Happy Thanksgiving!

It was a quiet Thanksgiving here on Mars.

Lorraine slept late, storing up strength for the vigorous day of begging ahead.

Then she put on her best seasonal finery and waited for Susie to arrive.

When Susie arrived, we started a fun baking project: soft pretzels!

Pretzels are a yeast dough, so first step after making the dough was to let it rise. After rising, dividing it into eight pieces, and then letting it rest, we could get to work making long ropes that we could then twist into the classic pretzel shape.

After shaping the dough -- which is not easy! -- the next step is putting each one into a baking soda bath. This is supposed to give the pretzel its shiny, dark brown finish. 

Then, somehow you are supposed to take this soft, slippery, dripping wet dough and transfer it to a baking sheet. Also tricky! But we managed pretty well.

Then off they go, into the oven for just a few minutes.

While the pretzels baked, Susie made a delicious beer cheese to dip them in:

They came out pretty well! Not as dark and shiny as expected, but still tasty.

Here they all are, with the beer cheese and two kinds of mustard. 

Hey, not half bad!

After we enjoyed the fruits of our labor, we move on to cooking the main event. 

We had AJ's grandmother's mac and cheese, my grandmother's stuffing with chestnuts and sausage, shaved brussels sprouts salad, and roasted acorn squash stuffed with lentils and pecans:

For dessert, Susie made a delicious apple crisp, served with salted caramel ice cream:

Lorraine was outraged at not getting any butter, but she did manage to snuffle up a slice of apple covered with caramel sauce that fell on the floor before we could grab it, so I guess we all won.

It was a wonderful, relaxed day.

Still, hours of demanding people give you bits of what they're cooking will really take it out of you. Lorraine is spending Friday morning recuperating in bed:

Todos Santos

Today we are celebrating Todos Santos, or All Saints Day.

On Todos Santos, we pause to remember our dear, departed loved ones by setting out pictures and mementos, and sharing our memories. 

This year has gotten very busy, once again, so we're skipping the baking projects of years past. We’re just focusing on our altar, and spending time with the memories of our dearly departed, welcoming them into our home and remembering how much we love them.