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Tami
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| Posted: Nov 23 2012 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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I thought maybe we could share what went well yesterday!  I wanted to share some changes I made to our dinner prep, and how pleased I was with the outcome.
1. Fresh turkey! Ok, I realized many of you may do this, but wow, what a difference!! Everyone at the table kept commenting on how moist the turkey was - and it was really moist! The only thing I could think of that was different from previous years was that it was fresh not frozen.  It was only a few dollars more expensive (and I did go down a few pounds this year to avoid wasting any) so it was not that much more $$. Will definitely remember this for next year. 
2. I rearranged my cooking schedule, and did all of the side dishes that require the oven first then put the turkey in. When the meat was done, and while it was resting, I slipped everything back in the oven to warm up. This was so much easier than trying to juggle the last minute baking of items and making everything fit, etc, while the natives are getting restless. The only exception were the roasted brussels sprouts - I wanted those fresh.
This made a big difference in my energy levels too, since I'm more of a morning person and had the bulk of the work out of the way early, then could kind of cruise until the last moments.
So, how about you? What were your successes this year?
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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MichelleW
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| Posted: Nov 23 2012 at 5:27pm | IP Logged
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This year I finally admitted that we all dislike turkey and I decided I was done with "cook 'til you drop." So I bought a ham and put it in the crockpot with brown sugar the night before. I made potato salad the day before. Thanksgiving Day I made some sweet potato crescent rolls and roasted asparagus. That's it! Served with CostCo pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
We had a fabulous day, we were all fresh and ready for a marathon Monopoly after dinner. The first Thanksgiving I haven't dreaded in years!
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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Tami
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 11:30am | IP Logged
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Sounds delicious, Michelle! I know a lot of people don't like turkey, but serve it anyway just because….. my mom always included a ham because she fed a crowd, but she didn't really like turkey herself.
Best part: you didn't dread it all! Yeah! 
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 11:33am | IP Logged
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Our Thanksgiving went well - this was one of the few times that we did not host. Went to a friends house. It reinforced for my kids why they always want me to make the pumpkin pies and the mashed potatoes when we go anywhere else. It always seems to be an issue. So this year we did make the pies. But didn't do the potatoes and gravy - the gravy was store bought beef gravy and had mushrooms in it - needless to say my kids were not happy and will insist again in the future I am sure... 
Dd made a new recipe for a chocolate cream pie that was heavenly - everyone loved that.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Tami
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 11:51am | IP Logged
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OH, Mary, my son back east had the same complaint: no mashed potatoes at his grandmother's (dh's side)! My family always served them. He only went to one family that day...
She never makes them, but instead serves baked sweet and baked white potatoes. This year she did neither. He called the next day complaining about the lack of 'comfort food' LOL He missed the green bean casserole (the child didn't realize that all those years growing up ~~I~~ was the one who supplied the green bean casserole!) and mashed potatoes. Oh, and no white rolls, just some multi-grain bread that was hard and tasteless. He was so disapppointed that the dinner was so healthy.
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 12:24pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I think our kids really become creatures of habit with certain things like this. This particular meal means very specific foods to my kids. But it does to me, too. Like nothing says THanksgiving to me like black olives on the fingers... 
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Tami
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
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LOL LOVE IT!!!! Oh how I miss those days!
Yes, my kids want specific dishes - now if I want to try something new, I can only add it, not substitute it for something else! So that, I guess, keeps me in check too!
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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SallyT
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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Ours was great -- for the first time in several years we didn't travel, and it was just us at home, and that in itself was lovely and more than made up for my having to cook everything (which I do actually enjoy).
Food all turned out really, really well. I was very happy. The best thing I did was to buy a Rival turkey roaster this year -- we have a range/single-oven combo, and having the separate roaster freed up oven space wonderfully. The turkey turned out very tender, even despite cooking a lot faster than I thought it would, and right now I'm making turkey soup with the leftovers right in the roaster. Score!
The rest of our menu:
*cornbread dressing (because we're Southerners): cornbread made with heavy cream, so it was super soft and light, crumbled and turned into a "pudding" with chicken stock, onion/celery/carrot minced and sauteed in butter, and three eggs. It was the most moist dressing I've ever made, and it went fast.
*mashed sweet potatoes: just sweet potatoes and heavy cream (and yes, this is a theme: x + heavy cream = holiday dish at my house) with a dollop of raw honey and light seasoning with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove.
*roasted Brussels sprouts. No heavy cream. Just Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed, with olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
*cranberry relish. Also no heavy cream. Just 3 bags of cranberries, orange juice, and probably 2 cups of sugar. (another theme: I don't measure . . . )
Sister Schubert rolls. The only thing I didn't make myself. Just heat'em and eat'em.
Dessert:
Pumpkin pie: pumpkin puree, heavy cream (back to that theme), maple syrup, light seasoning with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and 4 eggs. Basically just delicately-pumpkin-and-maple-flavored cream in a crust.
Cherry pie that my lovely daughter made.
I love visiting family at Thanksgiving, but every few years it's a treat to be at home and do it up ourselves. Other than a wedding at which my husband and I sang this afternoon, it's been a wonderfully quiet and relaxing long weekend with everyone home. That has felt like pure gift to all of us.
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 3:19pm | IP Logged
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HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM = Yummy! 
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Mary M. in Denver
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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First, I compiled all my Thanksgiving recipes together in a single binder. It really helped a lot!
We also decided to try what dh's SIL always does, which is whatever dad always did after years as an army cook, and that is cook the turkey the day before. I just carved it (much easier to carve cold) and put some in the oven in covered as the stuffing was finishing up. It was nice to get to focus on juggling the sides without the added burden of a turkey
Downside : I fell asleep since we didn't get it started until late, and I didn't get any of the crispy skin  , but overall, I'd droit again. 
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Lindsay
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Thanksgiving Successes?
