Thanksgiving 2011

On Saturday, while shopping for our Thanksgiving feast, I repeatedly - and frantically - asked R if we had enough potatoes. Ten pounds of potatoes rode in the overflowing cart, and despite R's math logic I still worried if we had enough potatoes for fourteen people.

We had enough potatoes.

In fact we had more than enough - of everything.., which is the way it should be at Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes with maple syrup, brussel sprouts for Hannah, cranberry sauce made by my mother (one tart, chopped with a whole orange, the other sweet, smooth, like jelly), salad from Edie in her beautiful new bowl, stuffing (of fresh [yes fresh] Maltese bread, celery, onion, sage, thyme, savory, pepper...I wanted to add mushrooms but I forgot them, repeatedly) and six quarts of gravy (Yes, six.) Kept warm in the six quart crockpot on the "gravy table."

We had hit the market early for apples and brussel sprouts (which we did not find there this year), but an overstuffed apple crumble pie made pie number five (along with four traditional pumpkin pies), and was served for dessert with pumpkin swirl cheesecake (which I altered by leaving the nuts out -so I don't harm Therese- and instead of one cake I make individual tarts). 

Spanakopita triangles (I didn't follow a recipes, and I didn't write it down - oops) and rhumaki (bacon wrapped water chestnuts) were put out as hot hors d'oeuvres, with veggies and dill dip, and a plate of assorted local gouda. 

Twenty-seven pounds of turkey was roasted and rotisseried for dinner. R brined the bird in a lined cooler the night before: salt : sugar : water (I can't remember the amounts right now - will need to ask R)..

We also added some thyme and rosemary from the garden, some bay leaves..and some black peppercorns (I think)..anyway, the bird soaked in there overnight. In the morning he was plump and juicy - as seen in the  above photos twirling around on his rotisserie.

We'll never not brine a bird again.

It was a great crowd of oldest and dearest friends, dog lovers, teen aged girls, lots of laughter around the table, lots of wine for the adults. I'll admit to having cranberry wine before noon (it helps me cook).

So, so much to be thankful for. :)