Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Gobble Gobble Day!!

This is a bittersweet holiday for me this year. I wish I was home with my family, but instead, was able to share this yummy holiday with my roommates who have never had this meal before!

Yes, very bittersweet. 

My friend/roommate (we literally sleep in the same small, small room) was leaving to go out of town this week so I celebrated my Thanksgiving a little early this year.

Remember when I said this time in Italy has been an adventure?! This is a perfect example…

I cooked an ENTIRE Thanksgiving meal right here in Italy with my assistant, Laura from scratch.  I cooked a turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and delicious stuffing.  The adventure seems like taking on so much food alone right?

OH NO FOLKS

That was NOT the hard part.  It is the fact that Italy does not contain MANY Thanksgiving ingredients.  There is no canned anything around here. And remember that oven I told you about before not having a degree thermometer?  Now imagine cooking a 15 pound bird in it and praying it doesn’t burst into flames. This would be my version of the dogs destroying the turkey on A Christmas Story, and we don’t have any Chinese restaurants around here to save my ass :)

I guess I should back up and tell you what usually happens on Missi’s normal Turkey Day.  I wake up with a peaceful yawn, excited that both my sister and I are in town at my parent’s house.  We giggle about our dreams and force Oscar (our 70 pound, 12 year old puppy and yes, he is still my baby) onto the bed to snuggle with us until we hear Mom making us coffee in the kitchen.  I help my Dad with the turkey by simply holding the bag open where you put the bird in to cook. 

Usually, I set up the long table with beautiful décor and then get ready, waiting for the time for me to start making my mashed potatoes.  You see, I am one of the bakers in the family, NOT the cook.  I’m the one who makes the homemade apple and pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, and cookies during the week before the actual day.  My job on Thanksgiving is to make the simple mashed potatoes, heat my pies up in the oven, and continually keep my glass filled with wine.  My mom has tried to teach both my sister and I how to make different dishes, but I have been able to squeeze by the cooking deal with my God given talent for making homemade piecrust (thank you April for teaching me!  I owe you big.)

Now don’t get me wrong, this year I still set the table and had my glass full with wine the whole day, but I was  “captain of the kitchen” and it was a lot of pressure!  I had two hungry people to feed, but luckily they have never had a Thanksgiving meal before so they had nothing to compare it to!

I made homemade stuffing with real Italian bread cut up, fresh broth, yummy melted butter, onions, and any familiar spices I could find.  I made sweet potatoes from scratch with weird brown sugar and a walnut topping instead of pecans. 

Fun fact- pecans are an American nut and you can’t find it anywhere in Italy!

My green bean casserole was superb with my homemade cream of mushroom soup, fresh green beans, and homemade fried onions baby!  Most importantly, my turkey came out moist and delicious.  I will, however, NEVER make a turkey again.  They don’t exactly clean out your turkey before they give it to you over here.  I will spare you the details, but I think Luca down the street killed it and gave it to the butcher that same day.  I didn’t enjoy eating the best part of this holiday this year… Italy almost made me into a Vegetarian!

I survived, the apartment is fine, and my Italian and Spanish roommates enjoyed their first Thanksgiving. 

Yes, very bittersweet.

Feathers... yuck!!!

Look how sweet Laura is... she left me a coloring book and EXPENSIVE peanut butter for Thanksgiving!

I miss my baby Oscar!!! Muah

I hope you all enjoy this holiday.  Please give your families an extra hug for me this year and never forget what you are truly thankful for.  I know I am.  This adventure. 

     

xoxo

Ciao Ciao,
Meliss