Day Three: Belated Thanksgiving sans Turkey

Early in the morning the massive prime rib was seasoned and marinated and began slow-roasting in the oven.



We had some more fun family time.



Looked through old pictures...





Including my new favorite...



(Toni used to be "special".)



And then it was time to EAT.



The prime rib came out perfect.




And there was Chinese Stuffing aka Sticky Rice.



And fruits and melons.

Zoe, on melons: ".....I'm not quite sure about those..."



Jello she likes though.



And engagement cake.





Kwanz!

Thanksgiving in CT

Thanksgiving #1 took place at Charles and Jackie's.

Thanksgiving #2 takes place on actual Thanksgiving with Connie and Kristen and their family.

We spent the morning picking out pretty new clothes to wear...





Applying nail polish...



Covering up some disgusting face-monstrosities...



And getting our hair did.




Cute little Tucker waited patiently...



Not-so-cute little Westley is a disgusting zombie-dog...



Finally, we were ready and we headed over to the Gastlers' cousins' home a few miles away in semi-rural Connecticut.

Before dinner we snacked on a spread of dips, cheeses, and scrimps.



The humongous turkey was removed from the oven and de-stuffed...




And we feasted.





The turkey was magnificent, though it's hard to say whether this turkey was better than Jackie's turkey because Jackie's had this element of surprise and we had no idea it was going to be amazing... whereas here attending a giant family function like this, you kind of just expect everything to be amazing because you know all these guys are fantastic cooks.

Either way, the Gastlers and Gastler-cousins were so fun and loud and warm and welcoming and I am very thankful that I had such a great place and family to spend Thanksgiving with before I head to belated Kwan thanksgiving in Chicago next next week.






For dessert there was cookie-dough pie, pumpkin martinis, lemon meringue tarts, and cookies and pastries and oh god I am obese again just looking at these pictures.





Thank you Gastlers!

Thanksgiving Dinner at Charles & Jackie's

Best hosts ever Jackie and Charles invited a bunch of us over for their annual pre-Thanksgiving feast.



Shrooms...




Sangria...




Shroomy mozzarelly crunchy crusts...



And hands-down the most succulent tasty turkey I've ever had in my entire life. I think it was from Williams-Sonoma and it was perfectly wrapped in bacon and covered with syrupy sauce and cooked so that it was moisty moist moist MOIST.






Everything was perfect. From the stuffing to the gravy to the potaters and other accompaniments.

It was seriously orgasmic. Felly and I were still talking about it a couple days after.



After turkey = cleaning!



And after cleaning = dessert!



And after dessert = hanging around semi-wastedface.






With Chihuahuas!



Best turkey of my life.

Thank you Jackie and Charles!