Today is what I call, D Day! It is the absolute last day to go shopping for the items you need for Thanksgiving dinner. After today, you begin to run into issues like stores running out of turkeys, all the smoked meat is sold out that you need for your greens and green beans, you have trouble finding spices and speciality items you need to prepare your desserts and side items. The green Jello you need for the Waldorf Salad is now where to be found! I better get some!
If you have already done your shopping your in great shape, but I encourage you to make a list of what your are preparing and visualize your dinner on the table to make sure you have everything you need. So if I may, I want to visualize everything I am responsible for at my house. I have three daughters, two step-sons, ten grand-children, my mom (my mother-in-law lives out of town), some cousins and some friends that wanted to know if I'm hosting dinner and all I said was that I was cooking and feel free to come by; while my husband said, "no, we are not hosting dinner, that's what he said to the children/adults."
Whole Turkey and Turkey Breast (keeping in mind that I'm brining the whole turkey and preparing the breast in a more traditional manor), "check", sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pies and sweet potato dinner rolls, "check", mustard and turnip greens, "check", fresh green beans, "check", broccoli, "check", cauliflower,"check", good white potato for mashed potatoes, "check", homemade corn bread for cornbread stuffing (don't for get lots of celery, onion, poultry seasoning, sage, parsley,salt and pepper, chicken stock and some oil), "check", pecans for pecan pie, "check", butter and buttermilk for Buttermilk Pie and Jam Cake (black walnuts, apples, blackberry jam, check spices), "check", Grits for Spoon Bread, "check", mac and cheese for the mac and cheese, "check". I almost forgot, the Pumpkin Spice Cake with an Orange Glaze and Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies for the kids and Xavier, my five-year-old grand-son ask for Pumpkin Pie, I may make one since I am preparing some for some of my clients.
Don't forget the drinks for the kids and lots of ice and ice tea and I always prepare a holiday spice punch and coffee to go with desserts. I do allow some help with dinner but not much, my mom makes the best Southern Pound Cake so she will bring that and her famous corn pudding that everyone looks forward to, everything else is mine since I am so opinionated, that's what I get. Happy Thanksgiving!
