Thursday, November 25, 2010

thinking thanksgiving

1. Do you cook all or part of the meal? I bring dessert and occasionally a side of scalloped corn. Believe it or not, I have never ever cooked a full turkey. I get all sweaty just thinking about it. And now I hear that Butterball doesn't even use those little pop up timer things anymore. Thankfully, they sell just the breast.

2. How much do you spend buying groceries for the meal? I spend whatever the ingredients for dessert and scalloped corn cost me.

3. Do you eat at home or go to someone else’s? Back in O-HI-O, my Aunt Karie hosted dinner on my dad's side for a long time. On my mom's side it varied from year to year where we'd be. (Hello family! I missed you today!) Now that we're married people, we go to wherever we can get an invitation. In six years, I've cooked for just us only once. I pulled out the fancy china and everything.

Thanksgiving, 2007

He liked it!

4. Describe your perfect bite? A little mashed potatoes and gravy goes well with pretty much everything. But the stuffing is my absolute favorite.

5. White meat or dark? White, please.

6. Stuffing with giblets or without? Why do they even bother putting the giblets back in the bird? After they've been degutted, they should stay degutted.
7. Anything you won't eat? Yams and/or sweet potatoes.

8. Carve Mr. Gobble at the table or serve on a platter? Always served on a platter.

9. Favorite pie? Pumpkin, baby!

10. Formal table or Chinet? Paper plates are a woman's best friend. . . when there are lots of guests. If it's just for two, china's nice.

11. Your menu: Today at the Marquez family gathering we had all the good stuff: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, homemade rolls, broccoli salad, cranberry slaw (yum!), sweet potatoes, fruit salad, and lots of dessert. I'm sure I've missed something.

12. Favorite leftover? Stuffing.

13. Extended family, friends, both or just the immediate family for dinner? I'm kind of partial to being the invited friend. And I've been so blessed to have people that care enough to invite us to spend the day with their family since my family's 2,000 miles away and Phil's family doesn't usually get together for Thanksgiving. This year we had three invitations. I felt so loved.

14. After dinner, do you go to the latest movie or watch football on TV or just a turkey induced snooze? Football's usually on. The Black Friday ads are checked. Sometimes I scrapbook. Last year I rocked it out on Guitar Hero. Today I came home and fell asleep on the couch.

15. Do you watch the Macy’s Parade? Always have it on in the background. It’s one of my childhood memories. Nothing like a little Al Roker running up and down the streets of NYC while the Rockettes are high kickin'. I could do without Jessica Simpson though. That girl cannot sing.
16. Christmas decorations up before or after? Nothing goes up until December 1st.

17. Black Friday shopping or sleep in? Funny that this question should be on here as I'm about to be drug all over the greater Vancouver area with my friend Barbara and her daughter Emily. Typically, no. I don't go. Today I tried to fight it, but Barb says she knows where I live and which window is my bedroom window. I do not want to get on Barb's bad side. So I'm going shopping.

18. Any special Thanksgiving tradition? Oh yes. I set my alarm for like 3:30 am and call my sister (who's 3 time zones ahead) for the scalloped corn recipe. She was already up today since she was cooking, so it didn't quite have the same effect.

19. Favorite thing about Thanksgiving? It's meaning and how it causes you to reflect on all the things you have to be thankful for.

20. Favorite Thanksgiving memory? Growing up, we'd always draw names for the Christmas exchange after we'd eat. Seriously, like the most exciting part of the day was finding out which cousin I got and then writing our names all over every blessed thing in the J.C. Penney catalog.

2 comments:

bmarquez said...

You make me sound like some sort of stalker. OK, maybe a little but I just wanted you to have a new experience.

Kellie said...

Sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving. :) Eating any leftover stuffing today?