Monday, November 19, 2012

Ombre granny and some pie.

I always wanted a black edged granny blanket like the ones from the 1970's.  I originally decided that the squares would have an ombre effect, but it was hard to find the yarn colors I needed, so I just did the best with what I had.  I used mostly Caron simply soft, with a few other wool blends thrown in.  The first two rounds of the square were done in a darker shade, the next two in a lighter shade of the same color.   The last round was black Paton's classic wool.  I used the Attic 24 join as you go method to connect the squares.

 The mosaic border is from Lanas and Hilos.  Love it.  Another name for this blanket could be the stained glass window blanket.  Or how about the Licorice All Sorts blanket?... Ooooh yum!
Now I can concentrate more on planning the Thanksgiving dinner.  Here is my menu....

Turkey (a whopping 27 pounder).  Please, please fit in my oven.                                                             
Green bean casserole with crispy fried shallots, red peppers and mushrooms.
Brussels sprouts with marjoram and pine nuts.
Gulliver's corn.  You have to try this.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I added this dish last year and it was a big hit.  You can find about a hundred recipes for it online and I swear it has a cult following.  Named after the (now closed) Gulliver's restaurant chain in the San Francisco bay area.  Don't forget to thaw the frozen corn kernels first.  Very important.
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet potatoes (yams) mashed with butter and apple butter
Gravy.  Here is where I cheat.  Every year I order 2 jars of Williams Sonoma Turkey gravy base.  You simply mix with milk and your pan drippings.  A bit pricey but worth every penny.  When everything is ready to go on the table and people start milling around in the kitchen,  I don't want to be messing with gravy lumps.
Stuffing.  I make this with the turkey giblets, celery, onions, and mushrooms.  I guess I learned this from watching my Mom, who watched her Mom and so on.  It's good and I haven't changed it in 20 years.  The only problem I have is trying to find bagged dried bread cubes with no high fructose corn syrup or other unnecessary additives.  Just dried bread please.  I guess I could dry my own, but I have to draw the line somewhere.
 Pumpkin Pie. mmmmm,  pie.  I usually make at least 3, and 1 apple pie (my husband doesn't like pumpkin pie. Whaaat?) This year my sister is bringing the pies from Costco.  They are BIG and pretty good.  Half the time people are so full from dinner that the pies hardly get eaten, so I'm eliminating the baking this year.
Rolls from the local bakery.  
Cranberry sauce from scratch
We usually serve either a signature cocktail, (we are still talking about the chocolate martinis from a few years ago) or make a sparkling punch in my antique cranberry glass punchbowl.
 
Everything is made with real butter and cream.  There is no such thing as "light" or "fat free".  I have tried to change up the menu in the past, but everyone starts hollering.
The only thing I regret is that we all can't be seated at the table.  There are just too many of us!  So we serve it buffet style and help ourselves. 
Every single year I say "Let's not do it this year.  I'm tired of the decorating, cleaning, cooking, etc.  Can't it be just the 5 of us?"  But then I get over myself.  It's only once a year.  And it's all about our big, loud, exhausting, wonderful, silly, extended family.  And pie.

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Linking to Tuesday at the Table


                   


19 comments:

  1. oh my! This sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving!! And you do ALL this? I hope you get some awesome hostess gifts! ;-)
    Never heard of the corn...interesting! And do keep us posted on that signature cocktail!
    Oh - lovely granny blanket! I have pillow shams from the 70's made like this that I have never used...

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  2. Happy thanksgiving, I love your blanket. xx

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  3. Hello Lynne,
    your granny blanket is soooo nice! I like the way you joined the squares, and the shades of colours you used.
    Your thanksgiving dinner will be great, and I bet after it is over you will be glad you did all the work.
    KATRIN W.

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  4. What a wonderful menu. I hope you all have a lovely time.
    The blanket is gorgeous and licorice allsorts blanket is a perfect name.
    Have a lovely day.
    Ali x

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  5. Oh wow! We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Ireland but I sure do like the sound of your menu! Maybe we should start ;)
    The granny square is also fabulous! So pretty and retro... Hazel x

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  6. I absolutely love this blanket... just on the border of a similar one which I started making as it reminded me of my nanna's blanket from the 70s x

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  7. Allsorts Blanket!

    It looks beautiful. I got one like this 5 yrs ago from my husband's granny, but edged in navy, for my baby boy. beautiful. Love the nostalgia associated with it.

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  8. Your blanket is beautiful - very liquorice allsorts! You have spurred me on to finish mine - I have quite a few squares made and I just need to join them on and do the border. My youngest is off school today with the tail end of a sickness bug so we are watching Tangled - perfect crochet scenario! Can I come to your thanksgiving dinner? :) Sounds delish. xxx

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  9. Love the afghan. Love the name for it...All Sorts!!!
    Your Thanksgiving menu sounds divine. Much like ours. We have been having Gulliver's creamed corn for years. We had a Gullivers here too. My folks loved it!
    Enjoy your day! That's a big bird!!
    xo Kris

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  10. Your afghan is beautiful and I can not believe you finished it so close to Thanksgiving. Your meal sounds delicious. I will check out Gulliver's corn but would have a riot on my hands if I didn't make Grandmas scalloped corn....like a corn pudding I guess, but very delicious.

    Your family sounds very much like mine.
    Hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving.
    blessings,jill

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  11. beautiful blanket Lynne, the colors are so stunning :)
    Thanksgiving dinner sounds Yum.....wish we had thanksgiving over here :)
    Lol Karen x

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  12. Oh Lynne ~ I love your Granny blanket! I am crazy about Granny anythings and can't make enough of them these days. You'll have to check my blog to see the stocking I made over the weekend. And there is no such thing as a low fat/no fat Thanksgiving! What would be the point?!!
    All the hollering, jockeying for position and high fat ~ that's where it's at Girl! Oh! and let us not forget to Be Thankful :)
    Happy, Happy to You and Yours!
    Danette

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  13. I love your new black edged granny blanket! It looks so stunning!
    Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving....your dinner sounds delicious!
    Helen x

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  14. I like the "Licorice" name for your blanket. It looks great. This border really looks great with it. Thanks for mentioning my blog ;-)
    Have a great Thanksgiving!!!
    Ana BC♥

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  15. Stunning blanket Lynne - looks like a liqorice allsort one to me!
    Happy Thanksgiving to you! What an awesome menu, it all sounds wonderful! Hope you have a great meal with your family.
    Gill xx

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  16. Lynne, this is beautiful. Your (huge!) family Thanksgiving just sounds so messy and noisy and wonderful, and I would also like a chocolate martini please thank you, and I hope the enormous turkey fit in your oven.

    And not for nothing, that blanket? Gorgeous. :)

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  17. Your Thanksgiving menu sounds amazing! I'm going to have to try that Gulliver's Corn. I do Pioneer Woman's cornbread stuffing and oh my gosh--it is amazing. My kids take it to school with them the next day, if there's any left. LOL

    LOVE the afghan! The black edging sets off the color so nicely.

    Have a great weekend!

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  18. Your crochet granny blanket is beautiful - love the ombre shades with the black. I also have one with black that my grandmother made many years ago.

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  19. I have missed visiting you and your gorgeous blog - so you can imagine how happy I am now to finally sit down and catch up on all you have been up to. Your Thanksgiving menu looks AMAZING! I hope the turkey fit in the oven ok! Once in my life I am determined to have a Thanksgiving feast - preferably while holiday in the USA but maybe I'll do it just for fun here in NZ. There are so many dishes I hear about on TV and would love to try.

    I hope you and your family had a wonderful meal together.

    Leah
    x

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You guys are awesome! Thank you for the comments!