Obviously, there’s not a lot of blogging here today. We’re hosting Thanksgiving at our apartment tomorrow so we’re getting ready. I’m making the turkey using my very popular recipe, as well as the cranberry sauce, collard greens, and dinner rolls. My brother Bernie and his wife Carol and their three kids, my mom, are my sister Francesca are all coming and bringing dishes. My brother John and his family are staying home this year, which is probably just as well because I don’t know where we would sit the eight of them. Oh and Melanie’s sister Theresa is flying in from Dallas today for the weekend too.
We actually moved the dinner to my house from my sister Evelyn’s house because she went long on her pregnancy and is in fact giving birth today. They had long planned to name the baby girl Cecilia and so it is nice that she is being born on the feast of St. Cecilia. Since Evy will still be in the hospital, Pete and their three kids will be coming over as well.
In addition to the dishes above, we’re also having stuffing (both Francesca’s recipe and Melanie’s because she’s homesick for hers), sweet potatoes, turnip, several kinds of pie including apple, pecan, pumpkin, and .... I’m forgetting one.
I picked up the wine today. I think Argentinian Malbec goes well with turkey so I got two bottles, a 2004 Don Miguel Gascon and a 2004 Finca Linda, both from the Mendoza region. I also picked up a Chateau St. Michel Riesling from Washington state for Melanie because she just likes Riesling, and an Oyster Bay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc just because I like Sauv. Blanc and it was a good price.
It’s going to be a nice dinner I think and relaxed and fun as our family dinners usually are. There’s never any dramatics in my family. And after we’ll probably go visit my youngest niece and her mom.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Technorati Tags:dinner, family, Thanksgiving, turkey, wine
Never any dramatics??? Well, where’s the fun in *that*?
Happy Thanksgiving to the whole Bettinelli family! And congrats to Pete and Evy too. I love the name Cecilia – and it’s even better because she’s the patron saint of music.
I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving too – though my mom’s still doing the turkey. Should be fun!
Well, it’s not MY recipe, it’s my Texan wife’s and you can find the collard green recipe, along with a lot of others on our cooking blog, In the Kitchen with Bella.
Southerners know how to make vegetables taste good: they add bacon. Brilliant!
I’m really bad at wine descriptors, but I would describe Malbec as “spicy”. It’s not a fruit bomb like Cab or Merlot can be. It’s just a nice wine that pairs well with spicy foods as well as poultry.
I haven’t tried Red Truck although I almost picked one up today. I have nothing against cheap, fun wines. In fact, I think that wine should be fun. Expensive wines can be great but are often complex and inaccessible to the novice and require lots of cellaring, but inexpensive wines can be very good and accessible and ready to drink.
Funny how wine fads go. First it was Merlot, then it was Pinot Noir, and now it’s Shiraz. I think you’re ahead of the curve because I’m sure we’ll be getting back to Cabs and Zinfandels again.
I really should do more wine blogging, maybe over at the cooking blog.
I really should do more wine blogging, maybe over at the cooking blog.
Brilliant!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
My sister was due yesterday. Still waiting. Happy Thanksgiving!
Collards are a sturdy leafy green, in the same family as turnip greens and mustard greens that can be bitter and tough if not cooked properly. They are a winter vegetable also distantly related to Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
Arguing the best way to make greens with a Southerner is like arguing the best barbecue. Everyone is absolutely convinced that the place they’re from makes the best BBQ, no two ways about it.
I’m not averse to try different, but I do like the spiciness of this recipe. Thanks for the tip on the turnips.