I volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner again this year. Last year went fairly smoothly and it takes the stress off of my mom. To make things easier, I took my own advice by preparing ahead of time. I planned my menu, Mom and I did the grocery shopping the weekend before, and I was able to prepare a few of the dishes at least partially a few days in advance.
The twins came over a bit early to help me prep and set up our first course. Michele made a delicious appetizer of puff pastry topped with carmalized onions, brussels sprouts, and bacon. Absolutely delicious! Stay tuned for that recipe because I will most definetly be making those again. We also had a cheese platter, the butternut squash and apple soup I had made earlier in the week, and Nanny brought a shrimp platter.
The rest of the family arrived around 3:00. We were able to relax, watch the football games, and catch up since the twins live out of town. I was a little behind schedule but I still was able to have dinner on the table by 5:30. Everything came out pretty tasty if I do say so myself.
Menu Herb and citrus roasted turkey Homemade Mashed Potatoes Cornbread, apple, and cranberry stuffing Pan Gravy Harvest Medley Salad Glazed carrots and Creamed Corn Green bean Casserole Cranberry-Orange Sauce Cheddar Bay Biscuits
We had a very nice day together. After finishing dinner, we decided to let ourselves digest. This was a perfect time to all sit down for a viewing of Michele’s most recent trip to Singapore and Thailand!
Then came my most favorite part of the day…dessert! Oddly enough I did not bake anything this year. Instead I handed off the task to the rest of the family. Michele made a delicious pumpkin pie courtesy of Sally from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I should note that the twins met Sally at a book signing in Philadelphia. How exciting! Our aunt Shelagh always bakes us a caramel apple pie since her family visits her in-laws. Jimmy decided to contribute red velvet cupcakes and Nanny made an array of cookies and brownies. Basically we had enough desserts to feed twice the amount of people in attendance.
The day turned out to be a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday. It was nice to have the time to spend with my family, especially the twins and Nanny who I do not get to see nearly enough. I’m sure this will turn into a yearly tradition, which I am more than happy to take on.
