I had a four day weekend (we were on forced furlough Friday) and I'm not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. However, I fear I'd just turn into a sleepy blob with one more day.
Thanksgiving Day was good. I went to BIL's and had a shrimp boil. It's never a traditional turkey dinner at his house! I drank WAAAY too much wine. Felt miserable the next morning. It turns out I CAN get a wine hangover.
Friday I spent preparing for my family to come over on Saturday for our Thanksgiving dinner. I put the make ahead mashed potatoes in the crockpot, so I could just turn them on to warm in the morning, brined the turkey, prepped the celery/onions/broth for stuffing, etc. Less to do when my sisters arrived to prepare their dishes. I despise a crowded kitchen. My one sister is terrible, she aimlessly stands RIGHT in the way. If you aren't doing anything, move to the other side of the counter, please. I also snuck a LUSH bath in on Saturday night right before bed. Ahhhhh. I used a new Santa shaped bomb. I forget the name.
Saturday went ok. Middle sis was very quiet. Other sis brought their puppy and I had to lock the cats up. Ali has been constipated again, and was miserable. Didn't need a puppy chasing her. And the puppy is in cat-chase mode still. Sigh.
Today I spent decorating my new artificial tree for the deck and stringing the white-lit greenery across the front deck area. I put some wintery knick-knacks out around inside the house to give the inside a Christmasy feel, too. Far less stress that dealing with climbing and chewing cats.
This afternoon I spent doing homework. One big paper, three article summaries, and editing my small grant proposal left for this semester.
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9 comments:
I hate a chaotic kitchen, too. We host Christmas Eve and no matter what I do, people decide to stand around in the kitchen while I'm cooking and it drives me nuts. I don't know how they don't know that they're in the way. The kitchen is open to the dining room and they could stand in there and we could still converse. Maybe I'll put yellow footprints on the floor like at the DMV and tell people to stand on them.
Tell me more about make ahead crock pot mashed potatoes. I don't make mashed potatoes for company because they always fail. I tried last year and they were not good. :(
I did sweet potatoes in the crockpot this year. They were yummy!
Where was Chris in all this?
I did crock pot sweet potatoes, too, Breezy! I diced some apples in it and added butter, a little brown sugar, thyme, salt, pepper and cinnamon.
Mashed potatoes:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Make-Ahead-Mashed-Potatoes-501/Detail.aspx
Not really necessary to boil unpeeled potatoes, just make them as usual. Although, I did try doing them unpeeled and there's a lot less waste. Just had to wait for them to cool in order to peel.
When they were done, I mounded the double batch into my big crockpot and refrigerated overnight. Threw them in the crock on medium in the morning and they were piping hot about four hours later. Oh, and I used a little sour cream subbed for some of the half & half.
Chris was outside manning the deep fried turkey. A job I was happy to give away!
You should make a chalk drawing of a dead body on your kitchen floor and tell folks that it was the last person who got in your way.
I've always wanted to do a deep fried turkey. We just don't have the equipment and I know for a fact I'd end up in emergency. I'm clumsy that way.
Poor kitties :(
I purchased too large of a turkey for deep frying. It maxed out the fryer and had to cook about 15 minutes longer than I'd like to get all the way done. Hence, it was drier than any other time we've deep fried the turkey (it's usually insanely moist).
You had a shrimp boil? How coastal of you!
I get a terrible hangover from red wine, but not white or rose.
Mashed potatoes are pretty forgiving of warm-ups. I have never tried it in my slow-cooker, however, because I am kitchen counter challenges at times and the cooker just takes too much room.
Sister is helping you by offering moral support and standing ready to catch you if you suddenly faint. Really - what more can you expect? This is a valuable service! (Altho I love MC's idea of a chalk outline on the kitchen floor.)
I am so glad my homework days are behind me. Of course I work from home but that's a whole different thing.
Oh Yeah - I have no interest in deep fried turkey. The whole concept creeps me out.
I also hate kitchen crowds. I thought I was all good this year. I almost had it all done, then BOOM! In they came. I was so stressed out, I left the rolls in the oven longer than I wanted. They were still fine, but just not what I had planned. I supposed I could have just whipped out another package since everyone decided to bring rolls - that we didn't need. Grrrrr. They are still at the house. I don't need them.
I agree with Swami about the deep-fried turkey. Michael wants to try one. I have no real desire to.
My family can at least poke fun at me for my desire to have people OUT of the kitchen. I mean it was kind of public when we built the kitchen we did. I told people the design was partially so people could still be part of the kitchen, but be out of my way. Apparently the one sis didn't get that message. Next year I may try the body outline to get a laugh!
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