I do not eat turkey. My husband does not eat apple pie. My nephew is allergic to eggs. My brother-in-law doesn’t do dairy. Betty eats gluten-free. Michael won’t touch tofu with a ten-foot fork. My sister-in-law is allergic to several foods, ibuprofen and dogs. Hey, wanna have us over?
My 86-year-old father-in-law is the only one without any allergies or aversions. He also gifted me a large sum of cash on Thanksgiving day. I’m not one to pick favorites, but…
Despite our challenges, we managed to have quite a bit of yummy on the Thanksgiving table. There was something for everyone.
Thanksgiving Menu:
- Quinoa Stuffing in an Acorn Squash bowl
- Turkey (mostly dark meat upon request) and gravy from Whole Foods.
- Roasted vegetable salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Cranberry Chutney
- Spicy Sweet Potatoes (Our friend Michael made these, Martha’s recipe)
- Homemade Biscuits
- Pumpkin Brownie Pie (egg-free)
- Apple Pie
And now we’ve come to the part of the blog post where we play, “WHO MADE THAT PIE?” Which of these lovely cooks do you think baked the pies?
And the answer is… the cook in the middle– my sister-in-law! If you trust the look on Elizabeth’s face (left) or mine (right) you’re smokin’ too much cinnamon stick. “Betty” is well-known for her burnt fries that hubby Michael posted to Facebook a while back. And while I love cooking, mostly Thai, I am simply incapable of rolling out dough. SIL made nearly EVERYTHING. (I made the Gaprao Goong the next night.)
One of the many things I am thankful for this year is that Auntie Lu taught Pearl how to knit! Pearl’s grandmother, whom I never met, taught Lu on Thanksgiving Day back in 1994. Lu’s been waiting to teach Pearl since she was born. My aunt taught me when I was about Pearl’s age, but I’ve since forgotten. My brain has only retained the file for crochet. (It’s much smaller file.)
Did anyone else FaceTime with their families? We called mine back in Massachusetts.
In addition to technology (in proper working condition), I’m thankful for so much this year: my beautiful family and friends, my home, my healthy body, laughter and love. Also, meat-alternatives, egg-replacer, Benedryl, dog-loving neighbors, time-consuming crafts, brooms for sweeping up said crafts, dishwashers, wine, cash surprises, other people’s babies, California sunsets, my blog, my community and all of you!! xoxo
