Thanksgiving 2007

I love Thanksgiving - lots of good food and friends and family and no presents to buy! Mike was home from college; Dave, Claire and the grandbabies made the drive up from NJ. Last year our (Dave's and my) plans for a deep-fried turkey were foiled by weather, so we tried again. Don of course is the cynic - he rounded up all the working fire extinguishers he could find and was ready for disaster. I admit, it was dramatic when the 12-lb bird was lowered into the 5 gallons of blisteringly hot oil - a great deal of bubbling and hissing (and not just from Don, from the kettle, too!) Go here for more outdoor culinary action shots. The bird came out just a bit dry, I thought, but lots of nice crispy skin and the dark meat was just fine. Took less than an hour to cook a 12-lb turkey! We also had lobster bisque, roasted root vegetables, Michael's favorite pickled shrimps and stuffed mushrooms as appetizers, a so-so cornbread stuffing, and a salad with pears and gorgonzola. Pumpkin and blueberry pies for dessert. Marlborough sauvignon blanc with the appetizers and a nice Acacia pinot noir with the turkey.

Isn't Brynn looking gorgeous in her pretty dress? We had a conversation about what she will be when she grows up - I was trying to convince her to be a doctor, we still need one of those in the family. But she has already made up her mind what she wants to be, and medicine is not in the cards - she's determined to be a princess. Anytime we want her to do something, we tell her its just what a princess would do. 'Try the squash - you know, squash is a princess's favorite food!' Oh, the perfidy of grown-ups!

Here's Uncle Mike goofing with Evan. Picture taken just before he dropped him on his head. No harm done, though - he is a sturdy little one, and very even-tempered. I LOVE the little cupid bow mouth!

Nice relaxing Thanksgiving, but now we have to figure out what to do with the used oil. I think Don should take it to Pace for his chemistry class and run a lab on how to make biodiesel. He's not convinced!