Happy Organized, Relaxed, Fun Thanksgiving!

I can't believe it's been July since I've last posted to this blog! It has been a busy and exciting fall for our family, hopefully yours too!

My mind has been buzzing with new blog ideas, it's just been a challenge to find time to sit down and share them. We just recently returned from a trip cross country and now that we are back and settled into daily life again I hope I'll have more time to write.


I wanted to share my shopping list with you for Thanksgiving. I typed my list this year so that I can keep it from year to year as a place to start. I play a game every year, and wonder what necessary item I've forgotten. One year it was eggs, another year it was trash bags and another time it was paper towels. So, I'm happy to share my Master shopping list, just in case you are doing some last minute shopping or all your shopping today.

Each year I get more organized and purposeful about the holidays, but I never seem to remember everything in one shopping trip!


We are celebrating Thanksgiving today, since tomorrow we will be volunteering at our local homeless shelter. So, I'm off to hit the treadmill this morning then spend the afternoon cooking. We decided to dress-up as Pilgrims and Indians this year (well we all decided to be Indians!) so I have few final adjustments to my costume. It's been great family fun making our costumes and preparing for our dress up dinner. I would much rather our children remember Thanksgivings filled with adventure and giving rather than big fancy dinners on fine china!

Hope you and your family have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving this year.

Thanksgiving Shopping List
(Basic list of things not to forget)

Brine
Sugar

Coarse salt- Box of Kosher in Baking supplies cabinet (buy if needed)
Bay Leaves- buy fresh every Thanksgiving
Whole black peppercorns
Garlic – 6 cloves
2 Onions /plus 2 packs of Cipolline Onions for garnish
1 bunch of fresh Thyme (have never used it- but called for in recipe)
Cheese Cloth

Turkey Gravy -Boston market rated best for flavor in Consumer Reports/ always get it to have as a back up.

Turkey

Evans and Bell from Fresh Market (free range 2.49 lb)- per some recommendation keep bird around 16 pounds to keep it from drying out while cooking. Order 1-2nd week in Nov. Pick up Sunday before Thanksgiving- brine 24 hours ahead allowing 2 hours to rest before cooking and another 30 minutes to rest before carving and serving. Allow 30 minutes to carve unless carving on table.

Stuffing
Peppridge Farms / celery, onion

Pumpkin Pie
Graham crusts and pumpkin pie mix / or pure pack pumpkin
Evaporated Skim milk
Whip Cream/ cool whip

Cranberry Relish
Fresh market’s is too good to miss!

Canned Cranberry for kids to make cut outs

Green Bean Casserole (David’s Request)

Hanover Canned Green Beans
Cream of Mushroom Soup (low Sodium)
French fried onions
Fresh/ jar of mushrooms

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 cans of sweet potatoes
Pecans for topping
Brown sugar


Regular Grocery Items (Especially if having a house full)

Milk/ OJ (need milk for many recipes plus drinking)
Eggs (pumpkin pie and sweet potato casserole and brownies)
Butter 2 – 1 lb baking packs and Promise tubs
Bacon
Yeast Rolls- Sister Shubert’s
Ham and Cheese/ slices and specialty cheeses for cheese tray


Misc and Paper Products

Trash Bags
Paper Towels
Paper plates/ napkins/ cups/ plastic silverware (found silver plastic at CVS in Christiansburg)
Ziploc Big Bags for brining
Ziploc gallon and quart size
Fire Logs
Bleach for spray bottle clean up

One idea I'd like to try in the future is to see if I can substitute honey in my pumpkin pie for sugar. In the past I've tried using both natural sugar and sucanat with honey but I've found the size of the granule is an issue with the texture. The larger granules don't melt into the custard and leaves the pie grainy. This is the one recipe that I continue to use white sugar for, so I'm hoping I can experiment a little with honey. If you try it let me know how it works out. Nurtitionally I think it would be well worth the effort!