Developing Tradition

This was a Thanksgiving of development. 

It started with a Long Beach flea market find I took upon myself to hang the day before Thanksgiving.

The unknown West displayed. 

We're both still developing.

My idea of development was trying something new and maximizing resources. 

So basically trying to find a couple dishes using similar ingredients. 

Otherwise my development would end along with my sanity at the checkout line in Vons on Thanksgiving eve. 

The only problem...

how does one make three different dishes using repeated ingredients 

...and get away with it? 

1. Make each dish for a different course (app, salad, side)

2. Pretend like someone else made one of them...

3. bring a bottle of wine to confuse and distract

App: Pumpkin dip

Salad: Quinoa spinach 

Side: Whipped sweet potatoes

See those pumpkin seeds? They get used later in the salad.

See the stale bread? It also becomes croutons.

But seriously. Did anyone know that this is what the inside of a nutMeg looked like?

Serious developments. 

A little sprinkle in the pumpkin dip. A little sprinkle in the sweet potato puree. 

Brown Sugar caramelized pecans...

Some to top the whipped sweet potatoes,

Some to add to the quinoa concoction.

Some dried cranberries go to the quinoa;

some to the pumpkin dip.

You've got to use what you've got. 

Trays made out of aluminum foil is what I was working with.

But I was working with some good timing. I planned that one well. 

...What I lack in materials I make up for in good times. 

What a development. We ate outside on Thanksgiving. A first for this midwest girl. 

You know those pottery barn catalogs you look at and go "Oh c'mon! Seriously? Who actually has pillows and decorations outside?"

LA does. All. Year. Round.

Brady made the shot.

This is Lil Kim getting in on some free smells. 

This is Lisa and Sondra surveying the yield. Getting some fixins. 

This is me trying to develop. 

Some experiences. 

Some friendships.