Thanksgiving or Bust!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the last of the pie has been eaten up...thanks to me.

The dinner preparations began Wednesday

Oops!

But nothing that can't be fixed.

and I planned to photo document my steps but around 1:00 in the afternoon when my feet almost gave out on me and my eyes started tearing uncontrollably due to the onions I was cutting for the stuffing, and my nose running which caused me to take a minute to blow it which then caused a bloody nose, typical Whit, which then lead to me stuffing a sheet of paper towel up my nose, not pleasant, while blinded by onions in order to get back to chopping, let's just say it wasn't a pretty site and the pictures stopped.

(And for anyone reading this that participated in our dinner, I washed my hands, I washed my hands, I washed my hands, there was no actual blood drippage anywhere near the food, all was sanitary!) When the big day rolled around I was convinced I would have everything warm and on the table on time...yeah right!

Our little bird

The Turkey cooked in half the time I expected, I doubled the roll recipe (I used Afton's cousins) which started to overflow my Bosch so I just dumped half of it when I couldn't fit it in my largest bowl, and yes folks it still needed to double in size!

I started runnning around like a "Turkey" with my head cut off trying to cook the rolls and green beans, warm the spinach dip and stuffing while trying to make gravy which always takes longer then expected! It was crazy in the end and some of the food was cold but I think everything at least tasted pretty good, it had a nice flavor. I decided in order to entertain the way I would like, a double oven is a must and until then, cold food will always be my biggest nemesis!

Green beans, prier to cooking

There were no doors taken down this year to be used as our table (see Thanksgiving 08') and my last minute attempt to make Martha Stewart's hanging tissue paper puffs over my table never came to be...I made one and it looked ridiculous, never mind because the friends arrived and the festivities were underway ready or not. Our usually empty house filled with loving friends and the sounds and smells of the holidays.

Thank you everyone that came and helped make Thanksgiving 2009 a success, I love doing this and look forward to next year!

I love you!

I must take a moment and express my appreciation for my new found love...

MR. Clean

MAGIC ERASERS

This product will change your life. I first purchased the bathroom sponge and went to town on my tub, and miracles happened folks, miracles. The next purchase was the "Original" eraser and I went to work on my 1970's kitchen and a miracle happened again!

I used my new love in my sink and it took 10 years off at least. I even had rust marks on my laminate counter from letting a pot sit out too long and they came off with ease, even the red fruit juice stain...GONE!

Christopher has taken up to coloring on things he shouldn't but never fear, Mr. Clean is here.

(Sing it)

Mr. Clean Mr.Clean

From one housewife to another, go pick these up today!

Thanksgiving Prep, are you up for it?

So Thanksgiving is around the corner and preparations have begun!

I love hosting dinners at my house besides the fact that I can't talk, I am painfully shy and cooped up in a house with a 16 month old doesn't give me much practice, but someday I will write a book. The book will be very short because I still will not get the timing down so the veggies will be cold and the meat under cooked and then I will always battle myself on trying to add one more unnecessary yet potentially tasty dish to the menu.

Enough said, I am trying it out again, THANKSGIVING 2010 !

Christopher took a great nap the other day, which had me locked up with the dogs in the computer room for three hours so needless to say, I have my Thanksgiving menu planned, shopping list started, timeline written, recipes researched, and saved all in my Thanksgiving file on the desktop. I am usually not crazy, I am just going to go ahead and blame this one on my mom and sisters who are crazy list makers, or planning events months in advance (Karen).

I am keeping the menu traditional, because I am not big on change and I don't want to throw anyone for a loop. Besides the best parts about Thanksgiving dinner are: #1 Rolls; #2 Potatoes; #3 Dessert; and #4 Stuffing.

I have the Turkey purchased today so it can properly defrost in the fridge so I don't accidentally give anyone food poisoning. I also spent the other morning up to my eyeballs in pie dough making and freezing 6 crusts for the big day. Now six pies are probably even more then I could eat but in my recipe hunt I read about a lady that always made extra dough for chicken (Turkey) pot pie in order to use up the left overs, geniu-u-u-s-s-s!

So here is the Menu:

(We will have to compare and see what actually happens on the big day)

Appetizer

Hot spinach artichoke dip (Houston's Recipe)

Lime Punch (Paula Deen)

Dinner

Turkey (Alton Browns brine recipe from 2009)

Rolls and jam (Recipe undecided)

Potatoes and gravy (Martha Stewart's moms recipe)

Sweet potatoes (these always scare me but a friend promises her recipe will make me wantingmore, so she gets to make it)

Southern Mac-n-cheese (for the kiddos, a friend is making this one)

Cranberry sauce (the jellied kind from a can, call it nasty but it is oh so good)

Stuffing (Not from a box folks, I purchased the bread today so we will see what comes of it)

Corn

Glazed carrots

Green bean bacon bundles (Paula Deen)

Dessert

Pumpkin Chiffon pie (Grandma Paul's recipe)

Pecan pie (I going with moms recipe this year, pat yourself on the back mom, it's ok)

Apple pie w/ ice cream (America's Test Kitchen, don't fail me now)

Mile high lemon meringue pie (Cooks country)

Whew, and that is it folks! I am not making everything, I have some very helpful friends but I am up for the challenge.

I am off, wish me luck!

*This is soo not interesting to anyone but maybe my great-great-grandkids will want to know where the Pumpkin Chiffon pie they eat comes from...

Jeans, ahhh

Oh how I hate freshly laundered jeans!

I hate that they show me that I really haven't lost any weight despite the fact that they were falling off prior to being washed.

Bulging pockets, tight thighs and the dreaded muffin top (the pooch hanging over the top of the jeans)

Oh how I hate freshly laundered jeans!

A cultural day out in Lubbock

Bryan's mom came in town this past weekend so we decided to take her to the Heritage Museum. Bryan and I had not been, so it was a perfect excuse to go, especially with the weather being so nice. The Heritage Museum is 16 acres of land where they have relocated or replicated old ranching homes for you to tour.

Christopher broke free from his stroller and headed for the plains of Lubbock.

Going, Going, Going

Caught!

Happy Family, there was no chance Christopher was going to cooperate.

Dad and Son

We had a fun time but Christopher was finished so we didn't quite see all of it, so maybe another day.

Grandma and Christopher posing in front of the cowboy with the chew in his cheek... only in Texas

Thank you for having us Heritage Museum, and thank you for being FREE!

This little boy had a long day... Is there anything as cute as a sleeping baby?

Photo Restoration

My mom asked me to work on a couple of photos for a genealogy gift she is working on for Christmas.

Here is what I was able to do...

Before

After

I was pretty impressed If I do say so myself, I think I feel that way because this picture took a while.