Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Prep

I’m not sure where I got hooked on the Thanksgiving Dinner Menu idea but boy, did I get hooked. I have a rather large file of tear sheets of nothing but Thanksgiving menus and recipes. I remember Thanksgiving was the first big family meal that I fixed by myself. I was probably 15 or 16. I just cooked what my Mom and Dad told me but it was very first turkey. I was exhausted and not really hungry by the time we all sat down but I was hooked. Okay, a confession: I don’t really like turkey. I eat the dark meat but the white. I refuse to make gravy because I don’t like gravy. I always made someone else make it if they wanted it. (I got this from my Dad – he had the same policy with the roast beef at Sunday dinner.)

I do so love the side dishes – the variety of dressings, the plenty of green vegetables, any carrot or squash is good, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, fresh butter, relish trays of olives, black & green, pickles, celery & carrot sticks, maybe some pickled beets, spiced peaches, and cranberry salad but more about this later. Then there is dessert. Any kind of pie and cheesecake – I’ve got a recipe for all of them and have made most of them at one time or another. I’ll take a pie over cake any day of the week and a cheesecake over a pie sooner. Appetizers – shrimp cocktail, cheese & crackers, chips and dips, , anything on a stick or Chex Mix anyone?

Yeah, this is one holiday that I’ll go all out for in terms of food. Now about those table favors. Anyone?