Aaaand The Holiday Season Begins

I've been cooking a lot the last few days in preparation for Thanksgiving.

My arm isn't in very good shape, three weeks out from Surgery #8, so I'm trying to make a few dishes ahead of time.  It will make Thursday a little easier on my arm.  (And easier on Briefcase, who isn't very comfortable in the kitchen, but IS willing to help out when asked.)

Yesterday, I made The World's Best Cranberries.

Today I'll be baking cornbread.

My oldest son is home from college this week.  When he's home, our house is also filled with all of his friends because our house has always been the "hang-out" house.  I love having a house filled with a lot of people, and my younger son loves having his older brother home.  

Our home is noisy and chaotic, but filled with laughter too.

For the first time ever, my daughter won't be here for Thanksgiving.  (She's coming home for three weeks at Christmas and it just didn't make sense with her class/work schedule to fly across country for Thanksgiving too.)  I'll be sad not to have her here, but she's been calling so often for recipe and cooking advice, it's ALMOST like she's here.

Here's what's on the menu at our house for Thanksgiving this year:

Turkey (fresh/free range/antibiotic free)

Oyster Stuffing  (the recipe dates back generations in my family and I'd be kicked out of the family if I made any other type!)

The World's Best Cranberries  (I'm very humble about this recipe, can you tell?)

Mashed Potatoes

Giblet Gravy

Green Beans Amandine

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage  (This is the German side of my family making an appearance on the plate.)

Sweet Potato Bake  I vary the ingredients of this recipe every year, depending on my mood the day I'm making it.  

Cornbread

Pumpkin Cheesecake (I don't like traditional pumpkin pie - gasp!)

Also, there's always a lot of wine involved on Thanksgiving.

Believe it or not, I'm actually cutting back on the number of dishes I'm serving this year.  Both of my boys, and Briefcase, have committed to helping with chopping/lifting/arm work in the kitchen.

Will you be cooking tomorrow?

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Comments

[linda]

We are having dinner with the neighbors and they are doing the turkey & stuffing. I will be drinking wine and watching ELPH prepare sweet potatoes, various other sides and blueberry pie. I'm not much good in the kitchen:/

[Jan]

OMG, that all sounds sooooo goooooooood. You *know* what I'm up to today and tomorrow. LOL

Have a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving, Suzanne. (((HUGS)))

[Holli]

I will be making my 1st ever Turkey. My husband has abandoned me to visit his parents on the east coast. The teens plus two dogs will be helping me. My favorite Thanksgiving dish is Pennsylvania Dutch Potato filling. It is loaded with butter, bread and starchy goodness.

[missy]

I love all the dishes, but with a super hectic schedule and weird home situation I made reservations this year!

[Tami]

Sounds delicious, can I come eat with you? I think you're absolutely amazing to take this on with your arm. Really admirable and I sure hope you have lots of help so you don't end up in pain!

[Alexis (Minnesota)]

Hope it goes well for you woman! I'm working so I'm taking a roaster with the turkey in it to work and "the guys" and I will pull together our own little dinner halfway through shift. One is bringing a corn dish and the other 3 are bringing other sides. Well see what we wind up with! My adult kids are eating with their dad so it all works out. I've got a job, my family and most of my friends are alive and healthy so.....much to be thankful for!

Gentle virtual hugs to you! Happy turkey-day!!!

[Issa]

I am flying to my aunt's house. All I have to do is fly tonight with three kids. Yep. That's it. ;)

I adore cranberries. It's always been my favorite part of thanksgiving.

I hope you have a great day tomorrow.

[Sandra]

All your dishes sound great. What is the recipe for the cranberries?
We do cornbread stuffing from my Mississippi side of the family (dad's side) but my mom is bringing/making that at my house. I have to save her the giblets for it from the turkey. My house is the meeting place this year. I love the smell of cooking turkey. I have to go pick up my turkey dude a bit later today from Raley's.
We always have mashed potatoes, green bean dish, sweet potatoes, green salad, rolls/bread, pie and my SIL's jello pudding dis that truly is a joke in the family but don't tell her.

[DuchessOmnium]

Gasp! I have burned the pecan pie! I am sooooooooo unhappy. I am not quite used to my boaty oven yet -- it is tiny, but fierce, in the way of many tiny things.

It is so tiny that I definitely can't cook a turkey in it and have room for any of the other stuff.

So, improbably for a British November, I am going to barbeque the turkey.

I'll probably burn it too... But I have bought a meat thermometer so as not to poison my guests.

I haven't posted in a while, but I have promised to post my first Thanksgiving on the boat...

[goodfather]

Our Thanksgiving dinner is a little up in the air right now, as we're still snow-bound, but I think we might fry a turkey. The World's Best Cranberries caught my attention right away! My Mom and my Sister make a mean cranberry bread, and their recipe for cranberries always made an appearance. Your house sounds like it will be filled with family, fun, and very delicious food - I hope your day is beautiful.

[Anne Gibert]

I wish I were having oyster stuffing. The family members I have coming won't touch oysters. Now, if my British daughter who lives on a boat were here she and I would eat oyster stuffing.

But I made a crab bisque for a first course, and it is lovely. I will set the table for 10, but that includes the great grandson who is only 13 months old, so he probably won't eat quite as much as the rest of us. But he's a sturdy boy, so you never know.

Happy happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Suzanne.

[Jill]

Happy Thanksgiving day friend! Enjoy your day with your family ... and feel good soon so we can go grab another coffee!

[Deidre]

Thanksgiving was yesterday here in Australia. and so I made a pumpkin pie, an apple crumble/cobbler/crisp, mashed potatoes and steamed peas.

For a gluten free vegetarian, I think that's pretty good work :)

[Rob]

Red Cabbage kicks Ass!

I'm not much of a T-Day cook. More of an Xmas, New Years, Mardi Gras cook. My seafood gumbo is usually a hit, but this year I scored some frozen turtle meat. So I'm thinking...

Cajun turtle soup. Oooo... (and no, it Doesn't taste a little like chicken).