Monday, November 13, 2017

A Thanksgiving Feast in Production

I started planning my Thanksgiving dinner several weeks ago.   It is still a work in progress.  Every year I try to do things just a little simpler - no stuffing the turkey breast with fruits or sausage or whatever, mashed potatoes from a package.  I look for recipes that I can prepare ahead and then throw in the oven to cook - sweet potato casserole.  I try to add something new - the roasted beet salad.  And everyone wants to know what is for dessert.  I have never made a plain pumpkin pie.  

Yesterday I made the cranberry chutney.  It has so much bourbon in it it will keep for weeks, lol.  I would love to do fancy appetizers, but I think I will assemble a dozen for the platter and then let everyone else assemble their own.  I would gladly throw the turkey in the slow cooker, but my boys like the skin so I'll do it in the oven the same way we had it last month.  I am only making a half recipe of dressing since I always have too much left over - and then I proceed to eat it all.  The Brussels sprouts are a favorite, but I am not doing the carrots everyone likes, maybe for Christmas (yes, I have a draft of that menu too). 

I have a layer of chocolate chiffon cake in the freezer and I am going to try a simpler pumpkin mousse made with Cool Whip.  Call me lazy, but the dessert will be so rich and everyone will be so stuffed (no pun intended) that I doubt they will notice.  Especially if I top the dessert with my Chantilly cream.  The pecan pie brownies will be a new item and I hope they work out.  Here is the menu:

Smoked salmon, cheese, and cucumber bites (I'm thinking a cucumber slice instead of the bread.  And I am not making my own pickled salmon, I'm buying it)
Roast turkey breast and gravy
Chestnut dressing
Sweet potato casserole with pecan topping
Mashed potatoes
Roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta and scallions
Roasted beet and goat cheese salad
Brandied cranberry chutney

Pumpkin mousse and chocolate chiffon trifle
Pecan pie brownies

Oh, I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

14 comments:

  1. I'm always looking for new cranberry recipes and this one looks delicious, so I copied it, will make for Christmas.

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  2. I love that you find a balance between creating your own and buying ready-made. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. It comes with getting older. And I am also starting to ask for help in the kitchen.

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  3. Asking for help is an excellent idea Denise. That's why I have given up cooking large feasts. Sounds like a good menu, what time should we arrive? If you use some goat cheese and cream in the potatoes they will be really, really good.

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    1. Several years ago I made Idahoan potato packets and my kids loved them. Haven't made homemade mashed potatoes since. If you can get here by three, you can eat.

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  4. That appetizer looks amazing! It still seems like you're doing an awful lot.

    I was in Utah for Canadian Thanksgiving, and I missed the food so much I bought a turkey once I got home. Hoping to have the (newish) man over. I've already made the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and frozen them, and it makes me wonder why more people don't make this dinner in stages. It's certainly a lot easier!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. I could kick myself for not buying my frozen turkey breasts back when they went on sale in September. Now they are twice as much. I do like getting things done ahead of schedule.

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  5. Replies
    1. Hop on a plane. I've often had guests who had no place to go for a holiday dinner.

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  6. Yum, Yum! You always have a dinner that is not just dinner or cooking but cuisine at its finest. I'm glad you are making it a bit easier for yourself

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  7. That sounds amazing. Judy is very big on cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal, though this year we will have only the four of us.

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  8. I don't even think we are doing Thanksgiving this year! I hear the gasps everywhere!

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