I started preparing for the Thanksgiving Day meal more than a week before Thanksgiving. I created the menu, and started picking up things at the store so that I had plenty of time to make sure I had everything I needed.
In the past, I had to send my husband to the store on Thanksgiving day to pick up butter or eggs, or something that I just didn’t realize I was low in. This year it was my goal to be better prepared.
I made a list of what I needed to do every day starting last weekend. The weekend consisted of mostly cleaning, doing laundry, and making sure that the guest accommodations were ready. Each weekday, I prepared at least one dish.
This year, my nephew and his wife came to spend Thanksgiving with us. He is both gluten and lactose intolerant, so I prepared some things that I never had before. Everything was made from scratch, and was gluten and dairy free.
I have my favorite gluten free flour mixes that I have been using for a while, so it was natural to make the dressing and the pie crust gluten free. Where milk was called for, I used cashew milk instead of dairy milk. The pumpkin pie was not quite the texture that it usually is, but it was still tasty; I usually use goat’s milk for that. The blackberry cobbler came out beautifully.
My cranberry sauce came out really nice. I just love cranberry sauce; I could eat it year-round! I have a great recipe that takes no time to make. We had all the usual fixings plus a few extras.
I like to put out a snack tray in the morning just because no one wants to eat very much before the early afternoon feast. Fresh carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower with a homemade tahini dip and a fresh basil dip were put on the table along with black and green grapes, and some iced ginger and honey green tea. It was enough to keep us all going.
It was our biggest meal we ever prepared. Besides my nephew and his new wife, my daughter and her boyfriend came, and my stepson and his wife rounded out our number of guests at 9. We had to bring in an extra table to get everyone a place to sit. People were elbow to elbow, and food was on tray tables next to the main table.
My husband smoked a smoked a turkey and two legs of lamb. I was grateful to have the help of my daughter in law preparing the side dishes. We made green bean casserole, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and dinner rolls.
The only thing that didn’t meet my expectations was the whipped cream made with coconut cream; it just would not whip. It’s a good thing that I also had vanilla ice cream for those who wanted it.
After the meal, everyone watched football. By the time the Dallas Cowboys won the game, it was time for dessert. It was the perfect ending to a fabulous day spent with family.
Friday, a friend of my stepson came over and the five of us went down to the river fishing. The day had started out a little rainy and cold but cleared off and warmed to another gorgeous day. Everyone hooked a catfish, but only one was landed; the rest got away. We ended up letting it go, too.
Saturday, we were all alone again; all our guests had left by Friday evening. It was a very lazy day. My husband and I were still basking in the glow of two perfect days. We just relaxed and reminisced.
Today, I had a bit of trouble motivating myself, but a few chores were accomplished. The next couple of weeks will be busy at my day job, but I am grateful for a few days to rest and really unwind. No regrets here.
I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful, too. If you had to work, I thank you for doing your part to keep this country running. I have so much to be thankful for. We really put on a feast but that was not the best part of the day. To have my family all come together telling stories, and laughing is what I am most thankful for. It is what I will remember for years to come, and it is a legacy that I want my future family to have.
Thank you to all of you who take the time to check out what’s going on in my life. I hope I can be an inspiration to you wherever you need it. May next week be a good week for you.
Psalms 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
