Genius called on Sunday. He never calls unless he needs something. But this time, he called because he thought I needed something.
"Hey. If you haven't bought a pumpkin pie yet, I can make one Wednesday night and bring it. We are having our house Thanksgiving on Wednesday. And we have all those pumpkins that grew in the back yard. So I can make the pie."
"Okay. But I just got back from doing the shopping, and I bought two pumpkin pies. One sugar-free, and one regular. But you can bring it if you like."
"I might."
Let the record show that normally, I make a chocolate pie and an Oreo cake for Thanksgiving desserts. Mom always made the pumpkin pie. This year, I can't make everything. I'm trying. But I can't. Let's not forget that I work until 1:00 on Wednesday. The current menu includes: turkey, ham, hash brown potato casserole, stuffing (Stove Top, because that's what my boys like, and that's what Mom made for them), green bean bundles wrapped with bacon, regular green beans with bacon and potatoes, deviled eggs, Hidden Valley Ranch dip with vegetables, rolls, fresh baked bread, chocolate pie, pumpkin pie, and seven-layer salad. I was not planning on the seven-layer salad until Hick mentioned how much he likes it, so now I'm off to buy three layers on Tuesday evening.
Genius is bringing a friend. He wants to eat at 5:00, so that will give me more time to get everything ready. Noon would have been pushing it, what with one oven and no time to prepare much ahead until Wednesday after 2:00 when I get home. Hick is not so thrilled with waiting until 5:00, but let's face it, we never got to dig in at Mom's until after 2:00, even though we planned on 1:00.
Genius is also planning to see the new Mockingjay movie with a high school friend. Thursday night. I know, right? "I hope I can fit Thanksgiving dinner into your time slot, what with serving it up at the stroke of five o'clock, and having you finished in time to see your movie."
"Oh, come on. I told you we're going to the movie that night."
"Seven o'clock is night."
"That's EVENING! We will be going later."
"Well, it takes time to get there."
"Yeah. But it will be late. Then I'll come home and spend the night, I guess."
"Well, we'll have to clean out your room. Dad threw a bunch of coats on your bed when he put in the piano."
"All right."
I would have let Genius bring the pie, if only I had known before 1:00 on Sunday. You'd think he might have notified me sooner, knowing my shopping routine. Still, I'm not sure I want to eat a pie made of back yard pumpkins. There are perfectly good cans of processed pumpkin products for that. I'm sure Genius is capable of following a recipe. We'll see what happens.
One thing is for certain. All of my preparations will be only a memory twenty minutes after the grand meal is served. Then I will have almost as many hours cleaning up and washing the dishes. By hand. Genius wanted to use the real plates and glasses.
I hope he enjoys his movie.
Does the Genius know there are pumpkins and there are pie pumpkins? Not all pumpkins that grow in the garden/on the farm are good for making pie.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'...
(And by the way, I am OFF on Wednesday! So there!)
I'm not sure Genius even knows what a pumpkin is. He used to ask for a pumpkin at the store, while pointing to an array of gourds.
DeleteBy the way, I am off FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE come the end of May. Just sayin'...
Oreo cake! !!! Thanksgiving chef, so much prep, so much presentation and so much cleanup. Here's hoping the memories, both those we want to remember and the ones we wish we could forget, will become worthy pay for all the efforts.
ReplyDeleteI just want VALidation!
DeleteNo Oreo cake this Thanksgiving. The Pony made three of them for his how-to speech at school. He kind of foundered on them, and is willing to forego such a treat for the menu addition of fresh bread from the bread machine, and real store-bought butter.
Dinner @5 at least you won't miss the lions losing.
ReplyDeleteI washed my hands of football when Cryin' Dick Vermeil abandoned the Rams and let Mike Martz ruin Kurt Warner. I definitely won't miss the Lions losing. Because I never missed them losing every year.
DeleteI just read a recipe today for beans wrapped in bacon. Never heard of it before. SWMBO objected to the butter AND brown sugar melting over the bacon plus the fact that the beans were CANNED! We won't be having them.
ReplyDeleteI guess she won't let you have a Velveeta on Wonder Bread with Miracle Whip, either. Not that it's on our menu...
DeleteDon't fill up on Tofurky and kale. Save some room for glazed vegan poppy seed grapefruit cake!
I:00 seems early for Thanksgiving. We usually sit down at 4:00. I'm curious how that pumpkin pie turns out. I'd imagine that filling so cheaply bought in a can is complicated to make from scratch.
ReplyDeleteWe always dined early, because my sister the ex-mayor's wife had to go feast with the ex-mayor's family as well.
DeleteGenius is probably brewing some mead to accompany the meal. I won't get alarmed until he speaks of homemade bacon.
I was sort of hoping to hear how the pie turned out. Even if Genius is a much better cook than my son, I can't get over the fact that what comes out of a can of pumpkin looks nothing like the actual pumpkin guts I've experienced. That Oreo cake sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'll find out. Maybe I can have him take a picture of it. IF he actually goes through with this plan.
ReplyDeleteVal, no way is it a traditional Thanksgiving dinner if you have to do the washing up after. That is just not right! Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to you, you really deserve it!
ReplyDeleteWe used to go to my mom's house, and each take a few dishes and a dessert. Now that we don't have that option, I'm the head cook and dish washer.
DeleteGenius DID offer to bring a pie. But he decided not to make it when I said I already bought two. However...he said he made a pumpkin pie before using pumpkins from his back yard. Pretty brave for a 20-year-old harvesting the lawn of a college rental house.