This has been a crazy week. First Aunt Amanda came to visit on Wednesday and we hosted a modest welcome home gathering for her. Julia likes Aunt Amanda. She doesn't see her often enough but always has a good time with her.
It was great to spend a day with our good friends Kenny and Amanda (sans Kenny...damn work!). Hopefully we'll be able to spend a little more time together when they visit this summer.
At some point Wednesday night I began preparations for the Thanksgiving meal that we were hosting. I wanted to host...especially when I heard that Ma' Jones was probably going to have to work on or around Thanksgiving. That's a lot to take on either coming off or going into a night of work. She does so much for us that it was good to be able to offer to give her a break.
But I never realized how much stress is generated when one offers to host a major meal for Ma' Jones. Add to that the fact that I had never cooked a turkey before and I was second guessing myself and my cooking strategy for about a week! Finally, I took my 23 pound turkey (which I wasn't sure would fit into my oven), use as much butter and seasoning as I could, cook it nice and slow and hope for the best.
Now I need to let you know that our oven is about 50 or so years old...seriously! I knew our oven temperatures were off, but I decided to buy an oven thermometer for this meal, in order to be able to cook more precisely. Precise was an impossibility. I could hit 350 and 300, but 325 was impossible! Furthermore, I don't have enough experience with turkey to say that if its 15 minutes per pound at 325, then it should be 22 minutes a pound at 300. Before too long, I was just taking a shot in the dark and a 23 pound ball of salmonella!
So the juices ran clear and I served it. In carving it, I definitely discovered portions undercooked, but we cut around them, nuked them, etc. and I think everyone remained in good health. That is what I was most thankful for this year!
I also tried making my Nana's pecan pie...a quality Rhino Recipe that come out GREAT! Julia loves pecan pie...never mind that momma says that she can't have nuts yet!
Now I miss my family. I do everyday, but really it is what it is and we need to make the most of when we are together. We had loads of fun with the Jones side and especially our nieces and Nate (poor guy has no idea what he will have to deal with at family gatherings later on). Julia loves her cousins and is having fun with everything right now...and that's the most fun that I've ever had!
Bring on the fat guy in the red suit!
-Andy
2 comments:
Just wait Andy! When Julia hits Luke's age it is soooooooo much more fun then when they are Ben and Julia's age! They actually remember!!! I wish you could have seen Luke's face as he was opening bday presents! Can't wait until Christmas!
It was so nice to spend some time with you guys. I hear you had a great Thanksgiving "Chicken."
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