Team Cherry: Fruit and Cheese plate

Wonderful fruit plate with those massive, over-sized seedless grapes and the undersized apple/pears. The fruit and cheese plate came without the cheese.  I actually don’t know what the apple/pears are per se, but I can tell you that I am able to juggle 3 at a time (didn’t try to eat 3 at a time though)

Team Cherry: Box of Sprinkles Cupcakes

Here are a dozen of the world famous black and white cupcakes from Sprinkles, belgian dark chocolate cupcakes with creamy vanilla frosting.  This is an experience not to be missed by anyone.  Don’t let this photo be your only experience with Sprinkles.

Team Cherry: Assorted Sprinkles Cupcakes

I don’t know if everybody has yet heard of Sprinkles Cupcakes, but they are based out of San Fran and they are getting quite the reputation.  This particular batch of sprinkles includes coconut and carrot cake cupcakes.  I didn’t know much about them before, but I can assure you that I am a convert now. Delicious!

Team Cherry: Homemade Pasta and Garlic Roll

This is just good old fashioned spaghetti with marinara sauce.  The kicker is the garlic roll, which is actually not original, but rather from the C&O Trattoria.  They pack a serious punch of garlic explosion.  This pasta meal was brought to work for lunch the next day, and provided plenty of carbo-fuel to get me through.

Team Cherry: Pecan Pie

My contribution to the meal was this Pecan pie. I am still learning the recipe, but I was quite proud of this finished product, if I do say so myself.  Many people have different preferences with pie, and so do I. But when it comes to Thanksgiving, I also equate it with pecan pie.

Team Cherry: Thanksgiving Meal

Here is the finished product. Voila.  Quite possibly the most satisfying Thanksgiving meal I have ever eaten. Not to mention the fact that I got to spend it with my brothers, sisters, and whole extended family.  I have the turkey, the mashed potatotes, the stuffing, the cranberries.  I must say that this is the perfect meal.  Every bite worth the food coma that I suffered and the 5 pound weight gain.

Team Cherry: Thanksgiving Salad

A big bowl of fresh salad with cucumbers and carrots and tomoatoes and stewing in a rasberry vinagrette for hours before hand.  It is hard to find room for salad with so much face stuffing going on, but I managed to fit this on my plate as well.

Team Cherry: Thanksgiving Cranberry Salad

Besides the fresh cranberry sauce, my sister also makes this cranberry salad, which tastes totally different and has a different consistency. I think of it like the cole slaw of cranberries.  Personally, I can’t get enough of this dish.  I don’t know why I only eat it at Thanksgiving time.

Team Cherry: Fresh Cranberry Sauce

My sister supplied the cranberry sauce this year, made from fresh, tart cranberries picked right off of the farm.  I like to put the cranberries on top of the turkey - which makes for a great flavor combination.  I sop up the rest of the sauce with my bread. Just be careful not to spill, because it will stain.

Team Cherry: Thanksgiving Stuffing

My mother’s home-baked stuffing has got this special flavor that I don’t know exactly how she does it, but it is perfect every time.  I usually get to the stuffing last in the line, so I just scoop on top of my already overflowing plate.