Just holiday rambling....

Thanksgiving was pretty quiet around here. I spent 3 days prepping and configuring food items in the fridge and oven and in 20 minutes it was all gone, albeit well enjoyed. 

I love setting myself up. Makes things go smoothly, quickly and organized.

I am thankful this year. Maybe more so than in other years, I just felt like it, there is no real reason to be.

It was very traditional, although we also had a ham. I de-boned the turkey and cooked just the breast. I made dressing, similar to my Grandmothers (kinda heavy, like bread pudding)...which I didn't know about until my Aunt Pat brought it up via email... although, I did not include raisins in it. (I am a raisin snob, they belong in cereal and the occasional cookie.) Steven made his candied yams... sliced and piled up with layers of butter, pecans, brown sugar and topped with marshmallows. (reminiscent of Anna potatoes). 

We also had Brussels sprouts with bacon, mashed potatoes and 3 desserts: pumpkin-apple butter pie, pecan pie and a pumpkin roll. 

There was a great deal of food for 5 people, but my in laws took food to their shut-in people and we shared with others. I was disappointed in my pie crust, which ended up tough but tasty. I think I over worked it..in fact I am sure I did. Minor mistakes from someone who should know better. Steven is always on me to do better. But, sometimes, in the heat of it, you do what is good enough, especially if you are the only one doing it and there is a ton of other crap you are trying to accomplish and you are out of ingredients. It happens. It happens in restaurants all the time. But, there, you MAKE it happen. Run to the store, do it over and do it right. At home, you get lazy and since being out of work has dwindled the bank account to nil, it is hard to justify doing it over. 

Christmas is coming. It is my favorite just barely above Halloween. It of course has to do with food.

Cookies mainly.. which in the coming weeks will be my focus. I have a list of recipes to try, including pistachio biscotti and damn it....I have to find my pizzelle iron! Arrrrgh! But, there are cookies to be made. 

Anyhow, this Christmas... I will make cookies and we will eat them. 

Thanksgiving is the beginning of the baking season for me, no matter if I am working or not... This is the time of year to bake and I will do so... I am going to try new things, products and flavors, and I'll let you know how that goes. This year, despite the depression, I will bake my way through, and put love in it, because that is all I have left.