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Tuesday, November 20, 2018

In search of Pearl Onions–and Dad!

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Good morning from Quilt villa, VA!

It was one of those crazy pre-holiday shopping days that out of necessity had to happen yesterday -

Yes, the Monday before a major “meal” holiday – Thanksgiving.

I knew it would be a zoo – but I had company all weekend, and there was no room in the fridge at home to buy all of this a week or more ahead and then have to transfer it up here to the mountains.

I wanted items, especially produce to be somewhat fresh – and I’d be picking my Dad up at the airport anyway, so how simple it would be to just make a couple of early afternoon stops before swinging by the airport to pick him up?

A master of time management and organization, I thought I had this nailed!  And then…..

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Costco was an absolute madhouse!

What was I thinking?!! They didn't have half the stuff I needed which meant more stores after this one. OH NO!!

What did they not have?  The SMOKED TURKEY!  They were all sold out.  And there were no pearl onions to be found.  ANYWHERE.  Besides, if there were, they’d likely be in industrial size, and I didn’t need that, or a #10 can of cranberry sauce either.  Off to Walmart we go. (All close to the airport)

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All of the produce, a few other things for the week – but NO PEARL ONIONS!

It's not just Thanksgiving I was shopping for, it's for the full week ahead at the cabin in Virginia.

Anyone who has followed me for any length of time knows that if dad is coming for the holiday, pearl onions must be found. To be served with cream sauce. The way my Grannie used to make them. It’s just not Thanksgiving without Grannie’s pearl onion recipe!

Dad arrived, we grabbed his luggage and off to the van we went.  He was quite amused at what was loaded into the back of the van – the 3 shelving units for the post office, a bed frame, a few quilts, some project items and all of these groceries (but not the onions!) were arranged like tetris to prevent sliding and shifting and smashing of the very large pumpkin pie from Costco. 

YES!  There is a reason that I drive Moby the Land Barge.  We need to HAUL STUFF!

By this time it was 4:30pm and we headed west toward the Blue Ridge Mountains, stopping in Wilkesboro for a nice dinner and chat at Ruby Tuesdays (Love the salad bar) and Another stop at THAT Walmart so dad could pick up a couple of things he needed (And I scored another crock pot for Quiltville inn!) and still – NO PEARL ONIONS.

There was ONE MORE PLACE to check before we headed up route 16 in the dark toward Jefferson, NC and on up to Mouth of Wilson, VA – Lowes Foods in Wilkesboro.  I remembered I had found them before several years ago when Dad came to visit – would they?  Could they? Still possibly have any???

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SCORE!!

Also found – the Parsnips for the roasted root veggies that I love to make for holidays.  Recipe HERE.

(This is funny because on my facebook page comments were coming around like “What is a parsnip? How do you cook a parsnip?” “I’ve never HAD a parsnip!”  Thanks for keeping me in stitches, guys!)

The pearl onion recipe is really easy and very very good and if it makes Dad happy, I’m happy to do it.  You can find that recipe under the side dishes category on my recipes tab

Most of my favorite tried and true recipes are found there.  Have you checked it out?

In going through the recipe I noticed that I also forgot the half and half.  Ooops!  That will be picked up as we are out and about today. 

I knew I’d forget something!

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Stitching on a hanging sleeve!

A question was asked “Do you put a hanging sleeve on everything?!”  And the answer is simple.  if the quilt will ever be hung for photography, used as a lecture or workshop backdrop, or ever be hung on a wall as décor – YES.  

The easiest way to get a sleeve on there is to do it when finishing the quilt.  Then you don’t ever have to worry about going back to do it should you decide to hang it in a show or something. And usually, it just uses up the leftover backing fabric so there is less to put back in the stash at clean up time.

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Label is on too!

And you’ll see the full quilt at some point in the future.

As soon as this posts I’ll be in the kitchen whipping up omelets for breakfasts for us.  We’ve got a busy day ahead – taking dad to see Quiltville Inn for the first time, showing him the post office and my area here, and then if it warms up enough going on the Blue Ridge Parkway and finding some photo op spots, maybe a gentle hike - 

The rest of the family should be coming up tomorrow when jobs are done for the week and the holiday time for them really begins.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day.

It may be chaos, but it is never never boring! LOL!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, folks!





41 comments:

  1. Have a great Thanksgiving with your family. This year I am going to try your root vegetable recipe. Should be interesting to see if the family takes a liking to it.

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  2. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know your dad is going to love the Quiltville Inn.

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  3. This is exactly the day I had yesterday shopping. Pearl onions must be in short supply. I thought I was doomed to buy them fresh and peel all those tiny little thangs. But the powers that be had mercy on me and my busy week....The LAST BAG OF ONIONS IN THE TRI COUNTY AREA AND ITS MINE!

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  4. Enjoy your Dad. I'm sure he smiles because you make sure there's pearl onions just for him and you'll continue the tradition even after he's gone because it makes YOU smile! Have a happy time with your Dad.

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  5. Have a great thanksgiving with your family. Going to look at that recipe for the pearl onions. Might just try it sometime.

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  6. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving enjoying your family. I really enjoy parsnips too...and pearl onions. :)

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  7. Those pearl onions remind me of when I was first married to my husband. He would not eat any onion at all. My mother took it upon herself as a challenge to get him to eat onions and the creamed onions at Thanksgiving are what did the trick!

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  8. I'm off to Costco today and one of the purchases will be that pumpkin pie 'as big as your head' -as my kids say. Have a hapoy Thanksgiving!

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  9. I llike parsnips, but haven’t had in long time. My mom grew them and seems like they are not harvested until after a freeze? Anyway she cooked with bacon, so yummy. I’ve never had the creamed onions, but love onions so will have to try. My family pass down recipients is the cranberry orange jello onecwith English walnuts. Happy Thanksgiving

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  10. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  11. I love root vegetables and roasting vegetables is my new favorite way of cooking them. I am going to give your recipe a try!

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  12. Next time you're in the Wilkesboro Lowes says HI to my hubby...he works in the meat department...
    Happy Thanksgiving

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  13. my grandmother used to make parsnip stew...not a real family fave but...happy thanksgiving!

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  14. I also have never eaten Parsnips and I am 70. We will be having a family favorite fruit salad made with pineapple chunks, dark sweet cherries, mandarin oranges, bananas, apples and any fresh berries I have on hand. The dressing is homemade whipped cream. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Carolyn Cagle Koski

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  15. Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie! Your dad will have a blast seeing all your new adventures.

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  16. Happy Thanksgiving!!! All of the chaos is part of making the memories.

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  17. Your comment about parsnips made me smile. We love them, roasted, finely cut for stir fries, in soups etc. many many years ago my daughter's French pen friend came to stay for a week. I found her incredibly rude - she just said anything she felt, no tact! I had mqd roast parsnips at which she turned up her nose and said " What iz ziz?" I told her parsnips to which she replied " Parznips, what is parznips? We do not have them in France.... if we did we would feed them to ze animals!" I was SO Cross we looked up the word in the dictionary only to find it didn't even exist, so perhaps Severine was right, they are anilmal feed in France, Lucky animals, I say! Have a great week with your Dad. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  18. I found Pumpkin pie locally, did NOT have to brave the Costco crowd. I usually make mine. For 2.97 and $4.99 I can't make them so no homemade pie this year. It taste different though. My Pumpkin pie lovers won't be at my house this year. I love eating it for Breakfast. So happy you get the chance to have your dad see Quiltville Inn. Have a great day together before the rest of the family and friends come.

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  19. dear Bonnie, thank you for the blogs, they are fun and interesting, and as you type, sometimes I remember doing this and that for Holidays. I always learn something, and get a laugh at the same time. Have a great Thanksgiving with your family!

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  20. Haha - I remember the great pearl onion search from other years. Too bad you couldn't buy a few bags now for the freezer in prep for next year. Enjoy your time with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  21. I am sure your dad would enjoy a few shots of the PO and Inn too. Hope the weather is perfect.

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  22. I don't think I have ever even seen a parsnip except for pictures on the internet! And I thought pearl onions were just for martinis!! I guess it just must be a "where you/your parents were raised" thing!! Have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family in the gorgeous mountains!

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  23. Glad you found those pearl onions for your Dad, he will be a happy, contented man. Wishiny you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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  24. Enjoy your one on one time with your Dad. I love roasted parsnips and turnips. We enjoy new potatoes, pearl onions and fresh peas in cream sauce. Looking forward to some Blue Ridge photos.

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  25. I feel you. I went to the health food store for some spices in bulk, then Walmart for a few things, then the Commissary, they didn't have a couple things I needed and for some reason their turkeys were higher than anywhere, so then to Hannaford for turkey and sparkling red cider stuff my son loves. Then to put it all away and find room in the fridge for a 20lb turkey to thaw.

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  26. My aunt's fixed turnips and parsnips when I was a kid. I never grew to like them. I saw fresh pearl onions when I was shopping last night about 8 p.m. and thought of you. Glad you found the frozen ones you were looking for. Also not something that will be at our Thanksgiving table or ever has been. I'll have to look at your recipe. Enjoy this special time with your dad.

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  27. I grew up eating parsnips and pearl onions in cream sauce. I'm doing those for our tday dinner. I think I got the last package of frozen onions at my grocery, and that was over a week ago. I usually do the the ones from the produce section, but what a bother to peel those, these days I'm on anything easier kick. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  28. It's funny that you mentioned pearl onions Bonnie as I have not been able to find them for a few years. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your time with your dad.

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  29. Enjoy your time with your Dad and family. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  30. MY family loves pearl onions for thanksgiving and they are a challenge to find. Can't wait for the turkey sandwiches with the pearl onions and cranberry sauce messy, yes, but delicious. Have a great holiday

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  31. I went to visit our daughter in France, she said she had never seen parsnips in the store. Our receipe is, cook, then mash carrots and parsnips, add butter salt and pepper. We also have pumpkin as a vegetable, roasted.

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  32. Love reading your Blog. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I will be starting my pies tomorrow, hope I have everything, would hate to have to make a run to the store. I am sure it would be packed with last minute shoppers.

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  33. Crazy shopping whenever a holiday comes by lol, you’d think shops were going to get up and leave!
    Have a fabulous time so glad you found your onions.
    Love and quilty hugs have a great thanksgiving
    Anne xxx

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  34. Enjoy your holiday and dad time. Funny about parsnips we had a conversation about them and how great they and the best way we liked to eat them. Just for the record I love mine roasted.

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  35. Know you are one busy lady, BUT, is that store bought gravy in your basket??? I am amazed, but I understand. Have a great Holiday with your family.

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  36. I like to put parsnips in with my mashed potatoes. Love this post.... it’s all about family and the joy of the holidays. Bonnie, you’re already making me hungry!

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  37. Bonnie, you might like to try this on your family and see how they like: I substitute boiled radishes for the onions in my creamed onion recipe. When radishes are cooked they turn sweet. This has become a tradition at my house for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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  38. Bonnie, Your photo in COSTCO really cracked me up this morning. My husband forgot the fresh onions on his trip to Walmart yesterday so we will be out fighting the crowds today. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!!

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  39. On your Quote of the Day, it would be nice if LIFE gave you a week or two of boring now and again...Nancy F. Smith

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  40. My grandma used to make creamed onions also. We usually have rutabaga which my kids joyfully call rutastuff. Enjoy your day.

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  41. enjoy your holiday with family and friends!

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