Wednesday, November 25, 2009

thanksgiving menu

Appetizers
Olives
Cheese plate
Crackers (Mom)
Chips, salsa and cheese dip
Smoked salmon and anchovy wrapped olives
Spanakopita
Pistachios (Mom)
Grilled kielbasa (Ben)
Popcorn (the last of my homegrown crop)

Bread basket
Pumpkin bread (homegrown Baby Pam pumpkin)
Anadama bread
White bread
Rye bread
Black bread

First Course

Pumpkin soup (homegrown Jarrahdale served in the pumpkin shell)
Champagne (Dad)

Main course
Smoked turkey with herb rub
Cornbread stuffing with sausage, homegrown celeriac and apples
Gravy with giblets
Mashed potatoes (homegrown potatoes)
Baked butternut squash and sweet potato puree (homegrown squash)
Sautéed fall greens with bacon
Grilled parsnips and multicolor baby carrots (homegrown)
Fresh fall greens with cranberries, pecans and Gorgonzola
Cranberry sauce

Dessert
Apple pie (Mom)
Pecan pie (Mom)
Cranberry cake with hard sauce (Ben)
Pumpkin pie (Ben)
Vanilla ice cream

T minus 1 and the menu is ready. My brother Ben and parents will bring many of the dishes. I did my shopping yesterday. We're on schedule for T-day....

Today we begin food prep - starting in the garden. I'll harvest greens and parsnips. Wonderful fall weather for greens. They are perfect. This weekend will get chilly, so its perfect timing for a feast. I feel like a pilgrim.

All of the Thanksgiving vegetables will be homegrown from my garden. (Exceptions, I bought a couple of leeks and some cilantro for the pumpkin soup. Also a few sweet potatoes to add to the squash puree.) The garden produce will include: popcorn, pumpkins, potatoes, butternut squash, spinach, red Romaine, Boston lettuce, arugula, escarole, bok choy, kale, garlic, onions, carrots, parsnips and celeriac.

Its a long menu for the 10 of us. But hard to predict how much 3 (BIG) teenage boys will eat. And leftovers are half the point of Thanksgiving. (Gluttony is the other half.)

I like to do a big feast at Thanksgiving. And this year, we certainly have lots to celebrate. It has been a bountiful year. The land has been good to us. We will reflect, toast, taste, eat and be thankful. Together.

Cheers!

9 comments:

Matron said...

That looks like quite a feast! Is there a Greek connection there somewhere? Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Marian(LondonUK) said...

My goodness you will all be stuffed to the seams! My husband says it sounds great as lovely fresh bread and lots of pie are on the menu and they are his favourites.
Happy Thanksgiving, good wishes and enjoy your time together.
Marian (London UK)

Anonymous said...

woah, that's a lot of food. I predict snoozing on the sofa after all that lot! Have a great celebration. Nic x

Karen Anne said...

Cranberry cake with hard sauce? Is that like a UK pudding?

Anonymous said...

Wow do you have room for three more? :) We have our menu ready as well, going shopping today but it is MUCH smaller then yours being there are only three of us! Have a wonderful day with your family, enjoy all of your fresh veggies!

Fred said...

That menu sounds delicious! Nice to see all the homegrown produce you will be supplying.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fig said...

I was thinking the same thing about the "pilgrim"...that is so great! Your menu sounds delicious...I would feel so proud if I grew that much of our feast. Good for you!

kathy said...

No Greek connection. I think this menu covers lots of food cultures. We do like the olives and cheeses for appetizers. The spanakopita is a frozen one that looks great. I may have to learn to make this with my garden spinach.

I don't know if the cranberry dessert my sister-in-law makes is like a UK pudding. Maybe. I'll ask her. Its usually the best dish of the whole meal. A very sweet rich moist "cake" that you scoop out with a big spoon.

Garden Dreamer said...

Happy Thanksgiving! I agree that the land has been good to us even though summer was very wet. A lot to be thankful for. God bless.