Snow! Christkindlmarkt, and (day after) Thanksgiving menu

We were suprised today to look out our window and snow! And not just little flurries. It looked like a white out! It changed from little tiny flakes, to big fluffy flakes, to light flurries, to heavy snow storm. In the end though, it did not accumulate and, later mixed with sleet it made for very slushy, slippery roads.

Josh gave himself a holiday today as we would have had in the States and we went to go check out the christkindlmarkt (the German market). They started all of the holiday festivities in Edinburgh last night with the market, winterwonderland, ice skating, and turning on the Christmas lights. Josh was hoping for some brats at the German market, but there were none to be found and he settled for a pork steak sandwich. I spotted a big jar of pickles and became hopeful. Could they be dill? I asked what kind of pickles they were. In a German accent the lady told me, "I just learned yesterday that you call them 'gherkins' here." She assured me that they were sweet and sour and not dill. "Oh"

Yesterday we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with a bunch of Americans from the University. There were about 25 adults and 15 kids at this potluck gathering where we were in someway connected to someone there. While I had the pleasure of making mashed potatoes for 40 people, I still wanted to cook a dinner for us. We celebrated our own Thanksgiving tonight. While I had most of it planned, some of it I made up along the way from whatever I had in the fridge and cupboard. Here is what we had (for anyone interested):

Brown sugar ham (I cooked this yesterday)
Scalloped potatoes with chipotle pepper (and LOTS of cheese for my husband)
Green beans and cherry tomatoes with red wine vineger and basil
Sautees mushrooms and courgettes (zuchini) with Italian seasoning (thanks to mom)
Cheddar and jalapeno scones (Josh's personal favorite)
Pumpkin pie (haven't actually eaten this yet)

I roasted my own pumpkin for the first time. We will see how the pie turns out. I know it will be stringy as I do not have anything to puree the pulp. It was an adventure, though. I saved the seeds and made Mexican spiced pumpkin seeds. Very good, if anyone is interested. I am hoping to make pumpkin bread tomorrow and take some to our friends who have never had pumpkin flavored foods.