Newbie in the Kitchen Thanksgiving
Well…I’ve been meaning to brag about the cooking I did on/around Thanksgiving but my crankiness and bitchiness has gotten in the way. So, let’s try it today!
Since I had family visiting in the days surrounding our Thanksgiving, I made several things in four days.
The Non-Thanksgiving Dishes I Made Over Four Days Around Thanksgiving
- White Chicken Chili (recipe on the back of the Northern Beans can)
- PDub’s Pinto Beans and Cornbread (I make sweet cornbread from the box though because I love it so much I can’t part with it.)
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (for the Iron Bowl)
- PDub’s Chicken Salad (a huge hit!)
- Mihow’s Pumpkin muffins (the non-healthy variety)
- Super-Moist Pumpkin Bread in a Bundt pan (I bought a Bundt pan!) that sat out in a cake dish all week for people to snack on. GREAT IDEA.
- NikkiZ whipped together this pumpkin dip which was yummy but it made SO MUCH we ended up throwing a lot of it away after several days.
All of this was done just to have foods for snacks, breakfasts, lunches and non-Thanksgiving dinner. I cooked three WHOLE chickens. I used my stockpot more over those four days than I had in the 5 years prior to me getting laid off. And I’m not exaggerating on that one. Now…for the Thanksgiving meal. PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE AWESOMENESS.
Thanksgiving Cooking I Did This Year
- I brined my Turkey! Just like Pioneer Woman told me to.
- I made Whoorl’s pumpkin brownies as a dessert. Wanted to do something other than pie for a change.
- Homemade and delicious mashed potatoes
- PDub’s truly amazing sweet potatoes
- Green Been Casserole (Your basic on the back of the French’s onions can)
- Broccoli/Cheese/Rice Casserole (Not at all healthy but one of my faves)
- My own personal dressing I do every year which is not at all exciting but everyone loves it. I just basically cook the dressing like the bags tell me, mix it with sliced black olives and cooked ground spicy sausage, put it in a casserole dish, pour some chicken broth over it to keep it moist, and “bake” it for 30 minutes on 350.
- I roasted my turkey in my roaster (keeps my oven free).
- Velveeta Shells and Cheese! My kids’ favorite so a necessity at dinner.
I did all of that: MYSELF. I just bought my potato masher a few weeks ago and between Thanksgiving and the homemade applesauce I made two days ago – I’ve totally justified the purchase. I cheated with three things on Thanksgiving. I did the cranberry gel in the can and the gravy out of the jar. I did these two things because I LOVE THEM. I am not a fan of homemade turkey gravy and Hormel makes some jar stuff that I fell in love with several years ago. It makes my life easier and it’s yummy! And the cranberries? I love them – only out of the can. And the third thing? I bought rolls ready to serve in a bag. Because I only have ONE oven and I was going to be cooking/warming SIX casserole dishes in it pre-dinner. I had no room for rolls and the ones I bought? SO GOOD.
I forgot to take pictures of the full spread of food – I think I was so hungry I couldn’t think straight. But, I did take a few about 30 minutes before it was all done!
I cooked successfully for 11 people that night. Everything was almost warm on time. I did get a few bites of cold potatoes (I made those the night before) but no one else mentioned them. This means I cook for very forgiving people! MrZ about died over the sweet potatoes and everyone loved the Turkey. I tried to carved it myself but I doubt I’ll try that again. My brother had to hold the legs to keep it from flopping around (that would have been a good picture) and my slices were ugly. So, the presentation looked awful but it tasted SO AMAZING. I will always brine for ever and ever, Amen! All in all it was my best Thankgsiving meal and I made no glaring Newbie in the Kitchen mistakes (that I can think of) so I say: Mission Accomplished!
Mission *Definitely* Accomplished. Your Thanksgiving spread sounds delicious.
Also, please allow me a moment (or two) to squee at the poster up over your computer: SQUEEE!
Good job!! I am so proud of you and just a little bit jealous!!
Congratulations! Next try brining and grilling a pork loin or some pork chops. Totally delicious, especially if you use apple cider/juice instead of water in the brine.
Chris’ recipes from Notes from the Trenches I usually halve or quarter. They usually make too much food. I think because she comes from having 7 kids! So the fact you through out the pumpkin dip doesn’t surprise me. I learned because one time I made her burritos and I should have froze half of it but it spoiled before I thought to do it. Your menus look great!
Great Job!!! I wish I was brave enough to cook….instead, I had my husband cook it. It was really good too.
ROLL TIDE!
hello gorgeous plates and trivets…who cares about the food? the presentation is delightful!
Yum! Even just reading about all that food is making me feel hungry!
Go you with the awesome-ness! My OH keeps trying to convince me to cook Christmas dinner but I keep refusing I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with it and get it right lol.
Awesome! Look at you cook and stuff!
And can I just say – PDub’s sweet potatoes were DIVINE! I would have been happy eating that as dessert AND as a side dish because they were so good!
Well done you. Sounds like a mammoth amount of cooking but well worth it