A side note if ick

Tina's last comment about the layer of mayonnaise in the seven layer salad got me thinking about something. I used to LOVE mayonnaise. I would eat it on potato chips, crackers, and would sometimes just eat a spoonful of it! (That even makes me want to gag just thinking about it!) I have since given up that horrid practice but was wondering what, if anything, YOU would eat right from the spoon? Most of us probably would take a lick or more of brownie batter and sweet things, but anything else? Come clean ladies.....

Count Down to T-Day

87 hours and counting. Last year at this time, I had already spent at least 16 hours and $600 on my Thanksgiving meal. (22 hours and $350 still to go) I hosted 26 people in what then seemed like a very, very small house. I set the tables with china and silver and made MADE table cloths for the six tables I set up to accomadate my entire ENTIRE family (divorced, remarried, divorced again, ex's, new spouses, steps, halfs) and friends, and a couple strangers. I used my antique etched water glasses and sterling silver individual salt and pepper shakers. I set out all the finer frivolous things that are never used such as my silver tea set, glass silverware caddys, silver cocktail forks. I made all the traditional dishes and special ones that were tradition for each of my guests (boiled onions and roasted beets were 2 of them). Although it mostly went off without a hitch (the herb roasted chickens did not get done in time and had to be served for dessert...), I vowed never, ever to have that kind of Thanksgiving again. I did not even eat.

So this year, my family and my dad and brother are going to my friend C's house for Thanksgiving Day. She is a wonderful WONDERFUL cook and I only have to bring cheese grits and broccoli salad. But.........

On Friday, I am having Thanksgiving-The Day After at my my house. Only 16 people at the most! Wahoo!!! I started yesterday with another, but not last, trip to the store ($100) followed by food preparation. I made my cranberry relish (yum),

Cranberry relish 
2 batches of cheese grits, (I'll explain the history of those later),

Cheese grits (before baking) 

fried up 3 pounds of bacon, 2 pounds of sausage, diced 6 onions, celery, and broccoli. I still have fresh sage growing in the garden so picked that.

fresh sage 
Also set the 20 pound turkey in the fridge to thaw. A nice start!

My menu:
Brined Herb stuffed Turkey
Ham
Gravy
Stuffing (truly one of my favorites)
Mashed Potatoes (that too)
Cheese Grits (ok - also a favorite)
Sweet Potatoes
Glazed Carrots
Baked Beans
Sauted Green Beans
Broccoli Salad
Cranberry Relish
Rolls
Dips, crackers, veggies, etc
chocolate torte
Wine, lots and lots of wine

My brother is bringing 7 layer salad and corn casserole (note to self - remember to ask him!) and my friend Susan is bringing PIES.

Today, I am going to wash and set out all my platters and serving dishes I will need, iron table cloths, and not set the table since I am using paper plates (gasp - Paper Plates!) this year. I don't have dishwasher and it was still a tough decision to go that route even though my husband and I spent around 7 hours washing dishes last year.

I read in the paper yesterday that the average cost of a family for Thanksgiving dinner is $36.78. WTF?!?!?!?!? I spend more than that on just BUTTER!

Food Crimes - 2

2. Easter Dinner many many years ago. Dinty Moore Beef Stew Omelet. As in whip up a few eggs, open a can of soup, mix all together and cook. For Easter Dinner. I know.....

"I like eggs"

Max would say this in answer to nearly every question during a period of about one year. "How was school today Max?" "I like eggs." "Do you want to go to a movie Max?" "I like eggs." "I'm going to count to three then pull out some whoop ass on you." (ok - not a question and I am sure I didn't say ass, but you get the drift) "I like eggs." I could only imagine it was some punch line from a long forgotten joke on a cartoon. So then SpongeBob says "I like eggs." BWAH!!!!!

It pissed me off that I do like eggs! I like them! I really do! And Max likes them! But during his idiot savant egg loving period, I did not buy eggs. I did not cook eggs. I did not eat eggs. Anything to get him to shut the hell up about EGGS!
Thankfully, I am back on the egg wagon now (or is it off?). Bring on the eggs.....

Bring on the Tiara

Last night I grilled hamburgers for my boys. This in light of the fact that I do not touch hamburger meat and do not eat hamburger meat by choice. A purely, altruistic gesture that I must remember when I apply for sainthood.

Food Crimes - 1

From time to time, I will add various food crimes - mostly perpetrated by my mother - to give a taste of the culinary hell I was forced to endure.

1. Christmas dinner not so many years ago. A beautiful beef tenderloin boiled in VINEGAR. I can't make this stuff up.

Tuesday night Quickie

I love a weeknight quickie. Stir fry is one of my favorites both for adaptability and ease. The basic "recipe" is usually the same. Marinate chicken (or beef) with soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, ginger, red pepper (I have been using China Blue red pepper sauce). Any fresh veggies on hand- onion, carrot, zuchinni, red peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, even radishes are good. I finish mine with a cup of fresh cilantro, green onions, and when I am in the mood, peanuts.


Stir fry 

Max has become picky about his food - particularly in his contempt for most vegetables so I add peas to the basmati rice and fry up just chicken for him. Everyone is happy!


Max  

Notice the soy sauce bottle price tag from Big Lots. I find all sorts of good food items there for next to nothing.

NYC - The Good

After a few martinis, Hil and I had dinner at a nice Italian Bistro. (Beca, Bocca, Beco?) Irrationally concluding that red wine would go great with vodka martinis, we asked our bartender to recommend a wine. He poured us a lovely red and when he said it was $20 a glass, Hil asked if we could have something less expensive. "We have a bottle of red wine for also $20." Bottle vs. glass.....what to do, what to do...... DUH! So began the dinner I don't really remember all that well.


The Bread 


It started with the most delicious bread sticks I have ever tasted. Full of thyme and rosemary - they were amazing. When eating out I NEVER, EVER, EVER, E.V.E.R. order chicken or anything I eat regularly at home (chicken, spaghetti) or make really great (filet, carbonara). Eating out for me is a magical time and I try to order something new or at least a dish I suck at preparing. Enter the fish dish.


The fish dish 

I don't even remember what it was and I know it was very very good, but after the Cosmopolitans and red wine, fish was not such a good idea. Hil had seared beef with a creamy risotto that was also delicious. I know because I ate most of that.


Beef 

That is where my photo journalism ended. We had two of our best meals, one in Little Italy and one at Sushi Samba the next day but I did not even take a single picture. I must remember to go back to NYC to try again......

NYC - First the Bad

As my dear friend "Bitch" pointed out, it is time to dig in. Hil and I took a fabulous vacation to NYC in October which was to be the formal launch of my blog. My intention was to take photos of all the fabulous food we ate in the ciy then continue with all the fabulous food I eat at home.

Let me start with what is now referred to as "The Meal We Pretend Wasn't". After walking for a few hours after landing in NYC, we both were overcome with weakness from starvation. It was this completely medically plausible explanation that led us to this extrememly poor choice in dining.

Let me present Monkey Ass Soup


Monkey Ass Soup 

Now clearly, I have never tasted Monkey Ass, but when I ordered corn and chicken chowder and was presented with a soup of faux rubber lobster, I am fairly certain Monkey Ass would taste about the same.

This butt soup was accompanied by a tasteless big salad that was just too unremarkable to even comment on.


Big Bland Salad 

Lastly, I present "The Parker" - purely dick drink from the illustrious and grand Algonquin Room - former haunt of Dorothy Parker and her round table gang. I managed to gag it down but the horrendous hangover the next morning would have made even Dorothy puke. Cough syrup as a flavor enhancer - not good.


The Parker Barfer