Thanksgiving 2018

The first year in our new house!  We finished priming the walls and ceilings and were able to have the place fairly clean to host Thanksgiving Dinner.  It was a great day but once again, even though I took Wednesday off to prep, I didn't have enough time to visit with Chris, Joe, Emily, Bekah, Greg, Jenna and Mason. I was also a bit disappointed that Keith's parents never stopped by.

The menu included:
Turkey stuffed with my stuffing
Mashed Potatoes 2 ways - with cream cheese and and cream
Gravy
Corn Casserole
Green Bean Casserole - Bekah
Sweet Potato Casserole - Nobody liked
Cheesy Potatoes - Chris and Emily
Cranberry Relish - Bekah
Potato Rolls - Bekah
Cheesecake - Jenna
Pumpkin Dessert - Nobody Liked - Make pumpkin pie next time
Nut Loaf for Mason
Mushroom gravy - notes below


Bekah came over to help Wednesday.  We cut up the onions and celery for the stuffing, cut up the vegetables, made the nut roast filling, roasted pecans, prepped the sweet potato casserole and cooked the pumpkin dessert.  For next year, I would also make the stuffing so it is ready to go in the bird.

Thanksgiving Morning, we cooked the turkey in the electric roaster and it was great except it was done about 1.5 hours too soon.  It cooks fast!  The turkey was a 25 lb turkey.  We put it in at 9:30 and it was done at 2 PM with turning down the roaster a few times throughout the day.  We started at 450 for 30 minutes and dropped it down to 350, then 325, then 300... you get the idea.  I also took softened butter and added Basil, Thyme, Garlic Powder and Onion Powder and rubbed it under the skin and on the skin before putting in the roaster.

The Nut loaf was awesome and is on my Pinterest board.
https://www.thekitchn.com/winter-recipe-classic-vegetarian-nut-loaf-102222?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=PostTop

I made a mushroom gravy by sauteeing minced mushrooms and onions in Avocado oil and butter.  Once cooked, I pureed them in the Nutribullet.  I added them back to the pan with vegetable stock and added Xantham Gum. The Xantham gum did not thicken too well so I went back to my old standby - flour and cold water.  The gravy was delish!

For drinks, we had a large Pinot Noir and a large Moscato from Sam's Club.  Next year, two bottles of Pinot!  We also had a 6 pack of bud and a 6 pack of Bells Winter Ale, orange soda, root beer, water and Pepsi.  Next  year skip the orange soda.

NEXT YEAR:
REMEMBER JOE AND CHRIS ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT!!! They cannot do milk at all.
Find a new sweet potato recipe.
Pumpkin Pie for dessert - don't try something new.
The turkey cooks too fast in the roaster, take that into account
Get more done ahead of time and take time to visit with the kids!!! Don't worry about the dishes!
Take the day before and after off.  You will be exhausted on Friday!
Let all the girls know we will be doing stuff ahead of time (Wednesday).
Have the house clean and ready the weekend before.