thanksgiving recap

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone - and I'm recovering and getting around to writing about it! This was our second Thanksgiving with both of our families at our house, and I feel like things went better this time around with the first year's experience under my belt. Here's a recap and review...

Appetizers:

chips and fresh salsa

relish tray

parmesan straws - I used the recipe from Food Everyday's November magazine on page 60, but it's not available yet - basically it's the same as this one minus the herbs

Tasty, but nothing terribly special.

Menu:

honey glazed carrots - from November's Food Everyday- page 46 - can't find a good comparison online

Great recipe. The carrots were tender and flavorful. The honey isn't pronounced, but maybe next time I'll add more and simmer the sauce longer. Even the next day, the carrots were cooked well. AND this cooks on the stove, not the oven - a plus.

brussel sprouts with leeks and bacon

Meh. The sprouts were good but ended up being overcooked. Also, I couldn't really taste the leeks. Pluses for stovetop cooking, but minuses for the sprouts being a little tempermental when it comes to cooking time.

puffed mashed potatoes

Best recipe from this meal. I am over garlic mashed potatoes, and the Manchego cheese adds a new flavor while still keeping the recipe pretty traditional. This recipe also didn't take much butter or cream, but still tasted rich because of the cheese. The husband says this recipe is a keeper. I agree.

savory bread stuffing with pears

So good. I did use homemade chicken stock, which added some flavor, but even with store bought stock I'm sure it's good. The pears are not overpowering and add a new flavor. Will make this one again.

roasted butternut squash with mustard vinaigrette

Good but not great. I overcooked the squash because I'm not too familiar with it - and also because I made it the night before and heated it up the day of. If you make it before, don't cook it all the way. Also, next time I will omit the apple cider vinegar - it made the squash smell funny.

smoked turkey - from a local butcher

Smoked turkey is the bomb. I thought it would taste smoky like beef jerky or something, but it definitely did not. The turkey was juicy and tender - more so than any other turkey I've had before. And the next day? Still tender and not dry at all. I will buy smoked turkey every year - all you do it heat it up and it tastes fabulous! The price tag, though, is pretty steep.

cranberry jello salad - my mom

onion rolls - mother in law

pumpkin pie - Costco

Go ahead and knock it - but at $5.99, you can't beat the Costco special.

persimmon pudding - my mom

I also wanted to share, er, brag, about my $14.99 Costco arrangement that I made:

I used a plate and floral foam and made a long arrangement to go down our long table. I used some tricks I learned during last year's flower arranging class that I took. Overall, I was pretty pleased at how it turned out. Especially for $14.99! I did use my pear place cards but received some heckling about them. Whatever. It's my house, I will make pear place cards if I want.


Keeping the food warm and ready at the same time is the biggest challenge to me. I don't mind cooking, and I try to precook what I can, but I only have one oven and it's only so big! Especially with a big ass turkey in it. I think I did better this year but it's still a struggle. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!