Thanksgiving is not usually a family holiday for us.
Let me take that back. It is a family holiday, just not the traditional family holiday.
Over the past eleven years we have been married, Thanksgiving has transformed into a time when we invite our friends into our home. They are people who have become more family than just friends.
This year is no exception.
Since many of our friends in town are young, single men, I am stuck with all of the cooking. Actually, I love cooking and sharing food with friends, so creating a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal challenges me and gives me a chance to brag.
But the idea of making a feast for by myself can be daunting.
So I'm planning ahead. Since we are eating a Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws on Thursday, I am hosting our dinner on Friday. Here is the menu and my recipes.
Oven
Roasted Turkey (I will brine
it first)
Mashed
Potatoes Made with Plain Greek Yogurt and Gravy
Home-canned Corn
Pumpkin
Pie
Cherry
Pie
Like last year, I'm also going to spread the meal prep days in advance.
Tuesday: Shop, brine the turkey as it thaws. Make cranberry sauce.
Wednesday: Mix up pie crust.
Thursday: Peel then soak potatoes, assemble steak and dressing, mix stuffing so it is oven-ready. Bake pies.
Friday: Roast turkey, make dinner rolls, boil and mash potatoes. Make apple salad.
Glut myself at dinner.
Here are some non-traditional harvest dishes you might want to add to your meal.
What are you fixing for Thanksgiving?
