Happy Thanksgiving!!!
To all my US readers I hope you have a wonderful day full of lots of tasty food and family time. I will be drooling over my families meal when they tease me with all my favorite dishes over skype!
This time last year I had only been living in Iceland for a month when Thanksgiving rolled around and the last thing on my mind was attempting to make my first Thanksgiving meal. But this year I knew my Icelandic family was ready for their first Thanksgiving meal and there would be no avoiding it I was ready to take on cooking my first Thanksgiving meal for them.
I will admit, there were some tears, several moments of doubt, and dozens of cooking questions I had for my parents. Don’t even get me started on the shopping for the recipes! It took us three hours just to find the ingredients needed for the stuffing. And the cranberries, wow that was a whole adventure on its own. I refused to have Thanksgiving dinner without my grandmas cranberry sauce and did a little happy dance when I finally found a small bag at the 5th store. #expatproblems
We were only preparing a meal for 4 people, I could only imagine making a fest for 30+ people! I didn’t give my grandma or my parents the credit they deserve, after surviving my first Thanksgiving as host I have decided they are superhuman!
In the end everything made it to the table, I only had to explain what deviled eggs were three times before they tried them, and loved them, and my Icelandic family deemed Thanksgiving a success.
Wine was necessary after a weekend of cooking
The viking was put to work in the kitchen
The cranberry sauce that may have caused a meltdown in store number 3. Thank you store 5 for having my beloved cranberries.
Everything made it to the table, I deem Thanksgiving a success!
Cranberry sauce, deviled eggs and wine, my favorite foods (yes wine is a food) at Thanksgiving
The aftermath
My first attempting at cooking Thanksgiving dinner was an adventure in itself. Although it consumed my entire weekend it was all worth it to treat my Icelandic family to some special dishes from my family. My Icelandic family has been amazing this past year and I couldn’t have made it this long in Iceland without them. I am so thankful to have people all over the world that I care and love and even though I am away from my family back home I am one lucky girl to have another wonderful family here in Iceland.
Oh, and did I mention that H is a twin??? We will call him R.
These two are such a blast and never fail to make me laugh. I remember when I first met H and I could never tell the two of the apart. I am happy to say that after spending most of my days in Iceland with both of them it is now no problem telling them apart. Other people though, they are not so good at that and often people come up to H mistaking him for his brother, makes for some awkward and funny situations.
Can you tell which one is H??
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am missing my family today but am so thankful I am able to go home for Christmas and see them all so soon. Such an amazing year it has been for me and I am so thankful for this wonderful life I have.
I am off to work with pumpkin rolls in tow. Bringing some more Thanksgiving cheer to Iceland. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!
Question of the Day?
What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Do you cook Thanksgiving dinner or are you just a guest?
