Thanksgiving had just come and gone and I had survived it by spending it alone, at home, with my pets, cooking up a storm.

I stayed with the menu I planned out the week before and for the most part, it was a success. The only fail was the paella. There was good flavor and the seafood was great, but it was just too wet. I need to figure out the right water to rice ratio for next time. I need to not crowd the pan and cook less rice. I need to experiment more with it more. Definitely a dish that I will come back to in the future.

The only other miss was the marquesa. It turned out great, like I think it would, but I’m just not a dessert person and it’s just not my cup of tea. I thought it would be a little bit creamier, but it wasn’t. Definitely a fail and probably something that I will not revisit again. I’m hit and miss with desserts and that’s definitely not up my alley. Maybe I’ll have to check out a true marquesa, created by some true Venezuelans in my future.

Maybe.

The spicy corn casserole turned out really well. Next time, I’ll have to make it just a smidge less spicy, but I loved it. A really great side dish and the chimichurri potato salad was good also. It was simple and was exactly what I thought it would be.

The aji sauce was phenomenal, but definitely way too spicy. I will have to remove some seeds and membranes the next time I make it, but definitely something that is easy and quick to do. A great sauce.

The brick chicken turned out well also. The Cornish hens were a great size and I’ll have to experiment with a large chicken the next time I try to attempt to do it. I’ll do a different flavoring for sure, but overall, it was great.

So, Thanksgiving dinner was a success. It was my most ambitious dinner cooking session to date. All dishes were dishes that I never made before, but I am definitely glad that for the most part, they all came out well with some exceptions.

I mean, even though I feel that the paella and the marquesa were a fail, they weren’t horrible. Very edible and good, but just not great. There’s always room for improvement.

Definitely always room for improvement.

* * *

Even though I didn’t get a Facebook invite to great uncle’s for Thanksgiving, I know there is always a standing invitation. I just didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to deal with family.

It seems that I really am sticking to my theme for this year, which is pretty much do what I want. It’s a very antisocial year and a year of just doing things by myself.

Sure I allow small family things, like the wedding and the memorial and what not, but for the most part, I did most things on my own. Trips were done alone and me just chilling on my own.

I didn’t want to do family thing out of obligation. I wasn’t feeling up to going to Uncle’s for Thanksgiving, so I didn’t go. My choice. My decision.

I wanted to spend some time alone. After my time in SC, it was definitely a good thing for me to just recoup and do things and spend some much needed alone time on my own. It definitely was good.

Apparently though, they were all asking where I was and were concerned about me spending it by myself. Of course the older generation doesn’t understand that and nor do I expect them to understand that.

I love family, I do. But at this time in my life, I want to spend some time by myself.

Definitely want to spend time by myself.

I’m sure my theme for next year will change, as I’ll probably do more family things, like going back home or even planning another family vacation. But, I’m really not sure, since next year seems so abstract and so far away.

So far away.

One step. One punch. One round.

Creed.

Live in the now, this moment, focus on the now, on this moment and live it how you want to live it. Live within your control.

My control now, live it on my terms and it is #partyofone.

* * *

2015.

Man, this year has gone by so fast. Man, this had been a great year.

I’m sure I’m going to have a lot to think about and write about during my year end diatribe, but it had been a great year and I’m happy.

* * *

Reading over old posts from last year….