Cooking with Sarah: My Favorite Holiday

Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday.  This is because I love to cook.  I also love to host.  Third, I love to challenge myself in the kitchen.  I'm definitely not the type of person who cooks the same Turkey Day dinner year in and year out. 

Four years ago, we hosted 20+ people and had to cook 2 turkeys.  The Hubster had the brilliant idea of grilling one of the turkeys since we lacked two stoves and IT. WAS. AWESOME!!

And then there was Turkey Day two years ago.  A much smaller crowd this time and we had a theme:  everything in pie form.  Turkey Pot Pie, Shepherd's Pie, the normal sweet potato & green bean casseroles with pie crusts.  It was brilliant and it was intense on the gut.  There really is only so much buttery pie crust a human being can consume in one meal.  However, that was also the Thanksgiving we discovered that Sadie LOVES little kids, so long as they provide her with an endless supply of Cheerios.  One of my favorite Sadie memories is little Sully walking Sadie all around the living room. She was so patient and calm and I was so very proud of her. 

This year, one of our good friends is visiting us for the Holiday and I knew I had to make it special.  Enter Bacon Turkey.  Originally, our concept was that everything would include bacon.  That would've been even more awesome than the Pie T-day but, alas, we've got vegetarian friends and I'm not going there with fakin' bacon. 

Photo from recipe posted at dallasnews.com

And because I am the ultimate planner, I do have a Turkey Day spreadsheet & binder.   The cover page of said binder is what is pictured above.  Yes, all of the recipes are printed and there is a cooking schedule.  I need my head examined.  For reals.

Here is our Thanksgiving menu in all of its glory:

Appetizers:

Mushroom & Walnut Plate

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Dinner:

Bacon-Roasted Turkey & Pan Gravy

Garlic Mashed Taters

Sausage, Apple & Cranberry Stuffing

Roasted Green Beans & Almond Brittle

Pumpkin Ale Mac N Cheese

Dinner Rolls

Corn Bread

Holiday Soup & Salad

Shredded Brussel Sprouts w/ Maple Hickory Nuts

Dessert:

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Canollis

I hope your Thanksgiving is as delicious as ours will be!  And for the record, we are still apprehensive about Hurley and the Turkey.  It's a good thing I've been working on "Out" with him.  And "Off".  And "Leave It".  And "Go Lay Down".  Yup, we will be using all of those in healthy doses this week!