So, this morning I set off to do my Thanksgiving dinner shopping. I needed to purchase a few hard to find foods; so, decided to shop a grocery store that carried a big variety of specialty foods. I parked my car in a spot pretty far from the entrance, as I always do. I figured there is someone out there who needs a closer spot than I do. Besides, I like to walk. Midway through my walk, I started to feel that old wicked ache in my hip joint. Aargh! I could not let the pain deter me. I had seven family members and Boho counting on me to provide them with a Thanksgiving feast. I hobbled onward.
Inside the store, desperation festered from last minute shoppers scurrying around like rats in a maze. I carefully maneuvered my way through the fresh produce department. Luckily, I was the rare bird who wanted organic only produce. I picked out my Fuji apples, sweet onions, sweet potatoes, parsley, and green beans without so much as a sighting of another shopper. Yeah for me!
In the meat department, I quickly located the fresh free range turkeys. Yikes, fifty bucks for an eighteen pounder! I knew Trader Joe's had them pre-brined for $1.99 a pound. As I stood contemplating, a woman came by and started shuffling the turkeys around. " That's an awful lot to pay for a turkey, don't you think?" She asked me. " Yeah, I think I'm going to get one from Trader Joe's for $1.99 a pound," I answered. She proceeded to tell me that she'd just come from Trader Joe's because they were SOLD OUT! I grabbed my $50 turkey and placed it into my shopping cart.
The next three hours were spent collecting the ingredients I needed to make my mixed paleo/traditional dishes. I travelled to three different stores to locate everything. Well, almost everything. I could not, for the life of me, find raw cashew butter! I, finally, decided to make my own with raw cashews I picked up at Trader Joe's ( by the way, the woman I met earlier was right- NO TURKEYS). I said a silent prayer of thanks to God for sending me that wonderfully informative woman at precisely the right time.
Once home, I carried my loot into the house, looking like a pack mule. I don't know what it is; but, I hate making more than one trip. Boho barked at me as I balanced on one leg, slipping off my boot and replacing it with my slipper. She was still barking as I reshifted and did the same with the other side. I plowed through the house until I reached the kitchen and laid the sacks on the floor.
The rest of my afternoon was spent putting away my groceries, taking out the garbage ( tomorrow is garbage day), adding the extra leaf to the dining room table, moving the furniture to accommodate guest, choosing table linens, baking grain free bread for the stuffing, and cooking dinner ( Cilantro chicken and zucchini).
I wish I could answer the question I keep asking myself. What was I thinking? I have never waited until the last minute to prep for Thanksgiving or any other holiday ( I host all of them!). I don't know if it has anything to do with my diagnosis, the trip I took to visit my newborn nephew, or my constantly evolving symptoms. All I do know, is I will never do this again!
Tomorrow, I will clean house ( which includes shampooing the carpet), brine the turkey, and prepare the green bean casseroles, sweet potatoes, and grain free sausage stuffing. These will all be made in advance and then refrigerated. Thanksgiving day, all I need to do is pop them in the oven about a half an hour before serving. Easy as pie! Oops, I forgot about the Paleo Pecan Pie! I'll make that tomorrow, too.
All of my recipes can be found on my Pinterest boards, Gluten Free For Me and Paleo-a-go-go. Http://www.pinterest.com/bohoandmo
And: Danielle Walker's Thanksgiving ebook on Amazon.com
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