Thanksgiving Doings

This was the first Thanksgiving since my freshmen year of college that I haven't been with my parents. This year, they decided to go to Hong Kong and left us "kids" to get Thanksgiving done on our own. So my brother, sister, and cousin came to the magnificent City of Culver City to NOT have turkey. Here's what went down on Thursday. Apologies in advance if you're vegan; we do love our animal-based products.

It is tradition in our family to have deviled eggs for holiday meals. Also, my mom inevitably burns the walnuts while toasting them, but I'm happy to report that I did not burn the candied walnuts!

Walnut does not approve of my husband's attempt to make Midori-based cocktails (he didn't actually have any alcohol, of course!)

There is nothing so good as candied bacon.

My sister makes the most amazing HK-style sweet dinner rolls.

Our unorthodox Thanksgiving menu:

deviled eggs, scallops (only one made it into the picture), 餐包, tri-tip, tiramisu, sea-salt caramels, candied walnuts, and candied bacon. The only normal things are green bean carousel* and sweet potato pie.

Summary: in that one meal, we used a pound of butter, 16 eggs, a pound of bacon, a pound of scallops, and three pounds of steak. And also a pound each of green beans and sweet potatoes.

We didn't just eat, of course. Much as my sister and I love cooking up a storm, we also love plushies and cats. So we did a photoshoot with Walnut, who helped us demonstrate the three levels of done-ness of turkey legs.

We made turkey legs out of three different colors of fleece to represent burnt, cooked perfectly, and still raw. Notice that the legs get smaller the more cooked they get, since proteins contract when cooked.

Walnut comes over to investigate.

This one is burnt. Do not approve.

This one, though, is to my liking.

I'd better wash my paws before eating, though.

Later we lined up all the legs next to him. My brother said they looked like they were his babies, all clustered around him for milk.

It's been great fun having family over and all, but also kind of crazy. Definitely no time for sewing (other than quick turkey legs, which took maybe ten minutes each). Hopefully I can get the rest of my Superman dress done before the weekend is over!

*My mom was the one who accidentally called it a green bean carousel the first time, so one year my sister and I actually made a carousel out of cardboard and a lazy Susan, then strung up green beans on ribbons like an actual carousel. My mom was not amused. Ever since then we never called it a casserole.