kaburns1214 Mentor Group 2012 Part 2 - CLOSED (Page 169)

I love this!  Your daughter sounds like she is a fighter.  How wonderful that you were able to participate in this together.  I might need Cayden to pace me for my Turkey Trot  She's fast!  

ZR/1 ride + Z1/2 t run this morning.  May do some KBs this afternoon.  Easy ride/run to keep the legs loose for Thursday.  It will be interesting to see how I do.  I run this race every other year (years we are in Cleveland for Thanksgiving).  First time I did it was about 4 months after I started running.  

Taking the boys to pick up my race packet this morning, and then we're dropping off some flowers at my husband's aunt's house.  I owe her a huge thanks, as she helps me so much with my children.  She really knows them and spends quality time with them, and I can always count on her to be there for me.  If it weren't for her, I'd be completely on my own up here.  I'm going to have the boys ring the doorbell and hand her the flowers.  Can't wait to see her smile  

I wish my in laws would cancel on coming to my house.  We cook for about 16 adults and 8 kids. They all show up 45 mins before the meal is served, eat, hang out for an hour, and leave.  I think next year I am doing a "friends only" thanksgiving.  I'll host, you can all come to my house.  That would be much more fun.

What is everyone doing that morning? There is a cool mountain bike trail ride I'm doing.  Starts at 7:00 am.  We stop in the middle of the ride, and the club organizing it has a fire pit set up, with a full turkey. He cuts it up and everyone kind of has a few pieces.  And of course, beer.  Ride, eat, have a beer, and be back at home by 9:00.  Not a bad way to start the day.

I stopped having to deal with the in-laws when we moved to the east coast.  Unfortunately that also meant not spending the holidays with my family either.  My Mom's Thanksgiving dinner was the best (I'm sure everyone feels that way, it's what you grow up and are used to eating) and I always miss it.  But Tom does a mean vegetarian meal now.  Our poor son is probably not going to have fond memories of his Thanksgivings with us.  When we were strict vegan we would send him to our neighbors with a plate to get some of their turkey, while we had tofurkey (which by the way is horrible - tastes like dirty socks smell).

Anyway, I'm going to be running my own 13 mile run in lieu of driving downtown to do the half.  I have not planned the route, but it'll be some version of my runs from the house.  Probably make it a destination run to Starbuck's so Tom can meet me for coffee.

Very cool. Well Cayden had been telling me all week how she was going to crush me which is why I stayed 30 yards or so behind her. She kept trying to see where I was but that's a hard way to run. Had she not cramped I fully intended to wait on the last quarter of a mile and blow by her. When we hit mile 2.25 and she was still going that pace I was just about to make my move because I thought I need the full mile to sneak up on her at this pace and then catch a breath and then pull away. She definitely exceed my expectations.

The good news is I didn't have to listen to her all week had she won.  

The child is a trash talking pro.

But Kelly gets to clean up all the cooking / prep dishes. =(

How do you make your cranberry relish?  I'm in charge of the cranberry sauce this year and I've never made it before.  I bought the cranberries, and have been looking at simple recipes.  Curious how you make yours.

Easiest way to do that is to cook it in a disposable roasting pan and then cover with foil halfway through.  Very much limits the amount of smoke the bird is exposed to.

I would so be down with prepping and cooking if I didn't have to clean.  Also wanted to go to culinary school at one point, so there ya go.

As to cranberry sauce I have 2 recipes.  One is traditional: berries, orange peel, sugar, and a little orange juice into a pot and cook down until the consistency you want.  Spicy: saute green onions and a chopped jalepeno until soft then add cranberries, lime zest, lime juice and a little bit of sugar to the pot and cook down until the consistency you want.  Finish it by stirring in some chopped cilantro.

Recipie is at home -- I'll post it when I get hoem tonight.  Its generally cranberries, oranges, apple and sugar in the food processor. 

Happy Thanskgiving.

For Karen my cranberry sauce is vegan:

Bag of fresh cranberries

Orange quartered (leave the skin on)

Green apple quartered

Piece of fresh ginger (peeled)

1/2 cup sugar

Put in all in a food processor and "process."  Tastes best if made the day before and left in the fridge to let the flavors develop.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and enjoys the day. 

Got my smoker started, working on prepping the turkey now, and eagerly awaiting the TEXANS game

Going to try and get out on my mtb bike for a short bit after the first game and get in a little bit of exercise before being a pig.