Thanksgiving at our house

Because the kiddos were sick all week, the McStews remained in the northern regions of the state rather than making our customary journey over the river and through the woods to Grammy's house for Thanksgiving. It was a good choice for a couple of reasons: 1. We didn't infect anyone with our diseases. 2. It almost completely and totally cured me of any desire to have Thanksgiving alone with our immediate family anytime in the near future. 3. Dennis and I came to a tacet agreement that I would not try to make his grandmother's macaroni and cheese ever again and he would not let me.
Because originally the meal was to be potluck style and the family in central Illinois was expecting the food I was supposed to prepare to make their meal complete, I cooked yesterday.

I made a bunch of stuff, but this is my favorite Thanksgiving bite -- liver pate on a buttery pretzel. Delish.

For our meal, we declined to have the traditional Thanksgiving fare. I recently had a conversation with Dennis wherein he revealed to me that his favorite food at Thanksgiving was the Macaroni and Cheese. I thought this was interesting because we have never eaten Mac and Cheese at Thanksgiving. But his grandmother made it when he was growing up and he has pined for it since she passed away, so I decided we'd have it.
Problem is, no one ever got Grandma Stewart's recipe. So I cornered a lady at church whose Mac and Cheese Dennis had highly praised and got her to tell me how to do it. And I did indeed follow her directions. To the letter. But it stunk. It was gross and inedible, although Dennis and Annalivia were trying. The thing is, this is about the 6th time I've tried to make Grandma's Mac and Cheese without any real concept of what her M&C, in fact, was like. I'm embarrassed to admit that I might have thrown a mammoth little fit about the failure which prompted Annalivia to tell her mother, "Quit your' fussin', Momma." Being called out by my 2-year old spurred me to action and I made a nice Mac and Cheese like I know how to do and we ate it. And liked it, darn it.

This here is Mac n' Cheese II

We also had squash casserole and clementines for dessert/ centerpiece. It was simple. It worked for us.