Leftovers

November 24, 2007

Oh, do we have leftovers.

But first let me show and tell you about our Thanksgiving.

As I mentioned in the last post, we had my family over. My sister and her husband and their baby, my dad and stepmother, my half brother (who now lives here in San Diego), and my 16 year-old half sister.

Ted and I got up pretty early to start making side dishes and to prep the turkey and to do any last minute cleaning and straightening up. We told the family (my dad and stepmom and little sister were coming from Vegas) to come over after 1, and that we would eat around 4 or so… They came around two. My little sister wasn’t feeling well so we quarantined her in the study with a barf bowl and some pillows and blankets.

Then we had snacks and hors-dovers, including assorted cheeses, nuts, and stuffed mushrooms (a WW recipe– only 2 points for 5!). The mushrooms were pretty tasty but note to self: add more salt, they could have used it.

We also served a pâté from Trader Joe’s that went virtually untouched; stay classy San Diego. Oh, and black olives, a Williams family Thansgiving staple.

While I entertained the crowd Ted worked his magic in the kitchen. Sadly the magic ended when the sinks became clogged (we live in an apartment that shares plumming) and so even before we had eaten dinner we had a visit from the Apartment complex plumbers. It was only about an hour and a half setback, though, and luckily the wine flowed (mostly for Ted, myself, my little brother, and my stepmom). Oh, wait, and Dad by this time was on his second glass of White Zin (he just had surgery so he was taking it easy).

We finally got it all together and served dinner at about 6:30 (just slightly later than we had planned…). The menu:

Brined Turkey

Sweet Potatoe Casserole (my step mom made it; absolutely scrumptious and sinful–I think it was mostly butter and brown sugar).

Baked Spinach and Gruyer Cheese (I made this)

Green Bean Casserole (my older sister Andrea made this, complete with crispy fried onions on top)

Brussel Sprouts with bacon and apples (Ted’s specialty)

Garlic and Celery Root Mashed Potatoes (Ted’s specialty)

Home made Gravy (courtesy of Step-mom’s ingenuity)

Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Ted)

Stuffing (Ted and the bird)

Dee-lish!

For desert we had pumpkin pie and Ted made an apple-pear pie with a wheat crust.

After doing the dishes for about 3 hours (we don’t have a dishwasher) with my sister we decided to call it quits for the night. We sent the family back to Santee, where my older sister lives, or Santucky, as her husband calls it, and and then Ted and I passed out.

The next day… I went bowling with my family at Parkway Bowl in El Cajon or Santucky, i’m not sure which one. Here are some pictures of the Bowling Alley.

Kind of cool 60s vibe to it on the outside. Would make a fun club, I think. I don’t think i’ve been there in twenty years, and I certainly haven’t bowled in that long, either. I wasn’t even sure how you keep score in bowling.

Oh, and notice the ball my little brother picked out for me. Hot pink. Thanks little bro.

After bowling we went (where else?) to Boll Weevil Hamburgers (I had chicken). And then later my father, Stepmother, and sister and I went to the movies to see Stephen King’s “The Mist,” which is getting pretty good reviews.

I was in the mood for a good scary movie but unfortunately this wasn’t it. It isn’t terrible, but I’m not sure why it wasn’t just a TV movie or miniseries. It had a fun 1950s B-Horror Movie/Monstor Movie feel to it, but it was much too long (2 hrs and 5 minutes) and it just wasn’t that scary. Kind of a nifty, but depressing Twilight Zone ending and

hunky Thomas Jane is always nice to see, but really I would have rather rented it or watched it on TV.

All in all a fun weekend, though i’m thoroughly exhausted. Thankfully it’s only Saturday so I have some time to recover, and to do work. Just three more weeks of school (can’t believe it) and then I can’t wait to really spend some time really writing.