Two birds are better than one

Yesterday I ran around on a while turkey hunt, literally, looking for a turkey in every nook and cranny of the city, only to end up settling for chicken. I have never baked a turkey before, in fact, I don't think I have ever made Christmas dinner before, which is why I decided to volunteer last minute to make my first attempt. Sometimes I ask myself if there is not something neurologically wrong with me, WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

I stood, belly up to the stove for nearly 4 hours yesterday in the sweltering heat, perspiration dripping from every crease in my growing body to merely prepare for an entire day of baking today.

God must have heard me bitching and complaining under my breath, for this morning the rain has come to wash away the heat. There is a fresh breeze that comes with the calling of the mud hut making swallows and I am happy to be preparing Christmas dinner, not only for my first time, but for what will be the first "Traditional North American" Christmas dinner for Claudio's family. (It is typically so hot here on Christmas, we eat salad and ice cream.) Lets just hope she also hears my pleas for this experimental meal to come out excruciatingly tasty!


The menu consists of baked chickens,
stuffed with homemade hand cut bread stuffing
(no prepackaging here folks)
fresh hand cut french-style green bean casserole mini portobello mushrooms (again all fresh ingredients), and candied butter-nut squash topped with cinnamon toasted walnuts.

Finally, for dessert, I thought I would make pineapple upside cake, something that does not exist here and is sure to be the hit.

Where this sudden fire came from to prepare so last minute, I am not exactly sure, though I am grateful for it's burning sensation.