It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Put up some Christmas lights today. First time I've done this. Was a good way to kick off the holidays.

The advent calendars are up, the advent candles are ready to be lit. I am very excited to begin our advent journey tomorrow. It's going to be a new tradition
for our family and I hope to blog about it.

Run Up to Thanksgiving

I was told last night that my blog was boring (yeah, thanks SN). I suppose that means I need to update more. So here goes... running commentary on Thanksgiving prep:

11:05AM
Thanksgiving is always a big deal at the Beach House. We usually host, we have a big pre-planned meal including some stand-bys but always something new.

This year the new is a different turkey and some sausage stuffing and shiitake mushroom stuffing courtesy of Martha Stewart's November 2009 issue. Since my girl Martha dissed my BEST girl Sarah, calling her "boring" and "dangergous", this will be my last Martha Stewart Thanksgiving recipe. I have my political standards to uphold - even in the kitchen.

At any rate, I think it's an either/or kind of stuffing - either mushroom OR sausage, but I can't tell for sure, so what the hell - I'm going to make it a shiitake mushroom AND sausage stuffing. So far the base looks a little mushy and watery - I think I may have decimated the onions in my new Cuisinart Custom 14 (TM) 14-Cup Food Processor compliments of my dad. (For those of you who may not know this, my dad's love language is small appliances... another blog post for sure.) Back to the stuffing... stay tuned, it's going in the fridge watery and as-is. Will update on the success or failure tomorrow.

1:45PM

Onto the PIES! I can make these in advance. I have thrown over the traditional Drunken Punkin', which true to it's name has 4 or 5 different flavors of booze in it, in favor of the Cook's Illustrated version from last year's Oct/Nov issue. (I know it's not quite 2pm, but is it too early for a drink? It's much nicer to cook when one has an adult beverage in one's hand.) Okay, on to the pumpkin pie.

3:00PM

The pie crust that needed to be pre-cooked has shrunk to tart size! Looks like a mini-pie in there!! So I have enough pie filling for two pumpkin pies... the dilemma now: do I make an apple blackberry pie or do I just go with a mini and a regular pumpkin? If I do the apple blackberry, I'll need to make a homemade pate brisee for the top crust. Oh what would Mar... I mean Sarah do?? Okay, will over-achieve and go for the 3 pies. Lesson learned. Now I juggle the timing so that I can pick up Pants while the pies bake... Seriously? Has this taken me all day? Really??

11:45PM

Yes, really, I pulled the apple-blackberry pie out of the oven at midnight... it looks amazing and I'm glad I put in the effort to make it. It was a last minute decision as Pants and I went to a friend's house who was tending her 6-month old grandson. He's adorable and Pants has decided we should have a little brother. I'm all in... talk to daddy about that one. (Maybe? Just maybe...?)

My friend also gave me a couple of pie crusts - her grandmother's recipe- that she "just happened to have in the freezer"! Good grief! Saved my pie! I'm thankful for the generous spirit of women when it comes to kitchen staples.

Pants and I attended church for the Thanksgiving eve service and were blessed to sit in front of our old neighbors, the Olson's. I am so thankful for friends, old and new. They touched my evening in a way that is simply too big for words with a simple hug and kind words. I needed it. I was starting to feel a little disconnected - they grounded me and church, as always, makes me grateful for my little life.

Okay, the pie. We came home and put the pie together not realizing it had to freeze for 30 minutes and bake for 1hr and 45 minutes. When will I learn to not only READ the recipes, but to process them in my little brain. So. Midnight. Here it is - before and after and the magazine picture:

I was also told to take some pictures of my table. One of the more fancy Thanksgiving tables I've put together. Okay, I'm exhausted and have a big day of cooking and eating and drinking tomorrow (not necessarily in that order.)