This was the first Thanksgiving we've officially had away from family. (Last year's festivities were celebrated in a diner in Chicago, so that didn't really count.) Being that it was our first time I was excited to have our neighbors, the Bustillos' over to share in the fun. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase some pretty fall table linens and Livi and I made great place card holders and even pretty napkin holders. Bill made his delicious spinach dip and along with other goodies that our neighbors brought, we had a great food to munch on during the football game. (The Cowboys played the Raiders, the two teams that our neighbor and his son LOVE!)
I was excited to be able to make all the traditional foods that I grew up with. Mashed potatoes and gravy (mashed potatoes that morning kept well in the crockpot), sweet potatoes (cooked the night before), and Mom's stuffing. YUMM-O!
Livi tore the bread on Wednesday and while I mixed the ingredients Thursday morning I caught myself inhaling deeply over and over again. I actually said out loud, to no one in particular because Bill was out playing with the kids and Annie, "Ahhh, this smells like Mom." Not that my mom smelled like stuffing, but the smells reminded me of her. I even added some craisins to the out of the bird mix and LOVED it. It all turned out so perfect (Thanks to the no less than 10 phone calls to Gretchen). Even the gravy was yummy. All was so good except perhaps the turkey that never fully cooked. Some parts cooked and some didn't. The dang popper thingy never popped and my thermometer said it was good! AHHH! We were able to carve parts and stick it back in. All in all good stuff. Thanks to Terry and Alex for bringing the rolls, cider and pie. Along with the fun game we all played afterwards (Cranium), what a fantastic holiday!
2 comments:
Yeah!!!! A new post!!! I was beginning to think that you were abandoning the blog and that would have broke my heart!!! Thanksgiving pictures look wonderful. Based on the dinner you made when I was in town, I am sure it tasted wonderful!!! Hope that you and the family had a wonderful Christmas!!! 14 inches of snow hit Chicago suburbs on Friday afternoon. Definately made a white Christmas!!!
Oh I SO get the 'smells like mom'. This year I went overboard with making different foods for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I kept being told "you don't need to do that" but I wanted to- made me feel like my mom was there and I think I hoped my siblings would recognize it as well. I wish I had more of my mom's recipes but this year I put together a cookbook for my brothers and sister of what I did have and I've really enjoyed trying out new ones and being surprised to find they are ones I grew up with.
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