One. Everybody is sick and tired of canned pumpkin by now, so why do I bother gloating about cheesecake? And who really cares about Thanksgiving anymore? That was so last month.
Two. I didn't plan on a month-long blogging absence, but I gained about 5 new readers because of it. I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. But who cares? Score! I love new friends.
Three. I didn't disappear because I ran out of things to blog about. Or because my life is so bland and uneventful. That would be a load of bull honky.
Life out here in the twin states has been filled with long days. I have a whole slew of excuses up my sleeve, but I won't even bother trying to elaborate because there's only two that are truly valid. The month of November deserves to be recognized, so I'll do my best to recapitulate. Here come the bullet points...
Three. I didn't disappear because I ran out of things to blog about. Or because my life is so bland and uneventful. That would be a load of bull honky.
Life out here in the twin states has been filled with long days. I have a whole slew of excuses up my sleeve, but I won't even bother trying to elaborate because there's only two that are truly valid. The month of November deserves to be recognized, so I'll do my best to recapitulate. Here come the bullet points...
- Finally, at 15 months, Indy has teeth. Her first tooth appeared towards the end of October, and since then, more of those suckers have popped right in. She can now perform the monster face in its true character form. Fun fact: She likes to nibble and swallow the rinds of oranges. Yummo.
- The Finner M'Gee puts all the women and Fabio to shame with his long luscious mane. Do you think I've gone a little too far when I can turn him into a mystical unicorn? How about an upgraded Astro Boy hair swoosh? I literally can't hold the scissors up to his head. I think a little piece of me might die if someone decides to buzz it all off. By the way, if that does happen, I will kill.
- My cheesecake really is better that yours. I haven't found a pumpkin cheesecake recipe that is better-looking than mine. A layer of pumpkin...a layer of cheesecake...blobs of pumpkin swirled at the top...so perfect and so naughty. I have no qualms admitting that my heart gets a little puffed up when I serve this baby up. This Thanksgiving tradition started in 2001, and although I want to take credit for its mind-blowing deliciousness, this cheesecake is from a guy I used to know who attended culinary school. Want the recipe? Leave me some comment love. Otherwise, it's lock and key.
- We signed up for a live turkey back in October. Our turkey was gobbling around on a Vermont farm until just a few days before Thanksgiving. It is said that free range turkeys have leaner meat, so maybe the 2nd and 3rd helpings of cheesecake were okay? Even better was that I didn't have to "really" cook my first turkey. Boy took charge and prepared the bird according to his grandmother's brown paper bag tradition. Not bad for a man who doesn't know how to bake a cake.
- Boy's parents were the perfect Thanksgiving company. In the name of Thanksgiving leftovers, card games, and Rummikub--we partied hard all weekend long. Huckleberry Finn cried when they boarded the Dartmouth Coach headed to the airport.
- I made two lovely pies from scratch. Oh, yes, did I make pie. I've never made perfect pie in my life, and 2011 was the year. They smelled and looked deee-vine. ("No photos?" you ask? Hang tight.)
Just kidding. More on the way.
