| Hi All!
I have been playing catch-up with this thread all day.
Thanksgiving was hectic. I was supposed to go to my aunt's for dinner. And then come home and cook for my boyfriend and myself. But, life interfered. My boyfriend tells me, last minute that he should be able to get a break at the same time my aunt is having dinner. And of course, I am not prepared. So I fed him some deviled eggs and pickles and sent him back out for a tour around the town.
I put the oven up to 450 and put in the turkey thighs.
Knowing that would not cook them in about an hour, I grabbed a microwave browner/crisper Dish I got at a yard sale a couple of years ago and have nto used. You are supposed to pre-heat it in the microwave before you put anything in it. Well, about 1/2 way through the pre-heating time, it started to smell like burning plastic. Out it went-all the way into the outside garbage can.
So I got hold of my quiche pan, transferred them from a metal pan to that and put them in the microwave, and prayed. In 15 minutes they were just about done. I then transferred that whole pan with some foil on it back to the oven, which I lowered to 350.
Then came the asparagus. That steams well on top fo the stove. So no worries there.
And I had made both sweet potato pie and a pecan pie (from the recipe on the karo syrup bottle). So I was set.
After we finished eating and he was back on the road, going about 45 minutes up the road to work as a state adjunct police officer, I finished cleaning up. I then headed to my aunt's for dessert and catching up with her side of the family.
We all live in town, but our schedules and temperments do not always cause us to see each other. I mean literally, within blocks of each other.
Friday, I stayed home and defrosted and cleaned my freezer. That is my BF thing to do. Then I took a nap. Nothing is more frugal than napping.
Yesterday, I ran around town like a crazy person because my nephew's father didn't get his birthday gifts, stopped by my house on Friday, gave me money and asked me to do it. So early it was off to TRU for a gameboy game, and then on to the skateboard shop for a new skateboard. My nephew hangs out there so I had to do this inbetween him being there.
I called and placed the order. They knew what he wanted. Then I snuck in and paid for it as he was on his way there. But I couldn't take it because they had to put the grip tape on it. So I had to come back.
He was supposed to be going on a movie date with several other kids and I was dropping him off in another town. But that didn't work out, so the kid he was going to go with, came to my house. I had to not let them leave the house while I went and picked up the board.
Then while they were out, back at the skateboard shop, I took both presents to his house and put them in a closet. When his father showed up to pick him up, I told his father where to find the gifts for this morning.
Before any of those stores were open, I had gone grocery shopping. I got 6 Mrs. Smith's pies for $.79 each - how frugal is that? And I got a pork roast that they charge you less because it has bone in it (this was a 3" X 1/2" bone) for less than $1.50 per lb. It is in the crockpot now with sauerkraut and brown sugar. It smells so good.
But I was very happy that I got the pies. The store had them on sale for $1.79 and I had coupons that came in the mail for $1.00 off each. And after I cleaned the freezer and re-arranged the bounty that is there, I made room specifically for them.
I think that I am done for Christmas shopping. I also got to Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday. I got one of my bosses a heated towel rack. He has an outdoor hot tub and I think that will go real well with that. The other one just bought a house this past spring, and I found a pasta jar (with pasta in it), and an oil and vinegar set with cruets and a tray for the cruets to set on, along with the oil and vinegar in the same pattern as the jar. So he is set and I am done.
Now it is down to baking the cookies, decorating the house, writing the cards and wrapping the gifts. Piece of cake. I still have some of those aprons to embroider, but I don't need the rest as gifts, so I will take my time, and see if they sell at the yard sale next May.
I have bought the gifts for the kids at the Kiwinas breakfast, finished the hats for the school kids. Unless my aunt (she's 83) wants to go Christmas shopping, or someone tells me of someone who needs help, I am just about done. There will still be another turkey and fixins' to get together to give away (I bought extra yams in the can yesterday, to start this with).
Well ladies, I better go. The kids are out skating, the cat is asleep, the football is at 1/2time and I need to decide if I am having rice or mashed potatoes with this roast.
Take care all!!! Norma
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