Maxwell 26: The Toothbrush Thing Is Real

[Dandruff]

7 hours ago, anjulibai said:

Why oh why does that take so many hours?! Beyond the bake time, none of that is a ton of work for each individual.

They probably consult their records from previous years, measure everything to a fraction of an ounce, double-check and document their progress at regular intervals, take prayer breaks, intermittently sterilize their kitchen and utensils, calculate portion sizes for adults and children by gender and current reproductive status (expecting? nursing?), begin a spreadsheet to document consumption of the upcoming meal, and call others who will be bringing food in order to coordinate timing.

[mango_fandango]

Just one vegetable? Wow. That’s nothing compared to the stories of Thanksgiving meals I've read about on FJ. They make me jealous we don’t have it here  For Christmas my mother usually does roast potatoes, carrots, peas, parsnips, red cabbage, oh yes and the customary BRUSSELS SPROUTS! That’s SIX veggies. My mum is the one who does it as she enjoys cooking (for the most part anyway) and doesn’t like anyone else in the kitchen when she’s in there. She does pretty much the same thing every year (roast duck because nomnomnom) and she doesn’t need to obsessively plan every detail. Then again it’s only us for Christmas, ie parents, brother and me. I imagine it’d be more stressful if we hosted as many as the Maxwells do. It'll be interesting to see how we decide to do things once my brother and I move out and have our own families. 

Every year I always end up with the potatoes near where I’m sitting, as well as the pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon) and stuffing balls. Can anyone guess what my favourite components of the Christmas meal are??? 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Is this Chelsy’s first Maxwell thanksgiving?

Her family may have hateful beliefs but they do food in a normal way.  If it were me and my in laws put out that kind of sparse spread on Thanksgiving it would be all I could do not to cook our own private Thanksgiving shortly thereafter.

[Alisamer]

So our thanksgiving dinner will serve 14-17 depending on who is coming - we usually have some friends as well as family. My mom, who is retired, is doing almost all the cooking. She has made deviled eggs, mac and cheese, ham, green beans, maybe some mashed potatoes, maybe some corn. She'll start the turkey in the rotisserie, and then tomorrow about 11 my sister and I will go over and help make the potato salad (that's my specialty) and the dressing (she claims she doesn't know how to make it), and bake some frozen rolls. Desserts and drinks are up to my aunts to bring.

If we do it all in one morning it does take a couple hours, mostly because there's only one oven and four burners on the stove, so we have to time everything well. As it is, she did most of the cooking this afternoon, and we will do the rest (all pretty quick to make) and reheat everything tomorrow just before lunch. The worst part is packing it all up to transport it to whoever s house we are having the holiday at. once we had to duct tape the turkey to its platter.

My sister is about to build a house, and is designing her kitchen just for family holiday cooking, so this time next year we will probably cook it all there and haul it to my aunt's house, and we'll have Christmas at her new house. 

[PennySycamore]

@mango_fandango, I imagine that not much will change except the quantity once your mom has to cook for more people.  I don't think the menu will be less complicated.  

[mango_fandango]

2 hours ago, PennySycamore said:

@mango_fandango, I imagine that not much will change except the quantity once your mom has to cook for more people.  I don't think the menu will be less complicated.  

True. Plus perhaps some years I’ll host, or my brother will, or whatever we fancy. Saying that, I’ve never actually done a roast before, so I’d have to practice with something less stressful first 

[Hane]

Sad/strange but true Thanksgiving anecdote:  The first Thanksgiving after my mother died, we gathered in the dining room of my parents’ house, and my sisters pointed out Mom’s chair and said, “You sit here now.”

(1998-9 was my annus horribilis: My first ex-husband died suddenly of a drug overdose, his mother [I was her conservator] died of Alzheimer’s, my cousin contracted ovarian cancer [clean bill of health now], I was going through my second divorce, and was living War of the Roses with soon-to-be Ex-Mr.-Hane-#2–he was sleeping upstairs and I was sleeping downstairs because he refused to move out till some six months after I’d served him papers, and my mother died of congestive heart failure in hospice care at home.)

I recounted the “sitting in Mom’s chair” story to my therapist, who looked at me with all the compassion in the world and said, “Did you miss her?” and I answered, “No.” It was because NO ONE IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE ever got as riled up over Every. Little. Damn. Thing. during holiday prep as my mother. It was emotionally exhausting. Sad to say that the holidays became easier after she passed.

[nastyhobbitses]

Usually my family puts up a SPREAD for Thanksgiving (deviled eggs, cocktail meatballs with homemade sauce, turkey, sausage stuffing, Brussels sprouts with bacon, honey glazed roasted carrots, red wine gravy, mashed potatoes, chicken liver pate, apple pie, pecan pie, pound cake, and enough booze to knock out an elephant...then my dad uses the leftover turkey to make turkey tikka masala, which is food of the gods), but this year I'm in the UK and I still have to go to work (since it's not a holiday here), so tonight it's just going to be me, my boyfriend, saffron risotto with peas and shrimp, some fancy dessert I'll grab from Selfridges because I am awful at baking for just two and I don't want leftovers (marathon training and the next few weeks will be indulgent enough as it is), great wine, and a terrible movie (suggestions, anyone?). 

[Toothfairy]

Someone please give me a current rundown of the Maxwell's. I haven't been here for months 

[fundiefan]

It's 7:30 am. I am at my sisters - she is hosting. I came last night and we prepped & had wine. Everything is done/prepped/ready to go. Two of us and maybe 4 hours of work total. The place is clean, the tables are set, dishes done, turkey about to hit the oven. We have hours to go and nothing particular to do. 

I'm still dumbfounded that it's so hard for the Maxwells. When you actually do plan and schedule, it's not all that hard and you get to chill out and relax before people show up to eat more than turkey, potatoes & vegetables. 

[LurkerOverThePond]

6 hours ago, Toothfairy said:

Someone please give me a current rundown of the Maxwell's. I haven't been here for months 

You have to be away for years and just then you can ask that question because _nothing_ happens at Chez Max.

[meee]

Honestly, Thanksgiving-level cooking stresses me out too. I mean stress is not really the right word because I enjoy it, but, yes, it would take me hours to make a turkey and a few sides and a dessert. Maybe part of that is my small kitchen and lack of extra utensils, but I find myself relating to Teri a lot.

[SilverBeach]

21 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

magic eraser

I just bought the bathroom version of this, which was a bit pricey but transformative! Love magic erasers!

11 hours ago, Alisamer said:

once we had to duct tape the turkey to its platter.

Picture please

[OhNoNike]

Ok, who has already tried to comment on their Thanksgiving Day post saying they are thankful to be in a country affording reproductive freedom?

[johnhugh]

On the subject of blog comments:

Quote

J.B. says:

November 20, 2018 at 4:06 pm

Your books have been a blessing. The characters seemed down to earth to me. The Moodys seemed like a family I would know; they were realistic to me. We all thought there were many very funny situations and laughed a lot. -Luke, 15
We would look forward every night to Dad or Mom reading the Moody books aloud. Each one was a fun, new adventure. We also enjoyed making the recipes Sarah included in her books. -Joel,17
I really enjoyed listening to them on trips, as well. -Nicholas, 20
There are many wholesome examples in the Moody series. With such a large number of entertainment choices that do not exemplify good values, it was reassuring to have enjoyable, encouraging and uplifting examples of other children and families trying to live lives centered in Christlikeness. By the way, there were times I felt like I related very much to Mitch. -Christopher, 21
Sweet memories of reading to our guys and hearing their laughter, conversations, questions and prayers related to the characters’ lives. Thank you, Sarah, and congratulations on your new writing endeavor. -the guys’ Mom, (older than them)

 

This is a strange comment. It’s either one of us or a fake comment from the Maxwells themselves. How many teanage guys would write such glowing reviews of memories of a childhood book?

[Jana814]

Just now, johnhugh said:

On the subject of blog comments:

This is a strange comment. It’s either one of us or a fake comment from the Maxwells themselves. How many teanage guys would write such glowing reviews of memories of a childhood book?

I saw this comment & thought the exact same thing. Their is no way teenage guys would have memories like the one posted. 

[SilverBeach]

2 minutes ago, Jana814 said:

I saw this comment & thought the exact same thing. Their is no way teenage guys would have memories like the one posted. 

Timothy Rodrigues?

[Palimpsest]

Oh, well.  I'm sitting here twiddling my fingers because I did all the prep yesterday and the turkey is in the oven.   I have a few more things I have to do after a couple of guests get here and before we eat but no worries.

We are having:

• turkey
• gravy (still needs to be made)
• homemade orange cranberry sauce 
• 2 kinds of stuffing, one vegetarian (both made outside turkey)
• mashed potato casserole (warming through in crockpot)
• sauteed green beans with almonds (last minute)
• roasted mixed veggie tray all cut up ready to roast when the turkey comes out (honey nut squash, brussels sprouts, asparagus) 
• salad (green with spinach, peppers, green onion, and tomatoes)
• "Relish tray"  no-one eats it but it is tradition.
• Apple pie
• Ice cream

Guests are bringing various nibbles and another pie.  And we will load them up with left-overs when they leave.  It is way too much food.

I'm still shocked that the Maxwells don't make stuffing and their only green veggies are in that terrible sounding salad.  I hope they know that romaine lettuce should be off the menu this year.   https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html

Quote

TERI’S FAVORITE SALAD

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 to 3/4 12 ounce package frozen baby peas (uncooked)
6 hard boiled eggs
1 lb. bacon (crisp/crumbled)
1 small bunch green onions
2 small packages Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing*
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

 

And Teri claims that serves 25!   

[johnhugh]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

Timothy Rodrigues?

Bless you for that! I only really follow the Maxwells and the Arnts but you’ve opened up a whole new world and I’ve spent the last two hours on their blog and sub forum on here, when I should be revising for an exam! Just been reading about the JRods being kicked out of the campsite. The mum's makeup is anything but modest!!

[nastyhobbitses]

I am thankful that my parents had the good grace to video chat me well before mealtime (their time) so I wouldn't see the spread and get jealous/homesick. Also, my risotto was damn tasty. And it only has two tablespoons of butter so it's healthy, dammit! 

[Black Aliss]

6 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

I'm still shocked that the Maxwells don't make stuffing and their only green veggies are in that terrible sounding salad.  I hope they know that romaine lettuce should be off the menu this year.   https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html

Given that they avoid the ebil news media, they may well not be aware of the e.coli outbreak and romaine recall.

[nomoxian]

9 minutes ago, Black Aliss said:

Given that they avoid the ebil news media, they may well not be aware of the e.coli outbreak and romaine recall.

Too bad some randos in the checkout line at Aldi weren't talking about it!

[Granwych]

On ‎11‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 10:34 AM, HerNameIsBuffy said:

https://blog.titus2.com/2017/11/08/how-to-plan-your-thanksgiving-meal-efficiently/

 

I knew it.  They are monsters.

 

Fucking kumquats.  (That is one wonderful profanity thank you to the originator!)

1 hour ago, Black Aliss said:

Given that they avoid the ebil news media, they may well not be aware of the e.coli outbreak and romaine recall.

Maybe they think that the special use of a pizza cutter on said salad green will wipe out those nasty organisms!

[BullyJBG]

On 11/20/2018 at 7:35 PM, nelliebelle1197 said:

I just realized we have not done an anti-fast in a long time!

Maybe because Steve just decided not to post about his fasts anymore. Maybe he IS learning........or giving the impression. Poor Steve.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 hour ago, Granwych said:

Fucking kumquats.  (That is one wonderful profanity thank you to the originator!)

Maybe they think that the special use of a pizza cutter on said salad green will wipe out those nasty organisms!

I read this as orgasms and wondered what the heck I missed.