Forays In Faux-tatoes

We went beyond our usual boundaries this Thanksgiving. Since Sara and I were both husband-less, we didn't go all out but we also tried gearing the meal in a more healthy direction. Sara made these amazing savory sweet potatoes. Cut into chunks, seasoned with herbs and garlic (garlic, mmmm, that's what i remember) they were the best sweet potatoes to ever cross my lips. And I really don't like sweet potatoes. The other alternative food on our menu was Fauxtatoes. (mashed cauliflower, but it sounds yucky, so I use the faux-ternative. ha!) And of course they had garlic in them as well. No, there isn't some special agenda with the health advantages of garlic in a diet, we just really like garlic!! I cooked up the cauliflower, mashed it up and then put it in the blender. **Side note** I was noticing some straggling stems hanging onto the side of the blender and, since the mixture wasn't spraying, I took the lid off. Everything going fine, I use the push stick to integrate the stuff on the sides. I guess my stick went down a little too far and caught the blade at the bottom a little. So the mixture just blew up right in my face. All over my front, face, hair and the cabinets. See, this is why I don't cook in the shirt I'm going to wear for dinner. Anyway, back on the subject, the fauxtatoes were a hit. I also made some regular mashed potatoes just in case the cauliflower didn't work out. We served both and fooled the kids.

"So, how did you like the mashed potatoes?"

Kids: "They were goooood!"

"They weren't all mashed potatoes."

Kids: "WHAT?? Then what was it?"

"Cauliflower."

Kids: "No way. Yuck. Ew. Blech."

"No, really, and you just ate your plate clean."

We revealed at the end of the meal which kids ate which and really, nobody was the wiser. I think these may become a staple in our house! So the rest of the menu was pretty basic but oh so good and traditional. Turkey, stuffing, corn, gravy, relish trays, fauxtatoes, roasted sweet potatoes and also, Sara's wonderful yeast rolls. Apparently she had to use a different recipe, but really, anything baked that comes out of her kitchen is just perfect. (and now on to other martha stewart impersonations.) Oh, and desserts. Well, Sara saved the day there, too. We both bought a box of these Pumpkin Gems. They are mini pumpkin pies made in big cupcake cups with crust and everything. I was up late chopping vegetables and such and decided to do the Gems (ooh, it's truly outrageous) after Thanksgiving dinner. Sara made her's the night before, so then everyone would have the choice of cooled or warm pumpkin pie. So, while ReRe is doing dishes (yay for maids) I'm in the kitchen starting on the pumpkin gems. Well, apparently I put in too much butter. Really, could that ever be possible? But the crust was like a blob of goo. It was not forming and so we decided to just bake them and see what happens. It would be just crust on the bottom and filling on top. Sooo, it comes out of the oven 12 minutes later and yuck, they are gross. I totally messed them up! Fortunately we had the other 6 Sara made. She also made this apple crisp that has more crisp than apple (the way it should be).

And we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. It has gotten crappier each year. I don't know why I keep watching, probably for the nostalgia. It was great when I was a kid, but really, in the last 15 years, it has gone downhill. I have one thing I look forward to seeing in the parade every year, and that's the Rockettes. I think they are so cool and I think Sara would make a great one, too! Well, I forgot about the parade and turned it on about an hour and a half late. So we missed the Rockettes. Although then, we saw the greatest parade moment in history this Thanksgiving. There was this float about the cartoon Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. This is actually quite a funny show. There was the big house and all the characters from the show. They stopped at their place at the Macy's storefront and then started singing this inane, weird song. Gag me! Then, as we are losing interest, this other music starts up and Rick Astley walks out of the front door! The float was rickrolled!!! Sara and I were literally gasping for air, laughing so hard. And all of our kids did not get why their mom's were laughing like lunatics! They were disappointed that the Imaginary Friends quit singing! It was the highlight of the day! That and the savory sweet potatoes (is that an oxymoron?) and the fauxtatoes. and the rolls. and the apple crisp. Ok, now I'm done. And the turkey. Alright, really I'm done.