# Thanksgiving and cooking



## TWHRider (Nov 21, 2012)

Do you still "do" Thanksgiving?  Is it still cook at home or go out?

Neither of our immediate families live close by so Thanksgiving is kept to a minimum unless someone calls in September and says "clean out the spare bedroom, we're coming."

Mr. TWHRider mentioned going out to eat.  That elicited a response he wasn't planning on, and it was ugly - lol lol  My family decided on that route, one time, many years ago and it was not fun.  We didn't have anything to piece on for the rest of the day, food quality wasn't the same and it cost a lot of money.  Vulgar and disgusting on all counts:hororr:

Ham is out of the question after his heart attack.  I was going to fix a Capon but when I asked the lady if WalMart even sold them, she got really quiet (I realized, she didn' know what a Capon was) and sure enough, she whispered "what is that?" lollollol  WalMart has "Pink Lady" apples but no Capons, so I bought a "Cajun Style" frozen turkey breast.  I can't wait to see what "Cajun Style" tastes like - I will have to hide the label from Mr. TWHRider or he won't eat it - lol lol lol

No desserts this year but my big splurge will be an over-abundance of my grandmother's Sage stuffing (giblets are NOT included - yukky).  When my brother, et.al. come down for Thanksgiving, I always have to make a pan just for my nephew.  He's now 16 and stresses every year that I won't make the sage stuffing - lol lol  I buy five giant loaves of bread to make stuffing - it's roaster is bigger than the turkey's:fat:

It's a scaled-down Thanksgiving meal at home so we can have leftovers.  Mr. TWHRider will watch some year of NASCAR and football if there's a game on.  I will either watch the 40's movies on Turner Classic or the new Christmas movies on Hallmark, and watch the horses peacefully graze from my Feng Shui corner that faces west, over-looking the pastures so I can nearly always see the horses:love_heart:


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## Elzee (Nov 21, 2012)

My husband and I don't live near family either. Both our sons are serving in the military - the oldest is overseas (we haven't seen him in almost 2 years ) and the younger is stationed in another state. Neither one will be able to make it home for the holidays this year. Our daughter lives nearby and so, we will spend Thanksgiving with her. And somehow, to me,  that makes Thanksgiving more meaningful when I have loved ones away, who are serving. 

I am from Canada and my family celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. One of my sisters mailed me a Thanksgiving card at the beginning of October and told me to keep this Thanksgiving card to celebrate Thanksgiving in both countries. It is still on my mantle. Thanksgiving is a holiday that is a challenge to transcend beyond the border in my family because it is celebrated at different times even though in both countries, it is Thanksgiving.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 21, 2012)

We have no family close by either, I do buy a couple of turkeys and freeze them to make at a later date.  I picked up a Honeysuckle White for 49 cents a pound.  Hubby will be watching football :rugby: all day, but he's in the mood to barbeque.  We have some natural pork ribs that he'll be making, he's marinating them today in the barbeque sauce.  We'll be having succotash with them, baby lima beans, corn, and we throw in an onion and peppers.

The more I've seen shows like Kitchen Nightmares, the less I want to go out to eat at restaurants.  Between the old, rotting, modly food, mice, roaches and rats, poorly cooked to the wrong temp, microwaved, dropped or sneezed on, etc...I have less of a desire than when I was young.  Also, those that have to work on Thanksgiving are usually ticked off, and don't want to be there...don't want my salad dressing to have any strange texture, if you know what I mean. :upset:


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## TWHRider (Nov 22, 2012)

SeaBreeze said:


> The more I've seen shows like Kitchen Nightmares, the less I want to go out to eat at restaurants.  Between the old, rotting, modly food, mice, roaches and rats, poorly cooked to the wrong temp, microwaved, dropped or sneezed on, etc...I have less of a desire than when I was young.  Also, those that have to work on Thanksgiving are usually ticked off, and don't want to be there...don't want my salad dressing to have any strange texture, if you know what I mean. :upset:



That is the sad Gospel Truth:dispirited:  It also stinks that Black Friday has been moved up to early Thanksgiving evening.  Moneymoneymoneymoneymoney is the name of the game.

We don't do anything for Christmas and I did enough shopping Tuesday to last me at least until the initial rush of people is over.  Hopefully I've timed my next spending spree to be in the lull before the last really mad (and full of ugly temper) dash to the stores occursnthego:


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 22, 2012)

It IS all about the money. :greedy_dollars:  You start hearing Christmas ads and seeing decorations in the store before Halloween is over.   They have Hallmark cards for every and any 'imaginary' holiday, of course at least 2 bucks apiece.  I'm sitting safe in my home, waiting to watch the intensely aggressive and angry holiday shoppers on the local news...hope nobody gets trampled or maced while doing their Christmas shopping.   Crazy, really.


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## InsomniacGirl (Nov 22, 2012)

As I only have my son, his wife and my little granddaughter, they tend to spend Thanksgiving with his wife's family. My husband works holidays as well, (and sleeps during the day since he works at night), so this year we decided that we weren't going to do Thanksgiving this year at all. However, we did buy turkey cold cuts and made sandwiches, but nothing else to go with it, lol! I guess this year, we just didn't feel like 'going all out' when it came to Turkey Day. :-D


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 23, 2012)

I know what you mean Jeanne, it's just good to do what's natural for us and our families, and not feel obligated to fall into the holiday 'expectations'.  We had leftover ribs today, and all was good, LOL!


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## Elzee (Nov 24, 2012)

Well, didn't realize that after smoking two turkeys, it would be sooo much work carving and cutting them up into small portions for freezing. I think we will have macaroni and cheese for our Christmas dinner.  Or something a lot simpler than a large turkey or two. I do try to keep the holidays SIMPLE and the older I get, the simpler I want my holidays to be.


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## Ginger (Nov 24, 2012)

's a scaled-down Thanksgiving meal at home so we can have leftovers.  Mr. TWHRider will watch some year of NASCAR and football if there's a game on.  I will either watch the 40's movies on Turner Classic or the new Christmas movies on Hallmark, and watch the horses peacefully graze from my Feng Shui corner that faces west, over-looking the pastures so I can nearly always  see the horses:love_heart:[/QUOTE]
Hi TWH !

Since our children have left home and have their own "in laws" etc....we have spent a few holidays alone, too......I actually don't mind the wonderful "break" that it provides...after all of those years of "making it all happen" for everyone......I usually found the holidays *totally exhausting.....*  so now, I get to be the "kid'...I try to go see the Nut Cracker ballet and do some of the fun stuff that I never had time to enjoy until now.  

I also want to comment on your little  "Feng Shui" corner........I actually took a Feng Shui class once and  I do enjoy creating "ambience".....so I, too. have my little "alcove"  that is all "Feng Shuied" up!   I don't have your pasture with horses but I can overlook a wooded green belt area with a lot of beautiful ferns and evergeen trees! :love_heart:  I have a comfy chair that I can sink into that sorta gives you a big hug, when you sit in....I always have things around me, there, that sort of give me a lift... sweet cards from dear friends, ambient candles and I LOVE a fresh flower in my little vase......to me...    "less is more"....so I try to keep everything very basic and simple..... ?


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## TWHRider (Nov 24, 2012)

Ginger said:


> I can overlook a wooded green belt area with a lot of beautiful ferns and evergeen trees! :love_heart:  I have a comfy chair that I can sink into that sorta gives you a big hug, when you sit in....I always have things around me, there, that sort of give me a lift... sweet cards from dear friends, ambient candles and I LOVE a fresh flower in my little vase......to me...    "less is more"....so I try to keep everything very basic and simple..... ?



Everyone needs a peaceful corner and yours sounds wonderful


"Less is More" in a lot of ways for me.  I have a lot less things to dust than I used to - lol lol lol  When the big TV finally quit, I also got rid of the gigundus cabinet it was in - one less thing to dust and try to clean out from under.  The living room TV now hangs from the wall -lollol


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 24, 2012)

Has anyone ever tried a deep fried turkey?  Lots of people say it's sooo good, and I guess there's a lot of fires and burns from those who just buy a deep fryer and don't have much experience...fire-extinguisher is a definite "must have".


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 24, 2012)

Ginger said:


> I also want to comment on your little  "Feng Shui" corner........I actually took a Feng Shui class once and  I do enjoy creating "ambience".....so I, too. have my little "alcove"  that is all "Feng Shuied" up!   I don't have your pasture with horses but I can overlook a wooded green belt area with a lot of beautiful ferns and evergeen trees! :love_heart:  I have a comfy chair that I can sink into that sorta gives you a big hug, when you sit in....I always have things around me, there, that sort of give me a lift... sweet cards from dear friends, ambient candles and I LOVE a fresh flower in my little vase......to me...    "less is more"....so I try to keep everything very basic and simple..... ?



So nice that you took a Feng Shui class Ginger, cool!  I always found it interesting, but never took the time to make a feng shui spot, both you and TWHRiders's special spots sound lovely.   Guess I have to start by cleaning and clearing my house, just the two of us, but clutter piles up.   Here's a complicated version of feng shui...for me anyway...



> Celebrating Chinese New Year: The Contribution of Feng Shui
> 
> *Feng Shui: Wind and Water*
> 
> ...


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## Ginger (Nov 24, 2012)

WOW!  (Sea Breeze)

Now we have all had the course!!   Great!    TWH.......I am totally in agreement with you on getting rid of the "bricker bracker", too!!  My mother loved that kinda "stuff"....and as you can imagine, after more than 80 yrs.  , she has QUITE A BIT!!  Hence, I find value in being "utilitarian"  i.e. " if you don't use it you don't need it!....though I do have boxes of all of the kids school work and everything having to do with them....I have saved.   The t.v.hanging from the wall sounds like sensible "dust evasion"........I am listening?  I don't do much dusting either, if there is a way it can be avoided!!


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## Ginger (Nov 24, 2012)

R. E.     Feng Shui

My gosh,  I was reading over  Sea Breeze's "down load"  about Feng Shui...  and decided I  might need to make a disclaimer.........I never studied ANYTHING like all that "stuff"?
Actually, what I did was ....took a little class on "interior decorating" (basically)  using  Feng Shui principals....mostly in regard to how to use color or  maybe by eliminating "sharp angles" (for example) one could create a more "peaceful" atmosphere in a room etc.?  I think most people who are using the term "Feng Shui" mean it only as a light hearted way of saying things are all "asthetically comfy and cozy" or "pleasing to the senses". I hear people using the term all of the time this way?.....So spare me the "DETAILS", Puleeeeze!!!!    layful:   LOL!


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 24, 2012)

Your interior decorating basics are much more "user friendly", I agree!   The details ARE mind-boggling, but if I work toward de-cluttering it's a good start, think that my home is comfy and cozy...kinda pleasing to the sense for the most part...but still want Feng Shui experience.


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## Ginger (Nov 24, 2012)

Hi SeaBreeze !

Over here, in my area, we used to have the coolest thing called "DISCOVER U."   The "U" stands for University!  What it was, really, was just a bunch of people in the community who knew a certain craft or skill that they were willing to share or teach to others......so they would sign up with Discover U. as an instructor there....and you would not BELIEVE the variety of "courses" or "classes" being offered !!  There was everything from Line Dancing to Oriental Cooking, Golf, Computer Classes, all kinds of ART classes, Yoga , Martial Arts....Personal Growth and Development, Sushi Rolling, Fly Fishing, Gardening, Massage.....YOU NAME IT  !  It didn't cost much to take classes, so I used to take a lot of fun stuff .......  This little community made "University" was such a great idea....but for some reason, after going for about 15 years...it has kind of folded?  There were always issues with getting buildings and parking etc.?  Anyway, that is where I took the Feng Shui class!   I wanted to share about the Discover U. concept, though, because any community could do something similar? Maybe they could utilize school buildings ( or such) as a venue?


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## TWHRider (Nov 25, 2012)

Ginger said:


> R. E.     Feng Shui
> 
> My gosh,  I was reading over  Sea Breeze's "down load"  about Feng Shui...  and decided I  might need to make a disclaimer.........one could create a more "peaceful" atmosphere in a room etc.?  I think most people who are using the term "Feng Shui" mean it only as a light hearted way of saying things are all "asthetically comfy and cozy" or "pleasing to the senses".



Holy Crow, I also need to make a disclaimer regarding Feng Shui - lol

I have never taken a course, just read up a bit and listened to what folks say.  I fall in the category of "peaceful atmosphere"; "asthetically comfy and cozy"; "pleasing to the senses"  :beguiled:

I did learn a lot reading your download, Seabreeze


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