So, lets review the happenings of last weekend. As I had mentioned previously, we always host Thanksgiving at our house, at least we have for the last six years. We invite our friends that will not be with family, or perhaps other places. the number can range from 9 to 19, or more. This year, we had 9, counting Betty and me, and had enough food for 99. Everyone brought most of the trimmings, and I fried one turkey and roasted another. Betty made a Pretzel-Strawberry Salad and a Cold Pea Salad, with both being delicious. We found a recipe for Chestnut-Apple Dressing and it called for canned chestnuts. I couldn't find them but did happen upon fresh chestnuts. What a treat! The last time Betty and I had fresh roasted chestnuts was in Paris in 1972 (I was stationed in Germany at the time). Well, to make a long story short, I went on line to see how you roasted chestnuts, and the main thing is to cut an "X" in the shell to allow the steam to escape. Not easy to do and I found out you have to make sure it is correct as the chestnut will explode if it isn't. I christened our new oven with exploded chestnuts the day after I installed it. It was worth the clean-up as the dressing was really great. Add to those things Sweet-n-Sour Beets, and you have a meal in itself. However, with what our guest brought, - corn pudding, mashed potatoes, dumping, cranberry salad, wild rice cassorole,baked corn, and of course, desserts, - it was a gourmet meal, to say the least.
Since all of our friends could not join us on Thanksgiving, we invited everyone to the house on Saturday night for a dessert gathering. Of course, we laid the table with leftovers and people brought additional food, so again we had plenty to eat. We do more than just eat but it seems as if people like to share a plate when we gather. Bill Lepson took some great photos, which I will share in another post. I had decorated the house (inside only) on Friday and Saturday prior to everyone's arrival, so it was a very festive gathering. Mary Carr is the type of person that can't seem to pass up a bargain (a little like me, but I concentrate on the kitchen), and she had all these gifts to give out. She put slips of paper in envelopes with gift or a scratch-off, and then passed them out. After intense trading, everyone picked a gift by the number of their final envelope. My gift was a box of candles, and Betty received a really nice welcome basket. Betty traded my candles for a small vase with Shirlee Lepson, although Betty said she wanted both. Well, Keith, Mary's husband had received the same candle set, so Mary took it away from him and gave it to Betty. It was really fun with all the trading, etc. The crowning activity of the event was "The Poppers!" I had a box of poppers from England and passed them out. Inside was a paper hat, a whistle and a paper with jokes. Everyone shared their jokes and then I conducted the whistlers in song (in the box was a baton and a sheet with songs based on numbers. Each person had a number on their whistle, and a corresponding stick-on number on their forehead). I have to say, not one song sounded as it should and it was total chaos, but so much fun.
As I said, I decorated between Thanksgiving and Saturday night, so I'm going to share some photos of the decorations.
Last year we invaded Frances' home for Christmas and she had a beautiful artificial tree. Well, after Christmas I went to Home Depot and found this tree on sale. Since they didn't have it in Florida, I bought it and brought it home. I think it is really pretty.
Another view.
I love these. They are Christmas Carousels from Germany. The one on the left I brought back with me when I went to Stuttgart to teach one time and the other two I purchased here in the states. The heat rising from the candles makes the carousel turn.
Close-ups. The top one is the one I brought from Germany.
These angels also came from Germany, but we purchased them back in the '70's when we were stationed there.I didn't realize how long this post was so I'll end for today. I'll share most photos tomorrow.
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