Thanksgiving

OMG! Today is already Tuesday, and that means that Thanksgiving has officially crept up upon me.

Kevin and I bought our turkey, frozen, last Monday and have been defrosting it in the refrigerator (which is the safest way) since then. This is our second time hosting the big dinner since we've been married, and the first time our turkey was still a little bit frozen on Thanksgiving morning. Our thawing intervention that morning was hysterical, I'm sure, and I did actually have a hysterical breakdown. My fingers were numb and that bird was heavy, and I wasn't prepared for it to be so, you know, bird-like.

Hopefully this year that part will be better, as it will be thawed and we can just get on with it, without having to spend the extra time trying to thaw it out and getting to know our bird better.

This year, we are hosting dinner for us, plus my parents and little brother, Kevin's parents and little brother. That makes 8 plus a high chair for Connor, which sounds just perfect.

Ella is bringing sweet potatoes and pies. My mom is bringing mashed potatoes and parsley potatoes (a family favorite - so like three batches). I therefore have no potatoes or pies to make.

Here's our part of the menu:

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque
Orange-Scented Roast Turkey
White Wine and Sage Gravy
(I will also prepare an additional box gravy mix that Ella provided since she is allergic to alcohol.)
Spicy Pearl Onions
Green Beans with Tarragon Butter
Sage Stuffing

I suddenly cannot recall if Ella was preparing an acorn squash with brown sugar, or if that is something that I am supposed to do. I guess I'll have to call and check on that.

I was also considering making some sugar cookies, but that was before I realized that Thanksgiving is only days away and I still have to make a shopping list and buy everything that I need to make all that food. Then, I was planning to start preparing the stuff that I could make ahead of time. So, the verdict on the sugar cookies is still unknown. But, I don't think that there will be a shortage of food at all.

You see, I incorrectly recalled the amount of turkey that is needed per person. As I remembered it, we needed 2 lbs of turkey per person, when it's really supposed to be 1 lb of turkey per person. We could have gotten away with an 8 or 10 lb turkey. We bought a 20 lb turkey.

Here's to lots of leftovers! Hopefully Kirk and Ella and Kris will help eat them, as they will be staying at our house.