Thanksgiving Menu

We get to have two Thanksgivings this year - one that we are hosting at our home on Thanksgiving for our Chicago relatives and one on Saturday at my sister's home for the Wisconsin relatives. The gathering at our house will be rather small - 6 adults and 4 children. Of that group, only 6 eat meat (my children and I are vegetarians). I do, however, prepare turkey on Thanksgiving for omnivorous loved ones. This year I'm preparing a bone-in turkey breast, rather than a whole bird. Our Chicago relatives often travel here by train and don't like to take leftovers. There is only so much leftover turkey meat my husband can eat on his own, so this year I decided to cook what they'll actually eat! The family prefers a more traditional feast, so here's our menu:

Appetizers:
Relish tray with olives and pickles
Carrots and dip
Snack mix

Main Dish:
Roasted Turkey Breast
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Biscuits
Savory Vegetable Stuffing
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Almonds and Goat Cheese

Dessert:
Best Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie

Some of these recipes will be new to me, some are old standbys. I like Thanksgiving dinner to be uncomplicated and fun with food everyone will like. I usually make the pies 2 nights ahead of time and the cranberry sauce one night before. Also, the night before I scrub the vegetables that need it and chop onions, mushrooms and carrots. This year's salad is very simple - virtually no prep except for mixing the dressing and that can only be done at the last minute. I like to do a salad rather than a hot vegetable to cut down on the oven jostling that occurs just before mealtime - one last thing to heat!

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish or menu?

Comments

[jacquie]

we're a pretty traditional thanksgiving family. our cranberry salad is probably our special dish...we always make extra so we have it the next morning on toast or on turkey sandwiches.