Our Simple Thanksgiving Menu

This year will be different than last year. We are on our own along with my Mom and Step-dad, who will be driving a little over an hour to visit with us. I'm keeping the Thanksgiving menu simple while adopting a couple of the favorites from our more elaborate feast of last year. Last year, my sister-in-law put our fabulous menu together and we had fun cooking together for our family plus four out-of-state family members. We ran out of oven space we cooked so many dishes so we called our next door neighbors who were away visiting family and they allowed us to use their oven. It was fun going back and forth with our oven mits. But, this year I will be the only cook so I've scaled it down.

Brined Roasted Turkey
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html
My son went to the store with me to pick our turkey this year. He picked a 20-pounder -- I'm hoping to freeze some cooked turkey meat for many many turkey dishes to come.)

Gravy
I am no gravy expert. I'm going to try to do this by whisking the scraps from the roasting pan with flour and chicken broth as it should be done.

Cranberry Pear Chutney
http://www.marthastewart.com/cranberry-pear-chutney?lnc=369ad9e51c2ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=photogallery_thanksgiving_holiday_thanksgiving_p5
Last year we added some candied ginger to this recipe and it was delicious.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
I just roast a head of garlic at 400 for about 40 min. and squeeze the cloves into our mashed potatoes. I'm just going to throw the other ingredients in as I usually do: butter, salt & pepper, cream cheese and milk.

Corn: just straight up frozen stuff.

Stuffing: just plain with sauteed celery, onion, mushrooms and seasonings. Nothing fancy.

Apple Pie
This is in the freezer just waiting to be baked.

Pumpkin Roll: the first one I have ever made. Can't wait to eat it.
Pumpkin Pie
I asked my mother to bring this and dinner rolls.

Apple Cider

What more do we need really? I am hoping to have time to make some more of those browned buttered frosted pumpkin cookies. We decided against a salad because it seems unnecessary with all the other food and our holiday being just a few of us. No one eating with us likes sweet potatoes or squash. So hopefully the turkey will be the showcase.

I'm also looking forward to reading our Gratitude Jar. This is the first year that I remembered that I wanted our family to do a Gratitude Jar. The day after Halloween I put a lidded jar on our dining room table and each day (that I remembered) I asked the kids to think of something that they are grateful for, however small or however big. I wrote what they thought of on a piece of paper with their name and we will read them all before our dinner prayers on Thanksgiving. Mom, if you are reading this it would be nice if you and Dad thought of some to share on your drive up. I hope to make our Gratitude Jar and annual tradition.