Thanksgiving Day
Nov. 23rd, 2012 11:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamflowerI thought that our Thanksgiving Day would be pretty easy and low key, even though we were expecting company for the day for the first time in several years. My son was bringing his new girlfriend and her four kids, 13,11,10 and 1. As usual, I had prepared the main side dishes ahead of time: dressing, noodles, and sweet potato casserole. I made a mincemeat pie, and then cheated on the apple-cranberry and pumpkin, bringing home the frozen and then bake at home versions from Braums. (Their pies are REALLY good--as good as any I make from scratch.) I put the pies in first thing in the morning, and they baked while the DH and I watched the Macy's parade. Then, before I put the turkeys in (I was making two smaller birds instead of one gigantic one--Rachel Ray's advice!)--we struggled to put the leaf in the dining room table, and the DH asked what we were doing about chairs. My suggestion of using our one folding chair and the piano bench, plus my rather unreliable desk chair was met with skepticism, so we made a quick run to Walmart to pick up some cheap metal folding chairs.
By the time we got back, I was a little worried about the cook time for the turkeys. Three hours even for the smaller ones, 13 pounders--and they'd just be coming out around 5, when our company was due. Then I'd need to put my sides in the oven to get hot. One disadvantage of cooking two turkeys was that the oven would be full. The other was that two roasters would not fit in the oven side by side! I solved the second problem by cooking the turkeys in cake pans, which they were almost too big for.
I don't put stuffing in my turkeys--instead I fill the cavities with a cut up lemon, a chunk of onion, a couple of chunks of celery and carrot, garlic cloves and fresh herbs. Then I make an herb butter: butter, lemon zest and a squeeze from half a lemon, about a teaspoon of Nature's Seasons, and about two or three tablespoons of finely minced fresh herbs from my garden-- in this case, purple sage, tarragon, two kinds of thyme, parsley, chives and rosemary. I put a glob of it under the skin and rub the rest over the bird. Then I pour a little chicken broth in the pan. I also throw the same veggies, lemon and herbs into a pot with chicken broth and keep that simmering on the stove for basting and also to add to the dressing and the noodles just before I pop them in the oven.
So, turkeys cooking and a nice pleasant few hours free. Bread in the bread machine, and the only sides left would be making the peas and mushrooms on the stovetop, heating up the gravy, and opening the cranberry sauce. I planned an apple salad, but decided not to after all.
I had picked up some nice disposable Thanksgiving themed paper plates and napkins to cut down on clean-up, so except for the serving pieces and the silverware, I didn't need to worry about the china cabinet.
I took the time to finish making a Thanksgiving apron. I started this last year (completed the piecing) but never got finished in time. So all I had to do was assemble it:
About 4:30, we got a call from our son saying they'd be a little later than they thought. Instead of 5, they'd be here about 5:30 or 6. OK, I thought--that's good, it will give me more time to finish things off. Six o' clock arrives, and the DS calls to say they will be even later than they thought, because they have to go out of the way to retrieve the one-year-old from her dad (who had promised to deliver her at home). So, maybe they might not arrive until 7:30.
So now, dinner turns from a "Can I have it ready in time?" to "Can I keep it hot and yet not overcooked?" I'm beginning to feel not a little stressed.
About a quarter to eight, DS calls to say they are on their way--from another town (I didn't realize they'd had to go THAT far our of their way to pick up the baby!) and that we should go ahead and eat without them and they will just eat with they got here. Of course we told them we'd wait (although at this point the DH is getting quite aggravated with the situation). They finally arrived, and it was nearly 9 before we actually sat down to eat!
The girlfriend seems nice--I've met her a few times before, and three of the kids are pretty well-behaved, even the baby. The 10-year-old seems like he might possibly be ADD, though it could be something else, and he was clearly being a trial to both his mom and our son as they tried to keep him in line. The DH had to warn him about trying to pick up Miss Bell (we had shut Sophie up--she's not reliable around children); he ignored him, but Miss Bell made her dissatisfaction clear when her claws came out! He left her alone after that!
Overall the meal went well, and the food was not TOO overcooked, though I thought the noodles a little dry around the edges no one else seemed to care, and the kids would not eat the sweet potato casserole. My son was very good about cleaning up--he and the 11 year old did the dishes (consisting mostly of pans and serving dishes and silverware) since we used disposable plates and cups. And he took the leaf out of the table for us as well as taking out the trash. So that was good.
And as today is his birthday, we gave him his gift (a gift card) and birthday card afterwards.
But when they left we were totally wiped out. We are just not used to company anymore! And the animals were VERY glad they were gone, especially the cat.
Still I am thankful that they came. It's nice to have our son near-by, yet no longer under our roof, and for him to have a potential family. It's early days yet, but I have hopes...
By the time we got back, I was a little worried about the cook time for the turkeys. Three hours even for the smaller ones, 13 pounders--and they'd just be coming out around 5, when our company was due. Then I'd need to put my sides in the oven to get hot. One disadvantage of cooking two turkeys was that the oven would be full. The other was that two roasters would not fit in the oven side by side! I solved the second problem by cooking the turkeys in cake pans, which they were almost too big for.
I don't put stuffing in my turkeys--instead I fill the cavities with a cut up lemon, a chunk of onion, a couple of chunks of celery and carrot, garlic cloves and fresh herbs. Then I make an herb butter: butter, lemon zest and a squeeze from half a lemon, about a teaspoon of Nature's Seasons, and about two or three tablespoons of finely minced fresh herbs from my garden-- in this case, purple sage, tarragon, two kinds of thyme, parsley, chives and rosemary. I put a glob of it under the skin and rub the rest over the bird. Then I pour a little chicken broth in the pan. I also throw the same veggies, lemon and herbs into a pot with chicken broth and keep that simmering on the stove for basting and also to add to the dressing and the noodles just before I pop them in the oven.
So, turkeys cooking and a nice pleasant few hours free. Bread in the bread machine, and the only sides left would be making the peas and mushrooms on the stovetop, heating up the gravy, and opening the cranberry sauce. I planned an apple salad, but decided not to after all.
I had picked up some nice disposable Thanksgiving themed paper plates and napkins to cut down on clean-up, so except for the serving pieces and the silverware, I didn't need to worry about the china cabinet.
I took the time to finish making a Thanksgiving apron. I started this last year (completed the piecing) but never got finished in time. So all I had to do was assemble it:
About 4:30, we got a call from our son saying they'd be a little later than they thought. Instead of 5, they'd be here about 5:30 or 6. OK, I thought--that's good, it will give me more time to finish things off. Six o' clock arrives, and the DS calls to say they will be even later than they thought, because they have to go out of the way to retrieve the one-year-old from her dad (who had promised to deliver her at home). So, maybe they might not arrive until 7:30.
So now, dinner turns from a "Can I have it ready in time?" to "Can I keep it hot and yet not overcooked?" I'm beginning to feel not a little stressed.
About a quarter to eight, DS calls to say they are on their way--from another town (I didn't realize they'd had to go THAT far our of their way to pick up the baby!) and that we should go ahead and eat without them and they will just eat with they got here. Of course we told them we'd wait (although at this point the DH is getting quite aggravated with the situation). They finally arrived, and it was nearly 9 before we actually sat down to eat!
The girlfriend seems nice--I've met her a few times before, and three of the kids are pretty well-behaved, even the baby. The 10-year-old seems like he might possibly be ADD, though it could be something else, and he was clearly being a trial to both his mom and our son as they tried to keep him in line. The DH had to warn him about trying to pick up Miss Bell (we had shut Sophie up--she's not reliable around children); he ignored him, but Miss Bell made her dissatisfaction clear when her claws came out! He left her alone after that!
Overall the meal went well, and the food was not TOO overcooked, though I thought the noodles a little dry around the edges no one else seemed to care, and the kids would not eat the sweet potato casserole. My son was very good about cleaning up--he and the 11 year old did the dishes (consisting mostly of pans and serving dishes and silverware) since we used disposable plates and cups. And he took the leaf out of the table for us as well as taking out the trash. So that was good.
And as today is his birthday, we gave him his gift (a gift card) and birthday card afterwards.
But when they left we were totally wiped out. We are just not used to company anymore! And the animals were VERY glad they were gone, especially the cat.
Still I am thankful that they came. It's nice to have our son near-by, yet no longer under our roof, and for him to have a potential family. It's early days yet, but I have hopes...