…… but this little monster has gained a HUGE 9 ounces since I got her!!!
She went to the vet today to get her second set of shots and a check up. She’s doing great, if you don’t count the fact that she has a hernia that will have to be repaired.
I’m starting to doubt the professionalism of the “breeder”.
The positive thing is that we can fix that when we spay her at 5 months.
And when I say “we”, I mean the vet. While I feel that I could comfortably deliver a baby at any point in time, I do not have the skills to remove anything else from a body.
I’m using the royal we.
I don’t know why.
I have spent the better part of today putting together a Thanksgiving menu for our family of …… let me count …… ummmmmm, me, five of my kids, my parents, Daughter #3’s boyfriend (I know!), my brother and his two daughters and hopefully my sister in law.
What does that give us? 13?
Yeah, 13. Hopefully not the unlucky number most people pin on it.
So yeah, recipes. Yawn.
I think I’m pretty much sticking with anything Pioneer Woman makes.
Heart-clogging, creamy deliciousness.
For one day a year.
Except for the turkey.
For that main even I’m using a brine recipe that I saw on the Steve Harvey show.
Do NOT judge my tv viewing. I think that guy is a no-nonsense parent, a terrific husband who puts his wife first, and he says what he thinks and lets the chips fall where they may.
Having said that, I’m not a regular viewer, but the TV was on one day last week and when I walked into the room he had a guy on there fixing a turkey using Dadgum That’s Good Brine.
And that’s pretty much when I knew what I was doing to our turkey.
Bam!
After I found all of the recipes I wanted, made up a shopping list for everything (Oh. My. Word.),
took a shower, and got ready to leave for the grocery store …… I got to the garage and then thought better of it. I want the fresh stuff that I have to purchase to be fresh next Wednesday, so I decided to put the shopping trip off until Monday.
This may have been a terrible judgement call.
We shall see.
Speaking of taking a shower …… I happen to have a walk-in shower. Which means that there’s no door.
I have no problem with that and in fact, I happen to enjoy having one less glass door/shower curtain to clean.
But today, for the first time since I got her, Gracie showed what it’s like to have such a teensy brain.
She always follows me around. Always. And everywhere. It’s like having a two year old again, when you couldn’t even go to the bathroom without tiny fingers being stuck under the door and the wailing of the dying going on because of the 60-second separation.
Now, she usually just sits in the bathroom and waits on me to come out of the shower, but evidently she was feeling extra needy today because she just walked right into the shower. And I have to tell you that she’s not a water-lover. If she’s ever gotten close to the water in the shower, she’s backed off quickly.
But not today.
She marched right in, whining the whole time.
Do you know how difficult it is to take a shower while a tiny, 2 pound, 9 ounce, fur ball is circling your feet?
I’m totally going to have to get one of those necklaces so that I can call someone and say, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.”
She’s going to kill me.
On the bright side, it was a terrific way to get her bathed and now she smells just as wonderful as I do.
🙂
I tackled another project today, and I must say that I think I did a great job:
Yep, I put that together. Plus the glider ottoman that goes with it.
It’s going upstairs in the guest room, which will soon contain a white crib.
It had a white crib in it when I got home on Monday. Son #2 had put it together, but some of the slats had been pretty damaged in transit, so I took it apart, boxed it back up and hauled it downstairs for the UPS guy to pick up, which he did this morning.
I think the replacement crib will arrive Friday, so we’ll start all over.
Now you need to know that this crib (and various other baby stuff I got) is not just because of Little Bit.
It’s for any and all future Little Bits. Or Medium Bits.
The room looks really great, so I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time Son #3 comes home and lights into me for putting that stuff in “his” room.
And “light into me” is putting it mildly.
Oh well.
Such is the curse of a horrible mother.
OK, so I have a question. How big of a turkey should I get for 13 people? I’d appreciate any turkey advice you can give.
Most of the other dishes can be made the day before, which is exactly what I plan to do.
It is now time to rustle something up for dinner (See? I’m already sounding like the Pioneer Woman!).
Take it easy, Peeps, and if you have any terrific suggestions for Thanksgiving meals, bring ’em on!
🙂
My Second Plan A 
Usually plan on one pound per person. Also consider how many left overs you want and if you are sending some home for the kids. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Sarah.
So at least a 13 lb turkey, though if I want leftovers I should take it up to …… 18?
🙂
have no idea how big a turkey you need. I’ve never cooked for more than 6. However, I do always brine my turkey, found a recipe years ago in Cooking Light magazine and it’s wonderful! Also, Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving in the Lewis household without “Cheesy Corn” – a very easy corn and you got it, cheese casserole, let me know if you want the recipe!
Beth,
I think I may have the recipe, but I’d love to get yours, just in case it’s different.
Thanks!!! ❤
1 12 oz bag frozen corn – cooked according to package directions and drained
place 2 Tablespoons butter and 3 oz of cream cheese in microwave safe bowl. cook on high for 2 mins. Add corn and cook an additional 2-3 mins. stir well to combine. Add 1/2 -1 cup sharp cheddar (to taste) cook an additional 30 seconds to melt cheese.
our other new favorite over the past 2 or 3 years is Penne pasta with pumpkin vodka sauce have had to change things up a bit with my vegetarian. Let me know if you want that recipe as well. It’s a bit more time consuming. but VERY good.
Yum!!! And yes, please!!! 🙂
Which kid isn’t making it home & is D#2 able to bring Little Bit for Thanksgiving? I remember how much paperwork was involved every time Lauren brought Tieryn here–yikes!!
Daughter #1 won’t be there and yes, Little Bit will be the star of the show. This will be a piece of cake compared to his trip to Oregon! 🙂
And I think I like Anen.
❤
Can’t even spell my name right!!
Big Martha’s Mashed Potatoes are a must at our Thanksgivings and one Christmas dinner.
Pappas BBQ. Sliced turkey. Wonderful! No mess. Cook all the rest.
Wow! Great idea!!! Though maybe a little two late for me since the daughters like to cook everything (I think that skips a generation). I didn’t even know that Papas did that. Thanks!
I am having 15 people in my 1150 sq ft. house! I bought a roaster and will do a 20 lb. brined turkey and my son is smoking one in the backyard! The 28th is 13 years without Steve…
Holy Moley!!! You’re going to have what I had last year in NY …. in about the same amount of room. But it was so fun!!
I’m sorry about the 28th. Thanksgiving always starts the “death march” for me, though last year was much better. I’m hoping for more of the same this year.
Hugs, Karen. ❤
We usually have 16-20 people for Thanksgiving on my side (16 with just my immediate family alone — siblings, spouses , kids, and my parents) — and I think my mom usually does a 20-pound turkey.
But don’t quote me. I’ve never cooked a damned turkey in my life! 🙂
The 1 pound per person is a great target, but do consider the fact that not all of the turkey weight is meat. Also, as was mentioned earlier…leftovers. We usually get around 20 pounds and there are only 7 -8 of us any given year. That gives us plenty for turkey sandwiches, etc. and the ever popular turkey pot pie the sunday after thanksgiving. YUMMY! Just my thoughts from one sister to another. 🙂
Thanks, Kim!! I’d love to have that recipe for turkey pot pie!!
🙂
Pasta with Pumpkin Vodka sauce
1T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (I leave this out becasue my kids won’t eat onions. It’s a Lewis thing, they learned it from their dad – you would think they were being poisoned if they see even one tiny piece of onion)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1T fresh sage minced
1 can of pumpkin purée
2C vegetable broth (I use no chicken chicken broth brand – my favorite for veggie cooking)
1/2C good-quality vodka (plus a little more for making your favorite drink for while cooking)
1/4C Half & Half
pinch of cinnamon
generous pinch of nutmeg
1/2C of grated parmesan
salt & pepper to taste
one box penne or rotini pasta
Procedure:
1. Preheat a large, somewhat deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil add the diced onions, salt and pepper (to taste) and cook until translucent and soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and heat until fragrant (about a minute). Add pumpkin purée, vodka and stock, mix well. Lower the heat to a low simmer after it comes to a light bubble. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add Half & Half, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir to combine.
2. Make your pasta.
3. Right before you drain the pasta, mix the parmesan cheese into the sauce. Drain your pasta and return it to the pot you boiled it in and add the sauce to the pasta pot.
4. With a big wooden spoon, toss and stir the pasta and sauce (NOT ON ANY HEAT!) for a couple minutes to let the starches in the pasta mingle with the pumpkin sauce. It gets so incredibly creamy and thick.
5. Serve with more parmesan. .
YUM!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to put this here, Beth!! I appreciate it!! ❤
🙂 It’s very good, although not too healthy. If you don’t try it for Thanksgiving you should give it a try sometime soon.