Whatcha doin' for Turkey Day?

[wtg]

My best friend Pat is arriving early evening on Thanksgiving Day and is staying with us for a few days, leaving Monday.

What about you? Are you hosting or being hosted? Staying put, or traveling?

[Steve Miller]

We’re leaving Friday for Scottsdale to attend a funeral. My DIL’s grandmother - a warm and charming woman who we will all miss very much. Their family has invited us to an early TG dinner on Sunday, held early so out of town guests can attend. I feel honored.

We’ll be staying at our old AirBnb and plan to bring corn pudding. On Monday I’ll drive to Tucson to spend time with Ron and his family, fly home Wednesday.

Then on TG proper we’ll be having dinner with the toddlers. Jane does dinner for 20 like just another day in the kitchen - and she’s really good at it. We’re bringing something but I don’t know what.

[ShiroKuro]

My mother is coming, and we've invited two faculty in my department (one from Japan, one from China) who don't have family here. I will prep turkey (probably get a whole bird, precooked), make stuffing, that green bean dish .... what else? Mashed potatoes ... I'll buy a pie or two I suppose. So it will be half homemade, half Kroger!

It should be fun!

[pique]

We used to have a huge T-day bash with a large group of friends every year for the past 30 or so years. But Covid put an end to it for a couple of years, and it hasn't ever really quite come back together. I thought about trying to round up a few folks, but the people I contacted were all going out of town this year, and I don't have the mojo to have the usual crowd. Maybe next year, if I can get myself to plan well ahead. In the wake of a car accident, Covid, and medical procedures my house is not exactly presentable anyway, though we are going to get some help with that. So it looks like it will just be me and Mr Pique. We're going to do rock cornish game hens, and I'm going to make a peach pie with the fresh peaches we froze last summer. If anyone is in the neighborhood and wants to drop by for dessert, let me know!

[Mik]

Just got back from a week in New Orleans, heading to Vegas for Christmas, so Thanksgiving will be quiet, just the two of us. We'll be going to Cooper's Hawk as I really detest making TD dinner.

[Steve Miller]

@Mik What are your thoughts on Coopers Hawk? They just opened one near us and we want to try it.

[Rontuner]

Future in-laws in the suburbs invited us over, (our youngest is engaged) so we will be meeting a bunch of new people!

[Mary Anna]

We are going to Oakland for a week to spend Thanksgiving and some extra time with one of the Quirtlets. The other is coming, too, and we'll be eating with extended family who are reputed to be very good cooks, so we are looking forward to an excellent time.

[Mik]

@Steve-Miller said in Whatcha doin' for Turkey Day?:

@Mik What are your thoughts on Coopers Hawk? They just opened one near us and we want to try it.

Interesting food, not crazy about the wines. One would think since that is their schtick they'd do something special. Last couple times have been for lunch, so iced tea, no wine. Friends brough their Lux sparkler over a few weeks ago. meh. Sweet and uninteresting.

The wines may have gotten better, it's been two or three years since I tried them. Again, the food is good.

[Daniel]

I received a terse text from "the SIL like person."

It said-- Good morning Daniel. This is your official invite to Thanksgiving lunch. Let me know if you want to come and I'll tell you what time I'm picking you up.

Verbatim.

I didn't answer.

I might go but for reasons I won't bore you with it will depend a lot on how my day goes Wednesday.

She's not hiding the fact she doesn't like me and naturally I find it annoying. But I really do have more important things to occupy my mind.

[Mik]

@Mik said in Whatcha doin' for Turkey Day?:

Just got back from a week in New Orleans, heading to Vegas for Christmas, so Thanksgiving will be quiet, just the two of us. We'll be going to Cooper's Hawk as I really detest making TD dinner.

Change of plan. Got a fresh turkey breast and will buttermilk brine it a couple days. Mashed sweet potatoes, corn pudding, cranberry salad. I just thought dinner out was kind of pitiful so invited a couple friends who have no family over.

[ShiroKuro]

@Mik what kind of cranberry salad do you make?

When we lived in the southeast, I always bought the cranberry relish they made a Publix. It was soooo good! Now, here, all we have is Kroger or Walmart. AFAICT Walmart doesn’t have any (relish, the fresh kind, I’m not taking about sauce, the kind in a can). And last year, I learned that the kind Kroger makes is a crime against humanity. So this year, I think we’re going to try to make our own. My mother is actually coming today, she’s bringing her food processor (since I don’t have one). And the plan is to try to make the cranberry dish tomorrow and let it sit over night….

[Mik]

Publix has a lot of good stuff.

I’m not sure, Shiro, a friend is making it. It’s a molded salad she makes for the holidays served on a bed of lettuce. Delicious.

[ShiroKuro]

I miss Publix!!

Re the salad, if it’s molded, I’m thinking it’s probably in the realm of sauces or jellies, because you can’t really mold a relish.

[Daniel]

I would miss them too if they weren't on every corner.

I've decided to stay home for Thanksgiving. RM's mother always makes enough food to feed a small army. I'm sure they'll bring me leftovers of everything.

[CHAS]

We will go back to the restaurant at Lodge in the Desert. Hacienda del Sol has become too busy.

[Mik]

The pecan pie I bought yesterday at Bob Evans is not going to see Thursday. Great stuff.

[ShiroKuro]

There’s nothing better than a really good pecan pie!

[Steve Miller]

@CHAS

I stayed at Lodge in the Desert two years ago. It’s a beautiful place!

We just got back from dinner at El Charro - the oldest family owned Mexican restaurant in the country. I can see why it’s been so successful - everything they served us was just a little bit better than I’ve had other places. Cool decor as well.

[Daniel]

RM says he's not going to Thanksgiving lunch because he's got two jobs on Thanksgiving.

Between you and me and the lamppost (another of my Jewish grandmother's favorite phrases) I know this family well enough to know we will be fed whether we can make it or not.

His mother expresses love through food lots of food and especially baking. She makes sure her son never goes without food. I can't imagine he won't bring home everything on the menu including dessert.

I love to socialize with people but on my own terms. I don't like holiday meals like Thanksgiving because they remind me of growing up celebrating them at my Jewish grandparents' house.

Hanukkah was an exception when I look back but the rest were very formal, traditional, and stifling for me.

The women all gathered in the kitchen and the men would watch sports in the living room, baseball, football, basketball. It was like we were living in the '50's.

RM and I moved far away from our families for reason.

He was extraordinary at cooking, celebrating, and gift giving. We would send and receive presents from home and make phone calls. This is how I celebrated holidays for twenty five years. I can't complain.

I have so much to be thankful for. My health, my home, my RM such as he is, and the fact my brother and I have reunited after our father's passing following more than fifteen years of estrangement.

Our reunion has been the highlight of my year! Mik, you were right about there being no better time to forgive. The years of not talking slipped away like water under a bridge.

He's taken on his father's loving and caring role toward me. He said as much.

Our relationship now is the best it's ever been and it finally has a feeling of permanence.