Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Part One

Thanksgiving is a big cooking holiday and it is always good to get as much of the preparation out of the way in the days leading up to the big event. Planning will keep you from going insane and trying to cook everything last minute. Plus if most things are done ahead, I can relax with a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Day before Thanksgiving: I made the marinade for the Brined Turkey, used the last (thank God) of the Asian Apple Pears for a Gingered Pear Pie and made seasoned broth from the turkey neck and giblets to be used as a base for gravy.

The turkey is happily marinating in a small ice chest and sitting on the back deck where the temperature is just as good as any refrigerator in the evening.

Tomorrow- Thanksgiving: In the morning start the No Knead Yeast rolls that are a favorite every year. Very easy to make and as it says. No kneading. Those take about 4 hours from start to finish. It doesn't hurt if they are done early, just wrap in foil and keep warm on the back of the stove.

Mid day. Assemble the stuffing casserole. Assemble the green bean casserole. Sometime around 2pm put the turkey in the oven. Have a glass of wine. Make the glaze and let it sit on the stove. About half way through the turkey....pop in the casseroles. Three quarters of the way through the turkey, cut up the carrots and par boil, set aside and mix up the orange glaze ingredients for the carrots. Hmmmm ....maybe a glass of wine would be in order here to reward me for my hard work.

Sometime during the day, set and decorate the table.

While the turkey is resting, cover the casseroles in foil. Finish off the carrots. Have another glass of wine. Whip up some gravy. I don't want it but if we don't have gravy it just isn't Thanksgiving for my hubby. I refuse to have cranberry sauce this year.

Carve the turkey in the kitchen. Mound the stuffing in the middle of the platter and arrange the turkey around the stuffing. Carrots in a decorative serving bowl and bring out the gravy boat. Schlepp it all over to the table... MORE WINE for everyone.

Dinner is served.

Whew.....now....who is going to do all these dishes and clean up this mess????

3 comments:

Christy said...

So what's your beef with cranberry sauce? I love the stuff.

Unlike you, I didn't follow through with my plan and thus I'm up after midnight waiting for the roasted squash to cool enough to peel and seed.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

No beef with it. I just can't abide the stuff that comes in cans. Like canned jello or something. I don't have time to make it this year. Plus, the dinner I'm making sort of has a gingery theme going on: with the marinade, the pie and the gingered pear compote.

I like a fresh cranberries/oranges sauce that my sister-in law makes.

Christy said...

Gotcha. My neice-in-law made a wonderful cranberry dish with walnuts for us this year.

I ran off and forgot the add-at-last-minute cream for my soup, so it was just OK.