Thanksgiving 2010

We are beginning the plans for the first big holiday of the holiday season. Sorry, I don't count Halloween kiddies. Maybe when I get grandkids I''ll change my mind about that. I the meantime, make way for, drum roll please. . .Thanksgiving! This year looks like we may well be hosting a big crowd so our plans are getting pretty detailed. For an example we have a tentative menu.
Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

Champagne

Crudités

Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Cider Gravy

Bacon Smashed Potatoes

Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Golden Raisins

Roasted Pumpkin Corn Pudding

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Mushrooms with Bacon

Cranberry Fluff Salad

Wines

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Desserts

Bread Pudding with Warm Whiskey Sauce

Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Dessert Wine

Gewurztraminer

Coffee and Tea

Sound good? Well, it isn't cast in stone quite yet and a change here and there may yet happen. But I like it! We have begun a shopping list. I won't bore you with cutting and pasting that into this document but it is significantly long. Some of it as a result of the spices that we buy each year about this time. They are on sale and the old bottles that are a year or two old should be tossed in favor of fresher product anyway.

Then there are the items that are seldom brought into the house except at special times like these. For example, real whipping cream. Not the stuff in the white tub or in the spray can. Or, the materials to make pies, cakes, cookies and other sweets that never make an appearance in this house except on very special occasions.

Finally, the turkey or I should say turkeys. They are on sale and the more you spend at the store the cheaper the birds are per pound. So, we each go in to the store and in separate carts acquire the amount of goods needed to get the price as low as it can go. We always buy enough that, the bill split in two, would get us two birds at the low low price. As a result, one goes in the freezer and one in the fridge to thaw. Oh, I hear you. Frozen birds? Why not a fresh bird or a Butterball? Frozen!? Well, I've had fresh turkey and I've had a Butterball and I can't honestly tell the difference. The frozen ones, prepared and cooked right are always moist and delicious.

As for dessert. I don't honestly know why we ever make them. Hardly anyone eats them anymore. They seem to wind up going down the disposal after sitting around for a couple of days and everyone is mostly poking at the the leftover turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and, around our house, the cranberry salad. Wouldn't be Thanksgiving or Christmas around here without a couple of bowls full of that hot pink fluffy sweet and tart salad.

So, only a couple of weeks to go before the craziness that is the holiday season begins. I would miss it. I hope your family enjoys whatever celebrations your holiday season bring. Happy holidays to all!