Thanksgiving Menu and Preparations

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal to cook. I do not celebrate its beginnings, but I give true thanks for all that I have to be grateful for. I love to share my thanks through mindful and loving preparation of very special recipes. Over the years, my menu has changed a bit, with my adaptations of coveted family favorites and new additions as my sense of family has expanded.

This year's menu is pretty ambitious, with even more items from scratch, some required to be made several weeks in advance (my spouse has been saving a few bottles of his latest beer). Some friends of ours shared fruited gingerales they made recently that I want to attempt to recreate...

Appetizers
potluck
homemade pickled vegetables

Drinks
homemade grapefruit gingerale
homebrewed Mad Stork black IPA & assorted local beers
family-made wines

Dinner

arugula, persimmon & pomegranate salad
sweet & savory stuffing

cranberry compote
yin yang smashed garlic potatoes & carrots with parsnips
wild mushroom gravy
twice baked sweet potatoes
balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts with homemade mustard
broccoli with sauce mornay
Grandma Roberts’ rolls

Dessert
fair trade organic decaf coffee
apple tarte tatin
pumpkin praline pie in a ginger cookie crust
whipped maple sour cream

So that's the plan so far.  I'll be posting these holiday recipes and various preparations during the next week or so.

This weekend: taking stock of what we have and what we need to accommodate the 30 folks that we'll share a meal with.

beautiful turkey at City Farmers

Happy Cooking!