Okay - T-day disasters? Or cheers?

Thanks so much. He and one sister are all that are left of twelve kids in his family.

but they were all neat people. Lots of doctors and nurses and oilmen and geologists. (They were also a hell-raising, partying bunch when I was a kid). My grandmother was an R.N. That's how they met.

Did you see my reply on 16965? I think it's funny we stayed the same place on our honeymoons-even if I am LONG-divorced.

Let me know if you want me to post the aspic recipe.

 
I just want to know why the people who love to cook are asked to bring something simple and

those who don't cook end up being asked to bring heartier fare. Why is it that food assignments don't seem to be given to those who have specialty areas? I have never understood this.

I was asked to bring a jello salad which took me all of maybe 15 minutes to make and cranberry sauce. Another relative who is a chef was asked to bring dessert. This person is not a pastry chef and never bakes. And yet I have been baking since I was about 3, so why not assign me sweet and he savory?

Also, there were no yams or sweet potatoes, and there was a green bean dish that appeared to involve nothing but canned goods. However the oddest thing was some sort of squash dish. It was a pale odd color of unripe cantalope. It had all the qualites of jars of baby food dumped in a dish and heated through without any seasoning. Did I mention there was no yams or sweet potatoes? Why didn't someone mention this? This was not normal.

However the turkey, dressing, and gravy were great and as a bonus I'm sure I didn't gain a single pound.

 
Sorry, meant to post this under the main heading

Melissa, sorry for your difficult day. Thanksgiving always seems to be a day of remembrance and reminds us to cherish every moment.

 
Oxy Clean Laundry, took it out for me when I so totally didn't expect anything to work.

This is after I had soaked the tablecloth in cold water.

 
Blum's Coffee Crunch won out over the pumpkin pie, although Some had BOTH!

Appetizer of Belgian endive with blue cheese, walnuts and chopped endive in white Balsamic viniagrette was quite good. Savory Sweet Potato Casserole (my sis) was wonderful as was her dressing/stuffing with chanterelles, chestnuts, sausage and focaccia. Turkey was dry-brined (my first!) and was great. Gravy made with a combo of Tyler Flo's smoked wing recipe and Gay's make-ahead was great tasting. Sauteed Brussel sprouts w/ bacon, pecans & cranberries-yum. Our Nonna's homemade raviolis (made by another sister & myself)and my sauce were terrific.
I did poop out on the mashed potatoes, no burner room and I was exhausted. I took a last-minute vote. . . raviolis or mashed potatoes. Only two voted for both (NOT an option!) and were boo-ed down.

 
Our's was a cheers. We went over to the in-laws, their first Thanksgiving in MO,

and had a pretty traditional dinner. Roast turkey, stuffing, broccoli salad, green bean casserole, grape salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and it was all quite good.

We played a turkey trivia game before dinner and ate some appetizers; shrimp butter and crackers, caviar-eggo torte and some garlic olives.

I am making a turkey breast, drumsticks, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a salad for dinner tonight. We have to have our turkey leftovers even if it is past T Day.

 
Hi Dawn, just wondering if you got the hamster yet. Saw a news report that Toys R Us is going to

receive a big lot before Christmas. They're selling them for $10, but out of stock, on line. They sure are the gift of the year.

 
Thanks. I understand your being irked. I've noticed that too.

My pet peeve is having a potluck at work or somewhere and people bring crappy stuff like grocery store bakery cookies or cupcakes or other icky stuff (when there aren't even any kids that would want them) when you went to a lot of trouble to make something nice.

 
Cheers: Sage and Bay Salt dry brined turkey - YUM. Jeers: DS got sick Wed evening

so our guests decided not to come.

I had a 16 lb turkey + trimmings for 2 people.

smileys/neutral.gif

Sage and bay salt


This makes enough for a 20-pound turkey. Allow a scant 1 1/2 tablespoons per 5 pounds of turkey weight.

1/4 cup kosher salt
10 dried bay leaves, crumbled
3/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pulse together the salt, bay leaves, ground sage and black pepper in a spice grinder or mash them in a mortar and pestle to make a fine powder. Makes 1/3 cup. The mixture can be stored in a tightly sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/holiday-guide/food/la-fo-calcookrec18c-2009nov18,0,2564026.story

And the directions for using it are here:

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/holiday-guide/food/la-fo-calcookrec18d-2009nov18,0,3284923.story

 
Mine, too. I must be taste impaired, because properly dressed out, I can't tell the difference

between the 37 cent frozen guy, and the fresh $$ one.

Good for my pocket book, I guess. smileys/smile.gif

 
I've actually had much better el cheapo frozen turkeys than the natural or free ranges I've tasted

of late. Why is that? Maybe I'm taste-impaired?? (hope not!)

 
Thanks for the tips! We poured a bunch of white wine on it.

Took out most of the stain, but we plan on putting on some Oxy Clean as well. The carpet will eventually be hardwood (hopefully fairly soon), so we're not too worried.

 
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