Thanksgiving!

This year Thanksgiving began with a knock on the door Wednesday afternoon.

Knockknockknock

Shkoun? (who?)

Karib. (Close (relation))

I accidentally slipped into my ‘go away face’ I reserve for kids at my door that I try to repress but has become my natural reaction to knocks on the door.

But what to my wondering eyes should appear before me but Sam, the volunteer who lives closest to me.

Ahh, hello!! I though you were a Moroccan!

I know. I know you dislike visitors, I did that on purpose.

Both laugh.

She caught me mid-preparation. I had just gotten my challah in the oven and had moved on to cleaning and being wonderful, she jumped right in. Other volunteers were arriving in the evening. As it turned out, seven more volunteers came that night. We had a fabulous dinner too. We ate one of the challahs (the nutella cranberry one) and I sautéed some cauliflower and made a pink sauce with chunky vegetables for some spinach fettucine. It was a surprisingly full coursed meal and I was happy to be able to provide it. (Sam, Alexa and I got the full everything. The other kids came around 10 something and they just ate leftover pasta/sauce and were happy.) I was especially happy that Alexa was the second to arrive because she is the volunteer whose house I probably visit the most and I really appreciated being able to welcome her into my house and be her host. I’d been asking her for ages to come out my way.

challah

Thanksgiving started not too early but everybody got to work setting up their dishes. I made breakfast. Cheesy risotto with eggs over easy and peach mango salsa (salsa courtesy of my granma). They were pleasantly surprised. And that made me super happy because I really like cooking for people.

About another seven people arrived in the afternoon and one more came after dinner.

We all had an easy, relaxed day. Everyone got their turn in the kitchen. I was never too far away either whipping up snacks (Israeli salad, guacamole anyone?) or assisting with other people’s dishes (making chocolate frosting for a cake, seasoning canned vegetables etc). In the end I wound up making, in addition to things already mentioned, two batches of biscuits and the cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce turned out super well and I was so happy to be able to present it because I didn’t tell anyone that I intended to make it so no one was anticipating eating any. Well, not homemade anyway. One guy brought some canned sauce. I don’t think it was opened. And I liked it that way. I never grew up eating canned or jellied cranberry sauce and I intend to keep it that way :)

We wound up eating just as twilight set in. In typical form we all went around and said what we were thankful for before digging in. As the hostess I took the liberty to begin. I don’t remember what I said… but here’s a short list of things that I do appreciate:

Having people to cook for on my favorite holiday

Celebrating my favorite holiday with people who share the tradition

Being in good health

Having loving friends and family

Not really being in need of any serious material thing (re: having adequate and comfortable housing)

Finally having decent internet in my house so I can keep in touch with all of you

Life, love, happiness… the goods, you know

:)

So… what else did we eat?

Turkey

Lentil burgers

Mashed potatoes

Gravies (2), one was vegan and delicious

Scalloped potatoes

Tortillas

Cucumber dip

Baked macaroni and cheese

Green bean casserole (sooooo good)

Sweet potato casserole (it was good, would have been better with American sweet potatoes, the sweet potatoes here are a funny greenish color and the texture isn’t as soft, they don’t mash as creamily)

Stovetop stuffing

Yellow cake

Pecan pie

Apple pie

Chocolate chip cookies

A pudding dish with sprinkles and cookies

Wine (red and white)

It was quite the spread. And everyone had a place to sleep and no one was hungry. It was a good holiday.

On Friday everyone left but one person who stayed to travel with me up to Rabat for our mid-service medical examinations. Friday morning two of the girls turned the leftover challah into French toast and we were all very happy with that solution. After breakfast, one volunteer and I took pictures with my flag because well… we had some mad NU pride going on. He’s a newer volunteer but NU class of ’08, holler. I love just how much Northwestern I am living/experiencing in these parts. I am soooooo happy I wound up there. I can’t imagine a better fit for me.

me + alex

In the end, how would I evaluate the holiday? A super success. Was anything missing? As far as I am concerned, the two essential ingredients to celebrating any holiday in my house, Pillsbury crescent rolls (always my job to roll them into shape and put them in the oven) and Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider. The foodstuffs of memory.

So, not bad. Not bad at all.