Evilsciencechick

I’ll try to update between kitchen duty.

noonish: So how is “the plan” working? Well, last night I got the pie done, as well as the cranberry sauce (I’m sorry…”COMPOTE”), and the stuffing. I didn’t get the spinach gratin done, but that doesn’t take too long and I’m working on that right now.

I had every intention of waking up at 9, getting out of bed, and starting to cook as I watched the Macy’s parade.

What really happen: my alarm went off. I turned it off and fell back asleep. Woke up at 10, realized “hey, we have a tv in the bedroom!” and turned on the Macy’s parade. Alternate between dozing and watching until phone rings. It’s mom. Her turkey is already in the oven. Am I making a turkey?

Hmmm…the turkey is on my porch. In a large pot filled with brine and ice cubes.

OK, drain turkey, turn on oven, phone ring again. It’s Julie! We talk about the parade and how we wish hawks were stronger. And her friend’s aversion to things in cans.

turkey with anti-CIA satellite mind reading protective head gear:

last night:

Kev: so you made…what is that, cranberry stuff?

ESC: yeah, cranberry compote. it’s basically cranberry sauce.

Kev: huh. but you bought the canned stuff too, right?

ESC: um…NO!

Scary thing is, according to my mom, my dad has said the same thing to her in years past, when she’s tried to go fancy with the cranberries

11:30: Just saw that commercial for the new UNO game. The jingle at one point went something like this “you might get one card, you might get eight!” but I swear to GOD it sounded more like “you might get one card, you might get AIDS!”

that would be a really awful game.

2:30 OK, turkey is 25 degrees from being done. gratin is put together. bacon is done for the green beans, sweet potatoes and bananas are baked and cooling, and white potatoes are on the stove, waiting for the boil.

a toy poodle just won best in show. jeebus. hmmm…they have an online dog show for mutts. I’m totally entering Sadie.

************

DONE!

totally done. the food was all ready to go around 4pm. perfect. I never did get around to putting any snacks together, but Kev and i managed to survive by nibbling on chocolate bars and various olive bar treats he picked up during the TWO, count ‘em TWO trips he made to the grocery store (first for a paper and goodies to drink, second because I SWEAR I had another box of frozen spinach in the freezer, dammit!)

but you want to see pictures of the feast, don’t you? THAT’S WHAT YOU PAID FOR, RIGHT???

the turkey, the good side. kev had already started carving before i remember to take a picture. D’OH! I had painted mayo all over the turkey, which probably contributed to the nice golden brown color. mmmmm….this was damn good turkey.

it was moist and flavorful. not at all dry or funky, OR over-salty, which is what i was most concerned about.

greenbeans and bacon, and the sweet potato with bananas and honey. the sweet potatoes were the surprise hit of the night - the bananas made the potatoes sweeter and smoother, and the combination of flavors was amazing. what was also amazing was the crunchy top. obviously, the pecans the recipe called for were out. I crumbled up some cinnamon sugar graham crackers to substitute, and it worked perfectly. i dare say…better than pecans would have been?

spinach gratin (I swear! there is spinach under the cheese!) and the stuffing.

the table is set! the wine is called “7 deadly zins,” which has to be one of my favorite zinfindels. not overly spicy, which is just how i like it. also note our ghetto gravy boat: pyrex measuring cup. i should have registered for an “every day” gravy boat, as the one we got that goes with the good dishes is still at my parents.

all in all, our first thanksgiving together has been a rousing success! and we’re not technically done yet, because there is still PIE! but we had to slip into our tryptophan-induced food comas first, so now that THAT’S out of the way…bring on the pie!!!

10:00pm - big slices of pie and ice cream have long since been devoured. dishes are done, though the roasting pan is still soaking. What will be turkey stock in a few hours is bubbling merrily on the stove, filling the whole condo once again with fragrant turkey scented goodess.

now for your viewing pleasure: pictures of Sadie stalking Kev as he cleans off the turkey bones, hoping for a treat. which she gets, eventually.

ok, i have a video…let’s see if this works!
sorry it’s sideways…