Days and days of feasts have filled my days. Yours too perhaps? I think most likely, yes. I hope you had a wonderful holiday. I had a super lovely time cooking. Organization and cleaning as you go makes for a splendid holiday. I found that out ;)
(My vintage tablecloth made everyone smile - it has crabs and fish and roosters on it too)
Paula Deen's pumpkin cheesecake was a massive hit. Her crust of graham crackers, melted butter and brown sugar sort of turns into toffee. There should be novels written about that crust :)
My turkey was beautiful. Thank heavens.
(Mom's tips deserve the credit)
I covered it in real butter, sliding some under the skin too.
I filled it with herbs from my garden, and apples and lemons and onions and salt and pepper.
I chopped up a bed of sweet onions, carrots and celery for it to cook on.
I threw the bed of veggies in an oven bake bag.
Then slid the turkey in over that.
I drowned the whole thing in chardonnay.
Then I put bundles of parsley and thyme and rosemary from my garden, with more spices, right on top.
I stuck a disposable pop up thermometer in my wee bird, poked some holes in the top of the oven bake bag...
And 2.5 hours later...
Yumms.
Mister was a vegetarian his whole life. But, not so much anymore.
We had spinach, and stuffing which I make with all sorts of sliced nuts and currants.
There were mashed potatoes, as well as mashed brown sugar and butter sweet potatoes.
We fed our friends, and sent bundles of food home with them.
Instruments and song filled the room.
My lovely neighbor and I (she just moved back to the neighborhood -yay- and I had not met her before), exchanged edibles.
She hand made these. (most were eaten prior to the photo)
I know - beautiful artisan bread for certain.
And I gave her this.
Made with one of my twin pumpkins.
She took it on a car voyage to share with family.
Isn't that lovely?
I love neighborly sharing.
I decided to make a cottage pie (sort of shepherd's pie), with leftovers. So, I heated up a pot with olive oil...
Then I caramelized some onions and browned some mushrooms in it.
I tossed in the left over turkey, browning it a bit, then tossed in the stuffing, letting it all meld together.
Then I poured (err, globbed) in 2 cups of gravy.
I also took all the carrots that the turkey was cooked on (they were so good btw), and tossed them in.
I took a baking dish, and spooned in the cooked mixture. Then I covered it with all the cold mashed potatoes we had left. ( I mixed in a huge spoonful of sweet potatoes, with the regular mashed taters, for color)
Make sure to take a fork and make some peaks in the mashed potato topping so it can brown real good.
I cooked it for 30 minutes at 400' F.
When the timer rang, I promptly took the dish, and popped it into the broiler and set the oven to broil. Leaving it in the broiler for about 7 mins, until the whole thing was toasty and nicely browned, with blackened peaks.
Today is "end of leftovers day," and we get to enjoy it with a turkey cottage pie.
Yumm.
I have to say, the best part of the last few days (aside from enjoying days with both my boys), have been nights with my furry boy.
Matty's daddy snapped this while we slept on the sofa. Matty has taken to hugging a lot the last couple of months. I say "Matty hug," and he either puts his paws around my neck, or squishes up real close and puts his head on my shoulder.
Be still my heart.
I love this little boy.
With Matty beautifully snoring, and warming me by night, I have been dreaming of Baby as a tiny puppy, in the most beautiful place I have ever seen. (in real life, I never knew her as a tiny puppy, as I met her when she was almost 1 year old)
I won't say more or I will cry.
Again.
I have been having major animal dreams. And, they take me to the most love filled peaceful places I have ever been.
A kitty even blew a kiss at me in one dream.
She made perfect kissy lips, and went SMACK in the air.
Isn't that funny?
I found her under a pile of my laundry. (in my dream)
She was the spitting image of a cat I lost when I was 10, and I was calling her Matty.
Yellow and white with a big squishy face.
Kooky lovely dreams.
Matty and I have been falling asleep listening to this (the 1:48 mark really gets me)...
Bliss sigh...
How are you?
Is your belly super full?
I hope so :)
I best be off, my paint and clay are waiting.
I am busily painting, sculpting clay, holiday decorating and enjoying the day majorly.
I hope you are too ;)
See you soooooon!
ps: Did you munch anything out of the ordinary? Did anything super funny, or awful or wonderful happen in your world on Thanksgiving? My Mom and Dad had their first childless Thanksgiving ever. But, they got to be with my granny and grandpa and aunt and cousins etc.
I wish I had some juicy tales about my Thanksgiving :)