Happy Almost Thanksgiving!!!
Today is a jounaling and blogging kind of day.
A perfect day!
I am a true believer that it takes at least two times to perfect a dish. For this reason, I decided early on that I needed to practice making a turkey before hosting Thanksgiving for the first time.
Remember this post?
After making the bird, I also decided that I should practice all the side dishes as well. At first, I thought I would cook one dish a night and just blend them into our regular meals, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was the art of cooking them together that made it difficult. So, I researched different recipe websites: pinterest, food network, allrecipes.com --made my choices, picked a day, and committed to cooking all of them to practice the entire process. I knew there would be tons of food leftover and Matt and I would have a feast that day, but I also knew that I would feel more comfortable going into Thanksgiving day with a practice run through first.
A rehearsal dinner!
So, I picked last Sunday to cook "the menu". Matt and I had nothing to do after church and there would be enough time on the Saturday before to write out the grocery list and go grocery shopping. On Saturday, Matt and I went to Woodman's together to grab all the ingredients
PS: Matt is the best finder of any weird ingredient in an over sized grocery store. I love having him with me at Woodmans. Then again, I love having him with me all the time.
To be completely honest, we were a little worried of the cost to host Thanksgiving. I mean, its a lot of food and our cart was full -- without the turkey! Rest assured, it wasn't nearly as expensive as we thought it would be. Whew....
So Sunday came along and I was excited to start the cooking process. Not only did this rehearsal dinner help me with the process and financial planning, but it also helped me time things out. Dinner is going to be at 1pm, so what time would I have to start? What could I cook the day before? What needed to be cooked the day of?
I am so happy I did this. I learned a lot. I took notes. I decided to make some changes. And we had a beautiful dinner when it was all finished.
I started cooking at 11:30 AM.
The Menu:
Dad's Cornbread Dressing <--- click on the link for the recipe!
My dad specifically requested cornbread dressing. I mean stuffing. I mean dressing.
By the way, do you guys know the difference between dressing and stuffing? I didn't until two weeks ago.
Just for fun-- Here's a lesson on your beloved Turkey Day's bread dish: essentially they are the same. Its called dressing when its cooked without the bird -- in a separate dish -- and served along side. Its called stuffing when its actually stuffed in the bird and cooked with the turkey or chicken. See! Now you learned something! Thanks to my Dad and Google.
I researched different cornbread recipes and finally found one that allowed me to cook it in the slow cooker (my oven will be FULL people!), that sounded easy enough, and one that my dad would be happy with.
I was about five minutes into starting cooking for the day, when I realized I made a mistake.
Aha #1:
I was supposed to cook the bread the night before so it could dry out.
I didn't cook the bread the night before.
Oh well.
Into the slow cooker we go!
Yummmmm....
The cornbread dressing tasted delicious. It was incredibly easy to make and a mindless dish that my Dad will be thrilled with. I learned that I can definitely (and should) cook the cornbread the day before and all I need to do the day of is chop the onion and celery, mash the bread, and put the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
Best Sweet Potatoes ever! <--- click on the link for the recipe!
^These are more like dessert. A-ma-zing!
I've never enjoyed mashed sweet potatoes. In fact, Matt and I just started to like sweet potatoes in the past couple of years. It started with sweet potato fries and we branched out from there. But after this recipe, we will definitely be eating them more often. This recipe is the best way! Yummy!
Mashed sweet potatoes with sugar, vanilla extract, butter, and lots of other goodness.
Cornflakes, more sugar, walnuts...
And marshmellows!!!!
Finished product.
Lots of Aha's on this dish.
Aha #2
I need a potato masher
Aha #3
Don't put olive oil while pre-baking the sweet potatoes
Aha #4
Double the recipe
I have a feeling this one will definitely be a fan favorite. Which is why I'm planning on making a bigger dish. From timing out this recipe, I learned that I can finish the baking process of the sweet potato dish after the turkey is out of the oven and while its resting. I will have to do all the prepping before though.
This dish was probably one of my favorites. Who am I kidding? They were all good.
Katelin's Fall Salad <--- click on the link for the recipe.
My sweet pea niece, Katelin, is a lover of all salads. She requests salad with every meal and I'm almost certain she will enjoy this one. (We may have to hold the gorgonzola cheese until after she gets her take) Matt loved this one as well. The recipe called for home making the salad dressing, but I took the easy way out and bought Newman's Own Cranberry Walnut dressing.
Embarrassingly, these are the only picture's I have of prepping the dish.
I didn't know how to core a pear. Thanks Youtube.
Romaine lettuce, pears, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and Newman's Own Cranberry Walnut dressing. Yummy!! This dish will be easy enough to chop up the night before and place it in the fridge. Out of sight. Out of mind.
No aha's on this dish. Other than, don't waste your time making the salad dressing.
Newman's Own is just fine.
Green Bean Casserole <-- Click on the link for the recipe!
I'm not sure if we've ever had green bean casserole on Thanksgiving in the past, but for some reason, I was certain I wanted it this year. My mom and Matt could not figure out why I wanted it so badly, but nonetheless, I wanted it. So again, I found a recipe and made it. I'm so happy I did.
Aha #5
Recipe calls for one cup of sour cream. Use less.
Top with cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake for thirty minutes.
Other than learning that I definitely need to use less sour cream, I also realized that I can quickly make this on the stove right before I take out the turkey. Then I can bake it with the sweet potatoes -- in the oven -- while the turkey is resting. Voila!
Cranberry Dip <---- Click on the link for the recipe.
I am so happy I found this recipe. Its by far the best dip I've had and I didn't even know I liked cranberries. Again, there's a lot of sugar, but hey! Its the holidays.
Cranberry mixture
Pour over a block of cream cheese.
Ah, Heavenly....
Aha #6
While reading the recipe (as I was making it) I learned that I was supposed to make the cranberry mixture the night before so the flavors could blend. Oops.
Aha #7
I was supposed to let the cream cheese get to room temp for easy dipping. Oops.
Just like the recipe said, I can make the mixture the night before, refrigerate, and pour it over room temp cream cheese right before people get here for a fun appetizer. Super Simple. Super Fab.
The highly demanded squash <--- click on the link for the recipe
While talking with my Mom about an Everybody Loves Raymond episode (where Deborah was having a panic attack because she "lost" her squash on Thanksgiving -- "It was my only yellow!"), my mom asked me if I was cooking butternut squash as well.
"Um, No?!" I answered
"You have to have squash!" - my parents.
Fine! Here's the squash.
Aha #8
Peeled Butternut Squash can burn your hands. Wear Gloves.
Aha #9
Buy Gloves. Don't use Matt's huge ones. Its hard to chop.
Aha #10
Butternut Squashes are like pumpkins!
Aha #11
Butternut squash is effin hard to chop.
Like mashed sweet potatoes, we had never eaten squash. We were pleasantly surprised. Of course the butternut squash was caramelized with brown sugar so that probably helped. Needless to say, there will be squash on Thanksgiving.
Other than learning that squash was just like a pumpkin and that its incredibly difficult to chop, I also learned that I will be needing to chop a hell of a lot more. There was no where near enough for as many people as we'll have -- which means I'll be chopping all day on Thanksgiving. I'll cook the squash with the turkey for the last hour and warm it up right before we eat.
I finally finished cooking all of the dishes around 4:30 and we ate around 5. Even with all of my mishaps, all of the dishes were so delicious and yummy.
Our feast
Lots of food!!
Matt was a happy man!
I successfully did it!
On Thanksgiving, I'll also be juggling mashed potatoes, gravy, bread rolls, and a turkey -- but that's the easy stuff, right?
Say your prayers for me.
A couple more Ahas...
Aha #12
Use stick butter. Not tub butter.
Aha #13
Wear slippers. Standing in the kitchen for five hours hurts your feet.
Aha #14
Get a fan for the kitchen. Its hot when you're near an oven all day.
Aha #15
Drink lots of coffee. I work late on the Wednesday before Turkey day. I will need to prep everything the night before and will probably be up very late. I need to put the turkey in the oven early in the morning will be workng all day with other dishes. I also want to go shopping on black Friday so....... Coffee it is.
I have never understood how hard it is to host a holiday and/or cook so many dishes at once. Needless to say, after all my cooking on Sunday I was exhausted.
Much respect to all the women and men who do this every year.
In the recent week, Matt and I also decided we will be using my smaller slow cooker for our seasonal beverage on Turkey day!
Wild Turkey whisky, warm apple cider, and Cinnamon sticks.
Its the perfect Fall beverage.
What about the desserts and appitizers??
Those are for our Moms to bring! (Love you both!)
Otherwise, I'll walk around with Ritz crackers and spray can cheese saying:
"Horse doovers, anyone?? We also have beer-mosas in the back."
(Watch Four Christmases with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. You won't regret it.)
Best Idea Ever:
Wish me luck, ya'll. I'll need it,
xox
