Thanksgiving 2008

We had a nice, quiet Thanksgiving this year, which is exactly what I needed. While I did have to so all the cooking myself, it was nice that we didn't have to go anywhere or entertain anyone. Between the pregnancy and my new job, I feel like I have been burning the candle at both ends for weeks. So it was good to have a little space to recharge.

Because Riley still naps, we planned to have our feast as an early dinner rather than a mid-day meal. So I didn't have to start cooking until noon. Which meant that I spent the morning in my pajamas, drinking decaf and eating scali bread toast (Thank you Mom!).

But I probably should have started sooner, because our turkey cooked faster than expected. I was scrambling at the end to get everything ready. Here is a picture of our Thanksgiving table:
It was a pretty low key feast. I got a pre-brined turkey 12lb from Trader Joe's. (Actually, I got everything at Trader Joe's this year, except Bryan's canned cranberry sauce. They don't carry anything of that...caliber.) And I made mashed potatoes and stuffing and maple-glazed carrots from a recipe in a magazine. The carrots were delicous. I may make them again at Christmas.

For desert we had apple pie and whipped cream. I was very proud of myself because I seem to have fianlly cracked the secrets to making pie crust. Actually, I think all I needed was a good recipe, which I got from Serious Eats. Since we have a ton of turkey left, I'll be making more pie crusts this weekend as I whip up turkey pot pies for the freezer.

But as I continue cooking this weekend, I doubt I will inflict the damage on the kitchen that I did on Thanksgiving. I think by the end, I used every sauce pot that we own, including one that belongs to Bryan's mother and should have been returned a couple of years ago.
After Bryan finished the clean-up, he slept on the couch for more than half an hour. Even more astonishing than Bryan taking a nap is that he managed to sleep while the kids were crawling all over him. But I wasn't much better at staying awake. When Bryan went upstairs to put Megan to bed at 7:30, I lay down on the couch to rest my eyes. And that was it for the night.

But it was a good day and I am thankful that we were able to spend it together.