a la carte

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Those of you who know me through this blog or otherwise (actually in person! shocking....) know that I looooovvveeee holidays.

In an effort to make the most of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I've already started planning the menu and thought briefly about the decorations I'd like to use and some possible activities for the kids on that day.  We generally have just 5 of us for Thanksgiving... me, Kevin, my mom, Clark and Claire... and that's just the way I like it usually when I'm 'at home' here in South Asia.  However, when we're traveling and celebrating at other people's homes.. the more the better. Someday I'd love to join in the Grey Thanksgiving in Portland...I hear it's a great time!  

Here are some of the things I'm thinking to include on the Thanksgiving menu this year:

Chicken... (not turkey)... this is the one thing I'm not yet sure what we're going to do.  Roasting whole chickens is less than joyous since the chickens available here are usually not more than 3 pounds each.  That doesn't produce much meat.  Perhaps just boneless skinless breasts grilled or baked in something... We'll see what I come up with.  Whatever I serve, I want leftovers of chicken this year to have sandwiches on the homemade bread rolls I plan to make.  Don't know why I have such a craving for those this year!

Stuffing.  Even though we're not going to have anything to stuff, I still must have stuffing.  I'm going to do a Wheat Bread / Corn Bread mix with apples, bacon and walnuts. 

Mushroom Soup.  Mmmm Soup.  What could be better.  And for some reason I have it in my head that this year we must have a starter soup course.  Apparently I've been watching too many episodes of Top Chef.  I'm going to make it from scratch and I'm going to probably incorporate hazelnuts into it somehow if I can find hazelnuts.  I'm making a sample batch today to see if I can actually pull it off. 

Brussels Sprouts.  Yes, those are my mom's favorite, so we're putting them on the platter this year.  I think I'm going to put onions, cranberries and almonds in them and saute or bake them in chicken stock.  Sound pretty amazing I think.

Green Beans.  With almonds.  And maybe something else.  I think there's a good recipe in a Real Simple magazine I have.  No mushroom soup or fried onions, though.  I've done that in the past and it never turns out the way I want it.

Carrots.  Possibly roasted or boiled in maple syrup.  Would love to find some sugar free maple syrup.  Then it'd be less like eating candy in a vegetable.

Potatoes... Sweet? Mashed? I don't know yet. 

Apple Pie... or Apple Pear Galette... or Apple Tart.  (I need a tart pan, by the way... must have one soon... )  I'm thinking whatever I make to make it small so we can eat more.

Pumpkin Pie.  Must have pumpkin pie.  I love pumpkin pie and could eat an entire pie in one sitting.  Therefore, as with the apple dessert, I'm thinking to make a smaller version so we can have what we want without gaining 100 pounds all in one meal.

Appetizers... we love to have cheese, sausage, crackers and pickles to snack on while the meal cooks.  However, all of us are trying not to eat quite as much, so I'm thinking of putting this cheese course on the table as part of the meal rather than as the pre-meal meal. 

Other. Well, there must be other holiday treats!  Pumpkin muffins for breakfast (or maybe pumpkin scones or pancakes...) Holiday sugar cookies with my new flooded frosting... egg nog or egg nog ice cream... homemade rolls... lot of coffee... fresh fruit...

I can't wait.  

I'm all about the food.  Hopefully I'll be satisfied with just a few bites of everything :)

~lk

Comments

The SC Elwarts said…
I didn't see chocolate milk on the list....... :)
12:54 PM
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