please don't ever make me prepare a whole turkey

I spent about half of today trying to cook a non-traditional slightly-belated Thanksgiving meal with my guy. We were just cooking for us, so we brined some chicken and made mashed potatoes with carrot and dill, carrot leek and thyme soup + baguette, Greek-style braised green beans, mulled apple cider, and an...interesting variation on creme brulee.

Everything turned out good, I guess, but I just don't think it was worth the insane amount of prep-work. I was just SO completely exhausted by the time the food was done. I can't imagine what mothers everywhere go through when they prepare a full bird and all the traditional fixings. God, I don't even like turkey. (Sorry this is kind of incoherent, but I've sunken into a carb-coma.)

Good cooking, for me, is all about the work-in/taste-out ratio. This is why I end up eating quick-and-dirty easy meals every night -- done almost as soon as you get hungry, and tastes fantastic because everything tastes fantastic while you're hungry! But, it was a lot of fun preparing food in the kitchen together, so at least there was that.

I am thankful for many things this year -- a job that pays well enough, my 楽 and fun lifestyle here, my quirky family and friends back home, my wonderful boyfriend, and so on...there are probably many things I can't think of because of the all the sugars fogging up my brain.

Anyway, I love my life! ...and I can't make sense anymore...so tired....signing off now. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!