T minus 3 hours

Realistically, it's more like 2 hours before the hordes arrive. But all is well so far. The turkey is actually done and resting. Which means we'll have to reheat it a bit before serving but I think that'll be ok. I can make the gravy before there are guests to evict from my kitchen. Potatoes are boiling. Apple crisp is ready to assemble. Casseroles can now go into the oven. And I've even added some appetizers to put out before guests arrive (shrimp ring, chips and dip, etc). I'm feeling pretty good about today. But I'll feel even better once I've gotten a shower...

t minus 6 hours and 45 minutes

The turkey has landed!

The bird is brined, stuffed w/ aromatics and herb butter, trussed and in the oven...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Now to see about some breakfast and then it's on to potato peeling...

T minus 14 hours and 30 minutes

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, every creature was stirring, chopping, and cleaning, both mom and spouse...

At this point, I think I'm in pretty good shape for tomorrow

Menu:
Butternut squash soup - simmering away in the crockpot where it will live until serving time
Brined roasted turkey - brining under ice on the porch, herb butter and aromatics ready to use, needs to go in oven at 8am
Gravy - can't do anything w/ this until the turkey is done.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes - garlic roasted, lots of potatoes to peel tomorrow
Green bean casserole - just needs topping and bake tomorrow
Corn - open the cans and heat up
Peas - open freezer pouches and heat up
Glazed carrots - cooked and just need reheating
Cranberry sauce - open the can, husband and his family want the jellied sauce, can stripes and all.
Stuffing - will be brought by an aunt
Candied sweet potatoes - will be brought by an aunt
Cucumber salad - will be brought by a cousin

Desserts:
Pumpkin pie - gave in this year and bought from costco
Apple crisp - will prepare tomorrow and bake while we're eating dinner. At least it's a really easy dessert. The topping is just butter, flour brown sugar and cinnamon mixed together to form crumbs. The apples are sliced, and sprinkled w/ a little cinnamon. I don't bother peeling the apples, especially if pressed for time. Layer them in a baking dish and sprinkle streusel crumb over it. Bake at 350 until apples are soft and bubbly, and topping is golden brown and crisp.

Thanksgiving game plan

Basically I did the things that need to cook for quite a while, whether or stove top or oven early. I also gave in this year and bought my pumpkin pie instead of baking one.
Monday - roasted the butternut squash, cleaned out fridge.
Tuesday - braised the honey glazed carrots, did last minute shopping
Wednesday - made the butternut squash soup, assemble greenbean casserole minus onion topping, roasted garlic, prep aromatics for bird, brine bird.

The soup is going to sit overnight in the crock pot. The bird is going to go into a 5 gallon bucket w/ ice and a lid and go out on the back porch.

So hopefully tomorrow, all I have left is to roast the turkey, make mashed potatoes, heat up the veggies, and make gravy once the bird is done.

T minus 5 days

The countdown begins...5 days until Thanksgiving. This year, not only am I hosting 20 or so in-laws, I'm going to try to prepare the full dinner w/ all the trimmings while caring for an 8 month old baby who has an ear infection. So here's the menu, game plan to follow...
Menu:
Butternut squash soup
Brined roasted turkey
Stuffing
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Candied sweet potatoes
Green bean casserole
Corn
Peas
Glazed carrots
Cranberry sauce
Cucumber salad

Desserts:
Pumpkin pie
Apple crisp