We did not take time on Thanksgiving for a photo, so here is an Associated Press photo of someone else's turkey.
Last year I told you in a blog that the Thanksgiving dinner torch was passed to my husband, Steve, and I. It was time for the next generation to take a turn hosting the big event.
A couple of months ago I made inquiries as to whether anyone in my family really remembered this.
They did.
My sister even pointed out that the blog had made it into the newspaper, so I was contractually obligated in print.
Since feigning a memory lapse was not an option, we began stockpiling recipes – both traditional and untried.
When all the dust had settled on this unseasonably warm Thanksgiving Day, the reviews were good, there were no longterm injuries and we didn’t even need the back-up turkey breast.
I decided to jot down a few notes on lessons learned...
1. Appetizers may seem unnecessary since the meal is so excessive, but a few tastes of something here or there can keep the crowd satisfied, especially when you are shooting for a 2 p.m. dinner and you don’t sit down to eat until 3:00-ish. We made a make-ahead butternut squash and leek soup topped with a shallot and sherry compound butter and served it in small tasting bowls so it was not too filling. This recipe was a keeper and you can make it two weeks ahead and freeze it.
2. You really cannot have enough make-ahead dishes. Next time, we will have more. One of my favorite things that Steve made was the make-ahead gravy. He used a recipe that called for roasted six turkey drumsticks and then, two nights before Thanksgiving, cooked the drumsticks down on the stovetop with vegetables, broth, wine and herbs. It was smooth as silk and very flavorful.
3. It pays to delegate. My husband is still learning this lesson. While he did ask for family members to bring a few dishes, he didn’t ask for enough help. He eventually asked for some help in the kitchen right before dinner, but I am pretty sure that was the exhaustion talking.
4. Don’t forget the rolls. Steve made these beautiful, make-ahead rolls with browned, buttery tops and fluffy, yeasty insides from a recipe in Cook's Country magazine. You wrap these oversized rolls tightly and freeze them. Then, in theory, cook them just in time for dinner. We forgot about our beautiful rolls until we were sitting down to dinner. The kitchen timer sounded about the same time as our guests were throwing in the towel, but they dutifully shared the rolls as good guests do.
5. Don’t be in a hurry. That’s what causes stress. Luckily, all of my family gets together for holidays and we do not have to run from home to home on a tight schedule. That also puts unnecessary stress on the cook. We always shoot for eating at a certain time, but expect to eat later.
6. Check the ice maker/fill the ice trays. For some reason mine decided to stop working just before we need to fill the water glasses on the table. Luckily, our back-up ice trays were full. And, can we all agree, that it should always be less than 65 degree on Thanksgiving? I mean, the hot weather this year really messed with the tradition of storing some foods on the workbench in the garage. Sometimes having two refrigerators is more important than having two ovens.
7. You can never plan ahead enough. This is my husband’s contribution to the debrief. It’s a good point. I guess that means we should start planning now. I wonder if it can wait until I am done putting up the Christmas tree?
