Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! I am thankful that there are so many people here that share my love of food, cooking and growing!!

Rosefolly, you said that so beautifully, thank you. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here, may every joy visit your heart on this and every other day. Most of all I wish everyone much love and contentment for all the good things your life may hold.

We've had turkey at Christmas sometimes, but more often a beef or pork roast, depending on what we feel like. We do Christmas Eve at my house, just my family, so we have leeway to do what we want any given year without too much outside griping lol, and we like to mix things up. Sometimes we go Italian and do lasagne, bruschetta, italian soup, a fish; sometimes we do the Feast of the Seven Fishes, other years we've gone Slovak and had a buffet of halupki, kapustnica, pierogi, halushky, etc. We've even started with the oblatky and had the extra place setting. (although we go more traditional American with the desserts when we do Slovak - prune or poppy seed cookies just aren't my thing lol). And no carp in the bathtub lol. I do draw the line somewhere! When you grow up in such a multi-ethnic family as I did, it's nice to have so many traditions to draw on - and even to borrow from others that have nothing to do with you! Most people I think do have the Friday after Thanksgiving off. Obviously medical personnel, retail workers, etc, have to go to work but it seems to me most people have it off. But then many of us are back to work on Saturday! :) Dee

I love you guys too. :) plllog, about the stupid places that boxes are left after delivery: I just got a large heavy box delivered directly in front of my storm door. Do you know how hard it is to open a storm door that's being blocked by a huge heavy box? Thankfully that's only the third time it's been done to me. lol! neely, your plated meal is gorgeous! I only thought to take one photo of any of the food I made. The obligatory dinner rolls that are actually destined as leftover turkey sandwiches. :) Annie, I'm glad to hear that all is well there and your dinner with Elery sounds lovely. I can't even remember the last time I enjoyed a meal with an atmosphere like that............... agmss, it sounds like your nephew is a cooking phenom! That's a shame about the make-ahead blueberries. I had a similar disaster once when I attempted a make-ahead cheesey-creamy topping for an onion flambe. :p My butter/herb turkey breast was wonderful!!! The only drawback was a lack of drippings to make good gravy for my BF.... had to use the stuff that came in a package with the turkey.