Friends Thanksgiving

This last weekend was our annual Friends Thanksgiving. A tradition started by my sister, Sara and her friends from college as a way to gear up for the upcoming holidays. Every year we meet at at one of our houses and everyone cooks something and we pig out together. Much like a regular thanksgiving but without any family drama.Here's the menu..

Appetizers
Bacon & Carmelized Onion Tart
Rosemary & Kalamata Olive Tapenade
Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Sides
Fennel & Haricot Verts Salad w/Mustard Vinagrette
Brown Butter & Shallot Mashed Potatoes
Molasses Horseradish Sweet Potato Spears
Ryan & Sara's Famous Cranberry Sauce
Lumpia

Main Course
Cider Brined and Glazed Turkey with Andoullie Cornbread (just boring old
yellow) Stuffing and Sage Gravy

Desserts
Pumpkin Roll
Pumpkin Cheesecake (my contribution)
Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

Libations:
3 bottles of Pinot Noir
1 bottle Zinfandel
1 bottle Anglianico
1 bottle Ca' del Solo red blend
1 bottle Late Harvest Zinfandel (dessert)
1 bottle Port
Coffee, tea, beer, water

Mel cooking.
Sara cooking.
The boys contribution, hehe just kidding they cooked later.
Lots..
and lots..
of fooood =9
Sara and Richard after the stuffing.
Mel & Grant post stuffing.
Brian and Ryan after the stuffing.
And to close, Richard & Sara's kitties, Deano & Doyle looking exra cute. (If you can tell, Doyle is the litter mate of my monsters Riker, Pepper, and Oreo, and Harley's baby.)

A day in the Life of a Double-Stuffed Oreo...

I just love my new Catnip toy that my person bought me.


Hey, what are you doing here, Jerk?


Pepper may be my big brother but he can wait his turn.


Unless he bullys me and chases me off, jerk..


But that's ok, cuz my Mommy loves me more than him. =P