Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday with my family. I have been giddy this whole week, just thinking about getting to spend the day laughing with, eating with, and being with my family. My oldest sister, Lori, said it very well earlier this week:

" Is the food good? Yes, Have you met my mother? But my FAVORITE part is getting to spend time with my family. We have super great fun and actually all like each other. Laughter fills my parents house and I leave with my sides hurting. I love my family... food is secondary." 

It's true. All of the grown ups in my family are foodies. We LOVE food. We love the art of food, we love trying new things (my favorite in the last year was the shrimp boil we did for my brother's 21st birthday).

But apart from all loving the opportunity to celebrate food and try new, yummy things, we love to be together. We laugh a a lot. We play a lot of games. We drink a lot of coffee.

This morning my mom - who is a homemaking wonder, she really does put Martha Stewart to shame - posted the Thanksgiving menu on her facebook. Ohmygosh, I CAN NOT WAIT for Thursday. It got me so excited and so in love with my family that I decided I HAD to share it.
Yes, yes you should be jealous.

Appetizers - Somthing yummy, provided by Erin, to tempt our taste buds while playing games and waiting on Jeff to get home (I am bringing Apple Pie Dip with homemade cinnamon chips, Caramelized-Onion Bruschetta, & Chipotle Black Bean Dip)

Turkey - last year I covered it in a cheesecloth that was soaked in white wine and butter for the first couple of hours of roasting - worked well, gonna do it again.

Sage Sausage and Apple Stuffing - have to have stuffing, Grandfather always did stuffing

Grandma's Cornbread Dressing - this one is purely selfish, it is my favortie and it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it, even though we are having stuffing too!

Gouda Mashed Potatoes - Gouda, butter, cream...need I say more?

White and Brown Gravy - yes, two kinds of gravy - to please every palette, and can you ever have too much gravy?

Candied Yams

Green Bean Casserole - tradition (thanks Lori)

Spinach Salad w/ Bacon. Cranberries and Feta and Maple Vinagrettte

Strawberry Pretzel Salad - Family favorite (Lori is bringing this and has the recipe posted )

Homemade rolls - with real creamery butter! (inside family joke!)

Relish Tray - olives, cranberry sauce and any other pickled thing I find that looks yum

Desserts -to be announced - a friend/guest is providing.  my plan is to have a few sweet treats available as well -

     Raspberry Shortbread - Pecan Tassies - Puppy Chow - Fudge

Hot Beverage Bar - ALWAYS Coffee - Cocoa and Cider - and this year am trying a new recipe for Hot Buttered Rum!

If you need a place to be thankful, we welcome all strays.