Journal

Thanksgiving 2016 - Finalized

Appetizers

Bread

Mains

Desserts

Updated 11/23 to adjust for time constraints and the turkey remaining frozen.

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

Thanksgiving 2014 menu (Sunday)

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?

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)