Being Married To An Accountant The following exchange is a typical example of how being in business school can cause... Read>> Posted September 13, 2008
Last Rose of Summer The last few days have been rainy and cool. The days are getting shorter. And... Read>> Posted September 11, 2008
First Day of Second Year Yesterday was my first day back to school at Darden and with it came many... Read>> Posted August 26, 2008
THANKSGIVING - DARDEN STYLE Best Solution to Loneliness: Invite Friends Over For Dinner I seem to be taking forever to put this B-School student in gear. To carry the metaphor further (too far), I feel like I'm idling in the driveway - not warm enough to take off, but still cold enough that I don't want to get out and go back inside.
This past week was so nice that I'm struck with a feeling of malaise that probably has something to do with the 5 Thanksgiving dinners I ate in the last 5 days. Yup, that wasn't a typo, if you count leftover-style meals I had two dinner on Thursday, two dinners on Saturday, and one Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Whew...
But this post isn't about how much turkey and stuffing I ate, it's about how much fun I had with four folks I barely knew at all.
Judging by the picture above, it would seem like we had known each other for years. But, in truth, the only thing that bound us together was Darden. This wasn't the slightest bit problematic, however, as we are all extremely adept at handling any crazy topic a conversation could throw at us.
We discussed politics, religion, international stereotypes, history, business, investing strategies, and it was all woven together quite nicely with several rounds of my wife's finest cooking. In fact, let me just take a moment to catalog (for posterity) the menu that Megan devised for the dinner.
Roasted Turkey - brined and stuffed Mashed Potatoes - w. skins and seasoning Angel Biscuits - legacy bread somewhere between a yeast roll and a biscuit. Cranberry Sauce - homemade & heavy on the oranges and nutmeg Candied Yams - with brown sugar and awesomeness Green Bean Casserole - traditional recipe with soup and fried onions Sausage Stuffing - baked with a flotilla of seasonings and ingredients Gravy - the only thing I made, based on the vegetables and drippings in the bottom of the turkey pan... so bad, but soooo good.
And For Dessert
Pumpkin Pie - made from scratch using a pumpkin from our vegetable co-op Pecan Pie - featuring toasted pecans and a very good homemade crust. Bourbon Whipped Cream - freshly whipped and featuring the "secret ingredient" of Old Forester Bourbon.
I think that was it, but I will consult Megan and update as necessary. Suffice it to say that this was certainly a contender for the best meal we have ever had in our house. And to top it off, we had some of the most interesting, gracious, and charming guests we've ever had.
In short, I'm thankful that I was accepted to Darden and had the privilege of spending two of the best years of my life in the company of such great people. It has been an exceedingly enjoyable experience...
I just wish it weren't so much work :-) Now I need to get back to the grindstone. I hope you all had a great break as well. Posted December 01, 2008
Posted by: Auntie Bethie Oh my, oh my, oh my. Can I come to your house next year? Posted 2008-12-02 13:23:25
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Posted 2008-12-05 22:39:45
Posted by: Chris Richins Did you get the brined turkey idea from me? Posted 2008-12-05 22:40:30 Wow Posted by: Lauren It sounds amazing. And if it is in contention for the best meal ever served at your house, I'm sure it was absolutely incredible, because everything I've eaten at your house was superb. And, Christopher is to brined turkey as Al Gore is to the Internet. Posted 2008-12-07 21:30:32 Brined Turkey Sources Posted by: Christof Well... I actually kind of thought that we got the idea from Chris, but Megan says that she actually got the idea from her mom who brined a turkey last year and strongly recommended it.
In any case I know that Chris' encouragement pushed me into the camp of "must try" brining this year. Posted 2008-12-07 23:17:05 MOM Posted by: brenda I think I'll just quit cooking when you guys come home for Christmas and let you do it!!!! Oh right, I did follow your advice and brined the Christmas goose, and you helped, and Megan did the mashed potatoes...good job! Love you two! Posted 2008-12-29 17:47:17 COMMENT ON THIS POST
