This week we will celebrate what is probably the largest family meal time in the country. Even though Thanksgiving was just two days away, we all still gathered for a family meal on Tuesday. Pulled beef enchiladas were the main dish, complete with homemade tortillas and all the fresh toppings. Chips and salsa and guacamole, rice, white bread. Dessert was a first time ever, Gingerbread (it was a huge hit).
In attendance, there were 2 babies, 1 toddler, 2 tweens (the cousins), and 11 adults. As usual,the babies were stealing the show playing and being silly with each other as everyone was arriving. My little girls were SUPER excited to see my cousin and his son show up for dinner again, and promptly ran/crawled to give hugs. Then they went back to playing with their toys and shrieking at one another (it was rather a noisy baby night!)
Come on kids, get your plates.
You can have tacos or enchiladas.
What’s an enchilada?
They are kind of like tacos, but covered in cheese and sauce and baked.
Oh, I’ll just have a taco.
I want a TACO!! Please.
Is that two piles of chips on your plate?
I like chips. (giggles)
Ooo, enchilada’s for dinner.
I don’t know if they will compare to your generations of Mexican food making.
I haven’t had a bad meal here yet.
OK, say prayers, please!
Bless this house, Lord we pray, keep us safe by night and day. AMEN!
Amen.
Did you find your cat?
Yes, finally.
Is that why you were walking around earlier today?
Yea, she wasn’t just taking a leisurely stroll.
Have you been having problems with the cats taking off? I know you had been letting them out.
It really hasn’t been a problem with the colder weather, but the one just decided to take off. He had been wanting in and out like every 10 minutes all day, and I finally got busy and it was either in or out for a while and he chose out. After about an hour or so I realized he wasn’t asking to come in and started calling. Then he didn’t come. I was calling, shaking the food, nothing. So, I went out looking for him.
You found him though right?
Yes, after a couple hours
We had two of our cats go missing this summer for about two weeks. One of them came back.
Oh that’s sad.
It is sad, they are barn cats so they come and go as they please, but it’s always sad when they don’t come back. I called for them the whole time.
These are good.
I would like the record to show that there are THREE breads for this meal tonight.
There are? I only see the one.
The bread, and the tortillas and the other is coming.
Oh, the tortillas, I didn’t take one of those.
But you are eating the enchiladas…
I guess I am eating one then.
The key to Mexican is fresh because that’s what they have in Mexico, fresh.
When you find a good Mexican restaurant you want to hang on to it.
There used to be a couple good ones around here.
Heathers in Bay City closed.
What was Heathers?
It was like a specialty restaurant, they did Vegan and gluten free, things like that.
Why did they close?
Not really sure, I heard it was a surprise and that the co-owner wanted to travel and not work there and closed it.
Meat Meat??
Do you want some more?
Yah.
BAHAHAHAHHA!!
I guess she wants more too.
Moo Juice?
Milk? I need your cup.
What was in this cup?
Juice.
MOOOOOOO JUICE
Thanks for the nod by the way.
Your welcome, I had to get creative to find the logo!
How did you end up finding it?
I Googled your name and your Facebook page led me to your website.
Did you find the girl in Gladwin with the same name?
No, I don’t think so.
There is a girl in Gladwin that is about the same age as me, looks about the same and has a similar career. It’s crazy.
You know, there is a woman there that has the same name as Mom and they are about the same age too?
No way.
Really. There is also a girl in the area that apparently looks just like me, I was actually mistaken at the spa there for a member of someone else’s bridal party. They asked me if I had just been there and that everyone left already.
Maybe Gladwin is like some parallel universe or black whole.
I really liked the olives in the enchiladas.
There were olives?
I thought that’s what those were, I wasn’t sure olive or jalapeno, then took a bite.
Really?
It’s crazy.
So, I have a story.
I’ve told you that my Mom is coming to stay with us when Nugget is born. So, while redoing the rooms we decided to get rid of an old queen mattress we had and get a twin so when Nugget is old enough it will just become hers. I had someone that wanted it, and it was great, but then they backed out. Well, after the baby shower, I went to this one day only chance to enter a contest thing. I entered in my, my husbands and my mothers’ name. And we actually won! I was so excited when they called, then they told me it was a queen mattress, no exchanges! So now we are stuck with two queens.
You could put them together and have a super huge king.
Who would like some gingerbread?
(Everyone)
Will you scoop the ice cream?
(both babies were happily eating away on little bits of the gingerbread)
Do you want some cake and ice cream?
CAKE!! YAH!
Where are the big kids?
Playing somewhere.
BABABABABABA!
Ok, here is a little more.
AHAWHAHHHHHHHHH!! (Doors slamming)
HEY! Be nice to your sister! Leave the door open!
You know better than to be slamming doors.
So I am cooking a turkey at my house this year, I am a little nervous.
(Now, here enters a bunch of discussion about brine, grilling, and other such methods or cooking a turkey and this goes on for a while)
Want to know my dirty little secret?
Of course.
I cook mine frozen. (This link will give you the basic instructions)
(Now, you’d have to see the near evil look shot across the table at me by the resident chef.)
What!!!
I do, I take the outer plastic off and toss that bad boy in the oven. After a few hours, I pull all the stuff out, the giblets and what not, season it and put it back in.
(Enter many disbelieving and sarcastic remarks)
Hey I’ve made a few, and there is no mess, they are super moist and no one has died. They do take like all day to cook, though. It’s almost twice as long.
It’s awful quiet back there.
I was just thinking they were being rather quiet.
( The two older kids come parading out with a rather large banner they colored of Michigan State’s stadium along with a rather lengthy explanation that ended in GO State!)
Hi! Are you hungry?
Not yet.
Well fine, don’t come to me then.
She was just fine with me.
Oh sure.
No, really the girls love him.
(As my cousin snuggles the baby)
He shoulda had girls.
Bye bye? Bye bye?
Are you ready to go home?
Nite nite.
Ok.
See you tomorrow right?!
AH… I forgot.
Now you remember. See you tomorrow.
What are you doing?
Taking all the kids to see Grandpa.
Ah, good. Good luck.
Thanks.
Good night everyone.
The Tuesday Table 