The first Thanksgiving Dinner I ever cooked, I had dinner for twelve. Or fourteen. I can't remember exactly. I had never made a turkey. Or roasted a bird of any sort. I'm a big believer in baptism by fire.
I have no pictures of it, because we were all too busy drinking.
Last year I did Thanksgiving for six. I have no pictures of it,because we were all too busy drinking.
(I also forgot to put adequate chicken stock in the stuffing. See the drinking part.)
This year I've got ten people coming. Which isn't a problem, except that I don't have ten forks.
(Well, I have more then ten forks, but there's dessert. And we don't have a dishwasher. A trip to Cost Plus is in order.)
Ten people. Three vegetarians. Two kids.
(No dishwasher.)
Between finishing this rewrite, working my two part-time jobs, wrangling Bill Foundation email while our Coordinator is away, and following up on this (more here), I am probably going to spontaneously combust from sheer exhaustion.
Except that I love love love to cook and entertain and throw fancy dinners.
(I am weird.)
This year, I'm hoping we can hand over the picture-taking duties to one of the kids,since they won't be drinking. In the meantime, the menu:
Deconstructed Holiday Turkey (aka, cooking the turkey in parts.)
Sage Stuffing
Veggie Stuffing (I get a mix from Whole Foods and make it with veggie broth)
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
Balsamic Glazed Beets
Roasted Fennel with Olives & Garlic
Crescent Rolls
(No one seems to care about cranberry sauce, although I have made this before with fabulous results.)
Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie (brought by friends)
Chocolate Cranberry Torte
Lemon Pound Cake (minus lavender & syrup, because I am only one person)
Sticky Spiced Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Brandy Sauce
(I am a firm believer in one dessert per 2.5 people.)
nb: I will be pounding the virtual pavement looking for paid writing gigs in the New Year. Hook a girl up and your name will be moved to the top of the "invite to dinner" list.
Past decadence of the food variety here.
Post inspired by Miss Monkey's early Thanksgiving post!
Will's Thanksgiving food memories can be found here.
Edited to add: AND! The one-and-only (could we handle two?) White Trash Mom has some centerpiece ideas, JUST FOR ME!
