our thanksgiving dinner

I hope everyone had a great and blessed Thanksgiving!
It was only the two of us this year....usually we are surrounded by family and friends.  My family alone is over 30 so Thanksgiving gets big, fast.  But this year, we decided to keep it simple, both in numbers and in content.  Mike wanted a "traditional" Thanksgiving so instead of trying something new and fancy for each component, we decided to get in the kitchen together and cook those old classics:
Turkey with stuffing and gravy
Baked mashed potatoes
Green bean casserole
Pecan pie
and Pumpkin trifle

So, we hope you had a great day and here is ours, in pictures!  Enjoy!

#1:  Turkey
Brine, brine, brine, people!
Throw together some salt, brown sugar, lemons, herbs, peppercorns and bay leaves in a tub of water...

And stick your thawed turkey in.

Let him sit overnight and he'll be super juicy!

Next, pat him dry and rub some herb butter under the skin and on the top. 

 

Season with salt and pepper and roast, covered with foil, for 2 hours.  Uncover, baste and cook until the thigh registers 165*.  Take him out and let him rest under tin foil for 30 minutes while you make the gravy.

*If you are stuffing your bird, take pre-packaged stuffing mix, add sauted onions, celery, and garlic to it along with some homemade turkey stock and bam!  Easy peasy.  Stuff your bird after you rub him with the butter and follow along with the above directions.*

For the gravy, take the pan drippings from the roasting pan, pour into a measuring cup and let stand until you can skim off the fat.  Combine that with about 4 cups of homemade turkey stock and set aside.  Deglaze the roasting pan with some red wine and reduce by half.  Add stock mixture and reduce by half.  Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons flour and whisk until you have a roux.  Add roux to the liquids and whisk until you get gravy!

#2:  Baked mashed potatoes
So easy.  And stress-free because you aren't trying to do these at the last minute!
Take 1-2 Idaho potatoes per person, peel, dice, and boil in salted water. 

Drain and add butter, cream, and lots of different Italian cheese and mash, mash, mash! 

Pour into buttered dish and sprinkle with homemade garlic breadcrumbs and bake for 30-45 minutes at 400* until golden brown.

#3:  Green bean casserole
Old school here.  But Mike insisted! 
Take 2 cans of green beans, drain and mix in a cream of mushroom soup, some milk, some bacon and some of those crunchy onions.

Pour into a buttered dish and decorate the top with more bacon and more crunchy onions.  Bake at 400* for 30 minutes.

#4:  Pecan pie
Already gave you my favorite recipe here.  Making it since I was about 10.  Can't go wrong :)

#5:  Pumpkin trifle
A new twist on the same old pumpkin pie.  But with layers of whipped cream.  Mmmm....
Slice a recipe for pumpkin bread (in actual loaf form) and toast at 350* for 20 minutes.  Cube into 1" cubes.  Set aside.

Take a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree and mix with a cup of cream, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and 3/4 cup sugar.  Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, whip 4 more cups of cream until soft peaks form.  Take out half and fold into the pumpkin mixture to make it mousse-like.  Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar to the last half and whip again to combine.

Start laying in a large trifle bowl.  First, pumpkin bread cubes, then pumpkin mousse, then sweetened whipped cream.  Layer until all is used, dust with cinnamon and pecans and keep cold until serving.

Whew!  A lot of information but well worth it for next year's day!  Hope you had a great one!