instructions say "keep frozen until baking time" and "let sit for TWO hours after baking", they really do mean it! I couldn't bring myself to take a photo of the resulting pie, but suffice to say I had one very runny apple pie.
Here are the results of my manual labor:
It looks burnt on top, but it really wasn't. The darkness is herbs under the skin of the turkey.
The BF made homemade baked Mac & Cheese. So yummy, and of course calorie free!
My Mom brought Udon (yummo). We also had stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits. I ate so much my tummy hurt, LOL.
All in all, it was a nice Thanksgiving. I'm lucky I have people in my life who really do care about me - both in R/L and online. With the economy the way it is, I'm also grateful I have enough as I know there are many others who do not.
SCHOOLI'm in the homestretch now... Week 6. Next week, I have my second paper due in addition to the normal textbook reading, postings, and homework. I'm not feeling so bad that I "don't get" and am not "digesting" the textbook reading assignments since my CPA coworker told me that she didn't get anything out of the auditing class when she took it.
STITCHY STUFF
Not a lot of stitching done last week, but I did finish Part 7 of Purple Garden. Only two more parts to go! I do believe I will make the December 31st deadline required by the SAL.
I've also been stitching the bonus pin pillow chart that goes with the iStitch "Sew A Mystery" SAL I finished a couple weeks ago. There's not much to show other than the border, so I don't have a pic to share.
I've decided to participate in Daffycat's Totally Useless SAL (TUSAL) for 2012. I am so glad she posted the dates for the new moon, LOL.
Last week was my 6 year blogversary. I've been working on a project for one lucky reader of this blog. Stay tuned!
Until next time,
33 comments:
Turkey looks yummy! Sometimes a small gathering is perfect for Thanksgiving. We had over 20 adults and 4 kids! That makes for one crowded house! Your SAL looks pretty, with school winding down I'm sure you'll get it done by the deadline!You going to get snow tonight like we are supposed to???
LOL You are right the water was almost there haha. Glad you got there just in time. It looks delicious. Good luck on your homestretch of school. You can do it! Your stitching looks beautiful as always. I'm participating in the TUSAL too. I'm looking forward to the new year already with the SALs going on. Plus it gives me a reason to blog. I've been trying more lately. Anyway I hope you have a great week!
I always enjoy reading your blog! I fixed a turkey for the first time in my life this Thanksgiving and I am 48! It actually turned out pretty good. Usually my husband does it but he had to work, so I did it.
We bake our turkey in a bag....nice & moist...
Congrats on 6 years of blogging.
Love the purple garden....
Well, I love purple so I'm biased (I guess)
Hugs & Happy Holidays,
Chris
Well Meari, all I can say is I was in the same boat. I haven't cooked a huge Thanksgiving meal in the last 10 years. But, it turned out okay. My pie was store bought, but already baked. Your turkey looked delicious.
Thanks for sharing your story and the pictures.
Nan
Way 2 go on the turkey! Too bad about the pie, but at least it was Yummy!!!
Practice makes perfect, so now that you have a start, it can only get better. Looking forward to seeing your PG finish. I'm proud of you, You're really working hard onit :)
Hi Meari,
Enjoyed your blog. My Thanksgiving sounds about like yours for attendance. Just me, my husband, oldest daughter and my husband’s parents. His mom cooked up a storm for just 5 people – and it was all wonderful. His niece, her BF and 3 little ones came by later that evening. Felt more like a holiday with them there.
I also joined the Totally Useless SAL on Daffycat’s site. That is when I found out that the first new moon is on my birthday. I told my husband that it meant I was to be treated extra special that day.
Alicia
The food looks yummy Meari! Sounds like you all had a good time!
I'm sure you're looking forward to finishing school - not long to go now!
You've done a great job with PG and I'm sure you can finish the other 2 parts by the end of the month!
LOL, Great post. It sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving
Meari, your bolg gave me many chuckles. You have a grat sense of humor as always. The turkey looked lovely and like you I ate way too much.
My daughter and her 3 children came for Thanksgiving, we had a turkey dinner Thursday at my sisters with her fanily, ate lots. Then I cooked a turkey dinner on Friday with all the sides. We ate way too much. I gave everyone a choice of their favorite pie, so we had 6 pies to eat, they turned out yummy, but we did not completely finish them. Guess who took pie home? All in all it was great fun. Hope everyone had a great holiday also.
Shirley
Your turkey looks delicious!!! This was the first year in 23 years that I haven't cooked a Thanksgiving dinner. This year we went to our friends church & helped serve Thanksgiving meals to those with no where to go. We had sooo much food that we were able to give those who came take home cartons of Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, greenbean cassarole, dinner rolls, pie, & cheese cake. DH & I had a wonderful time.
Your WIP is looking great.
Almost done with school. Keep up the great work.
Betty in AZ (ILCS)
Turkey looks yummy. You make mine look blah! We had homemade mac and cheese also. I love you Purple Garden very pretty.
Sounds like your Thanksgiving was a small but great time! Like you we had a good holiday, everything looked good, I am in the mood for mac n cheese now! Your stitching is beautiful!
You did have quite the adventure, but it looks like the meal turned out yummy. Homemade mac and cheese is always better than the store bought stuff. Purple Garden is coming along very nicely...I'm sure you'll make your deadline for it.
Sandy in NM
Looks like it was a great Thanksgiving!
Congrats on school!Must be great to be almost done.
Purple Garden is looking great!
It looks like you had a yummy, although exciting, Thanksgiving! Wish I could have had some of your mom's udon! Purple Garden looks beautiful!
Sounds like a nice thanksgiving to me. Nice progress on your stitching.
Your dinner looks sooo good!
Meari I'm sure you are counting down the days till school is done. Well done!!
Your stitching is beautiful.
Meari, what will you do with all your free time when you are finished with school??? Your turkey looks good, sorry about the pie. I don't make pie unless it has a graham cracker crust. Hard to screw them up.
Love the stitching!
That's why I don't cook! I just can't ever do it correctly.
Purple garden looks wonderful- can't wait to see the finished product!
- Lisa N. in Cambodia
Glad you managed to turn that water offon time.Purple garden looks really good
Meari, your turkey looked delicious!
My mom loves to wing just about everything and our friends keep telling her to write a book - she says it would be better as a comedy show of errors.
Tara
Your Thanksgiving dinner looks and sounds so yummy! We are going to make a small Thanksgiving dinner in a couple of weeks to make up for not having any leftovers from our Thanksgiving in Disneyland.
Your Purple Garden is so darned pretty. I am confident you will finish it with time to spare.
I don't think anyone not choosing to be an auditor would actually absorb anything from such a boring class, lol!!
Your turkey looks great - the darker - the crisper - just the way I like it! And even tho I've cooked for over 40 years I still have had those "lapses" - lol And sometimes a small group of really good friends/family are better than a large group.
Love what your stitching on! Probably something I'd have love to get in on but something that requires "fancy" stitching (something I don't do).
Good luck with your schooling!!
Hi, Meari
I read your blog every week, and is so nice!
Hugs,
Laurita
I wish we celebrated Thanksgiving here! Your turkey looks delicious.
Loving your Purple Garden
Looks like you had a very yummy Thanksgiving. My hubby did actually singe the turkey this year and it was still okay. LOL Hope the apple pie was still edible.
Sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving Meari! I had one year that I didn't get the turkey thawed in time....After cooking, it was done on the outside and raw on the inside where it had been frozen when it went into the oven. I deconstructed it, put all of the meat in a baking pan with all of the drippings, and finished baking it that way, LOL.
Karin in CA
Great job on your Thanksgiving dinner, Meari! It takes a lot to pull one together, doesn't it? I had a break this year and my sister cooked (well, kind of--we still ended up doing the pumpkin pie, bread, cookies, turkey and stuffing!).
How excited you must be to be entering your final week of class--good luck with your paper. You should be very proud of how well you've done :)
that Mac&cheese looks delicious.
Your stitching looks awesome.
Sounds like you had a great dinner.Could you share the mac n cheese recipe please? V would love it
Purple garden looks absolutely awesome
Love your blog Meari and love hearing about what you are doing and what you are stitching
Great dinner!!
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