Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

Is it me or is Thanksgiving Dinner the "What I've learned about cooking this year' test? If so, I've failed. Miserably. I am sure I am the only one who feels its a test because the menu is large, expectations are high, and hell, it's Thanksgiving the most important cooking day for us Americans!

 I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my own little family for 4 years now. I remember the first time I was so nervous! I even wrote down emergency Turkey day phone numbers! We cleared our fridge, and made sure we had enough room for the mass amounts of food thawing and eventually leftovers. The meal was only for me, my husband, and 2 little ones (at the time was 2 months old and 2 years old). I baked all the pies in advance and cooked everything else the day of. I took A LOT of shortcuts. My focus mainly was having a juicy turkey and not those dry turkeys you usually have. Having such a small oven, I only roasted the breast. I also roasted it in those bags. I really didn't want a dry turkey!

That year I made:

Roast Turkey breast

Glazed Spiral Ham

Stove-top Stuffing

Canned Collard Greens

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Mashed Potatoes (from scratch)

Macaroni and Cheese (from scratch)

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Sweet Potato and Pecan Pie (with store bought crusts and homemade fillings)

Candied Yams with Marshmallows and Pineapple

My really lowcut housewife dress, husband, and then 2 y/o and 2 month old 

FOOD

Though I did take a lot of shortcuts, it was all delicious and made with love. It was also the least stressful Thanksgiving I've ever had!

My second home cooked Thanksgiving took place on my birthday. Great day, yeah? Er no. I broke our 'good' plates, our landlord cut off the hot water and oh yeah I was 5 months pregnant cooking up a mostly from scratch Turkey day menu. Stressed out? HELL YEA I was. I planned everything so it would be easy for my pregnant self, but it all backfired from the time hot water went out. Luckily I cooked a lot of food in advance! All that was left to do was assemble salads, make toppings, Turkey (bagless yet VERY MOIST!) gravy and veggie sides. Sounds easy, but my small kitchen, small oven, not hot water, 5 inch heel wearing when I am already 6'2 AND pregnant did not make it easy. I was so stressed by the end of it all that could not eat. I cried actually. I got over it, and happily ate leftovers for days afterwards.

The menu that year was....

Roasted Herbed Turkey with Mushroom Gravy

Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

Stuffing- homemade!

Hawaiian rolls

Green Bean Casserole

Apple Salad

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallow Meringue Topping

Pecan Pie

Five months pregnant with my 3rd. I hated that stupid roof. I slanted down and me feel even more like a giant. 

Now last year. Last year was uber stressful. We were going through so much personally and financially (always around the holidays!!!) that Thanksgiving almost never happened. I had a huge breakdown, a lot of tears were shed. That was probably one of the toughest times in our marriage. So bad that I refused to cook the day of. Even after I prepped a lot through the week. Sigh. In fact, I did not cook on Thanksgiving.  My husband scraped up every piece of cash we had and went to the commissary and bought all the food from my mass amount of lists. How could I let him down? I cooked my ass off even brined my turkey for the first with excellent results. 

My menu 

Bacon Wrapped Turkey

Homemade Stuffing - same as previous year

Green Bean Casserole- same as previous year

Macaroni and cheese

Candied Baby Carrots- boiled in 7up!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Pineapples

Sweet Potato Pie with marshmallow meringue

Pecan Tart

Day after Turkey Day

This year, I plan and hope to plan, plan, plan a lot better. This time of year I have my holiday notebook. I write in detail every single thing we're doing it. It's much more detailed at Christmas time, and I plan to do the same with Thanksgiving. Especially as my husband comes back the week of Thanksgiving. So I must be prepared! I've made my menu and I am hoping for the best. It's a mix of our favorites, and new dishes! Here's that menu.

Deep Fried Turkey---Heard nothing but raves. Plan B. If there is a problem I will cut up the Turkey and grill. Gotta have a plan b!

Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage- Who doesn't love pork and cornbread?

Green Bean Casserole- I am putting my own spin on my husband's favorite Turkey Day side dishes from the past 2 years. 

Macaroni and Cheese with Topping- Deliciousness we ate this summer must be incorporated in our menu

Cranberry Chutney- I made my own cranberry sauce for the first time last Christmas. I've always loved canned, but fresh is best!!!

Mashed Sweet Potato with topping- I love sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato Rolls- I love sweet potatoes and bread together hehe

 Pecan Pie- with a lil this and that

And something special with pumpkin!

I sort of left out some details, because I want it to be a surprise. Plus I am even more nervous after revealing my plans. This dinner, again, is for me and my family. I just go all out for my babies :) 

Also, the great news is my husband will be home with us until March after he comes home in 3 weeks! But that also means he will be away until September. But I am happy he won't be leaving so soon!!