Lovely Times

We have had extra lovely times, hope you too?

Busy, crazy, wonderful days.

Only, now the transition begins.

Get the ornaments out?

What?

Wait, did we lose a week or something?

How did December turn up on Thanksgiving weekend?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

It's all too much for me.

Just way too much.

But I am compelled to plunge too, aaaaaa!

I need an extra week between Thanksgiving and December, you?

My brain is in this domino pile up madness 🙂

I am still trying to transition out of pumpkin cheesecake head mode.

By the by, how was your Thanksgiving??

We had the most touching, pleasant Thanksgiving ever, me thinks.

I enjoyed all the cooking and baking.

It was low key and busy, but zen too.

If you are not a vegetarian, here is fair warning from bird eaters.

I know.

It's hard, how can we eat meat when we love animals so much?

It's so painfully hard not to humanize them, isn't it?

But, we eat meat.

Lovee was a vegetarian (of the serious health nut variety) almost his whole life, up until a handful of years ago.

And, I was a vegetarian for about 4 years in my 20's.

Or was it 6?

I can't recall.

Alas, it wasn't for me.

To each his own I say.

Lovee became a meat eater again by accident, when invited to a special dinner by a chef who made him meat :)  Oops.

Anyhow, where was I?

Ah yes, on eating turkeys and Thanksgiving makings…

The turkey was sooo delicious.

How do you prepare your turkey?

I make my breadcrumb, spice, mushroom, butter, slivered almond, raisin stuffing/dressing on the side, in its own pan. 

I don't stuff the bird with it, do you?  I never tried it, I thought maybe it would dry out the bird too much, does it?

For my bird, I butter the inside and salt and pepper it, then I just put a sweet onion, an apple, a lemon cut in half and rosemary inside – after it's been washed and dried of course.

I sit it on a bed of carrots, sweet onions and celery (that have been chopped, salted and lightly peppered).

I put the carrot mix inside of a floured roasting bag (you can get them at the grocery store) that has been placed in a roasting pan.

I then place the turkey in the bag, on top of the bed of veggies.  I stick my hand in, rub real butter all over the turkey, and pour two cups of white wine over it, then I salt and pepper it a bit.  Last, I place a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary on the top of the turkey.

(the inside of bag will look like a hot mess after the butter, don't worry, haha!)

I close up the bag with a piece of baking string (the ties that come with the bag are too flimsy for me), punch a few holes on the top of the bag with a skewer, put it in a hot 350' oven and cook for 2.5-3 hours.

It has never failed me.

I have to say, this method I learned growing up, is flawless.

The meat is always moist and cooked perfectly.

Guests always marvel at how "not dry" the meat is.

I recommend this method if you are not having good luck with your turkey.

I made fresh yeast rolls, and I was wanting to make a ridiculous yam dish.  So, I made my yams as I normally do, and then popped them in a baking dish and covered them with marshmallows. 

I popped it into the oven between 325-375' for about 30 minutes (since the yams are already hot and cooked) until the marshmallows are golden brown.  When they cool a little the marshies get crunchy and hollow, a bit like meringues, and are just awesome.

I forgot to take photos of the final table.

Oh well.

But there was also a cranberry dish, the veggies that cooked with the turkey, stuffing, gravy and white traditional mashed potatoes.

Oh, here is a tip for easy Thanksgiving day makings.

Cook your potatoes a day before, but don't finish them until the next day.

I like to chop and boil my yams and potatoes (separately of course) the afternoon before Thanksgiving day. 

After they are cooked I drain and leave them in the pot to cool.  You can pop them in the fridge at night, or leave them in a cool spot over night.  The next day, all you have to do is put them on the stove, turn on the heat, add butter and milks or broth – whatever you use.  Then mash and bring to desired heat. 

It takes the entire potato step out of the actual day, and they are just as good if not better.

So, I wasn't going to share this appetizer so you guys wouldn't go eeeeeeewe!

But, in case you do eat, dun dun dun… Liver….

You can make pate' with the liver that comes inside the turkey.

You know, the parts you throw away?

I don't like beef liver, but when I was trying to raise my iron levels (eating lots of this stuff) when I wasn't well, I decided to try farm raised chicken liver.  It wasn't too bad.  The dogs loved it 🙂

But over time and better prep, I liked it, even though I had it very very rarely.

So, I decided to try to make turkey liver pate.

It was really good actually.

It's grown on me like soft boiled eggs have.

So, all I did was wash the liver, and put it in a bowl of buttermilk for a couple hours.

Then I chopped up some sweet onions, put them in a hot pan with butter and added the liver.  I got everything brown and toasty (fully cooked), and then put it in the food processor with the juice of 1 lemon and some garlic powder + salt.

Spread on crackers (I should have used a pastry bag to put it on the crackers, I know) and top with mint.  Now, the mint is what mellows the whole experience, and makes it extra lovely.

So, there you go, the honest truth.

There was liver pate' enjoyed at my house.

Eeeeeeeeeeew 🙂

But yumm too, if you like that sorta thing.

After all the gobbling, we had to walk and walk around our yard.

Then I got this idea that we needed cocktails.

As you know, Mister Lovee hates the taste of alcoholic beverages.

(he might have a tiny bit of port on a good day, maybe)

I know, we are sooo darn boring.

But…

After a youth of getting sick every time I drank, I stopped at around 25 for good.

I had a bunch of wine at a party/office function about 10 years ago and got violently ill.

So, I gave up.

I can really only handle one drink if I am lucky.

My doc says it could even be a sort of allergy, where my body instantly rejects it.

Weird right?

BUT, that does not keep from from having a little bar of goodies for guests.

Or, keeping some grey goose in the freezer.

A Shirley Temple spike here and there should be okay, no?

It was good.

Yes I had a headache after.

But it was fun whilst it lasted 🙂

Somewhere, where Thanksgiving was in the wrong week (for me at least), and Christmas looms ever so (too) close for this Catholic girl, Hanukkah swirled in for Mister Lovee.

And when I couldn't find the menorah, I opted for plan B.

Happy Hannukah🖤

So….

Now it's transition time, isn't it?

Time to swap one green for the other.

Back to juicing.

Adios green pie plate.

Hello green juice drink.

Some sort of balance has to happen 🙂

And, I love my green juice.

Makes me feel awesome.

Mister gets me organic goodies at Sprouts.

Spinach, kale, green apple, celery, cucumber (ginger sometimes, lime sometimes).

Chug.

Mmmmm.

Then there is enough energy after Thanksgiving shenanigans (rather than being asleep with one cheek stuck to a paper plate coated in pie crumbs and whipped cream) to go outside and play.

🙂

Collecting berries for decor.

I am telling you, I have panic chills accepting the fact that it is December 2nd.

There is a part of me that wants to scream NOOOOOOO, in slow mo.

Then there is another part of me that wants to just shrug my shoulders, wrap iridescent garland around my neck, put red lipstick on outside the lines (with knee hi stockings rolled around my ankles), turn on the record player, spike my egg nog, and cha cha around the house before noon - on tip toes.

What a concept???!

Any takers?

But for now, I somehow transition into some form of holiday mode.

I am not just ready yet for full blown holiday decor.

So, I'll cut some green off the trees for now…

And somehow…

Find a way to cope with the changing times.

The transition is in full effect.

Do you know it is still in the mid 70's here today?

Yes, cooler weather is coming.

But it's like, Halloween, Thanksgiving, December 2nd…

It's all a blur.

A blur I tell ya.

I think we need more shirley temples just to cope.

You?

I'll be over here elbow deep in clay.

If it kills me, there will be fresh clay this year, before it's all over.

Somehow, somewhere, little faces are begging to be born.

And I must oblige.

I best get to work.

🙂

 

So happy to be back after the food fest.

Did you survive it?

 

Hoooray!!

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

ps:  Let's see, how about a random tid-bit?

Hmmm, well…

I have been listening to Haim's new Album "Days are Gone" on repeat.  It's so fab and fresh and fun.  Most excellent.  Love those 3 sisters.

(Haim, pronounced hi-yum)

You probably heard "Forever" over the last year?

It's so good, 80's-esque.

The girls did awesome on SNL this weekend, see here.

You always have to wait for their chorus because, they have awesome chorus parts.

Everyone hates on Este's facial expressions (blonde), but I love that passion in her music making.

Facial expressions included!