Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you’re enjoying a day of family, friends, giving thanks, and traditions both old and new. We’re hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year and getting everything ready for the big day. The turkey is in the midst of a dry brine as I write this, the Thanksgiving meal spreadsheet (yes, say it “nerd-alert”) has been reviewed, and all assignments given out, the grocery shopping is done, cloth napkins sewn, and the Thanksgiving table-cloth is pressed.
Happy Thanksgiving
This is last year’s Thanksgiving at my in-laws home on Cape Hatteras, along the Outerbanks in North Carolina. That’s my husband and kids doing a little clamming in the sound. Yes, my children know the true meaning of slow food.
They had to catch the clams that were to be used in the stuffing.
What’s Thanksgiving without a little football on the beach with your cousins?
And, in keeping with my Dad’s tradition of always grilling the turkey on the Weber charcoal grill outside, this is what we’ll have to look forward to for our meal.
Rain is in the forecast here in Portland (hey, it wouldn’t be November without rain, now would it?) the market umbrella that just got stored in the garage for the season will be coming back out. My poor husband and his darn honey-do list. That list just never stops, does it? Another picture from last Thanksgiving at the beach.
We’ll be getting our Christmas tree on Friday so you won’t catch me doing any shopping. I’ll be eating leftovers, reading a book and gazing at a beautifully decorated home and tree. This is all code for: no cooking, holding my book, pretending to read but my eyes will be closed (and I’ll most likely be drooling once I sit down and stop moving), and listening to my family ask when can we be done with Thanksgiving and decorate for Christmas?
Thank you for reading Go Gingham! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. May you enjoy your family, friends, and time together sharing a meal and giving thanks.
How are you spending this day? Are you cooking at home or traveling some place special?
Go Gingham related links:
Spicy, homemade hummus that you make from dried beans
Shrimp and quinoa salad – a summer favorite
How to roast red peppers or food you’re supposed to burn
How to roast tomatoes freshly picked from the garden – so good!
Homemade granola – easy – made with molasses
Roasted garlic spread that’s another great dip or spread
New to cooking at home? Fear not!
Go Gingham 
Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am enjoying the wonderful aroma of a turkey baking in the oven.
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Lisa! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well. Hope you enjoyed the holiday!
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Sara – if your family laughs at your spreadsheet, they’d go bananas if they saw my system!
I have a small (1 inch or less) binder. In it are 4 tabs: Menu, Shopping List, To Do, and Recipes.
I list out my menu, everything I need to purchase, when to get things done, and all of the recipes I’m going to use.
My to do list starts several days early with preliminary tasks (put turkey in fridge to thaw, finish grocery shopping), when to cook what, etc. I use recipes from multiple cookbooks and sources, and it’s easier to print them all out and put them in the notebook (in the order to prepare them). I check things off as I go, and this year, we even put prices on the shopping list so that next year, I’ll know what my costs were for dinner.
Then, after the holiday, I’ll take everything out of the small binder, and put them in my big “kirchner recipe” binder. Last year for Christmas, Roger got a really big binder; gathered up all of the recipes I had printed out, torn out of magazines, newspapers, etc; divided them by category; created tabs; and put them in there for me. I’ll put the thanksgiving stuff behind another tab labeled “thanksgiving 2011,” and will have that as a reference for future (and if someone wants the recipe for the beer cheese spread, I know exactly which one I used!)
Enjoy the weekend and the upcoming holidays.
Cathy K
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Well, now that I know where to direct my family when they start to tease me! That’s an impressive program and I’m sure helps keep you really organized. Well done!
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