What Did You Do For Thanksgiving?

[AletheiaRivers]

I, my husband, my mother and my father went to my sisters house. Also in attendence were my nephew and his wife, and my niece and her girlfriend.

 

I took a Dutch apple pie. My mother made a cream cheese, shrimp dip (with triscuits and wheat thins as dip transports).

 

My niece made the most incredible yams. They were all whipped up and put in a lasagna dish. On top went a "crunch" mixture consisting of butter, brown sugar, flour, pecans and fresh vanilla. It was the most amazing yam dish I've ever had. She also made homemade cranberries with just a touch of cinnamon and orange zest in them.

 

We had turkey and honey baked ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, stuffing, baby peas, and jello "ambrosia."

 

For desert the choices were the apple pie, pumpkin pie, banana cream pie, lemon pie and double chocolate brownies.

 

The drink of choice for the evening was Baccardi's vanilla rum in lime coke. It was the best rum and coke I've ever had!

 

We watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I laughed way too loudly at a movie I've seen way too many times and never get tired of.

 

So spill it: What did you do for Thanksgiving this year? Anything? Nothing? Anything new? Do you have traditions? Put up the tree? Has it snowed where you live? Etc ... etc ...

 

I'm hoping this thread will be more than "I ate too much."

[des]

I went to a friend's house (13 people), I brought an onion caserole (pearl onions, white sauce, homemade croutans). The most unusual dish was some fancy stuffed squash. Looked very pretty and wasn't bad. One of the guys is a vegatarian, but I think he had enough to eat. I am trying to do South beach but didn't for Thanksgiving. However, I like to have all the Thanksgiving stuff in the house for awhile so I cooked a turkey breast. I just basted with olive oil. (Olive oil is allowed on South Beach.) But since I am doing South beach I decided not to do the usual stuffing. I made a low fat version I found on the net with more veggies, nuts, and less bread (all whole wheat) and no butter. I can't claim it was quite as good as the butter filled stuff I am used to, but I thought it was pretty good (better crunchy). So it is definitely a keeper. I made cranberries with Splenda which were good but needed more Splenda--they'll be nice on a sandwich.

 

I had a great time this thanksgiving, better than usual. The group was very funny. Two women claimed they met in jail. Torie, the Corgi, came and had a thanksgiving dinner (turkey, squash, a few peas, and a little kibble). She ate it in record time.

 

--des

[neandergirl]

Went to work, ate cabbage soup, went home, ate peanut butter toast.

[bobve2]

Here goes.

My wife and I went to my parents- in- law for the 36th thanksgiving in a row. I complained all the way to their home(15 minutes) about how long we would have to sit around the table while others were out walking, watching football, hunting etc. My parents in law are traditional. We brought rolls and vegetables. We had 2 crackers with cheese on them and juice for the 36th year in a row. When that was cleared away we had a wonderful meal of great food. It was predictable and unappreciated by me as usual.

 

Just before dessert my wife quietly left the table. I didn't even notice. She was gone several minutes I think. A few of the kids started to leave the table too. I've never done this because I know my Mother in law doesnt like us leaving before everyones finished and it wasn't like my wife to leave either. I saw my wife setting in the other room so I thought I better check to see why she left the table. I went in the other room and asked what was wrong. She told me that something wierd was going on. She was losing her vision, she said. She could not feel her hands or feet. I kept talking to her but she eventially quit responding. I hollared in the other room to call 911 and kept talking to my wife but she did not respond. By the time the Rescue team got their they did what they do and took her the the hospital about 5 minutes away. I followed in my car. By the time I got to the hospital she had come to because of the oxygen they had put her on. Her Blood pressure was at 60/35 and starting to gradually come back up but they could nt do much else without knowing what medication she was on. It was quite evident by then that she was over the worst of it and would seem to be alright for now. I had to drive to our home 15 minutes away to check what pills she was on so they could try to get to the bottom her problems. I had been calm until I began to drive home to get my wifes pills and its then that I got rather emotional and I realized how thankful I am for my wife and how much she means to me.

 

For those of you that read all of this. Thanks. Its now Friday night and my wife is doing very well and in a very mysterious way, yesterday was my best thanksgiving in my 36 years of marriage. Please celebrate with me by counting you blessings.

[October's Autumn]

Ate pot roast went to the grocery store for salad

[October's Autumn]

Here goes.

My wife and I went to my parents- in- law for the 36th thanksgiving in a row.  I complained all the way to their home(15 minutes)  about how long we would have to sit around the table while others were out walking, watching football, hunting  etc.  My parents in law are traditional.  We brought rolls and vegetables.  We had 2 crackers with cheese on them and juice for the 36th year in a row.  When that was cleared away we had a wonderful meal of great food.  It was predictable and unappreciated by me as usual.

 

Just before dessert my wife quietly left the table.  I didn't even notice.  She was gone several minutes I think.  A few of the kids started to leave the table too.    I've never done this because I know my Mother in law doesnt like us leaving before everyones finished and it wasn't like my wife to leave either.  I saw my wife setting in the other room so I thought I better check to see why she left the table.  I went in the other room and asked what was wrong.  She told me that something wierd was going on.  She was losing her vision, she said.  She could not feel her hands or feet.  I kept talking to her but she eventially quit responding.  I hollared in the other room to call 911 and kept talking to my wife but she did not respond.  By the time the Rescue team got their they did what they do and took her the the hospital about 5 minutes away.  I followed in my car.  By the time I got to the hospital she had come to because of the oxygen they had put her on.  Her Blood pressure was at 60/35 and starting to gradually come back up but they could nt do much else without knowing what medication she was on.  It was quite evident by then that she was over the worst of it and would seem to be alright for now.  I had to drive to our home 15 minutes away to check what pills she was on so they could try to get to the bottom her problems.  I had been  calm until I began to drive home to get my wifes pills and its then that I got rather emotional and I realized how thankful I am for my wife and how much she means to me. 

 

For those of you that read all of this. Thanks.  Its now Friday night  and my wife is doing very well and in a very mysterious way,  yesterday was my best thanksgiving in my 36 years of marriage.  Please celebrate with me by counting you blessings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yikes! Glad she is okay, hope they quickly find out what is going on!

[neandergirl]

In celebration of the happy outcome of your close call, I'm busy counting 'course I ran out of fingers and toes really fast.

 

Here's hoping your wife stays healthy.

[bobve2]

Thanks-she's doing real well now. Bob

[AletheiaRivers]

Ah Bob, I'm so sorry that happened and also so glad that she's ok! Was it her medication? I was afraid from your description that she had had a stroke!

 

My prayers are with you.

[Cynthia]

Wow - that'll make you remember gratitude in a hurry!!! I'm so glad that she is doing well.

 

There's a great saying: God will tap you with a feather, then He starts throwing bricks.

 

The moral (imo): Watch for feathers!!!

[AletheiaRivers]

Did you do anything for Thanksgiving this year Cythia? Hmmm? Hmmm? Hmmm?

[flowperson]

I give thanks every day for my life as it is.

 

I had my Mom and Dad over ( both are about 90 ), and we stuffed ourselves with shrimp with cocktail sauce, celery stuffed with Wispride cheddar, whole wheat crackers with sesame seeds on top, sparkling apple cider, roasted turkey breast, casserole-baked traditional bread stuffing, corn, home cooked cranberrys with apple-pear-spices added, raw carrots, raw green onions, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, candied yams with pineapple topping, lime jello with pineapple chunks salad on lettuce topped with sweetened dressing, home baked dinner rolls with currant jelly and butter, home made pumpkin and pecan pie with whipped cream, decaf coffee, and homemade pecan rolls for the next morning.

 

I really like to cook up a storm on special days. A very creative exercise! Mom made the lime jello salad and the yams.

 

BURP!

 

I sent lots and lots of leftovers home with them, they really like to eat good food. So do I, but my capacity certainly isn't what it once was, for anything!

 

Bob, we all hope your wife stays well, and I agree that things like that, once they are past are primary reasons for giving thanks to the supreme being for all that is good.

 

Neandergirl, I thoroughly enjoyed the description of your day. Your description made all of us gluttons feel a might guilty for our indulgences, but only for a little while.

 

Still got leftovers in the freezer, but I ate a salad after work today to ease back into the old routine.

 

Flow....

[des]

But Flow, isn't Neandergirl Korean? I didn't think they did Thanksgiving (at least Nov. Thanksgiving). But certainly you have your feast and celebration days? Is that true?

 

So anyway, I don't feel guilty. I think that those types of days go very far back in our existence as humans and we should just enjoy them.

 

 

 

--des

[neandergirl]

I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to be gluttonous vicariously through the descriptions of feasts here, so it works both ways.

 

I live in Korea, it's not the same thing as being Korean (as people here will point out at every possible opportunity).

 

Koreans have Chusok (lunar calander ao it moves around a bit - usually in Sept/Oct). It is a day of remembering your ancestors - usually involves thoughts of drinking for the men and lots of serving for the women (preparing food to be offered to ancestors and then preparing food to be offered to guests).

 

As I'm not Korean my boss expected me to work over Chusok. So we didn't celebrate that much.

[Cynthia]

Ok A - we had a family thing - I help my M-in-law cook; everybody was friendly, no drama, all good. Traditional food - yum! Excellent pecan pie! Lots of calls to way out of town folk. People recovering from serious sicknesses are all doing well - adds to the gratitude factor. My kids are great about saying appropriate blessings (without prompting! Again, spirituality is so easy for them... very cool). We had plans to camp for the rest of the weekend, but we were waylaid by DH's cold. Oh well. It's nice to just settle in at home.

[neandergirl]

Sorry for posting nearly back to back, but I should add that I quite like peanut butter and am thankful for having plenty of good things to eat even if I don't get to have yummy-scrummy turkey dinners.

 

Sorry if I sounded ungrateful.

[FredP]

We took a trip up to western Michigan to visit my sister and brother-in-law, and their new son Ethan, who was born last Sunday (11/20). So it was the first time the cousins met face-to-face -- even though John has met Ethan face-to-belly. My mom has been with them for the last two weeks to help my sister with labor and adjusting to motherhood, so she was with us as well. The weekend went way too fast. We crashed in-laws' Thanksgiving celebrations on both Thursday and Friday, so much turkey and stuffing was had by all. It's nice to be back in our own home again, though.

 

A blessed first Sunday of Advent to everyone.

[des]

Hi Neanderthal girl,

 

If you aren't Korean, where did you come from originally?

 

 

BTW, I agree with you. You can be grateful for what you have. I don't normally eat turkey, dressing, and so on (well lots of

GROUND turkey-- not quite the same). Still I am happy to have a good diet and the means to afford it (to some extent).

 

 

 

--des

[neandergirl]

I'm a Canadian citizen. Ground turkey? As in turkey 'hamburger'? Or something a little more, umm, squirrely?

[flowperson]

My casual, one-person survey of the passing scenes of life have convinced me that Canadians are happier people than Americans.

Why is that? Health care or better beer?

 

flow....

[Cynthia]

I'd vote government!

[des]

Ah, Canada! Are you homesick?

I think a better health care system might make me happier. Was a major factor in not being able to continue to do private practice-- no insurance, and no one would insure me.

 

Yes, turkey hamburger. I don't see it marked like that anymore, but I think it once was. I use it in place of ground beef these days for everythign from burgers to meatloaf to spaghetti, to chili. To make a good burger you need to add veggies: mushrooms, onions, shallots, etc.

 

No squirrels or possum. Ma might be Southern, but she'd be city folk, ya'll. ;-)

Gosh darn, though speaking of food. I remember those wonderful Southern dinners (at lunch of course) with chicken fried in bacon fat, green beans or greens with more pork fat, and bisquits-- and tiny (6 oz) bottles of Coke. (As my sister said as we came into Huntsville Alabama-- we're in Coke country. And we were.)

 

--des

 

 

I'm a Canadian citizen. Ground turkey? As in turkey 'hamburger'? Or something a little more, umm, squirrely?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[neandergirl]

I'm sort of used to not being 'home' - basically a child of nomads so, although I miss some people and some things, homesickness isn't much of a problem.

 

I am however a big (industrial size) fan of good food and heartily miss that; if I admit to being a Pepsian rather than a Cokist will I be burned at the stake?

[flowperson]

The Uncola, Shasta cream soda and orange for me; and, since I'm an oldster, caffeine-free diet Cokes once in a while for variety.

Fruit nectars are also great, especially peach and apricot. Kern's has got the nearest-to-natural flavors I think.

And relax neandergirl, we don't burn Pepsians at the stake anymore. But we might find reason to send them to our vacation villas in Romania or Poland for some re-education and therapy from time to time..

 

flow....

[FredP]

Yes, turkey hamburger. I don't see it marked like that anymore, but I think it once was. I use it in place of ground beef these days for everythign from burgers to meatloaf to spaghetti, to chili. To make a good burger you need to add veggies: mushrooms, onions, shallots, etc.

My wife makes a killer turkey meatloaf patty thingy. You mix onions and mushrooms in with the ground turkey and form it into patties, then cook it in cream of mushroom soup, with even more mushrooms added if desired. Obviously, season to taste. Of course, if you don't like mushrooms, I recommend against it.