Hey there my little turkeys!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day yesterday…or just a fast and painless Thursday for all my international friends out there. đ I have to say this was probably one of my favorite Thanksgivings in recent years. The meal came together great and I had all of my favorite people around the dinner lunch table.
Everyone in my family works a different schedule so even though we live close to one another, it is so hard to get us ALL together under one roof. This year not only found us all in one place to share a meal, but also allowed us time to create the meal together which is always my favorite part about Thanksgiving…even if I do have a couple of tiny panic attacks while doing it.
At 10am, the three Powers women set to work creating the Thanksgiving Day feast…after about fifteen takes to get the right selfie anyway. đ
Mom had already been busying putting her little special touches around the kitchen AND setting the table including the newest in her collection of salt and pepper shakers. Aren’t these little guys the cutest? I mean, they’re no match for my Nuts, but how can you not find it endearing to turn little porcelain people upside down and shake shit out of their heads?
I set to work on the most important thing first…getting my drink on!
Umm…err…I mean making my Boozy Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce! And I only almost burnt it like THREEÂ times in 30 minutes!
Note to self: Don’t turn your back on anything on mom’s stove!
Amidst cranberry sauce freak outs involving a change in pots due to sticking, I trimmed and chopped and whispered sweet nothings to my dear, dear Brussels sprouts. Did you know it’s “BrusselS sprouts” with an “s”? Yeah, I’m a dumb ass. Thanks Google. But seriously, I can’t WAIT to share the recipe I came up with for these babies because they came out fantastically! Even the veggie hater at the table went back for more!
While Tori was hard at work pipping and prettifying the eggs…which we just allowed to be devilish this year…mom was throwing the chicken in the oven, fluffing up with stuffing, and stirring up some sweet (and I do mean SWEET) sugary goodness. Did you know my mom has like five hands? I know, you don’t have to tell me…she’s awesome.
And thirty minutes later, we sat down to this…
There was also some steamed corn, pickled beets, and the only two things specially requested by my dad: ants on a log minus the ants and a cranberry-flavored gelatinous mold in the shape of an aluminum can.
Two minutes (and about five pictures later), I was digging into the most delicious meal I’ve had in weeks. Twenty minutes after that, I was clearing the table. And an HOUR AND A HALF after that, I finally finished washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen…or as I like to call it, playing kitchen fairy for my mom. đ
Unfortunately, dad had to go to work after the meal, but we did a little family workout in his honor with this movie. Nothing like a some good ab work while simultaneously sinking into the couch cushions!
Of course, laughing always works up an appetite…
And apparently my mom and sister were working their ninja moves because I didn’t even hear them in the kitchen before they attacked the pumpkin pie. So this is my only pic…#foodbloggerfail
I ninja’d myself a sliver off my mom’s slice, but really, I was eyeballing the fruit salad IÂ prepared around the time of cranberry sauce freakout #2. Enjoyed with a big o’ scoop of ice cream WHIPPED CREAM, it was seriously heaven!
I only wish I could say the same about that gorgeous pecan pie. Just goes to show…sometimes you should keep things classic. While the pie smelled freaking AMAZING while and just after cooking, once cut into and tasted, not so much. With all the pretzels and chocolate chips inside, it didn’t get that quintessential layer of “sugar goo” below the pecans and the one teaspoon of orange zest included in the recipe was WAY too much for any of our tastes.
I was kinda bummed out for a while because well, I am my mother’s daughter and I hate it when things aren’t perfect, but after sleeping on it (the feelings, not the pie), I’m considering it a learning experience…and my contribution to the endless amount of leftovers that will be gracing the break room at work this weekend.
Plus, I have a lot to be thankful for, including but not limited to pulling off a cancer-free cranberry sauce, sharing a meal and making memories with the people I love, and having the next three weeks to practice making the PERFECT pecan pie that will grace our table come Christmas Day! đ
What was your favorite item on the table this year?
Any big plans for the weekend?
The fast and painless fraction here ;). Let’s no talk about today but yes, yesterday was okay. I’m so happy to hear you had an exceptionally amazing Thanksgiving. You mentioned the difficulties of getting together as a whole family for the holidays before so a hip hip hurrah for that. <- I clearly had too much coffee for my good today.
United Powers [women] in the kitchen! How is every picture of you, Tori and your mum just perfect?? Great genes, beautiful family. (: No matter if it took you one, 15 or 100 tries.
And ooooh, how didn't I think of this before?? You NEED to try Engadiner Nusstorte! It's a specialty my grandma bakes around Christmas time every year and probably one of the few times I actually like walnuts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCndner_Nusstorte
Hmm, I might look into that. For now the focus is on replenishing my stash of pecans so I can attempt an appropriate “do over” for Christmas. Ha! The pie baking experience did stir the baking bug in me just a bit though. I started thinking back to the Christmases about 5-6 years ago where I baked dozens of cookies and gave them as gifts wrapped up in specially picked cookie jars! My kitchen looked like an absolute disaster but it was so much fun experimenting with new recipes!
Too funny, my sister and I were just trying to explain the art of the selfie to her today…and the fact that it almost always takes 15+ tries AND a good photo editing app to enhance our *fluffs hair* natural beauty! đ
It was a great day all around and yes, so so good to get everyone under the same roof at once! All the more reason to look forward to Christmas…where we get to do it all over again! đ
Those Brussels Sprouts look so good! I must try those…. đ
I had a very uneventful Thanksgiving which is a new one.. I usually have to work and it is usually chaos at my Mother’s house… this year no work and a nice small gathering. No annoying people! (yes I said it) đ
I enjoyed a little bit of everything but my favorite by far are the deviled eggs… I love those suckers……..
Oh yeah, another deviled egg lover!! Woo hoo! I swear I get the weirdest “looks” sometimes when I mention having them on any holiday other than Easter…like who declared them only to be a springtime enjoyment?! Ha! Glad to hear you had a pleasant/uneventful holiday free of annoying family members (we all have at least one, don’t we?)! đ
Mmm looks like an awesome Thanksgiving! That’s too bad the pecan pie wasn’t to your liking, but I’m sure you’ll get the recipe down pat next time. đ
I watched We’re the Millers with my family a couple months ago and we howled at it too. I wasn’t expecting it to be so funny!
Awww it sounds like you guys had a great time! And BOTH of those pies look amazing!!! đ We went to my sister in laws house so it was my whole family and her whole family! It was awesome!
Well hello there my pretty red-headed amazing accented turkey. I love that your guzzling wine like a boss and have inspired me to go pick up a bottle of barefoot on this lonely Sunday afternoon. Is it noon yet?! I made bacon wrapped brussle sprouts covered in butter and brown sugar. Country meets soul food, yet? And that pie looks divine. Have you seen the first season of true blood when skokie is eating the pecan pie at the table in the last episode crying over her grandma? It looks better than that.
Weird analogy, but you get me right? Sending you love and positive vibes ~
I almost forgot about that part (or well, actually I DID forget but you just reminded me)! Haha! Aww, love you girlie! And yeah, totally drooling over the mental picture I’m creating of that country slash soul food! Brilliant!
My favorite items where fried turkey and cranberry sauce, but mine had the booze on the side;)