turkey day

dinner is prepared, eaten, cleaned up and it's all over but the left-overs. woo hoo!!!!
i am so thankful that things went smoothly. i'm calling it a success. it all tasted yummy, well the cheesecake left a bit to be desired, is that really a surprise? (preparing deserts has never been something at which i excelled.) but otherwise, the meal was delicious, my guests seemed relaxed and i had a lot of fun.


here's a run down of the day:

10:00 am

*turkey insides removed and turkey "stock" on the stove (my dad has promised to help me make turkey soup before he leaves).

11:00 am

*last minute list prepared of what to do over the next few hours and WHEN (sometimes i'm a real planner)

*& then a few minutes for primping (it's not enough for the meal to taste good, i need to look cute too, right?)

12:00 pm

*ingredients gathered, breakfast dishes cleaned up & kitchen prepared for the big dance

*meanwhile my mother-in-law set this beautiful table.

1:00 pm

*sage stuffed turkey goes into the oven; only after it had been cleaned up and made to look lovely. (there's a lot riding on the bird, you know? if it's dry or burnt or partially frozen the whole dinner can tank. NO PRESSURE)

1:30 pm

*orange cranberry sauce simmering on the stove as the bread was toasting for the stuffing and the veggies were being chopped. (multi-tasking at its best. it certainly helped having an extra set of hands too.)

2:00 pm

*turkey is browned enough to and some broth and cover up. (boy did i hate covering that bird... i knew i couldn't obsessively check it once i did. from there i was going on faith.)

3:00 pm

*stuffing completed and refrigerated.

*time for lunch while we watched the national dog show ~ i personally think this shih tzu was robbed...

4:00 pm

*green beans prepped and salad spun (boy was that turkey smelling good)

4:30 pm

*the beautiful bird was done (much earlier than i expected, but right on time according to the recipe)

look how the wings and legs are pulling away from the carcass!

i was stoked.

*then it was crunch time: stuffing and beans had to cook, carrots had to glaze, rolls had to be baked and gravy had to be made ~ all while the turkey rested and my handsome husband carved him up. (that last half hour is, without a doubt, the most hectic!)

5:30 pm

*time to eat!!!!

yummmmmmmm

have i mentioned my affinity for turkey legs????

6:30 pm

my incredible family cleaned up ALL the dishes and stored the leftovers. right on!

i was hoping for some silly anecdotes or even a miserable failure to make this post more exciting. instead i have a full belly, droopy eye lids and no fear when it comes to making thanksgiving dinner. i'm even ready to try it on my own. (today i had my mother-in-law to catch me if i had questions, thanks maggie!)

now, of course i recognize this holiday is about more than just food. so, i think i'm most thankful for our family (and friends) and their willingness to come visit us down here in chattanooga. we've had quite a year full of visitors and i sure hope the trend continues! the welcome mat will stay out if you guys will keep coming. maybe i'll even make you a turkey.

happy thanksgiving to all and to all a good night.