wha?!

omg, it's 2010.

Busog!

Busog is Filipino for full. So very full...

Thanksgiving was great. We had so much food and for the first time EVER we finished all the cooking by the time our guests arrived. The turkey spent most of its time in a counter top roaster and was finished in the oven at the very end so there was plenty of time to cook everything else. In addition to the turkey we had porkloin stuffed with dried fruit, salmon en croute with spinach and gruyere, baked macaroni and cheese, yellow squash casserole, homemade parker house rolls and whole grain spelt rolls, candied yams, mashed potatoes, pancit malabon, no sugar added sweet potato pies and sweet potato/pumpkin pies, sweet potato/pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie with sugar, no sugar added gingerbread cake, brown sugar cookies, oatmeal chocolate pecan cranberry cookies. We also bought a pecan pie and guests brought a tray of pastries from Trader Joe's and also clementines and potato salad.

After that gut-buster of a weekend, Christmas is going to be much more low key. Mom is working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I am working Christmas Day. So, no guests (yay!). My dad really likes the pizza I make so we're having Christmas pizza. And ham, cuz we haven't had ham yet! And since we're having just a family christmas, we'll also celebrate Jesus's birthday with a birthday cake. Probably yellow cake with chocolate icing. Pizza and cake - perfect birthday food! I'm looking forward to this.

I only learned the Filipino word for 'hungry' very recently. No wonder. I'm never hungry.

It's not even Thursday yet

Yesterday I celebrated Thanksgiving with my friends from work. It was potluck and I brought macaroni and cheese. Who doesn't love Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? It's the cheeziest!

Just kidding. It was the America's Test Kitchen (ATK) recipe. It turned out very well, except I thought it needed pepper. The recipe doesn't call for black pepper, but I like pepper on pretty much everything.

The hostess, who is Taiwanese, made spring rolls. I fried them while she finished wrapping. It's funny how I tend to be the eggroll fryer at parties.

We were so stuffed, but happy, by the end of the evening. Unfortunately, I was so full I had a hard time sleeping. It could have also been the gigantic amaretto sour that I had as well. Or my newly developed carpal tunnel in my left (to join my right) hand. This makes me very sad, I had to mention it.

Anyways, due to the fitful sleep, I woke a little later than I wanted to. I had lots to do today! I haven't been this productive in a long time.
Today I:

• Got a membership at the new Costco and bought a pecan pie
• Went to Safeway for normal sized foods
• Baked ATK's brown sugar cookies
• Baked ATK's oatmeal chocolate pecan cranberry cookies
• Baked whole grain spelt rolls
• Baked NY Times' parker house rolls (only not in muffin tins...so are they still parker house rolls?)
• Continued knitting a Christmas present scarf
  

I'm really getting a hang of this bread baking business. Although, it is a bit frustrating with the cold weather and the lack of rising. But that's nothing a warm oven can't fix. I must admit that I hate touching yeast right out the packet because I know they're alive. Kinda creepy in a germy kind of way.

Election Day

At 10am on Tuesday, I got into my car and drove to the Moose Lodge, about 1.5 miles from my house. Only, I didn't really get that far. I ended up parking on my street about halfway there. Cars were parked all along the nearby neighborhood streets and along the main road. It was a sight to see so many people eager to vote for the next president of the United States.

By the time I took my place in line, the que went all the way to the street along the Moose Lodge driveway and completely around the perimeter of the parking lot in the back.

But not a single complaint was heard. It was like a miracle. Everyone was actually happy to wait. Lots of chatting and and smiles and getting acquainted with people you never knew were your neighbors. Hundreds of people with patience! In the rain, even! (Ok, a light drizzle, but still...) I don't think I'll ever see so much patience ever again in my life.

I, myself, had a really nice time. I finished reading a book and started knitting a sock. My back hurt after a while, but I didn't mind too much. I had snacks and water in my purse. I didn't have an umbrella, which was dumb, but I can't hold an umbrella and knit at the same time.

Two hours and 50 minutes later, I cast my vote for Barack Obama. Less than 12 hours later he would be our new President-elect.

And I was so ready to stay up late to get the final word on all of the votes. I wasn't even home yet from work when McCain delivered his concession speech, which, I must admit, was excellent.

Record breaking voter turnout and no recounts or other shenanigans for a black man...it's like we're a civilized people.

Someone let me know when I can stop holding my breath for something bad to happen.

Oh, by the way...

...If you ever go to Oyamel, order the shrimp. One for each person. You won't want to share.