We always start with mulled cider (optional rum) and sliced kielbasa
It took me a long time until I got to control, I mean to host, my own thanksgiving dinner. I used to dream about an actual dinner, served at the right temperature, where every dish tasted good together. Well now I do and it tastes really good but sadly we are a much smaller crowd these days. I did make MIL’s famous jello that I am very fond of as a once a year treat. But it will only emerge in the leftover feast.
Spatchcock turkey, dry brined and air dried in the fridge for three days for the best skin
Herb gravy made ahead with unusually good roasted turkey stock
Stuffing made with ciabatta, sausage and chestnuts
Mashed potatoes
Plain roasted sweet potato for me
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Baked cranberry sauce with brandy and a hint of five spice
Pumpkin pie I
Pumpkin pie II (reserved for breakfast)
Apple pie, best I’ve baked in years with new apples! New thickener! Change is good
Whipped cream and vanilla ice cream
The big hit this year was a butternut squash gratin, which was so easy and delicious. I sautéed an onion and a package of cubed squash and then covered with a cup of heavy cream, a cup of grated apple smoked gruyere, and half a cup of breadcrumbs- baked at 350 for 45 minutes. Otherwise - for the first time ever I ordered a pre-cooked Turkey and mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy from Whole Foods and it was delicious. My turkeys always look good on the outside but are never cooked enough-and then it turns into chaos making the gravy and turning out the potatoes-this was very easy. I also made my own stuffing. (Apples, pecans, sausage…) The Turkey just had to warm up/brown in the oven for 90 minutes, and it was delicious. We were able to go for a big hike in the morning before noon. I was worried but I’ll do it again next year!
I do the same now, as long as the sterling flatware doesn’t touch any stainless pieces (usually they go in separate loads.) H had packed the sterling without using any pacific cloth so it all needed polishing, and I was not up to it this year. The Fortessa stainless flatware looked fine with the dishes. All of our china is washed in the dishwasher as well. So far the platinum and gold rims look fine.
GD1 was enchanted by the pretty china plate instead of her usual RePlay plastic ones. I also gave her a little butter knife (short with round tip) and she loved trying to spread butter on her roll.
As I have previously posted we hosted Thanksgiving for decades at our last house. We had families who came year after year. Yesterday I was texting with one of those friends and she passed along a text from her 30 year old D (who was a guest for many years). This young woman wished us a Happy Thanksgiving and then went on to tell us how much she had enjoyed celebrating at our house. She thanked us for hosting for so many years.
My D and GD both have very severe food allergies, and I would never assume anything made by someone else was safe. My D was easier as she was only anaphylaxis to peanuts, so she avoided baked goods. My GD unfortunately is dairy and egg allergic; even a crumb or cross contamination of something with one of these two will send her to the hospital in a hurry. At 3.5, she has never had food prepared by anyone other than her parents, grandparents, and baked goods from a strictly vegan restaurant. She brings her own dinner when the family is getting together with other.
Pie or cake for breakfast is a thing in this house! When my SIL joined our family, he never could understand why we would eat dessert for breakfast; after all, he is a proper Brit! That was until the day after their wedding when they came by the house to pick up the rest of their luggage; my daughter ask if she had any of the wedding cake left. The picture I took of him taking that first bite of cake directly from the box is priceless!! He is now a convert
