We had a very nice Thanksgiving day. Breakfast was just whatever you could find/wanted. I put the turkey in the oven at 10:30 and it was ready at 2:15. It had the little pop up thermometer in it. Last year was the first year I did not make the stuffing before and stuffed some inside the bird. We had to go pickup my mom and I wanted to shorten the cooking time, so then I just made the stuffing at the end, which I actually liked better than making it before I put the bird in the oven and then have to reheat it at the end. So, I didn't stuff it again this year. Oh...and my 2nd year of defrosting the turkey in a higher sided pan so no leaked juice spilled inside my fridge and on the floor as I'm trying to pull it out the baking sheet......not one drop of juice in the pan again, LOL.
We ate around 2:45 or so. Whew was I so tired by the time we were done eating. I had no energy. We sat awhile but around 4 dd and I got up and started cleaning up. She has always been the dishes/kitchen cleaner after these big meals, even when she was a kid. It's awesome, LOL. While I got the rest of the turkey off the bird for leftovers, she had most of the kitchen clean by then.
We all took a nap afterwards. We had kind of planned to start on some Christmas decorating but I don't think either of us really had the gumption, even after the naps. So, we had SIL "cast" their Scotland trip pictures to our tv and looked at those in a slide show. DH called our old "good neighbor", as he always does, to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving.
Amos is not very happy having a dog visitor here, but he's gradually coming around. He spends most of his time up on a shelf in my closet as his safe spot.
The cake was such a hit we all ended up having cake for dessert instead of pumpkin pie, LOL. I'm thinking of having a slice of pie for breakfast, LOL.
Today we are going in to see my mom. I decided we'll go in after her lunch time. To have time to visit with her before she goes to lunch (usually they start heading them to the dining room at 11:15) we'd have to get out of here by 9:30 and I didn't think any of us (especially dh) would want to get up and ready to go by then. So, we'll leave here about noon and get there after she's had lunch, but before a 1pm activity would start.
I also want to stop at either Home Depot or Lowes and pick up the fresh Christmas wreaths we put along our fence and at the front of our patio wood beam. I think we got last years at Home Depot and they had them cheaper there. Hopefully the store won't be too crowded for Black Friday. I remember the first year we moved here, they came over for Thanksgiving and we went into the city on Black Friday because they wanted to buy a washer and dryer set for their new home, at Lowes. No sales tax here, so they saved almost 10%. Anyway we went there and a couple other stores and were just amazed at how empty the stores were! So different from a BF where we came from. But every year since then, that I have been in the city on BF, it's never been like that again.
At least dinner will be easy tonight - leftovers.
Even dd mentioned that getting the dinner made was a lot easier not also having to try to have my mom here. I can't imagine how exhausted I would have been yesterday (even more than I was). Not to mention then having to deal with the sundowning right after dinner. And no more stressing out so bad having her here overnight, where she would wander. It's also so comforting to know she's in a safe place, being taken care of this year.
I hear people getting up. Time to go.
Good morning! I cooked a 12.79 pound whole turkey. Quite a change, because I normally just do a turkey breast. I put it in the oven at 10, figuring 4 hours. Mine had a pop up indicator too, and it popped up at 12:30. but turkey was nowhere near done! (I always cut into my roasts to see if they are done anyway.) Turkey came out at 2, and the sides were put in while I tented the turkey. I was worried, as it's been YEARS since I've cooked a whole turkey, but it was wonderful. Sides were stuffing casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. Desserts were carrot cake, Boston cream pie, or chocolate cream pie. (Don't be too impressed, because while the two cakes were scratch made, as the latter was made with instant pudding mix, sour cream, and a pre-made crust.) Appetizers were loaded potato skins, deviled eggs, and a store-bought charcuterie board. I made the desserts and appetizers the day before, and by the time I got to the chocolate cream pie, I was exhausted! I made the sides in the morning, (except for the mashed potatoes) so all I really needed to do after my shower was watch the oven, eat appetizers, drink mimosas, and enjoy the family. Kids offered to do the dishes, but by that time, I wanted some quiet, so I shooed them out of the kitchen. We had very few leftovers--just some turkey, a bit of stuffing casserole and the gravy. Full confession: I didn't bother to save the stuffing, and I tossed the turkey carcass after getting the last of the meat off of it. I used to cook the carcass and pressure can my own broth, but those days are over! After I regrouped, I did a bit of decorating--table runner, candleholders, quilts, my pretty lantern, but NONE of us had the energy to put up the artificial tree we use in the family room (woodstove in there, and I'm cautious. We put a real tree in the living room/sun room), so I neatly folded the table runner I had just set on the dining room table, and began to piece a Christmas themed jigsaw puzzle! Good luck in town. It used to be so manageable here, even in "town," but no longer. I'm going to avoid it as much as possible before Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI think I would be terrified to have a person at my house that wandered. My grandmother wandered down a busy highway when she lived with us. I am not sure how they found out where she came from and got her back to us.
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving sounded like a good one. Turkeys and chicken usually don't leak so much when first thawed. A day later taking them out of the refrigerator is when they are really oozing liquid. Well, that is my take.
Can you give me a link for the cow puzzle? Tommy's family is from Scotland and he was enthusiastic about the cows when I mentioned them. He needs an activity for his mind this winter. Thanks.
Here is the link, but I paid $27.99. There were quite a few Amazon sellers with differing prices for the same thing.
Deletehttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFW11R64?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
It sounds like everything went off wonderfully. Exhausting but lovely! Happy belated Thanksgiving!
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