Le menu.

If you're not interested in recipe/menu breakdowns, you probably aren't going to be interested in any of this. But I'd like to remember so here goes! 


The breakdown from yesterday's smorgasbord: 

Appetizers - I made a baked brie {no real recipe} with a bit of pepper jelly and toasted almonds wrapped in the puff pasty with the brie, Mikey made sausage and goat cheese stuffed cremini mushrooms {yum!!}, and some friends brought over an AMAZING cranberry/jalapeño/cilantro/bit-o-sugar relish that goes over cream cheese {eaten with crackers}. I ended up putting that cranberry stuff all over everything and loving it.

Turkey - brined and roasted using Pioneer Woman's brining recipe and The Joy of Cooking for all other bird-related quandaries. It was good. I worried it would be a salty turkey because it was a kosher bird {for no real reason} which came in a salt solution and I stuck it in a brine Wednesday before thinking about the saltiness but it was perfect. The dark meat didn't come out too well but the white meat was moist and delicious.

Stuffing - Mikey did it! He found a recipe and took care of this part of dinner; thanks sweetie!! It was yummy and he added in sausage which was a great touch.

Mashed potatoes - Pioneer Woman, again. Mostly because I was looking at her brine recipe and then her taters sounded/looked too good to not try. They were delicious but I don't think I re-warmed them enough so they were a bit stiff but still tasty.

Sweet potatoes - I made the chard I do every once and a while and some guests brought a delicious sweet sweet potato casserole {sweet versus my savory dish}; mine was good, as it usually is, but I was loving on the sweet option last night.

Gravy - I used the turkey drippings and a Joy of Cooking recipe. It was my first go at gravy and everyone seemed pleased enough.

Green bean casserole - friends brought this and it might have been the first I ever tried? It was so good!

Rolls - Trader Joe's.

Dessert - I made pumpkin cheesecake {SO good as usual but I was PEEVED when the water bath {this is a one-a-year type of recipe and I made it Wednesday to help Thursday be more relaxed} leaked through the foil into the springform pan but the crust was still crunchy {& everyone knows that cheesecake crust is the best part}. Our friends brought a pecan pie they made {to appease my man; it's his favorite} and a pumpkin pie. I made whipped cream to top it all. 


We had a wonderful day, full of thanks for friends and relatives, even though we weren't able to be with our families. It's fun to think about how this was our last Thanksgiving as a two-some {three-some if we count Guinness. Which we do}.
xoxo, natty ♥