Thanksgiving

Kiwis don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but a family at church graciously invited all the senior missionary couples to their home for a potluck feast on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. We probably would have just organized some sort of get-together in the office lunch room, but it was lovely to be in a real home.

Our hosts: Loretta and Tony Photo by Karen Larsen

We all chipped in on the turkeys since it costs $70 for a 12-pound turkey here! We volunteered to bring a Jello (“jelly”) salad and a pumpkin pie for the pot luck. We went very early in the season so were able to find canned pumpkin at the American store for just $8.50 a can. Condensed milk is available in any grocery shop here for $3.00 a can. One of the other missionary sisters contributed a spoonful of cloves to spare us buying a whole packet. We usually have eggs and sugar on hand. Most fortunately, one of the departing couples had given us a can of Crisco, which costs $27 here. So for starters we were thankful we could make the pie for less than $50…

Having once won a pumpkin pie contest, Jan is rather vain about her pumpkin pies and had a panic attack the day before the potluck when she suddenly realized she’d have to bake the pie in the Oven of Peril. Not only could all that expensive food be ruined, but her pie reputation could be lost as well!

Fortunately the crust rolled out beautifully despite the unfamiliar rolling pin. 

Jan's Never-Fail Pie Crust

 

And it all came out as nicely as any pumpkin pie she had ever made. Whew.

Reputation intact

It was an altogether lovely afternoon. 

Jan and the New Zealand MTC Mum, Sister Bleak Photo by Karen Larsen

Part of the crowd. See all that sunshine coming in the door? Photo by Karen Larsen

Yes, we ate outdoors at the picnic table. Photo by Karen Larsen

Wait! Where is Bob in all these pictures? Unfortunately he was still convalescing and couldn’t eat real food yet. Jan brought home a few slices of turkey to put in the freezer, and he ate a turkey sandwich this afternoon, thus completing our Thanksgiving celebration.

How thankful we are for our many, many blessings, especially at this season all our friends and family at home.

Jan’s Never-Fail Pie Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup Crisco shortening (brand only)

Cut shortening into the flour and salt until evenly mixed like fine crumbs

Pour 1 tablespoon white vinegar into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1/3 cup. Stir milk mixture unto flour and shortening with a fork until evenly mixed. Crust mixture will be very soft and sticky.

Heavily flour a sheet of baking paper and roll out a ball of crust mixture with a heavily-floured rolling pin. Invert pie plate over rolled crust. Slide hand under baking paper and flip crust and pie plate upright. Pat crust into pie plate and carefully peel away paper.