Whew - dodged that bullet. Hubby messed up and we missed Thanksgiving with his family

[csziggy]

Now, most of his family is OK, but he's got one sister who got sucked into Campus Crusade for Christ in college and married a military fundamentalist. His other sister married a Republican who was turned off the party by Shrub but who is still a conservative at heart. I was going to suck it up and deal with the holiday so hubby could spend time with his family, especially his Mom who is not the healthiest person in the world.

But hubby got his wires crossed - he thought his brother was hosting T-Day at his house here in town and it turned out BIL meant his cabin 70 miles away. So we show up at the house in town with the special request pies (pecan and Key Lime, FYI) and no one is there. Broke my heart (NOT) that I don't have to keep it together around the fundies and conservatives while enduring 20 people crammed into a very small space. Hubby took full responsibility - he was the one who took the invite over the phone and did not verify the location, so I don't even get that guilt.

The bad news - no turkey today. The good news - we get PIES! Froze the pecan, but the Key Lime pie has got to be one of the best I ever made!

[david13]

1. Such is life. Yeah, cabin does not sound that large for 20 people.

Key Lime? Ah, those are tasty.
dc

[csziggy]

5. The cabin is very very small

They have had dinners on the screened porch - the temps were in the 40s and we all about froze. And they had dinners inside - with the table set up, there is no room to move so people had to go outside to socialize before and after dinner.

Neither choice is good for a large crowd - the major advantage of the cabin is that it is between the two places where most of the family members live, but not close to either.

I love both the key lime and the pecan, but right now due to dental work, I cannot eat the pecan. Every year I get a special request to bring pecan pie to the family dinners so they all had to do without. I do regret that.

[quakerboy]

2. I have a 20 lb turkey

for 6 people. Trade ya some turkey for some key lime. Or fight ya for it. Whatever gets me the key lime...

[csziggy]

6. Wish I could ship you some!

Real Florida Key lime pie is easy to make:

4 eggs, separated
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice (preferrably fresh but you can also use bottled)
8 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1/2 tsp key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated key lime zest (optional)
1 graham cracker pie crust

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
Put egg yolks into medium size bowl, beat slightly. Add 1/2 cup key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk stir until mixed and slightly thickened. Pour into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar or lime juice and zest, beat until foamy. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks will form. Spread over pie, sealing to the edges. Bake for 15 minutes or until meringue is slightly browned.

Cool pie, then chill. Best served 3-4 hours after meringue is baked. Makes 6-8 (or more) servings.

This is the authentic Key Lime Pie Recipe from the St. Petersburg Yacht Club as in the Florida Cookbook by Jeanne Voltz and Caroline Stuart. It is baked just enough to ensure food safety, though the original recipe did not call for baking the filling. You can get bottled Key Lime juice from http://keylimejuice.com/ or http://www.florida-juice.com/ but the fresh is better if you can find the key limes. If you use regular limes, add zest to the filling as well as to the meringue.

[Capn Sunshine]

3. and the better news

Turkeys will be CHEAP tomorrow! Cook one anyway, with all the trimmings, have it Sunday Night! Or Saturday so you can sleep in the next day :)

[csziggy]

7. I had a turkey in the freezer that I bought cheap last year

With my shoulder going bad I never got around to cooking it. It is now in the fridge thawing and I will cook it Monday.

The local grocery chain here always has fully cooked turkeys on sale the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas leftover from selling them for people to just reheat on the big day. The last few years, they only charged a dime per pound over the frozen bird prices. I may buy one just to have more leftovers to freeze - if not now, I will after Christmas. I get those, cut them up, freeze portions and can have turkey dinners or casseroles throughout the year without all the work of actually roasting it myself. And I even get to use the carcass to make stock to use when I pull the turkey out.

This is not the first time hubby's family has crossed wires for the holidays. This year it was just a big relief for me not to have to deal with them.

[JohnnyLib2]

4. But--will you be blamed anyway by HIS family?

Odd how such things happen.

Key lime pie, the best.

[csziggy]

8. Maybe - last Christmas there were some comments made that I was not meant to hear

Since we did not host the holiday in our new house. If I were physically capable of hosting a big holiday crowd (1) I would not have built a wheelchair accessible house in anticipation of being confined to one and (2) I would have HAD the holiday celebration there. Since I knew I was headed towards shoulder surgery by last Christmas, and we were still unpacking stuff in the new house, I felt no obligation to explain to his family. But I could feel some resentment back then. Another reason not to go to his family get togethers.


I love key lime pie! And I finally got the meringue right. Usually it is too soft, but it was perfect today.