Thanksgiving Eve

Growing up, Thanksgiving was one of my very favorite holidays. My Uncle Bob and his family would always drive down from Utah to S. California to spend it with us, and there were cousins placed just right in age so that we all had a buddy to hang out with.

The weekend was always full of traditions that we looked forward to every year. The ceremony of Dad putting the turkey on the Weber grill, with all of us standing around ooohing and aaahing appropriately... Going on a hike in the local mountains and coming home to the glorious smell of the turkey filling the whole yard... Aunt Judy sneaking bacon when Dad opened the grill to check the meat, and all of us following suit, while he would pretend to be mad... Going around the table before we ate, talking over three things that we were grateful for that year... Leftover pie for breakfast for the next few days... Walks along the beach... Family talent shows... Always lots and lots of fun.

But one of the best traditions was Thanksgiving Eve. This was the night that we baked pies. Not one or two, but usually 12, 15, or sometimes even more. I remember that we were allowed to stay up late to help Mom- she would make the crusts, and I would help with the fillings. (Note that I still can't make pie crusts to save my life, even after many years of trying.) We would set the finished pies out on the picnic table in the back yard to cool, and by the time that the cousins arrived, we'd be tired out and finished, and the table as well as the benches would be overflowing. I also remember that this would be the one night a year that we would be able to watch Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, as we waited for the last of the pies to be done- this was always a really big deal.

So tonight, I am baking a pie. One is enough for me this year, the crust is the premade kind that you don't have to roll out, and I still managed to mess it up a bit, but the filling will be glorious (caramel, pecans, and apples, with a cheesecake topping!) I bought the ingredients this morning and could have made it any time today, but somehow, I had to wait until late this evening when the Tonight Show was on before I could put it in the oven. (And it's just not quite the same with David Letterman, but oh, well...)

Having said that, happy Thanksgiving to all!