Thanksgiving preparations

25th November 2008

Thanksgiving preparations

posted in Day-to-day, Food |

I haven’t actually done any prep for thanksgiving at all. I haven’t made any lists or schedules or anything! Luckily, last year I did this… pre-Thanksgiving Preparations. Good stuff!

I’m brining the turkey again (and now I know how I did it last year AND how long it took to cook last year), and making the artichoke heart sun-dried tomato stuffing again. One of our friends is bringing dessert (turtle bars!!), one is bringing green bean casserole (mmmm), and another is bringing cheesy jalapeno cornbread (uh, YUM).

So here’s my first list…

I’m going to make

Turkey - brined (kosher salt, lemon juice, and sugar), injected (with lemon butter), and then roasted using the Pioneer Woman’s method. Last year we started it at a high temperature, and then lowered the temp. It was great, but I’m sure Pioneer Woman’s low-temp-to-higher-temp method will be good too. Why not? By the way, Butterball’s turkey calculator says we should get an 18-pounder, but Pioneer Woman says to get a 20 pound turkey because she’s going to be posting a LOT of turkey leftover recipes. So… we’re going to try to find one closer to 20 pounds.
Gravy - of course
Stuffing - Atichoke heart/sun-dried tomato/sourdough stuffing. My mother-in-law’s recipe and VERY tasty.
Spinach salad - It’s got eggs and bacon in it, along with a yummy slightly oniony dressing. Mmmm…
Roasted potatoes, mostly because I already have a bunch of potatoes. Maybe if the commissary has brussles sprouts, I’ll put them in too for another green thing. Or asparagus.
Ranch cheese balls, crackers, and some veggies for football-watching.
Warm spiced apple cider

I’m getting really excited! I love cooking and I love having people over. This is going to be a fun one.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Are you traveling or are travelers coming your way? Who are you spending it with, and of course what are you cooking?

PS I am teaching Zora to blow bubbles in her water with her nose. My dad and step-mom said they didn’t want gifts for Christmas, only our loving company and possibly some entertainment. I think this will be entertaining, don’t you?

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Day-to-day, Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 On November 25th, 2008, Mary said:

Your feast sounds great! I’m roasting my Turkey in the oven, but I don’t brine. I make a rub out of olive oil, garlic, basil, and whatever else I feel inclined to include. I put the rub under the skin on the meat, and then just sprinkle the skin with black pepper and salt. Also making gravy, no stuffing (no one here likes stuffing), but green bean casserole, broccoli and spinach casserole, mashed red potatoes with the skins on, pumpkin cheesecake pie, banana pudding (grandma’s recipe), and I am going to make a couple batches of beer bread this year instead of roles. In laws are coming down to visit. Only we’re doing our dinner on Saturday b/c hubs and mother in law work in the hotel industry and, of course, they don’t get holidays off.

posted on November 25th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

2 On November 26th, 2008, Moralia - To brine or not to brine said:

[…] must brine, and a quick blog search suggests a lot of home cooks are doing the same, like this one, this one, and this mother of — are you ready?? — […]

posted on November 26th, 2008 at 10:41 am

3 On November 27th, 2008, Melissa said:

Wow, we brined our turkey as well, and made broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, brussel sprouts, sausage dressing, mashed potatoes with cheese, sweet potatoes, cranberries and mixed berries, minced meat pie, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Most of these recipes are handed down from my late mother-in-law, bless her soul. She was from England and we loved having these, plus several other delicious treats, like Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter, Christmas cookies, caramel squares, shortbread, and oyster stuffing. I didn’t make any yorkshire pudding, but I think that I will try your recipe tomorrow. My mother-in-law’s was always delicious, but I was afraid to try to make it. Thanks for making me feel like I can give it a try. My husband will be pleasantly suprised tomorrow to come home to that with all the leftovers. Great for the Turkey gravy.

posted on November 27th, 2008 at 10:39 pm

4 On December 1st, 2008, Joyful Abode said: