Venison bologna, cheese and crackers works at the Lopresti house.
23# bird is in the oven with conventionl stuffing, white potatoes are all peeled in the pot ready for the stove, sweet potatoes are prepped in the fridge and coleslaw is in the fridge. Giblets and neck have been cooked on the stove nd after they cool will be prepped for the eventual turkey soup. Pumpkin pies are just a waiting and the dried corn is soaking on the garage floor which just becomes a giant refrigerator this time of year. We had an inch of snow but the light steady rain since noon is fast making it disappear. The Missus is taking a nap and I'm relaxing with a cup of tea. Soon we will start our second shift as our family arrives.
Daughter, son-in-law and grandaughter with the rolls, son, daughter-in-law and grandaughters with the green beans, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew with the wine, my mom's apple pie and ice cream. My wife's sister-in-law and nephew with other desserts and her nephew, niece-in-law, 2 sons, one girlfiend and daughter with oyster and/or sausage filling plus more wine. Still on the wait list is my mom to decide if she wants to venture out into the weather. At 95 she makes up her own mind.
Sit down time is 5:30, since some of the family have to work today.
There are oh so many who over the years have graced our table but have now passed on. The biggest job of the day is getting through "Grace" without too many tears.
God bless all your families on this Thanksgiving Day and God Bless our troops who keep this day safe. "Amen!"
Paul in PA
When can I come over?? 🙂
We're going to the neighbors across the street for Thanksgiving Lunch/Dinner. Eating at 3 PM. Wendell made the stuffing, green bean casserole, and cranberry something. The neighbors are doing the rest.
I am truly thankful for the wonderful neighbors we have. Glad we're only moving 20 miles away.
Happy Thanksgiving! :love:
> Wendell made the stuffing, green bean casserole, and cranberry something.
Cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole and apple bread pudding. Just taking a can of cranberries along for those who want it. Personally, I can't stand 'em.
Second Shift Is Over
Wife wakes up just after my first post, complains I did not do enough potatoes. Not to argue, I will peel some more. But before that we add to 20" extensions to the dining room table. Next we swing Aunt Elsie's drop leaf table away from the wall, flip up the drop leafs stretch it out and add 3 15" leaves. Table clothes and plates are laid out. Won't work says the wife we need the card table, 20 plates fit nicely. Gather up chairs from all corners of the house. We have had more but that would require moving the kitchen table into the living room with 2 extra leafs. After that the table would make an el toward the fireplace. We know it works with 35, but some family members have moved away.
Start cooking the dried corn and the extra stuffing goes in the oven, then the sweet potatoes. I strip the turkey neck, finely dice the organ meat and crumble the liver. Put in fridge for the turkey soup, dried corn is cooked to perfection and goes into a crock pot. Start the spuds acookin and use the broth from the giblets to get a head start on the gravy. Taters are cooked and I start mashing, getting yelled at for using a bowl that cannot be put in the microwave to reheat them. Hey lady the first bowl was full, you take what you can get. My sister shows up first, heck yes, open the wine. Whoops, didn't you get the emil not to bring rolls, put them in the car, there is no room for them in the kithchen. Turkey comes out and rests on the stove top, darn those roasting bags are nice. Rearrange the rack and in go the rolls. Someone else shows up with their aaigned seving and they brought more rolls. Soft moans are heard. Wife's nephew shows up, yes open more wine. Serving dishes start to be filled and ferried to the living and dining rooms. The tables are set by my daughter and my niece-in-law kibitzes as I carve up the main course. My son walks in from 1 block away with the green beans and within minutes we are all seated. My wife and I sit for the first time in 3 hours. More wine, the stuffing from inside the bird disappears before it gets to our end of the table. Not a problem, the closest stuffing to me is my nephew's oyster flavored. What a very quiet hour, then the election is made to do dessert right away. Besides my mom's apple pies my sister brought a birthday cake for her son and lots of ice cream.
The count on leftovers is 1/4 apple pie, 1/2 a birthday cake and 1 pumpkin pie. Thanks to my sister and the birthday cake we will have pumpkin pie again tomorrow. Did I mention we have lots of leftover mashed potatoes. No matter how good it was tonight it all tastes better tomorrow night, etc. etc. I was then attacked by grandaughters who are bouncing on PopPop like he was a trampoline. Even 2 & 4 year old girls are connivers and they propose a sleepover at my son's house. My daughter makes a quick 7 block jaunt home for pajamas and a teddy bear and then the little schemers decide that first they have to take their tubby at NaNa's house. By 8:30 the last of the family wanders off. One nice thing about them being so close, there is no need for them to linger before the long ride home.
Tomorrow night it starts all over, with one grandaughter sleeping over here so mom and dad can get an early start Saturday to the Penn State Michigan State game. Saturday afternoon we are off to my nephew's to watch the game and have bean soup. Saturday night we are off to my cousin's for another sit down meal. This was planned several weeks ago to include my brother and sister-in-law from North Carolina who were also coming for the Holiday. Those plans changed early this week when my brother instead flew to California to babysit his daughter's little ones while she had elective surgery.
I cannot imagine how it ever feels to have any holiday without a lot of family around. We are so blessed and have much to be thankful for.
Paul, Arlene, Allison, Josh, Chloe, Jonathan, Nicole, Kayline, Anna, Monica, Paul, Joey, Joyce, Matt, Larry, Donna, Daniel, Marissa, Andrew and Sarah in PA
Second Shift Is Over
So...where's a pic of the food, table, etc?? Huh huh!!! 😛
Sounds like you had a grand time and you are right....there's nothing better than being around family and loved ones to celebrate such occasions & holidays like these. :love:
Blake I can smell that food DU!What is more it is tomorrow!
RADU
Blake I can smell that food DU!What is more it is tomorrow!
Richard, that "smell" is from all the deviled eggs that were consumed!
(Wonder where they found the 17 lb. (?) can of corn.)
Hope you and your's had a wonderful holiday.
(Cyber-shopping seems a little mucked up today - too much "traffic" on the web.)
Paul, sounds like you all had an excellent holiday filled with family and friends.
Second Shift Is Over
Good on ya Paul. Enjoyed that description. Sounds like a feast-o-rama of the highest order, and good family on hand to enjoy it. I wonder why I didn't get my invitation, maybe you didn't put enough postage on it. Or maybe you thought I'd show up in my Bronco gear and put everybody in the Lopresti family off their feed. (Which I would have).
Either way, I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. Same goes for all of the Beer Leg regulars throughout the country and the world. Family is what its all about. I didn't have family to spend it with, they being too spread out from here all the way to Russia, but did get some time with excellent friends and no shortage of good food and good cheer.
It's still below freezing tonight, but all's well up here on the border where the cruel white water drowns the vagabond who sleeps too low.
Keep your family close.
BC
