Thanksgivings Day - Feast Preparation

I did my grocery shopping today. With the turkey that my husband got at work, I now have everything I need for the upcoming feast.

Tonight, besides working on this blog, I made some "Basic Beans", rice, and cornbread. Beans, because I felt that some simple food would be appropriate before the feast. Rice, because I almost always have rice with my beans. Cornbread because I need the leftovers for my stuffing. See, it all works out.

For the cornbread, I used the recipe in "The Joy of Cooking" - the 1970's edition. I found my copy in a thrift store many years ago. Someone had written "Not" all over the inside cover. It cost me $3.00. I did not mind that person's negative commentary - I was delighted to find a copy of the cookbook! It was in otherwise great condition. I use it whenever I want a classic recipe or want to know something about an ingredient or technique. It is a valuable resource and I would not willingly part with it.

Tomorrow, I will make my apple pie. Yes, I decided on apple this year. Since there are only two of us this year, we only need one pie. When, I am cooking for more people, I usually make 2 pies. Almost always, one of them is pumpkin. I love pumpkin, but my sweetie does not so much.

I will also do my prep tomorrow. I'll give the kitchen a good cleaning (ugh), chop my veggies, and make my orange-cranberry sauce. We will eat leftovers from the fridge or freezer tomorrow to make room for more leftovers. Eating leftovers will also cut down on my workload. That way, I can relax a little on feast day. I don't want to be stressed out - I want to enjoy some time with my sweetie! A Feast Day should be fun, not a burden.

This year, my menu is somewhat simpler than usual. I am foregoing the sweet potatoes - I'll probably make them next week, though. I always cook sweet potatoes and butternut squash in the fall and winter. So, here then is my simplified menu:

Turkey and Gravy
Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon
Cauliflower and Broccoli with Cheese Casserole
Orange-Cranberry Sauce
Apple Pie


Here's hoping your Thanksgiving Feast Day is a happy one!