Thanksgiving 2011

It's been a day, and I'm finally fully recovered from Thanksgiving. The recovery process was grueling, consisting of napping, munching through leftovers, and more napping, but I've come out on the other side a stronger person. (?)

Mom and Dad were a whirlwind, cooking and cleaning from first thing in the morning to when guests began to arrive at 3:00. (P.S. who decided that Thanksgiving is the one day where families across America become geriatric and eat dinner by 4:00pm? I think we need an intervention.)

 They cooked according to a tight schedule, a Carlson tradition.

We set out a few appetizers (above, a tart Cranberry chutney and cream cheese).

Oh hey! Another tart got in the picture!

Awww, don't be mad Bonnie.

This app was my creation: a sugar and nut-glazed brie with nuts served with apple slices and crackers.

We added the extra leaves to the table, and set it for twelve. 

Every year we grill the turkey, but this year my dad brined it overnight, which added a lot of moisture back into the bird.

And my dad carves it up. He always likes reassuring the turkey as he rips through it's flesh: "I promise this'll hurt me more than it hurts you." <slices off turkey's leg>

Loading up the plates for the first round of helpings.

Some of the sides. (The yellow pot was mine, a corn and wild rice casserole I've made for the last several years. This year it was better than ever, which I attribute to not measuring a damn thing as I mixed the ingredients together.)

My plate. So much good food! And notice, I didn't let a single instance of cranberry touch the plate. Cranberry jellies and jellos were sent from hell to ruin Thanksgiving dinners, and I resist Satan's urgings (OK, my mother's) to just give it a try.

And to satisfy your curiosity:

1. Grilled turkey
2. Turkey giblet gravy
3. Green bean casserole (yes, with the cliche fried onion topping.)
4. Corn and wild rice
5. Oven-roasted sweet potatoes
6. Sweet potato casserole (yes, with the cliche marshmallow topping.)
7. Mashed potatoes
8. Cornbread stuffing

After dinner we retired to the family room, where Liz was kind enough to ink up my leg. I now have original "poetry" covering my shin, calf and foot, so I promise to never wash that leg again. I'm all about preserving arts in America.

So that was my Thanksgiving. I hope everyone had a restful and fun holiday!