Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is one day, out of the year, that I cook for my in-laws, Jan & Denny (Bob's Mom and Step Dad). There is a little anxiety on my part because all year long we enjoy Jan's wonderful gourmet cooking so it puts the pressure on me to come up with something half as good. Plus, I love to try new recipes so it's hard to narrow down the menu and not want to cook everything that sounds good.

This year, I went with a traditional Thanksgiving menu (with a slight twist here and there). It turned out to be the best tasting and easiest Thanksgiving meal so far. The turkey is always a fresh ~20lb turkey that I brine for at least 24 hours (trick to having a moist 20lb turkey). I always have an appetizer cheese plate from Downtown Cheese with a few savory cheeses. I also cheat on a few items that I pick up at Williams Sonoma that save a lot of time. I couldn't make them any better even if I tried... these items include turkey gravy base, brine solution and bread chunks to use in the stuffing.

This year we enjoyed fresh herb-butter turkey, thanksgiving stuffing, goat cheese mash potatoes, sweet potato crunch casserole, roasted green beans with sage butter, whiskey-glazed carrots and maple-orange cranberry relish with jalapeño.

Sydney and Sophia loved the Holiday preparation from the shopping to preparing the food the evening before. Sydney especially was a huge little helper in the kitchen. She helped make the cranberry relish, the stuffing and the pies.

I can't forget to thank my awesome husband... he did all the grocery shopping, picked up the turkey & cheese in Ardmore and surprised me with some beautiful dark purple calla lilies (my favorite!).

Here are a few pics of our wonderful day of family and feast....

Sydney & Sophia always willing to help with the
shopping...

They also sat on Santa's lap! Picture is on the blog post below.

Me and my proud little helper!!

Sydney and Sophia wanted to sit at the
"pretty" table for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning....

20lb brine-turkey with no basting.. instead I
cover the breast with foil the entire
cooking time (plus a lot of herb-butter rubbed under the skin)

Bob Carving the turkey

Family! that's what it's all about... and a
great feast together!

Sophia and Aunt BeckyGMa and Sydney - ahhhh....

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day

We bow our hearts to You and pray.

We give You thanks for all You've done

Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.

For beauty in nature, Your glory we see

For joy and health, friends and family,

For daily provision, Your mercy and care

These are the blessings You graciously share.

So today we offer this response of praise

With a promise to follow You all of our days.

-Mary Fairchild