Thanksgiving x3 This Year
Wow, I haven’t posted in a while!
The days go by so fast that Thanksgiving felt like just yesterday. The six-week holiday season from mid-Nov to new years always feels like such a hectic time. A whirlwind of cooking, traveling, recovering, then it’s time to do it all over again.
Even though it’s my second holiday season spent out of the kitchen, I still feel obligated to idk, create pain and suffering for myself in preparation. So I’ve been heads down in a little project of my own again this year, just because what is “Christmas” without misery for 4 weeks leading up to it? :upsidedownsmileyface:
To briefly recap our Thanksgiving, we celebrated it thrice this year!
Tuesday: Friendsgiving
We invited over some of our friends from St. Louis who are also continuing their careers in Philly. When we first arrive in Philly this July, we had just been cooped up for a whole year in Chicago. It was so nice to see some familiar faces in a new town and start this new adventure together, and we loved being able gather and share a meal with them for Friendsgiving. It was potluck style - we did the mains + dessert, and everyone brought a dish.
Friendsgiving Menu
Sage-rubbed Turchetta / Stuffed Butternut Squash (V) / Vegetarian gravy
Sides: Mac & cheese, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes
Whiskey pumpkin cheesecake with whipped sour cream
The butternut squash was meant to mirror the turchetta as a main centerpiece for our vegetarian guest, while also serving as a stuffing side for everyone else. It looked very impressive! But after several hours in the oven half of it was still slightly al dente. Sadge.
Not our most successful execution, but it was still fun to see everyone (and not have to cook every single dish for once).
Thursday: a small dinner with just us and brother-in-law, plus a virtual gathering with the in-laws
Convinced my BIL to visit us again this month for Thanksgiving! With the way cases are rising, we didn’t feel safe flying during the holidays or having the in-laws fly either, so we settled for a partial gathering again. Since it was just the three of us, we kept the menu pretty simple.
Thanksgiving Day Menu
Turchetta (yes, a second one lol) & turkey gravy
Aligot potatoes (failed attempt)
Spicy lemony green bean salad
Oven roasted brussel sprouts
Cranberry sauce (for leftover sandwiches only)
Leftover Pumpkin Cheesecake
So actually we don’t even like pumpkin that much? But I bought two cans zealously a couple of months ago and would have to wait another whole 10 months for them to be seasonally appropriate again. I managed to use one can for Friendsgiving and wanted to make a separate pie for Thursday, but in the end my laziness (or my sensibilities??) got the better of me and I baked the leftover cheesecake crust and batter into mini pie form.
This was a pared down menu of what we would have normally eaten for Thanksgiving every year. Not a lot of photos taken bc we were busy cooking and being dramatic about the holidays.
Friday-Sunday: drove up to spend the weekend with my parents
Since Noah had to work Friday, we couldn’t leave town until that afternoon. My parents had their own Thanksgiving gathering on Thursday, so Friday-Sunday was just for being with family and naturally eating a lot. Food doesn’t stop flowing in my house. It’s very nice but also incredibly frustrating to justify why you’re not hungry 10 minutes after eating a full meal (that you weren’t hungry for because you were offered snacks literally every hour since the meal prior).
A selection of the things we ate:
Pork and chive wontons! that Joe and I helped make while Noah rested on Friday. I always have wontons as the first meal in if I get in at night to my parents house, and I asked for it again this time. So warm and comforting and simple, and the perfect welcome meal.
Dumplings that we all helped make. Celery & pork, just to switch it up a little
Salted duck, turkey, Hainanese-style poached chicken, steamed fish, roast duck
Lobsters & clams
Many vegetable stirfries
Endless fruits
Goji berry “tea”
After we came back, I got my booster and felt like crap for a while. We continued our Pandemic Legacy campaign. And I dove right into my little holiday project.
A Sneak Peak
Super subtle, I know…
Before Thanksgiving, we spent some time in New York (over two trips!) and ate a ton of good food. There isn’t a complete photostory because we mostly focused on being in the moment. But it was a great food trip and we hope to visit more. NY food scene is endless!!