We had Thanksgiving at our house this year. Emily and Dan drove in on Wednesday and Alissa and John and the boys came in on Thursday afternoon.
Menu:
- Grilled Turkey (sort of followed this recipe, – we also brined it the night before, loosely followed this recipe, the turkey was perfect and was great to do outside on a beautiful day.
- Gravy (made ahead of time: sort of followed this recipe)
- Vegetarian gravy (sort of followed this recipe but made it all vegetarian and didn’t use tarragon because I don’t like it)
- Mashed potatoes
- Mom’s sausage dressing (still not as good as hers though)
- Vegetarian corn bread dressing with pecans and cranberries
- Roasted root vegetables
- Green bean casserole
- mashed rutebaga
- cranberry sauce (always use this recipe)
- pumpkin pie
A 13 year old boy growing up on an Indian Reservation’s mother is raped. The boy and his father are involved in the investigation and eventual result. A great story that is very suspenseful at times and is beautifully written. I have read and enjoyed most of Louise Erdrich’s novels over the years and this one is especially good. 
As we were staying on the Kentucky side of the river, we walked across the Roebling Bridge on a beautiful night to go to Moerlein Lager House which is right on the river between the two stadiums. The place, just recently opened this year, was packed and was huge. We had a 7:30 reservation but had to wait a bit as there was ten of us. Everyone had some of their beer which was very good…had already been drinking a lot already thanks to Embassy Suites Happy Hour. We split a platter of pretzels with cheese and mustard and a plate of fried pickles and jalapenos. I had a grilled cheese with short ribs in it – very good. Lots of food had by all and all very good. A very nice place to go with a spectacular view…would be nice to go in warm weather as they have seating outside as well.
We went to 
Famous Brooklyn bank robber Willie Sutton is released from prison after spending twenty years behind bars. A journalist and a photographer bring him around his old haunts where the novel goes back and forth between past and present. Fictional biography I guess this would be. An interesting read but not too exiting.
An orchardist in Washington State in the early 20th century grows apples and apricots on his large farm. Two teenaged pregnant sisters show up on his property and change his way of life. I liked the language, pace and atmosphere of this novel.
I got my smitten kitchen cookbook in the mail the other day. It looks like a good one. I haven’t gotten a new cookbook in a long long time and have been looking forward to this one. 
Brown University early 1980’s: Boy loves girl; girl loves different boy; different boy is crazy. Same old story. I wanted so much to like this novel but couldn’t get into it at all. It took me forever. Blah blah blah. Sadly not as brilliant as his other novels.
Eat On Edgecliff 