It's time for the annual "What's On Your Thanksgiving Menu?" thread

[Arugula Latte]

Ours:

butternut squash soup
salad of greens w/ vanilla-pear vinaigrette
green beans w/ shallots
old fashioned onions & peas in a white sauce
mashed potatoes
(maybe) sweet potatoes
cranberry sauce w/ orange & ginger
dressing/stuffing w/ chestnuts
turkey w/ wine gravy
pumpkin pie w/ vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
apple crisp

tons o' wine!

[Graybeard]

1. Lovely meal for your family and guests.

Enjoy !

We have much the same traditional fare also. But let me recommend something that we serve every year.

Mashed turnips. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it. Pile some next to the mashed 'taters and cover both with gravy.

Yummy.

[Arugula Latte]

24. That sounds good. I love turnips.

Sometimes I make cauliflower mash as an alternative to mashed potatoes, as well.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

[Bertha Venation]

60. I've never had turnips.

Hmm.

[Graybeard]

75. A nice veggie.

Pretty yellow color. At my market the Yellow turnips are heavily waxed but that's OK because it has to be peeled before cooking.

Simply cut into pieces and boil as you would potatoes but don't salt the water as it can make your turnips too bitter. Mash and serve. Couldn't be easier.

[Jersey Devil]

2. The Italian version would add lasagna and breaded veal cutlets as ante pasta

I kid you not!

[Arugula Latte]

25. I believe it. We had wonderful Italian neighbors when I was growing up.

When we'd go to our house they would feed us piles of delicious food. We'd thank them for the meal and they'd say: "That was just the ante pasta! There's a lot more to come!"

[GoCubsGo]

94. Me, too.

I always though my family was the only one who did lasagne on Thanksgiving.

[LP2K12]

3. Ours...

Turkey
Stuffing (from scratch)
Fresh green beans cooked with bacon.
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potatoes with fresh squeezed orange
Cranberry sauce
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie
Cheesecake
Spiced apple rings

[Arugula Latte]

26. I like how you guys go for variety in desserts!

Spiced apple rings sound intriguing.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

4. Totally Italian meal except for the dessert

It will be just me, husband and a coworker who is a widow and just lost her mom this weekend.

Tortellini in cream (tortellini are a specialty from my hometown - all made by hand, including the meat filling and the dough)*
Cotolette alla milanese (pork loin coated in egg/parmesan mixture covered in panko breading, cooked in olive oil)
Green beans, steamed and sauteed with pancetta and onion

The only non-Italian item:

Brazilian flan (using recipe from a Brazilian family friend) with chocolate decorations (I use melted and tempered milk and white chocolate poured in various shapes including leaves and snowflakes).

Followed by limoncello and espresso made with an Italian coffee maker (not the fancy kind).

*Tortellini are a classic Christmas meal in Bologna although they are to be served in capon broth. It is almost heresy to serve them in cream, but I'm saving the capon broth tortellini for Christmas when my family comes to town.

[Arugula Latte]

27. Yesterday I was saying to my mom that

it was a shame the Italians didn't create Thanksgiving because then the food would be amazing (see my sig line).

However, I do like the traditional turkey-stuffing-mashed potatoes, etc. foods, too.

[riderinthestorm]

5. Completely traditional for our house

A selection of appetizers - shrimp cocktail, hummous etc
Turkey with stuffing
mashed potatoes
butternut squash casserole
green bean casserole
homemade cranberry sauce
Seafoam jello
Spinach salad
fruit salad
pumpkin, apple and mincemeat pie - all home made with homemade ice cream or whipped cream

[HopeHoops]

7. Green bean casserole? Use frenched beans, not cut.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=campbells+green+bean+casserole&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CD0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.campbellskitchen.com%2FRecipes%2FRecipeDetails.aspx%3FrecipeId%3D24099&ei=nzWsUNzyFOyP0QGuvoDgBQ&usg=AFQjCNHW44ydQEitVxVBkagEz9zLzyvsVA

[riderinthestorm]

10. Recommendation noted but we use our own home grown green beans

and keep them virtually intact except for trimming the ends.

The potatoes, butternut, spinach salad fixings, onion, garlic, spices, hell even a lot of the fruits are items we grow ourselves on our farm. My mom provides the seafoam jello salad (her favorite but it wouldn't be Thanksgiving for her/us without it.)

We've been baking bread all week and our stuffing is made with home made wheat bread made from wheat we grow ourselves!! Even the beer is home brewed.

Your feast sounds equally amazing HopeHoops. Hope your Thanksgiving is lovely....

[HopeHoops]

16. We only got enough beans for one meal this year. Rabbits got the rest.

They leave the actual bean pods alone, but they LOVE chewing off the leaves and stems!!! We got even fewer peas.

[Arugula Latte]

28. Mmmm, shrimp cocktail sounds goooood.

[HopeHoops]

6. Stuffed sugar pumpkin, 3 butternut squash, OUR OWN HOME GROWN potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce,..

... mushroom gravy, and whatever the fuck else they have at the Farmers' market Friday morning (we do our meal on Friday).

[Arugula Latte]

29. Veg-tastic!

I'm wondering what you stuff the pumpkin with...

[HopeHoops]

51. Um, stuffing.

Same as a turkey but you don't have to shove your hand up a dead bird's ass.

[Arugula Latte]

55. Sounds good to me.

I'm not big on meat in general.

[HopeHoops]

57. We gave it up in '89. My three daughters are life-long vegetarians.

[Arugula Latte]

92. I stopped eating red meat when I was a teen about three decades ago.

I do eat fish & poultry, but it's always my least favorite part of the meal. I love salads, veggies and sides.

[HopeHoops]

93. We did fish for a couple of years after going "veggie", but ended up dropping it.

I know it was a couple of years because my eldest (21 now) ate tuna. At some point it just stopped being "food" - well, pretty much it changed into "cat food" for us. I grew up on blue-fin crabs but couldn't touch them anymore. That's probably the most shocking part of the transition I went through. I have no interest in meat of any kind, but we do eat eggs and dairy products. We're all of healthy weight and love the diversity that a vegetarian diet comes with. Our meal is tomorrow and I can't wait to dive into that sugar pumpkin.

[sendero]

8. Our traditional meal.

.... has changed little over the decades. I got the recipes for the things that need a recipe (i.e. the stuffing) from mom and my wife can make it pretty much the same.

Turkey, roasted
Giblet gravy
Cornbread stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Steamed asparagus
Green bean casserole
Yeast dinner rolls
Cranberry jelly

Desert will be pumpkin pie and bishop bread

I'm ready to dig in!!!!!!!!!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

12. I highly recommend cooking your asparagus outside on your BBQ grill....

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... simply misted with olive oil and a little Kosher salt.
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One of the simplest, FINEST dishes in the world.
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.

[Bertha Venation]

61. That's exactly how Mrs. V. makes it.

She's not a big fan of asparagus, and tried it on a whim for a party. BIG hit.

I don't like the after-effects of eating asparagus, so I have it only rarely. This is definitely the best way to eat asparagus.

[MiddleFingerMom]

78. I actually kinda LIKE the after-effects, but I like the faint evidence of a skunk in the area, too.

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Well... not "THE Area", but you know.
.
Who doesn't like the Le Pew-seductive smell of excellent marijuana?
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Though one time, an hour or two after eating asparagus again for the first time in years,
I seriously (really) started reviewing my recent sexual history when I was, um... "wafted".
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.

[GoCubsGo]

95. Yep.

If you don't have a grill, it's almost as good roasted in the oven. I like the leftovers cold and dressed with some olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

[Arugula Latte]

30. Sounds good. I'd never heard of bishop bread so looked it up.

Looks chock full o' delicious stuff!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

9. A bit embarrassing,

Roman noddles and cheep fruit juice. All I can afford.

[840high]

14. Been in your

shoes - peanut butter and jelly was a feast. Big hug for you.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

15. Thank you!

[HopeHoops]

17. We got trapped in NH our first Thanksgiving there (major snow).

The only thing open on Thanksgiving was a convenience store. We ended up getting a can of clam chowder (just before going vegetarian) and heading back to the house. We still refer to it as "had a Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat".

And I've lived on ramen noodles at times. They used to be 7/$1, but they're up to 5/$1 now. Still, feeding two on 20 cents isn't bad. I like to add frozen peas to them. It adds color and they taste good.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

50. I hope I can look back at all this in a positive way.

[HopeHoops]

53. Just put on "Alice's Restaurant" - that HAS to make you feel good.

[Arugula Latte]

31. I'm sorry.

Wish you lived in my state so you could come over here!

Hang in there. Maybe next Thanksgiving will be much better.

And please don't be embarrassed. That is reality for millions in these United States.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

49. It is better than last year.

Dave and I were in separate shelters due to one not having room for him and the other just helped men. At less we have an apartment for this one!

[riderinthestorm]

68. Wishes, hopes, vibes that next year is better.

Even more so, I wish you were closer. I'd love to have you over for dinner, great convo, a little cards and some big hugs....

[Bertha Venation]

62. I wish I could offer more than this

I wish I could offer more than a lame "if only you lived in the Washington DC area -- you'd dine with us and take home all the leftovers."

Happy TG, Lady.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

77. Thank you Bertha Venation!

Believe it or not, the thought really means a lot!

[blueamy66]

84. I'm sorry

I wish you the best in the upcoming days.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

86. Thank you blueamy66!

[bluedigger]

11. Cool - I need to get vetted on this.

Turkey
Mashed Potatos
Stuffing
Peas and onions
Cranberry sauce
Pumpkin pie


It's just me, so what am I forgetting?

[barbtries]

20. gravy

gotta have the gravy

[bluedigger]

21. Thanks!

I think I can do that.

[Arugula Latte]

32. Seems like you have the essentials.

I like the leftover turkey for sandwiches a lot. You can slather some cranberry sauce on if you have any left.

[bluedigger]

40. I love the sammitches, too.

Not too sure about the cranberry sauce, though. Doesn't that make the bread soggy?

[Arugula Latte]

54. Not if you make it right before eating.

Or use lettuce as a buffer between the bread.

[Bertha Venation]

63. Put mayo on the bread -- it's almost like a plastic barrier

keeping the cranberries from making the bread soggy.

Of course, I've never had a turkey sandwich in my hands long enough for the bread to get soggy anyway.

[bluedigger]

69. LOL!

Point taken.

[nolabear]

13. Here's mine:

Roast Turkey, of course
cornbread oyster dressing
roasted root vegetables with honey/cranberry glaze
green beans with garlic and lemon
brussels sprouts sauteed with pine nuts
sour cream mashed potatoes
mushroom gravy
pear cardamom upside down cake with whipped cream

Yum...I'm getting hungry already.

[Arugula Latte]

33. That sounds delicious.

We were trying to decide between green beans and brussel sprouts, but I see you have both. We added onions & peas, otherwise we might have done the same.

[fizzgig]

18. we spent hours going through food magazines this year

our menu

homemade onion dip and pate with veggies and bread

turkey roasted with salt pork
cornbread and sausage stuffing
grits dressing
green bean casserole (from scratch, no condensed soup for us)
roasted brussel sprouts with salt pork
mashed taters and gravy
rolls

pecan pie
vanilla gellato with blackberry liqueur

[Arugula Latte]

34. I like the Southern flair.

Enjoy!

[barbtries]

19. the first two items

are all my sons really want, but we're having a feast whether they want it or not

turkey (brined, stuffed, roasted)
mashed potatoes and gravy
candied sweet potatoes
stuffing
rolls with butter
cranberry sauce chilled, out of the can
pitted black olives

cracker barrel pies: chocolate pecan and pumpkin.

mmmmmmmmmmmm

happy turkey day DU!

[Arugula Latte]

35. I love those black olives.

Ya gotta put 'em on your fingers.

Chocolate pecan sounds even better than just pecan!

[barbtries]

42. oh, it is.

it is.

[Bertha Venation]

64. This is almost my mother's TG day dinner, exactly (she died when I was 11)

May I ask where you were raised? I'd love to know if you and she were from the same general area.

The only thing missing are the sweet gherkins.

[barbtries]

66. omigawd Bertha

the only reason the sweet pickles aren't included is because none of us like them!

my mother was born and raised in southern california. my father was born in WY and raised in TX.

my mother's parents came to CA from NE via Sweden and TN via England. my father always said he was Scotch-Irish and Welsh.

by the way the sweet potatoes came later - my mother never made them.

after my brother and his wife shared their first thanksgiving, she was going to make him a turkey sandwich. she was totally puzzled as to why he would ask for black olives and sweet pickles on his turkey sandwich! lol

where is your family from?

[Bertha Venation]

70. My mom was born in Topeka.

So I thought that this might've been a Midwest-style feast. But maybe it's a California thing. She was an army brat, even lived in Japan for a couple of years during our occupation there. I believe she first landed in California in around 1955, in San Francisco. She went to Venice (L.A.) High School. I was born in Santa Monica and raised in Huntington Beach. My dad was born in Oklahoma and moved to CA in '55. His upbringing did not influence my mother's cooking.

I never put the olives & pickles on my sammach, though!

The more I think of it, the more I think my mother may have gotten her cooking influences from her grandmother, Inez Streeter, who lived in CA and had a large part in raising her. I remember my great-grandmother fondly.

Barbtries, have a terrific holiday.

[barbtries]

72. you too Bertha!

we are from the same area. my mother was raised in LA and never left. i was raised in Torrance - my parents moved there from Culver City in 1954, the year before i was born. or maybe 1955. i know i was the only one born in Torrance and my 3 older siblings were all born in Culver City.

[Bertha Venation]

82. I fell deeply in love and moved to Maryland

to be with Mrs. V. twelve years ago. It was exactly the right thing to do, but I live in a constant state of homesickness. We're moving back home after she retires.

[barbtries]

90. i moved to NC in 2007

just got priced out there. looks like another 6-10 years before i get back home, but you never know. i am homesick as hell myself.

[LWolf]

22. Turkey, I think.

I'm not sure.

I was told to bring salad and cider. The rest is a guess.

[Arugula Latte]

36. Mystery meal!

Hope it's great!

[hobbit709]

23. Whatever my brother is cooking.

The basics
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes
gravy
fresh bread
assorted veggies

I'm making a blackberry and a raspberry cobbler.

[Arugula Latte]

37. Mmmm cobblers.

[TeamPooka]

38. Turkey w/gravy, acorn squash, dressing and mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie.

simple for just the two of us and the dog.

[Arugula Latte]

43. Sounds nice.

Do you make the acorn squash with brown sugar, or leave it savory?

[TeamPooka]

44. cut in half and baked in the oven with butter in the center of each half.

served just like it comes out of the oven so you each it like a half grapefruit.

[cynatnite]

39. We've got a traditional menu...

Cheese ball
Pumpkin dip

Turkey w/cornbread and bacon dressing
Steamed veggies
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potato casserole
Fruit Salad
Cranberry sauce
Gravy

Chocolate pie
Traditional pumpkin pie
Double Layer pumpkin pie
Hummingbird cake

[Arugula Latte]

41. I'd never heard of Hummingbird cake

but I looked up the recipe -- sounds delicious (and very rich!). Cream cheese frosting is so tasty.

And I guess there is more cream cheese in the double layer pumpkin pie?

[cynatnite]

45. The recpie for the cake I got from Better Homes and Garden...

They had a caramel frosting and I made a cream cheese frosting for it instead. Yes, it's a bit rich and very moist. I made a couple of mini muffins from the batter I had left and took them to work. It was a huge hit.

The double layer pumpkin pie is a Kraft recipe I found some years ago. I had some family begging for it this year so I made it again. It has one layer of cream cheese, sugar and milk. The second layer has pumpkin, milk, vanilla pudding mix and spices. It goes in a graham cracker crust. Very easy to make.

I'm gettin' hungry already.

[Scuba]

47. Same as last year ...

Hot tongue, cold shoulder.

[Arugula Latte]

56. Hmmm ... Not quite sure what that means but it sounds interesting!

[riderinthestorm]

67. Aw damn Scuba. Wish you were closer, you'd get massive hugs here.

My mom's a Rethug provocateur and I could sure use some help dealing with her nonsense tomorrow....

Are you perchance anywhere near Northern Illinois? You are welcome to join us.

Saddest post on this thread

[Scuba]

80. I am sorta near northern Illinois, but must decline your kind offer.

I used to live in the NW burbs (McHenry County). Lots of good folks there.

[Arugula Latte]

91. I'm sorry to be flip, I didn't at first catch the significance of your comment.

Hope you're hanging in there!

[LiberalEsto]

48. Stuffed acorn squash halves

roasted turkey breast for the carnivores
mashed potatoes
gravy
mashed turnips, carrots & potatoes
stuffing
broccoli
cranberry sauce
black & green olives and homegrown fennel
apple pie
pumpkin pie

Also, one of my daughters is making a dish of roasted root vegetables.
The other is making her wonderful noodle kugel.

[Honeycombe8]

52. Turkey, cranberry sauce, dates, green salad, sugar free ice cream, marshmallows

Marshmallows are to make this weird dessert I like: I put sugarfree preserves or SF cherry pie filling in glass pie pan, put marshallows over top, zap in microwave. Use a spoon to spoon into small bowl. Yum.

[Bertha Venation]

58. Most of this sounds lovely. I have nothing unique except

a young man who will be washing vegetables, cooking cranberries, and preparing a turkey. He's gotta learn sometime.

We'll have the basics: turkey, gravy & mash, cranberries, dead green beans,* pumpkin & apple pies.

* dead green beans, learned from my Southern beloved wife: a little water in a pan with a ham hock, a sliced onion, 3-4 smashed garlic cloves, and a buttload of green beans. Cook until the beans are dead.

[Graybeard]

59. Cook until the beans are dead.

That is the best line of this thread. And I can't wait to share it at our Holiday feast. I'm still laughing.

Thanks and enjoy !

[Bertha Venation]

65. Glad I could make you laugh, Graybeard.

Happy TG.

[Behind the Aegis]

71. Turkey

stuffing, gravy, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, rolls, pumpkin pie, and bourbon chocolate pecan pie.

ETA: and Red Velvet Cake for my sweetie's 49th birthday.

[one_voice]

73. Mine is pretty traditional...

Turkey
Ham
Mashed taters with gravy
Candied yams with apples and pineapple
Roasted green beans with bacon
A mixed veggie; broccoli, corn, red pepper, onion, with a garlic sauce
Stuffing
Mac n Cheese
Cranberry sauce
Corn bread muffins and biscuits

Pumpkin pie
Sweet tater pie
Pig pickin' cake

Mom is bringing some sort of appetizers, not sure what.

After cooking all day today and cooking tomorrow, lots of wine is in store as well.

[derby378]

74. Whatever my sister-in-law is serving

This will be the first Thanksgiving where I don't celebrate it with my folks, and I'll miss them greatly, but I'm meeting my in-laws, and one of my relatives whom I haven't seen in two years has contacted me and asked if I'm coming. He's had a rough go ever since Ginny died, so I really want to reach out to him and make sure he's okay.

As for the Thanksgiving spread, I'm sure it will be edible, no problem there.

[Xyzse]

76. What I know thus far:

Since these are the confirmed foods that I will be making:

Turkey - Been in a brine since Saturday
Ribs - Will be placed in crock pot
3 Tilapias - Steamed, with soy sauce and other stuff. Crap! I need to make rice. Maybe I should stick to Occidental.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mac and Cheese - With Bacon! Made from scratch
Gravy from the Giblets and Neck
(I have to work some basil in here somewhere)
--
Pecan Pie - Bought from the Dutch Market
Cinnamon Pie - Bought from the Dutch Market

Confirmed by my sister:

Some sort of soup, I have no clue what it is.
Green Bean Casserole.

--
Confirmed by my mother:

Tiramisu
Fruit Cocktail

There will be a bunch of wine and liquor from the Russians.
As well as other foods...

I wonder if they will make Borscht...

MMMmmm... Borscht. There is going to be more than 20 people, so I have no idea how this will go.

[HeiressofBickworth]

79. There's just the 4 of us

so we're having just the basics:
Turkey
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Yams - already boiled and cut up with sugar and dots of butter -- just need to warm them
Brussels Sprouts
Dressing - a packaged mix
Waldorf Salad - two different dishes - one with marshmallows and one without
Pumpkin pie and whipped cream (real stuff, not out of a can)
And if my daughter decides to do it, an apple/cranberry pie.

The new sofas were delivered this afternoon so I suspect that eating will be in the family room, on trays in front of the huge flat screen TV probably with a football game on. Since I really dislike football games, I will take my dish to my room and watch some old movie or Law & Order re-runs. It will be pleasant and relaxing.

Hope everyone has a nice holiday.

[Fridays Child]

81. Brussels sprouts, beets, and bacon, mixed with honey and sauteed in butter.

All of the traditional stuff will be on the table, as well, but the Brussels sprouts dish is a new one for us.

[TwilightGardener]

83. Wasn't sure husband was going to be

home from work today, so it's a limited menu of the usual stuff, nothing creative. Turkey breast instead of a whole bird (easier to store and manage, frankly), I haven't brined it, though--probably too late now. Cranberry-orange sauce, basic stuffing, mashed taters, rolls, green bean casserole (my oldest boy's favorite). Made an apple-cranberry pie last night, new recipe--not sure how it's going to taste, though it looks nice. Husband got home around 6 am, so I'm grateful that we will all be together today after all.

[Odin2005]

85. The usual:

14 lb turkey cooked in the fryer
stuffing
mashed potatoes with gravy
sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping
green-bean hotdish
cranberries
lefse
pumpkin and apple pies

It's me, my mom, my grandma, and my sister and her hubby and 2 kids; at my sister's farm house.

[KitSileya]

88. But the most important question must then be....

What kind of lefse?

(Having had rather heated discussions as to what lefse is proper lefse, this is cracks me up every time.) For my part, it has to be Røros-lefse, wafer-thin and spread with butter, sugar and cinnamon.

Enjoy your meal!

[Odin2005]

96. I didn't know there are different kinds of lefse!

[KitSileya]

98. Oh, yes.

There's thin lefse and thick lefse and potato lefse and some local varieties that are absolutely beyond the pale ( )

Seeing as I'm from the middle of Norway, it's thin lefse all the way for me. Thick ones are less versatile. Thin ones can be used with savory fillings as well as the traditional sugar.

[Odin2005]

99. My family comes from the Sognfjord region of western Norway...

...and ditto with the thin lefse!

[boston bean]

87. Pretty simple and traditional fare for us

Roast Turkey
Stuffing in the bird and out
Mashed Potatoes - plenty of them
Peas
Corn
Squash
Cranberry Sauce
Rolls
Gravy - from drippings
Blueberry Pie - homemade
Pumpkin Pie - Mrs. Smiths - decided to cheat with this one.

Yummmmmy!

There's only four of us for dinner this year, then off to visit family later.

All others meals who are a bit more chef centric sound great too!

[Danmel]

89. Thanksgiving ala Danmel

Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Mushroom Squares

Chicken Soup with Noodles and Matzah Balls (because the kids are home for Thanksgiving and want my Matzah Ball Soup)

Roast Turkey
Stuffing with celery, onion and mushrooms
Steamed GreenBeans
Fresh whole berry Cranberry sauce with orange
Canned jelly cranberry goop ( because some people like it)
Home made gravy

Home baked Challah dinner rolls

Apple Pie
Whatever dessert my brother brings

Wine
Hard Cider

[sakabatou]

97. Sweet potato, turkey, cornbread

And we may see other stuff with the family we're eating with.