The Turkey's In the Oven and other Thanksgiving Notes

We took a break from Thanksgiving prep last night to meet Teri, Brian, Naomi and Eric for a happy hour drink. It also gave us a chance to sign the petition for Naomi to be a delegate for Bernie Sanders. There's something I love about being at the Esquire right before a holiday. It's buzzing and you get the feeling that people visiting from out of town are visiting their old haunt. The servers are working their asses off but hopefully getting good tips. It always makes me feel that we are in the midst of a lively small town, which I guess we are.

Bonnie and Kerry working hard behind the bar while we relax....

We tumbled home in time to bake our meat pie (tourtiere) and make some coleslaw to serve along with the pickled beets and cranberry sauce. I over-cloved it a bit but it was still delicious. The boys don't care for our traditional meat pie but that's o.k. because I don't think I really liked it until I was  older and even though he declined, Owen did admit that it smells like the holidays. VICTORY!

thinking of our beloved Lee Winckler, antique dealer, tinsmith, and charmer, as we core apples with the corer he made us.

well, nobody will wonder if it's really homemade....

As I said on facebook yesterday afternoon, the only problem trying to get a lot done the day before Thanksgiving is....getting a lot done the day before Thanksgiving. I did wonder if it was the same thing as when we tried to break up the drive to Clemson into two days when the boys were small. Somehow if felt like two twelve hour days instead of two six hour days.

Piecrust. Sigh. Well, still to be conquered, although I do appreciate all the support. Owen LITERALLY had to wipe my brow when I was trying to get the damn thing in the pan. How did I get involved in the piecrust anyway? It's supposed to be Ernie's thing....we all know I can't bake. I did so some cooking which somehow led Ernie to musing that I was kind of becoming Sookie from the Gilmore Girls. I, however, was not offended, but rather flattered.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am extraordinarily grateful for my friends and family, near and far. There's always next year for the piecrust....

roasted the butternut squash with some olive oil and smoked paprika before we put the turkey in.....