Journal

Thanksgiving 2016 - Draft / notes

Appetizers

  • Carrots, Celery, Cornichons - Tuesday

  • Classic Cheddar Cheese Ball - Tuesday

  • Underground Meats Summer Sausage - Do on day of, when preparing snack tray

  • Crackers (Bought variety, buying another batch still)

  • Glogg?

Bread

Mains

Desserts

Thanksgiving 2015 (On Sunday!)

Appetizers

  • Carrots, Celery, Cornichons - Friday

  • Classic Cheddar Cheese Ball - Friday

  • Underground Meats Summer Sausage - Do on day of, when preparing snack tray

  • Crackers (Bought variety, buying another batch still)

Bread

Mains

  • Roasted Turkey, with deliciousness added, start defrost on 11/21 (done), Start brine on Thursday 11/26 evening.  all 18.55# of turkey (18.55 * ~15 minutes / pound = ~278 minutes = 4.6 hours = Service at 1, turkey resting start at 12:30, Turkey in oven 7:54 AM.

  • Gravy

  • Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (Sunday, stove top (at times 2 burners)) - use combination of bought heritage potatoes and purchased (costco) yellow potatoes)

  • Port Cranberry Sauce - Sometime during the week before

  • Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon Brown Sugar Topping - start Saturday, finish Sunday in stove while turkey is resting

  • Bacon Braised Green Beans - on stove top (start Saturday, Finish Sunday)

  • Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing - Cornbread made during week, Start Saturday, finish in stove Sunday while turkey is resting

  • Spinach and Feta Salad - while turkey is resting

Desserts

11/22/2015 - Fixed links, updated with notes

The Twelve beers of Christmas 2014

There is a few reasons why we do this once a year.  First, it's expensive.  Some of the bottles are quite pricey at retail and very hard to come by.  Second, recovery.  We're not as young as we used to be.  That being said, we had a 3rd person helping this year, which means we actually got to twelve and then some.  Apparently after the last beer pictured, Big Sky Brewing's Biere de Noel was in there.  I look at Untappd and see I rated it...  I'm looking forward to trying Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier first thing.

Thanksgiving 2014 menu (Sunday)

Thanksgiving 2013 (My Family, my parents house)

Subject to Change.

Appetizers

  • Pickles (cornichons, etc) - Sam

  • Cheese, Meats and Cracker plate - Sam

  • Fruit with Pumpkin Dip - Mom

Bread

  • Honey Butter - Sam

  • Various Breads - Jed & Stephanie

  • Chocolate Chunk pumpkin bread - Sam

  • Lefse - Mom

Mains & Sides

  • Smoked Turkey - Joseph

  • Bacon Gravy - Joseph (or at his direction)

  • Rosemary Mashed Potatoes - Joseph (or at his direction)

  • Grandma Silver's Sage Dressing - Mom

  • Sweet Potato Dish - Alissa & Ryan

  • Challah Herb Dressing - Joseph (or at his direction)

  • Fresh Green Salad w/ Dressing - Alissa & Ryan

  • Blackberry & Spinach Salad - Mom

  • Cranberry Sauce - Mom

  • Corn - Mom

  • Green Bean Casserole (Thomas)

Desserts

  • Some Type - Jed & Stephanie

  • Pie(s) - Joseph

  • Dark Molasses Gingerbread Cake - Sam

  • Key Lime Pie - Alissa & Ryan

  • Pumpkin Pie (Maybe) - Alissa & Ryan

Thanksgiving 2013 (Shannon's Family)

Due to timing this will be on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, putting me on an off cycle.  Some items (bread) may not be what I want to go with, but I will find a suitable alternative.

Subject to Change.

Appetizers

  • Deviled Eggs (Shannon's Mom)

  • Veggie Tray (Aunt Donna)

  • Pickles (cornichons, etc)

  • Cheese, Meats and Cracker plate

  • Snacky Things? (Kim - My not work out due to travel)

  • Some Appetizer (Uncle Jan & Aunt Nancy)

Bread

  • Honey Butter

  • Bread (Purchased, due to timing, unsure as to where from)

  • Chocolate Chunk pumpkin bread

  • Lefse

Mains & Sides

Desserts

  • Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake (p397-398 Baking Illustrated)

  • Caramel Apple Pie (attempt or buy)

  • Bourbon Whipped Cream

  • Pie (Shannon's Mom)

  • Vanilla Ice Cream

Drinks

  • Wine (Uncle Jan & Aunt Nancy)

Updated with latest info on 11/24/2013 at 11:30 AM

Thanksgiving 2012

Appetizers

  • Cornichons, carrots, celery

  • Cheese and Meat plate (include Rush Creek Reserve, other undecided at this time)

  • Crackers

Bread

  • Honey Butter (Tuesday)

  • La Mie Bread (Pickup Wednesday or Thursday morning depending on their hours)

Main Menu

Desserts

  • Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake (p397-398 Baking Illustrated (Wednesday)

  • Pumpkin Puree (Sunday, Monday or Tuesday)

  • Apple Pie (pick up Wednesday)

  • Whipped Cream (Thursday)

  • Vanilla Ice Cream (Pick up Sunday)

Drinks

  • Wine (Shannon's Uncle)

  • Mixed Drinks (if time)  Maybe a wine punch?

Playlist from July 2012 Game Night

Startting off and shutting down with some Weezer...

Name Artist Album Last Played
Odd Couple Weezer Death to False Metal 07/15/12 01:03 AM
She's Crafty Beastie Boys Licensed To Ill 07/15/12 01:00 AM
Mess Around Ray Charles Ray Charles 07/15/12 12:56 AM
To Kingdom Come Passion Pit Manners 07/15/12 12:54 AM
Chopin Prelude No.22 American_Pianist 2006_senior_recital 07/15/12 12:49 AM
Ain't That Just Like A Woman B.B. King House Of Blues: Essential Blues 07/15/12 12:49 AM
All the Pretty Girls Fun. Aim and Ignite (Deluxe Video Version) 07/15/12 12:45 AM
Walk Like an Egyptian The Bangles Bangles: Greatest Hits 07/15/12 12:41 AM
Till My Head Falls Off They Might Be Giants Factory Showroom 07/15/12 12:38 AM
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) The Beatles The Beatles 1962–1966 (The Red Album) 07/15/12 12:35 AM
Man Up Josh Gad;Company The Book Of Mormon [Explicit] [+Digital Booklet] 07/15/12 12:32 AM
Suzy Caravan Palace Caravan Palace 07/15/12 12:28 AM
Stepping Stones To CA Dan Potthast Sweets And Meats 07/15/12 12:24 AM
Come Together The Beatles The Beatles 1967-1970 07/15/12 12:22 AM
Oh My Dear (Falling In Love) Ween The Pod 07/15/12 12:18 AM
Don't Mess With Me Big Pete Pearson Finger In Your Eye 07/15/12 12:16 AM
Nausea Beck The Information 07/15/12 12:13 AM
Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16: II. Adagio Marian Lapsansky, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and Bystrik Rezucha X5 Free Sampler - Adagios 07/15/12 12:10 AM
Romance Anonimo Terry Muska Celtic to Classic - Relaxing Guitars (Exclusive Amazon Digital Sampler) 07/15/12 12:04 AM
Soundtrack Of My Life Less Than Jake In With The Out Crowd 07/15/12 12:01 AM
Be My Baby The Ronettes Dirty Dancing 07/14/12 11:58 PM
Twisting They Might Be Giants Flood 07/14/12 11:55 PM
Belles Andrew Bird Break It Yourself 07/14/12 11:54 PM
Tangled Up In Plaid Queens Of The Stone Age Lullabies To Paralyze 07/14/12 11:51 PM
Martin Scorsese King Missile Happy Hour 07/14/12 11:46 PM
33 Coheed & Cambria The Second Stage Turbine Blade [Bonus Tracks] 07/14/12 11:44 PM
Hidden Place Björk Vespertine 07/14/12 11:41 PM
In My Life Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around 07/14/12 11:35 PM
Junkie Steve Vai Flex-Able 07/14/12 11:32 PM
Mysterious Ways U2 Achtung Baby 07/14/12 11:25 PM
She Caught The Katy The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers Soundtrack 07/14/12 11:21 PM
Ho Astrid (Og hev' du set Aastrid) Einar Steen-Nøkleberg GRIEG Piano Music Vol. 5 - Norges melodier, EG 108 Nos. 1 to 63 07/14/12 11:17 PM
Imitosis Andrew Bird Live In Montreal 07/14/12 11:16 PM
She Green Day International Superhits! 07/14/12 11:10 PM
Thank You For Not Moshing Reel Big Fish Why Do They Rock So Hard? 07/14/12 11:07 PM
Broken Box Queens Of The Stone Age Lullabies To Paralyze 07/14/12 11:05 PM
Red Paint Matt & Kim Sidewalks 07/14/12 11:02 PM
What's Your Name Parlours Parlours 07/14/12 10:59 PM
I Remember The Roots Undun [Explicit] [+Digital Booklet] 07/14/12 10:54 PM
Rise Flobots Fight With Tools 07/14/12 10:51 PM
Paranoid Android Radiohead OK Computer 07/14/12 10:47 PM
Stan Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 07/14/12 10:40 PM
Ballerina 12/24 Steve Vai Passion & Warfare 07/14/12 10:34 PM
Only If Enya Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best Of Enya 07/14/12 10:32 PM
Pictures Of You The Cure Disintegration 07/14/12 10:29 PM
Sic of Elephants Andrew Bird Soldier On 07/14/12 10:21 PM
What I Got Sublime Sublime 07/14/12 10:16 PM
Effington Ben Folds Way to Normal 07/14/12 10:13 PM
Struggla (Remix) Matisyahu Light 07/14/12 10:10 PM
Bach: Concerto in D major, BWV: III. Allegro (III. Allegro) Nick Van Bloss, English Chamber Orchestra, David Parry Allegro Classical Spring 2012 Sampler 07/14/12 10:06 PM
Hey! Baby Bruce Channel Dirty Dancing 07/14/12 10:03 PM
Give And Go [Explicit] Girl Talk Night Ripper [Explicit] 07/14/12 10:01 PM
Rocket Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream 07/14/12 09:58 PM
Surrender Angels & Airwaves Love, Pts. 1 & 2 07/14/12 09:54 PM
Don't Let Go Weezer Weezer (Green Album) 07/14/12 09:49 PM
Bach: Cantata #29 - Sinfonia Michael Murray Bach Organ Blaster 07/14/12 09:46 PM
Meet James Ensor They Might Be Giants John Henry 07/14/12 09:42 PM
Set It Off Girl Talk Feed The Animals 07/14/12 09:41 PM
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend 07/14/12 09:37 PM
John The Revelator Depeche Mode Playing The Angel 07/14/12 09:33 PM
Carry On Fun. Some Nights 07/14/12 09:30 PM
Gayaneh - Suite from the Ballet: Sabre Dance Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Yuri Temirkanov 50 Classics for Beginners 07/14/12 09:25 PM
(Nice Dream) Radiohead The Bends 07/14/12 09:23 PM
Polynation Andrew Bird Break It Yourself 07/14/12 09:19 PM
Nothing Left To Say Cage Definitive Jux Free Amazon Sampler [Explicit] 07/14/12 09:18 PM
Rock-N-Roll Pizzeria Less Than Jake Losing Streak 07/14/12 09:14 PM
Old Mother Reagan Violent Femmes Add It Up (1981-1993) 07/14/12 09:12 PM
The Bumble Bee Tuna Song Mephiskapheles God Bless Satan 07/14/12 09:11 PM
Existentialism On Prom Night Straylight Run Straylight Run 07/14/12 09:06 PM
Campus Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend 07/14/12 09:02 PM
The Clockwise Witness DeVotchKa A Mad and Faithful Telling (Bonus Track Version) 07/14/12 08:59 PM
Optimistic Radiohead Kid A 07/14/12 08:54 PM
Opposite Day Andrew Bird Live In Montreal 07/14/12 08:49 PM
Santeria Sublime Sublime 07/14/12 08:43 PM
Knights Of The Round Table / The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise) Monty Python's Spamalot Original Cast Recording 07/14/12 08:40 PM
Garden Statement Hidden In Plain Veiw Drive-Thru Records & Fueled By Ramen Tour 2005 07/14/12 08:34 PM
Maybe California Tori Amos Maybe California 07/14/12 08:29 PM
Look At This Face (Oh My God They're Gorgeous) Handsome Boy Modeling School So How's Your Girl... 07/14/12 08:25 PM
Hot Bars Felt A Tribute to Christina Ricci 07/14/12 08:23 PM
I Could Say Lily Allen It's Not Me, It's You 07/14/12 08:18 PM
All Apologies Nirvana MTV Unplugged In New York 07/14/12 08:14 PM
It's OK, But Just This Once! Gym Class Heroes As Cruel As School Children 07/14/12 08:09 PM
Furr Blitzen Trapper Furr 07/14/12 08:06 PM
40 Day Dream Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Up From Below (Deluxe Edition) 07/14/12 08:02 PM
Roosterspur Bridge Tori Amos American Doll Posse 07/14/12 07:58 PM
Just Like Frank Less Than Jake Losing Streak 07/14/12 07:54 PM
Inside Out Yellowcard Ocean Avenue 07/14/12 07:52 PM
You And Me The Cranberries Bury The Hatchet 07/14/12 07:49 PM
Wild Cats of Kilkenny The Pogues Rum S****y & the Lash [Expanded] 07/14/12 07:45 PM
What The World Needs Now Is Love Jackie DeShannon Planet Hollywood - Favorite Movie Tracks 07/14/12 07:42 PM
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K 620 - Overture Neville Marriner: Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields Mozart For Your Mind 07/14/12 07:39 PM
I Can Dream About You Dan Hartman Power Of Love 07/14/12 07:32 PM
Metal Detector They Might Be Giants Factory Showroom 07/14/12 07:28 PM
Harold T. Wilkins, or How to Wait for a Very Long Time Fanfarlo Reservoir 07/14/12 07:24 PM
Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce Angels & Airwaves Love, Pts. 1 & 2 07/14/12 07:20 PM
Where Is My Mind? Pixies Surfer Rosa 07/14/12 07:18 PM
The Spider (Bonus Track) Weezer Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe Version] 07/14/12 06:59 PM

Thanksgiving 2011 Menu

I've been very busy, so while I've been thinking about it, I've haven't had the time to put down the same amount of forethought and planning.  So some things are going to be borrowed (some by request) from last year.  I think I need to start practicing pies, it is one of the places where I'm not thrilled at my experience, and so do not want to risk a bad pie.  We have a preliminary count of 16, which is up by 10 from last year.

Appetizers

  • Deviled Eggs (Shannon's Mom)

  • Baby Carrots

  • Celery (prepare Wednesday Night)

  • Cornichons (this may be just an excuse for me to buy and eat them)

  • Cheese, Crackers and Bread

Bread

  • Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (3 to give away))

  • Rolls (Jed and Stephanie, Unconfirmed)

  • Butterflake Rolls (Joseph)

  • Lefse

  • Honey Butter (Tuesday)

Main Menu

Dessert

  • Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake (p397-398 Baking Illustrated) (Wednesday)

  • Apple Pie (pick up Wednesday)

  • Pumpkin Pie (Pick up Wednesday)

  • No-Bake Pumpkin Pie (p55 Entertaining, Holday 2011) (Wednesday)

  • "Cooler" Dessert (Shannon's Sister's Family)

  • Vanilla Ice Cream (Sunday)

  • Whipped Cream (Thursday)

  • Pumpkin Custard (Dad)

Drinks

  • Soda (Shannon's Sisters Family)

  • Wine (Shannon's Uncle)

  • etc

My First (hosted) Thanksgiving Menu

So I've read lots, thought about a lot of things and listened closely to several podcasts that I wouldn't have paid as close of an attention to.  I have reserved a Turkey from Gateway and will be picking it up tomorrow.  I am going to brine the turkey using some brining suggestions from Fox Hollow Farms.  Then, let it dry out a bit (so the skin gets a bit dryer, then use one recipe for between the skin and the meat and another for the turkey as a whole.  Hopefully it turns out well.  My guests will include Shannon's family (Uncle, parents and etc).  I'm going to start cooking Monday, and finish Thursday.  The plan is to get many items done, and then reheat them for Thanksgiving (I heard stuffings reheat very well).

Appetizers

  • Southern Deviled Eggs (Do when I have time)

  • Baby Carrots

  • Celery (prepare Wednesday Night)

  • Cornichons (this may be just an excuse for me to buy and eat them)

Main Menu

Dessert

  • Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake (p397-398 Baking Illustrated)

  • Apple Pie (pick up Wednesday) with Vanilla Ice Cream, or Whipped Cream (make Thursday)