Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A few years ago the inlaws invited us over for Christmas dinner. I was suspect because my mother in law just doesn't know how to cook. At all. They eat out a TON and that's how they grew up. A home cooked meal for them was usually a microwave dinner or, if she was feeling adventurous, just some pasta with a jar of tomatoe sauce dumped on top.
But we were visiting them and decided we'd go for dinner. As someone who cooks a lot I was kinda suspect what we'd end up with. We took bets that it would be take-out or someting, but no, the MIL insisted she'd be cooking dinner. Well, ok then!
So what arrived at the table come dinner time? Lasagna! But no, it's not what your thinking. She did not make the lasagna as previously stated. She went to the grocery store and bought one of those huge take home and bake frozen lasagnas. Except, what's this, it's white, not red like normal lasagna! I'd never seen a "white" lasagna before. Apparently, it was some kind of meatless, cream-based lasagna-type thing that looked like soup.
I've had a lot of homemade lasagna growing up, so I had no illusions of holding her lasagna up to those standards, but I'd never seen anything like this. It was kinda gross looking to be frank, but being gracious guests, she sliced it and we all took a peice and smiled. One bite into and it because clear that it was still frozen in the middle. Her husband pointed out this fact and she chuckled(!) and decided the best course of action was to take each persons plate with the piece on it and just microwave it. So now we all have a puddle of lasagna that is now half lava and half frozen goo.
She took it all in stride and even laughs about it today.
Have to say it was at my sister in laws, a few years ago on Christmas day....
She made beef stew- in the crockpot!!
I despise stew as it is, but on Christmas?? I felt like it was a Tuesday night & not a holiday!
2 come to mind and I was responsible for both: 1-our power went out and I had no way of cooking the turkey, it was way before gas grills and nothing was open on Thanksgiving: I think we finally found a Popeyes chicken, bought enough for the family and enjoyed what was not a first class Thanksgiving. The other time, I had my first micro: it said I cound micro the turkey< don't believe them!!!!!
I can't think of anything notably bad, but years ago my sister-in-law and her husband came to visit the day after Thanksgiving and dinner was a mess. I think I had to work or something, but I wanted to have a big, welcoming meal so I brought home a spread from Boston Market. Unfortunately, she has allergies and various intolerances (gluten, dairy, etc.) and couldn't eat any of it. I didn't know!
When our daughter was going to the University of Connecticut, we started driving super early Christmas morning with 23 hours ahead of us to get there. Our meal was a nasty tasting hambuger from Roy Rogers hamburger joint (a Hardees restaurant) along the Pennsylvania turnpike. Awful Awful and the evening meal wasn't much better.....the only place we found was a small smoke filled diner in Pittsburg where we assumed all of the patrons were homeless and in the diner to keep warm.
My first holiday in Washington D.C. around 1968-69. I knew nobody, was broke and lonely and remember getting a Turkey TV Dinner and eating it by myself. Not a pleasant memory.
Well it has to be my brothers wifes green bean casserole. Nastiest stuff on the planet. This ia the only green bean casserole I have ever had, so so far, I hate green bean casserole!
Who knows, she may be able to make it and is just trying to kill us all, or at least me.... (she hates me)
The worst was the year that my sister decided to do a "Healthy" Thanksgiving dinner. Gravy, potatoes, vegetables, dessert ~ all low/no fat, no salt, no sugar. Yecchhh!!! I can't begin to tell you how bad it all was. I have not eaten at her house since.
The least holiday meal was when I was in 4th grade. My grandfather died 6 days before Christmas and was buried Dec. 23. My parents did ALL of their Christmas shopping Dec. 24, and on Dec. 25 my mom realizes that she didn't do any grocery shopping. We had potato soup for Christmas dinner, and I baked a cake from what was in the pantry.
Last Easter a family of 5 who had RSVP'd "no" showed up anyway! We didn't have enough chairs or food, so the people who cooked (me, my mother, my aunt) ate just a little and had to stand. I was ticked and really wanted to say something casually cutting about why there wasn't enough food but my mom and aunt insisted I let it go. They were a distant cousin and his new wife and 3 stepkids so we hardly even knew them.
Many years ago, some friends of the family invited us over for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, something happened to them right before Thanksgiving. My parents tried to cancel, but they insisted that they would take everyone out to a restaurant, instead. Okay.
When we arrived at their house, they were on the phone trying to get a reservation somewhere--on Thanksgiving day! They called restaurant after restaurant, to no avail. Finally, they decided we should just drive around to see if we could get in somewhere.
Every restaurant was full and turned us away. After hours of driving, we wound up going to a Blimpie's in a seedy area for sandwiches. LOL
Last edited by Pivot Point; 11-09-2012 at 12:10 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
