FAMILY, FRIENDS AND GYPSIES

TG Eve and families are gathering. Delicious smells wafting from the kitchen, Children running and laughing...more than Pilgrims, Indians or harvests, Thanksgiving is the celebration of family and friends.

sweet baby! what a nice family! Moon you were up late.Morning everybody!
Smiley are you up?

I'm up. Had some paperwork to catch up on. My desk looks like it exploded!

Everyone have a great day.

Thanks, Lynnie. Good morning to ya.

Good Morning Smiley. Don't let them work you too hard.

Aaaah what a beautiful baby. Mom and dad ain't bad neither! Really nice family there Moon.
Have to ask would she still be smiling if she knew that picture was there for all to see?

Lynnie I see you got up for some quiet time.

Smiley take the day off.

I have put everything off as usual so must get busy.
Already cleaned frig, pie in oven, laundry going, music playing, dog under feet, kid at school.
Guess thats a good start.

Everyone have a great day and if you see me on here for more than a quick break send me packing!!!

Good Morning JJ. As happy as she was for that nearly 10 pound heffalump to finally be here, I don't think she would mind at all....grin The thing I find amazing is that picture was taken when Ethan was 30 minutes old....I wish I looked half that good when I wake up in the morning....grin

Aren't you the busy bee this morning? Sounds like you are off to a great start. Have a really good, productive day, JJ

And yeah, he is a beauty...grin

ooops...I meant to put away some of those coconut brownies for tomorrow, now there's only 3 left......

Gonna have to eat those three and pretend you have no idea what they are looking for, or bake a whole new batch...grin

Just finished making cherry yum yum.

Bet it has a piece out of it before tomorrow!!!
Don't want to feed them something I haven't tasted...grinning..

Back to work

Moon, I'm such a slob ~ they're ALL beautiful, not just the baby!! But he's extra beautiful..

Lynnie - 1 for you, 1 for me, 1 for you... (because you baked them)

JJ, that's a fantastic start to the day. Boss said if it was quiet to leave at 2:30. Yeah, we were going to do that anyways! My kitchen has to recoup from DD making crepes last night. or maybe from the pecan pie I made after she was done... probably both!

Moon, beautiful family!!!

JJ, you are on fire this morning!!!

Lynnie, if the brownies are gone, they will never know what they missed! lol

It is gray, cold, and rain later, same tomorrow. But you girls sound so sunny!!!!

Keep at those fixings!!!

Smiley, no one is coming to inspect your kitchen or house! Just relax and do what you can. Most importantly, keep that smile on your face! People are coming just to be with you and have fun!

Good Morning Venice. Sorry about the weather...I don't do gray nasty weather well either...grin

Yeah, I think they are kinda pretty myself...grin and Ethan was really quite pretty for being so "new"

The boss must really be dreaming if he thinks there will be major business right before Thanksgiving...kinda think Pool's are a bit low on the Thanksgiving prep list...grin...who knows, maybe a late lunch...at home...grin

Moon, I don't wash my floors until after a party. Learned that one a long time ago. I also can't cook in a messy kitchen, so will have a little tidying up to do before I can start cooking. One of my many idiosyncracies.

Yes, pools are closed around here, but we sell ice melt in the winter. And municipalities use "bleach" to sanitize both drinking and waste water, so we've got stuff going all year round. But it is pretty quiet for the past couple weeks.

Hi Venice! Hope you have a good day.

The weatherbug used the "s" word for Friday's forecast.

Holy Moley! Snow on Black Friday! Someone has a really sick mean streak there....grin Oh well, everyone can sing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"...grin


I forgot about the ice melt, remember you mentioned that before....okay, maybe no one will think ahead and watch the weather...grin

I sweep the kitchen before company comes, but saving the mopping up for the next day...dishes too...grin

Save us some ice melt smiley!!

Raining here How does mother nature expect me to carry stuff next door in the rain??

They moved to Florida I use the frig on holidays. hehe
And sometimes the oven!

Great job on the Santa, JJ. I will send you my address for the desserts....grin Yummy

Hi gang. It is beautiful and sunshiney here. A little cool this morning about 45 but in the high 60's this afternoon. Looks like the lawnmower comes out today. Need to mulch the leaves before a certain lady suggests raking. Have a great holiday.

JJ, oh my!!! Those desserts look way tooo good! One is cherry? The others are . . . ?
Great job on that Santa! So cute!

You too Jim. Glad you have sunshine today. You and Jo have a lovely time with your family....just don't overdo at the table....grin

I'll be waiting..^_^

Hop a plane will have more than know what to do with..always do
Big doggy bags for everyone. lol

Thanks on the Santa, Mrs in the works. If it takes all night DH won't win that bet. haha

My lazy tip for the day.
If you are only having family and friends..and aren't fancy.. cook everything poosible in those aluminum pans. No oven dishes to wash that way.

Am I lazy or what??

That doesn't sound lazy to me JJ. It sounds like not spending forever cleaning up. And, should some one want the last piece of pie to take home, just send the pan with them...no lost dishes...grin

Somehow I think you'll win that bet...lol

Happy Thanksgiving Jim. Have a great day with thode grandkids!!!

Venice... Apple crumb and banana cream (dream whip pie), pumpkin just came out of oven

It helps I can use neighbors house always have plenty of room for things that way!!

Back to work got to get these desserts done before GS gets home at 11:30.
He has already tried to eat the pumpkin bread. Need to get everything next door..lol

later

Good morning everyone! Welina me ke aloha!

Yes Carol, the Begonia flower is from a single bloom. The plants get to be about six feet tall.

It's beginning to get cold in Hawai'i; have to shut windows at night and wear socks.

Making Pasteles today, with Turkey sausage and homegrown plantains.

Sounds Yummy Dave....So sorry about the "cold front" grin

Hi everyone,Think i'm the only one not qualified to talk about Thanksgiving.I just have to make do with Christmas and New Year:}
I truly hope you all have a lovely time with your families and friends.
Best Wishes
Joy

Dave, welina me ke aloha! Hope you are having a good day. That begonia cluster is amazing.

Yes, your Pasteles sound really good! I think you said you going to have fruit and I can't remember what else for tomorrow. When you say home grown plantains, does that mean you grew the plant or you got them from the forest? And just what is the difference?

How cold is it going to get there? Do you have a winter season, months of cold? We really like to hear about the foods you fix and the different things you do since it is so different from what we do.

Joy, don't you have Harvest Day sometime in November?

Yes, we go crazy on Thanksgiving because it is only about food and being thankful.

JJ look out! Santa's making a grab for your pies!
Hi Joy!
Dave are those socks fuzzy?
Venice it's gray & rainy here too, just drizzly. Good day to bake. Oughtta get started lol kids just got home, they want to help. Smiley i gotta straighten the kitchen too before I cook, but no mopping until after parties.
I'm down to 2 cocnut brownies i better cut it out i won't be able to stand never mind bake.
jim are you celebrating tomorrow or the next day?
Moon which day are you celebrating?

Homegrown meaning from the farm. Plantains (cooking bananas) are the starch part of the Pasteles, flavored with Cumin, Garlic, Onions, Celery, Oregano, and Hot Peppers.

The coldest days here get down to the mid-fifties.

Mid-Fifties?? Heat wave!!

JJ, your desserts look great, and having a neighbors house must really come in handy!! Santa looks really jolly!

Okay, you all may think I'm crazy, but this is my Thanksgiving shortcut: I'm cooking the turkey tonight. DH doesn't like the stuffing inside the bird, so I didn't do that last year and noticed I had tons of drippings for gravy. Which is mucho importante in my house.

Then my boss mentioned that they cook theirs the night before, slice it all up, then just reheat it in the oven. He said it made it much less hurried in the kitchen before dinner. So I am going to try that. I'd rather fuss with other side dishes anyways, than try to slice up a turkey.

Couple of days ago on the Today Show, they took a poll. It was who liked turkey or sides better. Sides won 75%! Lynnie good thing to focus on the sides!!!

I'm desserts this year, last year I think we made a turkey & a ham & desserts, don't really remember....but we did the turkey the night before too.

Smiley I never cook the dressing in the turkey. I put it in one corner of the pan the turkey is cooking in.( after turkey been cooking awhile) Stays real moist that way. Everyone likes it so guess it works, I don't like dressing so I can't judge it.

Having neighbors house is heaven. I have a small kitchen. Don't know why they make the house so big and the kitchen so small.

Somebody fess up. Who borrowed the deviled egg trays and didn't return them????

Dave I looked that up. Looks good but sounds like lot of work. I'll take your cold you can have mine. :)

I'm not allowed to eat eggs!

Yes, lots of work! The plantains get grated and spiced, then moistened & blended with broth.
The sausage is cooked & spiced with beans (Black-eye Peas).
The ingredients are then rolled up in Ti leaves and steamed.

Next they are cooled so the Pasteles stiffen up. Then they are reheated and served with cheese & salsa.

Our Thanksgiving meal will be Friday, Lynnie. Kids are going to their mother's parents for Thanksgiving. OK by me as long as she remembers that Christmas Eve is a family tradition at our house that supercedes Christmas Day. That has always been our special time as a family ever since our first child was born. Miss Christmas Day, ok. Miss Christmas Eve and you are out of the family for a year. Just joking. Maybe.

Everything you guys are cooking sounds great. I don't particularly like turkey. Like my dressing dry. No gravy, please. Jo always makes a big sour cream fruit salad, a cranberry salad that will replace ambrosia in heaven and a sweet potato casserole with a pecan topping. Of course there will be be ham as well as veggies.

Going to mow the yard. Temp up to the high 60's. Love you guys.

Sounds like Lynnie is gonna have to do extra duty at the gym for all of us...grin

Sorry JJ, I was sure I returned those...grin

Venice, I think people just cook turkey because it is expected....grin

Love ya too Jim...enjoy the sunshine.

Hate to, but have to fess up.
After looking in every nook and cranny I could have stuffed them in..I only use them on holidays I found them in the dishwasher.

Which by the way I also only use on holidays...turning red with embarrasement.

Jim I don't care for turkey either so I cook ham too.

Send me some of that weather, please.

LOL JJ...thank goodness the dishwasher wasn't next door....grin you would never have found them.

Since we aren't having a big get together, I think I am going to cook a small garlic stuffed pork roast, baked in the skin sweet potatoes, rice and gravy and a big crunchy salad. Quick and easy and both of the guys like it. maybe a carrot ginger bread with whipped cream for dessert....then again, it could just be ribs on the grill with roasted potatoes....man it is so liberating to not have to do a traditional meal....lol

I vote ribs!! But both sound yummy

I don't mind because its the only time I get organized aound here.
Never figured why I can cook for houseful and have everything ready on time and the prep dishes all washed and put away

Cook for two or three can't decide what to cook and looks like tornado hit when I'm done.

You're right about the dishwasher. DH was LHAO at me.