Marshmallows, Yams and Yellow Toe

I'm all for another excuse for eating, drinking and playing games and an authorised day off (although strictly speaking, every day is a day off for me at the moment, so I'll call it an extra day I get to spend with Mike). We have both felt a bit lukewarm towards Thanksgiving up to now viewing it as nothing more than a nice break but nothing special, not like Christmas or anything.

Then, something changed. I can't pinpoint what it was exactly, but Google (my muse it seems) had a lot to do with it. Dan changed his plans and asked whether he could come here instead of spending the day with his landlady's friends, and together with the change in supermarket food, constant emails asking whether I would be ready for Thanksgiving i.e had I got my autumnal coloured tablecloth? (only it didn't mention Autumn of course and there wasn't the all important extra 'u' included) a sense of occasion fell upon me. I did some research to find out what exactly what this was all about and what I was meant to cook. Thanksgiving is all about spending time with your family and giving thanks for all that has happened in the year before, mimicking the first meal of the Pilgrim Fathers. Or something like that anyway, Wikipedia explains it better. I'm not so good at facts.

Before, I was just going to roast a chicken and crack open a bottle of wine as a cosy meal for two. Now there are three of us and we could do that any old day in Britain. So, when in Rome and all that, I have decided, with some persuasion from Mima to go all out and cook up my version of Thanksgiving. I found with my chicken and veg plans I was missing the fundamental thanksgiving ingredient, sugar.

This is the menu I finally came up with. I'm not sure whether it will win many prizes for authenticity and you will have to wait for the next thrilling installment to see how it all tasted. If I haven't blogged in a week's time, please assume that we are in hospital.

Chicken ( I make no apology, I don't really like turkey and it seems that they only sell them in our local supermarket in trolley sized portions)

Homemade cranberry sauce ( one of the things I love about the US is the fact that you can only buy fruit and veg in the correct season and the range that you get over here is of a higher quality and much broader. I cook according to what is cheap and therefore in season. I'm not sure that I have ever seen fresh cranberries on sale in the UK, and certainly not for about £1)

Cornbread stuffing with cranberries and walnuts ( I had a whole bag of cranberries to use. At least we shouldn't get any urinary tract infections)

Cabbage and Walnuts (sort of that recipe. Yeah OK, walnuts were cheap too!)

Roast tatties (I can't remember the last time I had one, I'm salivating just thinking about it)

Yams with Marshmallows (I'm dubious frankly, but Nigella said it would be OK and I trust her..)

Pumpkin Pie (if we can fit it all in)

Lots of wine and ridiculous made up games plus karaoke (probably)

One day I will write a straight list without somehow having to justify the individual items.

I realise that I am only cooking for only 3 people but it means I will only have to cook once this weekend and we can live on leftovers. Unless of course it all proves to be so disgusting that we compost the lot...

By the way, the little toe on my right foot has turned yellow and I am not sure how. I don't think it is part of any Thanksgiving tradition, and only time will tell if it will become one. It could be fun!