And She's Off!

The day before Thanksgiving and all through the house not a creature is stirring.... except me. I just did some prep work. Not enough mind you... I'm frightfully behind - but some. To make more sense of this lets go with the menu. (Yes this is a blog, but its also my only written game plan)

I started things off with a soup and a salad in honor of Drew's fancy dinner party. I thought it would be dashingly new to have one. It also gives the turkey time to rest after coming out of the oven. I'm doing squash soup. Well... I was. I already made it. Let me inform you that Turban squash have the most amazingly tough skin. If you want to peel it, or cut it... dont. It doesnt work. The salad's dressing should be fun... I want it to be spicy and strong. And by spicy I dont mean hot exactly. Maybe allspice or nutmeg, something like that, to really give it some depth and winter flavor.

Next, the dinner. The turkey... -_- Always a fiasco. I needed to put more time in the arranging of things. They bought a big one. Its still a wee bit frozen - my fault- but hapily brining. Needs more time! Sigh. Maybe next year I'll remember to start sooner. The interesting part about the turkey, I dont know how to do the honey glaze part. I think I might tinker with that tomarrow... well, I will. I want a spicy honey glaze... like on ham.

Sides... I want so many of them, yet its so impractical and wasteful. How much can/should/will we eat? I really just want variety... The problem is... what if EVERYONE wants some of this kind. Thats 8 people wanting some. The 4 serving batch wont work. When there are 4 sides, and say, 8 full servings of each... thats 32 servings of food. More than we can eat! Its ridiculous and makes me sad. I justify it in that its a holiday of feasting. Its a feast! Please dont think the day we all gourge our selves... Just a day when there's infinite variety at the table.

ANYWAY, sides are pretty classic. The stuffing I'm excited about. And Whit's salad.

Condiments should be very interesting. The second doesnt call for cooking the cranberries. I'm a bit apprehensive. Have faith in Martha, I guess. (Which is strange because Martha isnt my favorite cook...)


Soup : Turban Squash Soup
Salad: Dried Cranberry Spinach Salad with Spiced Basalmic Dressing
Main Dish: Brined Rosemary Honey Glazed Turkey
Side 1: Martha's Cornbread Mushroom Stuffing with Pecans
Side 2: Whitney's Bacon Brocolli Salad with Grapes
Side 2: Mashed Potatoes
Side 3: Sweet Potatoes & Yams
Bread: Grandma's Roll's
Condiment 1: Whitney's Cranberry Sauce (from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens cookbook)
Condiment 2: Martha's Ginger Orange Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce

Desert 1: Home Grown Pumpkin Pie
Desert 2: Lemon Lush
Desert 3: Coconut Custard In Kabocha Squash

Just for fun : Cook's Illustraited Macaroons

I have requests for the Coconut Custard from my father. And potato salad strangely enough... I might throw in some creme brulee... but probably not. Save that for friday or some such.

I love food. So very much. I love grocery shopping. I love buying food that even I cant name. Trying things I know I dont like, just in case I might like it this time... I love checking for ingredients I've heard of but never seen, and the thrill when they finally stock it. Its an art form. A state of mind. A class, a disipline, a niche. And its me.

I bought some McCormik Cardamon today. Buy one get one free.