All we have to do? Show up!

My daughter and her boyfriend are cooking, and they put on a real show!

I will take pictures and eat, and talk, and drink and have a great time...

All I have to do is a little traveling, no cooking involved. We do not discuss politics at family events. It will be a good day.

I'm helping at the free and open Thanksgiving dinner at the local Unitarian church. We've been doing this since long before I showed up here and we've had up to a hundred people showing up. Usually more like 50, but it's a welcome place for those who have no other. And some who do, but prefer it here for their own reasons.

For the rare Jewish Thanksgiving this year, I'll be making kugel and sweet potato latkes in addition to my usual pumpkin soup.

Was hoping to play around with some of those combo recipes.

talking on NPR this morning and realized there's a lot of Jewish comfort food that fits right in with our traditional stuff.

As it should.

Do play with at least one.

now you did it!

The last of my family, my older brother, lives right up the road. He and his girlfriend probably will go to Hometown Buffet for their Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of joining them, I'll probably head over to our local food bank to help with their holiday meal for people who are homeless or struggling. If there's enough left at the end, the volunteers usually get fed, too.

Not that I won't also be dining in style around, if not on, the holiday. The supermarket holiday sales are a great time to pick up a couple of standing rib roasts at a good price. I'll cut them into thick steaks and freeze them for roasting or grilling--with Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, veggies, biscuits, and a nice wine. (Oh, who am I kidding? A cheap cabernet will do. )

The fat can also be rendered for more drippings for Yorkshire pudding, and makes delicious beef rinds. And if I come up short on drippings for the pudding, I add some drippings from hickory-smoked bacon to make up the difference.

I tend to be on the skinny side, so no one begrudges me for eating well when I can.

But the night before, we're going to a Thanksgiving Eve feast at a local pub/restaurant for seasonal craft beers and holiday eats.

Now if the homegrown craft reefer market would just takeoff in popularity....

Some purple kush or a little crippy vintage would be great!

Driving to NJ to be with daughter, son in law, and his family, in daughter's NEW house (just moved in last week!) and she's expecting baby in few weeks. Hope weather's OK for the solo drive (tomorrow.) I'll help her cook and whatever, and considering her condition, I expect we'll do it without too much exertion. Hope I'm right about that!

Good luck to all!

My brother-in-law will be bitchy and whiny and he'll start fighting with my parents and my sister. My sister-in-law will get so drunk she'll piss her pants and fight with my brother. And I get to share a bedroom with the cat. I'd say I have it good, considering.

But I'd prob'ly fall off from laffin'.

Expect it to be a harmonious group.

One son, and his SO. The SO of our other son (who is in Berlin until next July
on a Fulbright). An older couple who are friends of ours.

Not a Republican in the group.

I work 2nd shift. Hopefully the overstuffers won't hit the ED until after I've gone home, or at least until after the 3rd shift tech arrives.

I am way behind on my online training, so have to get them finished. Also I have to do something with my performance review. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to to with it and I forget how to find it online and the last time I was supposed to do something with it, after I tried to do whatever I was supposed to do they sent out an email apologizing for the email saying we were supposed to do something because they sent it by accident. And since according to their memo last summer, all their employees got a raise, except we the per diems *didn't* get a raise, I don't know why I'm supposed to give a flying fuck about the review.

I will be bringing my own food with me. I'm not sure what just yet...I'll put it together on Wednesday. When I worked Thanksgiving 2 years ago, they offered a slab of boiled ham out of a can, a pile of mashed potatoes made from a box, and canned green beans. And then had the gall to charge $5.00 for it. I won't make that mistake twice.

Locked, stocked and ready.

In a holding pattern awaiting the white stuff!

Doing the Turkey, the dessert, some sides and soup!

this year but I'm ready to go. Got the turkey with a dry brine in the fridge and the rest of the ingredients are set.

I have my menu orders from the family way in advance so it's usually a pretty smooth day.

Not only that my MIL shows up with a case of wine and she brought me a big bottle of Makers Mark.

I'm just hoping my brother doesn't start talking about Israel and Iran.

He's smarter than me and is better at arguing and I don't even try anymore.

We are picking up our already prepared food from a good restaurant here in L.A. No relatives, and best of all no kids on Thxgvng!!

going to dad's today or tomorrow to get the turkey rubbed down, sister is getting the pie crusts together today and i'll go back after work tomorrow to help bang out the rest of the prep and then just stay the night.

it's just my dad, sister, husband and i this year.

There's almost nothing for me to do.

Tomorrow I'll make a salad. Thursday morning the salad and I will travel about 20 miles to my son's house, where he, my DIL, and my grandson will have done all the work. At some point, they'll ask me to make the gravy.

We'll have 6 people, since my other son and his family is 1200 miles away and not traveling for the holiday. No big fuss. My mom will make stuffing at her house and bring it...her specialty. My dil's father will bring a selection of pies. Son and family will supply everything else.

This year, I've been put on a very restricted diet to deal with some health issues. It's working. I told my son not to worry; I can put a little turkey on top of the salad I'm bringing, and I'll be fine.

He and his family are concerned about that. They don't want me to be "left out" of all the goodies, even though it's not bothering me. Sunday night he called me with a list of questions about what is on, and not. Based on the questions, I believe he's trying to concoct some sort of fat-free, sugar-free stevia-sweetened dessert. Whatever it is, I'll eat it and tell him it's wonderful, because he is.

I see these people all of the time. I love them. We enjoy each other's company. We don't talk politics at family gatherings.

Steaks, potatoes, something green, and three football games.

Going out tonight or tomorrow to shop.

The list is complete. I cannot wait!

Bring on the football games!!

Ready to rock the bird!

Brining the turkey and his "reverse cooking" technique makes it easy (no opening the oven or basting...no FIRES from oil!) and when the digital temp probe goes off it's time to hear the ooh's and ahh's from my brother's family!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

The husband is playing up north Thur. and Fri. My son and DIL moved to MO in October.

I'm making dinner on Saturday, but it will be weird and a little depressing. Not looking forward to the holiday thing this year.

I'm making a big dinner for just four of us. Hop on a plane and head to Alaska.

Thanks.

I'll be okay. And, no offense, but if I could afford a flight, I'd be headed to KCMO and then offta Chicago to see my big brother and sister.

You made my day, though.

Not traveling.
Working Wed-Thurs-Fri.
Ready to eat mom's yummy turkey dinner and see some family and friends.

Thanksgiving is one of my fave holidays!

Enjoy!

but I wish it was for all of them. My youngest and her boyfriend will be here, but my older girls and their families are in Denver and Australia with their husbands' families.

2 hours to see the folks and some cousins.
We're flipping the script on turkey day this year by doing not turkey but lobsters that we caught during the mini season down in the keys. Got (no lie) about 100 of them left and we're gonna have us a lobster bake on the beach at my folks resort on Casey Key. I actually love getting together with my extended family. We have a great time. As long as I keep my mouth shut and don't bring up politics or religion.

Here's a link to my folks resort:
Special discounts for registered DU members!
http://gulfsurf.com/index.html

in Canton, GA. He and his wife will be doing all the cooking.