Our Family Menu

As I said, I’m trying to plan ahead for next week, so here is the Youngs’ menu for Thanksgiving dinner (the grocery list is further down): 

Turkey (Baked in an oven bag.  I follow the directions on the box.  Very easy) 
Cornbread Dressing 
Sweet Potato Soufflé 
Mashed Potato Soufflé 
Roasted Vegetables (carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and green beans) 
Autumn Salad 
Pumpkin Pie 
Run for the Roses Pie

No matter what’s on your menu, and before you get caught up in the details of the day, here are a few things to consider: 

*If you are the sole provider of the dinner, meaning you are the one doing the cooking, plan ahead.  Make as much food ahead of time as possible.

*If guests are headed your way, don’t hesitate to delegate.  Give responsibility to guests and let them share in the festivities.  A friend of mine is hosting Thanksgiving at her home and is only baking a pie.  That is brilliant! (When enlisting help, be sure and let those faithful friends/family know how many will be in attendance and what others are bringing so there aren’t repeats.)

*Whatever you do, remember that this is a day to be thankful for the blessings God has given us.  Make it special, but don’t let the place settings and details take away from the true meaning of the season.

Speaking of the true meaning of Thanksgiving, God has blessed all of us in many ways.  Perhaps there is a family that you know that is struggling to put a meal on the table in these difficult economic times.  Why not take the opportunity to reflect the real meaning of the day and make double what you need and share with others? You can do a little or a lot, but it will definitely make someone else thankful.  

I’ll be sharing a meal with a family that is being supported through Fellowship Church’s “Feed the Need”.  Deliveries will be made this Tuesday.  If you would like to participate go to Fellowshipchurch.com or call 972-471-5700 to get signed up.  

Now that the menu is planned, it’s time to head to the store.  If I don’t make a list, and check it twice, I will surely forget a necessary ingredient (and probably pick up some unnecessary ones as well!) Here is my list.  Check it a third time and add anything that completes your menu.  

A Big Turkey (again, if it’s not on the list…) 
6—8 medium/large baking potatoes 
6 medium/large fresh sweet potatoes or 2 large cans of sweet potatoes 
fresh parsley (dried will work, but it’s not as tangy) 
2 packages Mesclun Greens or Romaine/Italian Mix 
1 bag baby carrots

1 head cauliflower 
Brussels sprouts 
green beans 
green onion 
1 bunch celery 
2 large white onions  
Red Seedless Grapes 
1 Gala apple 
1 container fat free cottage cheese 
parmesan cheese 
blue cheese (if you have an aversion to this go with goat cheese) 
2 dozen eggs 
Skim milk 
Canned pumpkin 
2 boxes Pacific Chicken broth 
2 16oz. packages of butters (sticks) 
1 bag pecans (1-2 cups) 
Walnuts (1 cup) 
bread crumbs (I make my own in the food processor with the heels of a loaf of bread) 
Martha White cornbread packages (2 packages) 
12 oz chocolate bittersweet morsels 
honey 
Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) 
brown sugar 
allspice 
nutmeg 
fat free evaporated milk  
white corn syrup 
pure vanilla 
balsamic vinegar (optional) 
white wine vinegar 
olive oil 
Tabasco 
self-rising flour 
whole wheat flour 
whole wheat bread 
4 frozen piecrusts (whole wheat if available) 
foil 9x13 pans 
Turkey oven bags

Wow, that’s a long list! But tomorrow, I’ll send out recipes by end of day so that you can get started with your cooking over the weekend.  

In the meantime, pray about ways you can reflect Christ’s love to others and log on to FellowshipChurch.com to sign up to help this week. Talk to you tomorrow!

Comments

[Debra Johnson]

Lisa!
I LOVE that you took the time to share your grocery list with us...you just made my day a little lighter - thank you. I was going to use a few of your recipes and now you've done some of the leg work for me - how generous of you:) *Thank you- thank you!! Hope that you and yours have a wonderful thanksgiving day together!

Debra Johnson
* Old painting friend...

[Carol]

Thank you, Lisa, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your recipes! I am very grateful this Thanksgiving for you and to you and trust you are so blessed for all your giving and truly love your excellent way of planning!

[Sue]

A trick from my mom... bake the turkey upside down for a while. The juices fall to the breast keeping it nice and juicy.

Tossed salad is easy... Get a bag of greens and toss to your sister at the other end of the kitchen, open and display in a pretty bowl. Add delectables like cherry tomatoes etc.

[Lorie Page]

This is awesome Lisa ...

Our two sons (including our oldest, Daniel from FC) are coming home for Thanksgiving and the plan for the first time, is for each to take a course and prepare it themselves for the family. I now have the menu to hand them as I relax on the sofa!!!

Thanks --- Lorie

[Dara Singleton]

Lisa,
Here is the link to the Cuban Turkey Recipe I told you about yesterday. It is so delicious!
These are also Joshua's notes on how takes it to a HNL!
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/140/Cuban-Thanksgiving-Turkey75728.shtml

I add about a couple sticks of chopped celery, half an onion, and half a lemon to the inside of the turkey

Plus I carefully separate the skin from the meat, and place tiny slivers of butter under the skin. all over to keep the bird juicy.

Plus I usually make some extra marinade to make sure the skin is completely covered in marinade, when it goes in.

Enjoy!

[Julie Finch]

Lisa,

I love your tips for making a list and double/triple checking- we've all forgotten those ever important ingredients before and its so easy to pick up things that are un-necessary as well!

My family is all about delegating on Thanksgiving! The Wednesday before my step-mom and all of my sisters get together for a cooking/baking day to make the casseroles (anything we can) ahead-much less stressful, so much fun!

This Thanksgiving and Christmas will be the most meaningful we've had yet as many of us have given our lives to Christ this year! Im so excited and so thankful as it is a wonderful opportunity to share with the rest of the family how God has worked in our lives...

Thanks for sharing your menu, I'm looking forward to seeing the recipes!

[Sherry]

Sounds like a great menu! And just the right size too. The table(s) at my mother's house have gotten crazy. I actually brought up the subject of "cutting back" on the menu one year and we added a table....of food...somehow. Go figure! You mentioned at Flavour how when you think of getting together with friends and family, you plan it around food. That is so true! food and love go hand-in-hand. Now I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving!