Thanksgiving 2023

Our Thanksgiving (just the two of us) was a bit of a mess but probably good for future anecdotes.

Intended menu was Field Roast roasts, mushroom/veggie stuffing/dressing, homemade dinner rolls, roasted sprouts with garlic, green beans with almonds, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, store bought pumpkin and pecan pies with real whipped cream.

What we ended up with:

(Field Roast Roast, green beans with toasted almonds, sprouts with two heads of garlic, mashed potatoes.)

The messiness (click here to skip the drama and instead enjoy a photo of our resident polydactyl):

  • We have been battling a virus (Covid tests have been negative) for several weeks, so groceries weren’t purchased until Wednesday afternoon.

  • Intent was to prep most things (broth for the stuffing and for basting the roasts, prepping the sprouts, making the stuffing and mushroom gravy) after shopping. But once the groceries were unpacked (including the four pies [I only remember putting two in the cart!]), I was exhausted and decided to nap for an hour.

  • Cats woke me a little over five hours later.

  • Did the evening cat care stuff and decided to get up early to start cooking.

  • Slept for 11 hours, woke, and felt like crud. Told partner I was delaying the cooking until the weekend. Went back to bed.

  • Woke again late morning to sound of partner vacuuming and scrubbing; he’d decided that house needed cleaning (it did!) and so he was doing it.

  • Guilt is an excellent motivator, so I staggered out of bed, chugged a mug of coffee, found my apron, and reassessed the menu. Decided to start with prepping all the veggies.

  • It took me over two hours to trim and quarter the sprouts.

  • Reassessed the menu, again, and nixed the stuffing, gravy, and rolls. Used the fresh herbs (intended for the broth) on the roasts and basted with olive oil rather than broth).

  • Dinner, such as it was, was served at 7:30. Partner was surprised and appreciative (and had seconds), I made myself a plate, had a few bites, and was back in bed before 8:15.

  • Slept most of Friday, I think. Was more functional by Saturday afternoon.

  • Partner was sick and down for the count Sunday.

  • We have lots of leftovers.

  • I froze the two “surprise” pies.

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