Alright, now to the task at hand. It's Friday, which means we have exactly 6 days until my favorite holiday in the world: Thanksgiving!!!!
Dave and I have hosted Thanksgiving for the past four years. This will be our 5th year hosting at our house and I love every minute of it! The key to a successful Thanksgiving is PLANNING AHEAD and ACCEPTING HELP. Delegate dishes to guests. Oh and the fact that my husband takes care of the Turkey helps a ton as well.
In 2009, we had 14 people- my extended Nebraska family was here and I loved every second of it. Click here for a recap of Thanksgiving 2009.
In 2010, we had 8 people- just our immediate family.
Click here for a recap of Thanksgiving 2010.
And this year I will be hosting 8 people plus three babies in the womb! (Woah, that was weird to write!) I'm linking to either the recipes that inspired the menu or my own recipes on the blog. Or if I can't find them online, I'll tell you the magazine I found them in. I'm the type of home chef that cooks a lot of things up on the fly so this is all subject to change next week!
2011 Thanksgiving Day Menu
Appetizers:
Sweet Potato Avocado Salsa (Everyday Food)
Cheese, Hummus and Crackers
First Course:
Leek Soup (Mom)
Main Dish:
Brined Turkey with Chipotle Maple Butter
Maple Butter Gravy (Food Network Magazine)
Side Dishes:
(same recipe as last year only with pomegranates instead of dried cranberries)
Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Butternut Squash (Mom)
without the apples and cranberries (Mom)
from 2009 on the blog (Mom)
Roasted Potatoes (Mother-in-law)
Cranberry Mold (Mother-in-law)
Desserts:
Apple Pie (Mother-in-law)
Pumpkin Pie (Mother-in-law)
Coconut Macaroons
So that's the menu! I can't wait to celebrate with my family next week.
What are you making for Thanksgiving?
What a fabulous menu! The roasted Brussel Sprouts and the pumpkin bread pudding sounds exceptional. Good lost with the hosting :)
ReplyDeleteYour menu looks awesome. Also, you look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fantastic! Love this menu - so smart to accept help because it really does make a difference.
ReplyDeleteMmm yum, can I come for Thanksgiving lol!
ReplyDeleteYou're making me so hungry! And you look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYum! Everything sounds so delicious! Can I come over? :)
ReplyDeleteYou look great and I hope you had a fabulous trip despite the illness! I was sick when we went away a few months ago. Being sick while pregnant is the absolute worst. Hope you're feeling better!
Oh that all sounds so good! What a well planned out meal. Right now all I know is that I'm making very adorable cookies, but this post was a good reminder to email my mother-in-law!
ReplyDeletelove that dress! and what a menu... i have no idea what we're eating next week :-P
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a lot of close family nearby and I don't feel like cooking a huge meal for two and cleaning after while 8 months pregnant so I made...
ReplyDeletereservations =)
So much food! And it sounds amazing! Definitely more elaborate than any Thanksgiving meal I've ever had. Speaking of which...how about I just come over?? :)
ReplyDeleteWhipped feta sounds interesting, I'll have to check out that recipe! I'm sure I'll be making desserts... and I might make Pepin style potatoes - I made them a couple years ago and loved them!
ReplyDeleteok and I thought Ben's family made a ton of food. You're menu is off the hook! In a good way :)
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving is usually one of those holidays where I am the guest not the host so I actually don't think I'll be making anything. Congrats on the baby BTW.
ReplyDeleteLizzy, this all sounds soooo delicious! I wish I was coming to your house for Thanksgiving! Although I'm not so sure about cranberry mold? I can guess what it is, but the name doesn't sound so appealing. I'll take every bit if the rest though! Hope there's still leftovers by Monday :)
ReplyDeleteI'm making a mini-Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and then I'll bring a dessert when we go to Jeff's parents' on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon!
I am in charge of pies, cranberry sauce and cornbread for my family :). I had a cold/sinus infection for almost 5 weeks. ughh, it's a pain in the butt to kick. I used nasal flushes and that made life sooo much better. Feel better and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love you in that dress. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAlso, that's a LOT of food. Hope you have a blast! I'm making an apple pie and roasted brussels sprouts with pom seeds and vanilla butter (Bobby Flay's recipe).