Bringing in 2012

This year, I hung out with my Turkish Family for New Year. 
 This is typical in Turkey to hang out with family or friends, just like they do in America. 
 So, I went just the day before yesterday and bought some fresh flowers for the table. We cooked a whole pumpkin, and I made pumpkin bread out of the pumpkin. I froze the rest in two cup packages and put them in the freezer for when I want pumpkin puree. 
 I made some really hot Hot Sauce and sliced Chicken Breast and marinated the chicken in the hot sauce over night. 
 I forgot about the corn in the freezer, but I will use it later. 
 I made caramel corn. I do not have brown sugar here. Turkish women call brown sugar when we call it Raw Sugar. 
So, I have taught myself to make brown sugar. Thank goodness for my love for cooking and being in the 4 H and being in all those cooking classes... I have been able to use that to my advantage here. 
 Anyway
I made the best caramel cream stuff so I will experiment with Caramel Apples later!
 I made Toffee... Which came out more like ... Soft Toffee, and so I have to have a thermometer. I thought there was one at Ikea, and I tried to ask, but Long Rocks dad was saying LET'S GO and I speak Turkish slow. Anyway, I made the Toffee in the late Soft Ball Stage and needed to wait a few more minutes... Sigh... So it is somewhat soft for Toffee.
But, it is my first attempt with a hard candy recipe with no Thermometer, and not all the proper ingredients. I had to recreate it. I say I am doing pretty good. 


 So, I will post pictures tomorrow of my food... Here is what we did. 
 My Turkish mom and I made our food and cooked all day. At about 7:45 my Turkish aunt and her family came over. We played the Wii and socialized, danced, had a lot of fun. 
 I had to make the best of the situation: being homesick, not having Long Rock around me... It has been really hard for me so I think I did well for the circumstances. 


Pictures::

I bought the flowers a day before and made the arrangements right when I brought the flowers home. I made Caramel Corn, Hot Spicy Chicken Breast, we had rice with this pasta in it, beef, sliced carrots, regular sliced bread, stuffed cabbage, Toffee, Nestle Coffee and cola, we had a king's meal. I decorated the table, with the help of my Turkish mom. It was fun

We looked and looked for these glasses that were solid red. they were so pretty but We only found the ones with red and clear. I thought that the glasses were pretty anyway

Long Rocks cousin on the right and his uncle on the left.

My Father in law (to be)

This would have been a perfect picture if I would have noticed the flower in my Turkish mom's face! hahahaha. I am silly sometimes.

This is a great picture. Left: Anneanne, Mert, Anne, Teyze

Right in the gray is my Turkish Father in law, and the striped shirt is my Turkish uncle

Daughters and mother for a photo op

They wanted my mom to see the napkins in teh picture. I don't think they realized I took a pretty pic of the table beforehand.

Learning to lay the Wii

And The Learning teaching to play the wii...

Surprising, they were a great team. I did not remember which hand I play bowling and played right hand... Yeah I am a left handed bowler.

My Turkish Cousin playing but dude, look in the right, the guy in the white shirt... That is Long Rock's Mii!!! Funny

Whaaat? Another Spare???

Mert (Turkish cousins name) Up to lay... Come, Mert! You can do it!

Aunt had to go in the kitchen. Anne took her turn. She is really good at playing bowling

How is it that Mert and I had to teach them every time they went to bowl, but we got our butt's kicked!?!

Turkish Uncle and Cousin playing bowling.

Playing Table Tennis

They were fun to watch!

And what is the New Year with out some music?

And Dancing

And Getting a New Year Spank for Good luck! Hahaha