And I made lemonade out of it

Thanksgiving looms.



It will be a low-key feast this year for Bryant and me, but I somehow still manage to get caught up in the fun of deciding what will be on the menu. As tempted as I am to nuke some leftover Chinese food, open a bag of Doritos and call it a day, this is Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is nothing without home cooking and tradition. How am I going to pay tribute to the pilgrims (who came to America so that future generations could have the Internet, build massive corporate infrastructures and sink into what seems like an eternal recession, mind you) if I'm not doing it with an enormous turkey and six side dishes? Since I can't even celebrate with a heaping helping of smalltalk and some good ol' passive-aggressive feuding with relatives this year, the least I can do is fuel our economy with some needless discretionary spending.

Of course, last year I burned my hand before the cooking even started, so Bryant made our entire holiday meal. And I didn't even burn my hand in a blazing fire as I was saving a child from death's grip; I was reaching for a mug that had just come out of the microwave and I forgot that microwaves heat things. So. This year I plan to try and be less spastic, stay away from the microwave, let Bryant relax, and prepare a few dishes in advance.

Mashed potatoes, some kind of sweet potato/pumpkin dish, and other classic fare could easily fall under this  making-it-in-advance category. And this looks like an edible take on green bean casserole that would reheat well, so I think it will give it a shot. If you see any recipes you think I should read, email them to me. Or don't. Whatever. Happy November.