If you don't like cooking, skip this entry.

I'm getting excited. Ken will be here Wednesday morning (early, 1:00 a.m.) and Stauche and Cry will be here shortly after. I made baklava last night. I tried it with almonds this time because Justin has a growing aversion to walnuts. I've also made it with cashews and pistachios (a mix) and it was tasty, but I just don't like pistachios very much. I'm sure things would be different if the very first pistachio I ever tried hadn't been rancid. If you make baklava with almonds, get the slivered variety. Whole almonds don't blend in the food processor and it's really a pain to chop them by hand. I also started the crescent rolls. They need to set up in the fridge for three days. Unfortunately, the dough didn't rise. I'm not quite sure this time why. Maybe I used too much flour and it was too heavy for the yeast? It's happened to me before and they were still tasty, so i'm not going to worry about it. It's just that they're so much prettier when they rise. Maybe I can still get some oven spring when I bake them.

I bought my Thanksgiving groceries on Saturday. I've never made pumpkin pie before (mostly because I don't like it), so I went and got the canned pie mix. I noticed right next to it that they have apple pie filling as well. I picked up two cans of it. I'm really horrible at making pies. They should be the easiest things in the world to make, but I honestly have never had one come out good. Nevertheless, I was still really embarrassed at the checkout line when the lady was ringing them up. I could feel my face go red. I know I shouldn't be embarrassed, but mom always made pie from scratch and I feel I should do it the same way.

So I bought a turkey breast since there's just the five of us and I've got to get that defrosting so I can brine it on Wednesday night. I've got to shape the crescent rolls tonight, too. Tomorrow after work it's straight into the shower and straight into bed. I have to pick up Ken at the train station at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and make it to work by 8. I also get very cranky if I haven't had enough sleep. Wednesday they usually let us go at noon, though it's not guaranteed. I need to make pies and cranberry sauce. Thursday I start the crudites and dip and bake the rolls. Then make the stuffing and bake it, throw the turkey in the oven when the stuffing's done. When the turkey's done, put the stuffing and rolls back into the oven to rewarm them, then get the green beans cooked and topped with the buttered crumb and almond mixture.

I think I'll also work on scheduling tonight so everything comes out at the right time.