I am happy to report that I am just perfectly stuffed. Not busting at the seams, but perfectly full of probably the best Thanksgiving dinner we’ve ever had. We shared dinner with the husband’s dad and his girlfriend Cheryl, my parents, the husband’s brother Andrew and his mom Karen. I am grateful for all eightful on this Day of Thanks! (OK, technically it was 7 and I made 8, but I had to rhyme!)
I’ll leave you with a photo recap of our evening –
Cocktail Hour (3-4:30pm!)
I had a mocktail with tonic, lemon and cherry around 4pm as we put the finishing touches on dinner –
There were lots of Presidential Pardon’s served!! I had a few sips of the husband’s –
And then had a glass of Chardonnay when we sat down to dinner –
Decor
The Food!
Turk-a-lurk + gravy
Great Harvest Dakota Bread + Apple Chardonnay Chicken Sausage Dressing –
My mom’s corn pudding
Tri-Root Mash (parsnip, sweet potato, russet potato, roasted, then mashed with butter, broth, S+P)
Mom’s creamed onions (ewwwwww!)
Maple + Hazelnut Oil Scented Steamed Kale –
The husband’s homemade rolls –
Karen’s Southern Oyster Pie (basically oyster casserole with lots of butta!)
And Karen’s Pineapple Sweet Potato Casserole – (dessert hidden in a vegetable!)
After we sat down we realized we had forgotten the cranberry sauce in the fridge!!
While we prepped and cooked, both the husband and I worked hard to keep cleaning as we went and this is how clean the kitchen looked when we sat down to dinner!! (The stove side was a little messier)
My plate – a taste of everything! I ate all but a piece of the turkey, which I gave to my dad. I don’t really think turkey goes with all the wonderful Thanksgiving sides!! But I LOVE it as leftovers 🙂
Pinot with dinner –
And more Chard –
We played The Thankful Game during the second half of dinner, which means we pass a pitcher with cards with topics like your favorite teacher, book, or place on the earth and have to say one you’re thankful for. It’s always a great conversation starter.
Then came the pies!!! Cheryl’s Bourbon Pecan (YUM!!!) and Mom’s Pumpkin Chiffon (yum II!) Plus homemade whipped cream and EarthFare vanilla bean ice cream. This definitely pushed me from full to stuffed, but how often do you get served two desserts and two toppings at once!? I had another dollop of both ice cream and pumpkin pie. I can never get enough dessert!
Dessert is always served on my grandmother’s Staffordshire turkey plates. Here’s mine post pie 🙂 Yup – I enjoyed every drop!
The house was a war zone after dinner but thanks to Karen’s busy hands, she did most of the dishes! We put the dining room all back together and put away all the china. Tomorrow’s a fresh start! We’re planning a hike, leftovers for lunch and dinner at Karen’s condo tomorrow night.
I’ll end with a big THANK YOU to all of you readers who check in each day to see what we’ve been up to. I’m grateful for each one of you.
Tina says
Looks like a wonderful meal! You had so many interesting side dishes! 🙂
Kinder says
What a lovely looking meal!
Are you Koops?
I love love love grandmas’s turkey plates – so cool!
Happy Thanksgiving!
haya says
you know the presidential pardoned turkey doesn’t get slaughtered, right? 😛
Lyn says
Happy Thanksgiving Kath. Looks like a lovely meal and company. So nice that all the parents/etc get along and can come together like that.
VeggieGirl says
BEYOND magnificent feast and celebration.
HangryPants says
What a great meal! It’s funny because we also forgot the cranberry sauce!
Christine says
Happy Thanksgiving, Kath! I’m definitely thankful for this site for all of the healthy suggestions.
Would Karen share the pineapple sweet potato recipe?
Marianne says
Looks like an awesome dinner – we never have that many fancy sides for our Thanksgiving dinners, but seems like it’s a much bigger deal in the US than here. But come on…creamed onions are awesome!
Megan says
It all looks so yummy! Love the plates!
Does GH still make stuffing bread?
Shelby says
Very lovely dinner, everything looks delicious and well worth feeling stuffed =) And that pineapple sweet potato recipe sounds heavenly.
zestycook says
WHAT A FEAST! I am so jealous! Send me a plate of leftovers kath please 🙂
Angie says
You have a beautiful family and WOW look at all the goodies. Loved the note on your blog from mom and the picture of the two of you is great.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Melissa says
Hi Kath~ Thanks for sharing your Thanksgiving day with us. Looks like you had a great day!!
ttfn300 says
what a great day! and pumpkin chiffon! i made one too, wonder how the recipes compare 🙂
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
Yum, all the food looks delicious! Glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!
Kerry says
Happy Thanksgiving! I was linked to your blog last week when I was looking at some healthy recipes from another blogger, and ever since then I couldn’t resist reading your entries. Your recipes & your food look awesome! and yep! I’m gonna try some of your recipes this weekend =)
Keep it up Kath!
Christina says
Sounds like a feast! Oyster dressing intrigues me. I’ve never had it before, but the idea makes me think it’d be delicious.
Sara says
It’s looks like you had a fabulous and delicious Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for your blog. I really enjoy reading about your healthy lifestyle!
Biz319 says
Yea! Everything looks wonderful – EXCEPT THE ONIONS! Put those outside!
Happy Thanksgiving!
katie says
We also forgot the cranberry sauce in the fridge! Your meal looks so nice. I like how you had a menu and name tags, how cute!
Cookienurse says
How you managed to keep the kitchen clean before the meal is fantastic! Thanks for sharing through your blog, Kath! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
sonia says
Everything looks great Kath. You have a great family and a fab husband.
We cancelled our dinner plans this year when we heard the news about my hometown in India being massacred by a group of terrorists. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/news/mumbai.attacks/
We have been following the news closely since yestarday evening. I beg and pray to God that every one is safe and finds the strength to get through this. I am grateful this year that my family in Mumbai is safe and escaped the horror that is being spread by a bunch of selfish people.
I hope each one of you readers prays for us and for mankind as we get through these tough times.
Katie says
Koops, so cute!
Happy Thanksgiving Kath! I just want to thank you for helping to keep me motivated to take care of myself by cooking as much as possible, eating well, exercising and just maintaining a healthy balance.
Have a great rest of the weekend 🙂
Mara says
I cannot believe that was your kitchen POST cooking and pre-eating! Well done!
Katlyn says
Is that a spork in the last picture? Cause that would be AWESOME
Amber says
So cute Kath! I LOVe the menus you all made and i love the family photos so cute! Happy Thanksgiving!!! I will be looking to you for inspiration this holiday season
Cat says
Awww, great Thanksgiving post, Kath. And I’m sure I can speak for all of us when I say we’re thankful for you and your wonderful blog! You’re an inspiration! Happy Turkey Day!
Love & Cooking says
Your dinner looked heavenly, and can I just say that your home is beautiful, too – your table looked like it was out of a magazine!
I’m thankful for your blog and others like it that are an encouragement to keep up the healthy efforts! It’s nice to have a little support system out there in the world. Thanks for letting us have a peek into your life :o)
Jess
Jenn (eating bender) says
Lovely presentation and delicious food! I’m happy to hear that your day went so well – HAPPY THANKSGIVING, one more time! We are grateful (er…I mean THANKful) that you take so much time to write for us every day!!
Maureen says
Looks great Kath! We are thankful for you too! Happy Thanksgiving.
thepinkpeppercorn says
Happy Thanksgiving Kath! Everything looks delicious, but I am really curious about your mom’s corn pudding – mmm mmm!
Andrea (Off Her Cork) says
Hoooray! Glad you guys had a great time. 😀 My hubs kept doing dishes as I went a long yesterday, such a big help!
K says
Everything looks amazing! Love the husband’s beer labels 🙂
Glad to hear you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!!
Tracy says
I am very impressed – those menus were the perfect extra touch!
WendyF says
What a beautiful dinner setup. Everything looked great, also the onions looked great :-). It was a nice cool fall day here. Alot of people out walking which is nice to see.
Left over pumpkin pie for breakfast this morning!
Sonia, my thoughts go out to you and your family. I travel to Mumbai many times and I was saddened when I heard the news. I am due to fly to India on Weds. I will keep those plans as I refuse let the terriosist win.
Katelyn says
Looks wonderful! Have a great time today as well!
Runeatrepeat says
Happy Belated Thanksgiving. I love how fancy it all looked 🙂
Kath says
Kinder ,
Koops is my nickname! The husband calls me Koops as does his whole family and lots of our friends.
haya ,
I NEVER knew that until we discussed it yesterday!! I always thought they pardoned the White House’s turkey’s executioner for “murdering” the turkey. I don’t think it makes sense at ALL the real way!!
Christine ,
I’ll see if I can get it…
sonia ,
I was heartbroken to hear about the attacks. Hugs to you and your family from me and mine.
Katlyn ,
Yes! An antique one from my grandmother.
Kath
Oh She Glows says
Oh my gosh what a beautiful spread!! WHat a wonderful family too.
Glad it was a success!
Angela
www.ohsheglows.com
Kay W. says
Nice table and yummy foods! I’m confused about Matt’s family though…was trying to pick out your mom and dad and also Matt’s dad(ex-wife & girlfriend both there???). Wow! his brother looks so much like Matt! Anyway, amazing that they can all be there and still have a nice time together. Now, that is something to be thankful for!
Mel says
Dinner looks amazing and your family looks cozy around the table.
Liz turtle says
Sonia, my thoughts are with you and your family.
Kath, just reading the “menu” made me salivate. I’m glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving :).
Nellie says
Glad you had such an enjoyable Day or Thanks! I love love love all of the food and decor! 🙂
Lee says
I was inspired by your mocktail and last night had a mocktail – cranberry juice in a martini glass. It really did feel like drinking a cosmo. Of course, I had a real cosmo too. But one is better than two, right?
Kath says
Kay W,
You got it right. His father is at the head with Cheryl beside him, then Andrew, then Karen. My parents are on either side of the husband.
K
bobbi says
Hey Kath can I get that Apple Chardonnay Chicken Sausage recipe, I want to make it for our Christmas dinner:)
Kath says
Husband here with what I can remember of the Thanksgiving Dakota Stuffing recipe:
-2 carrots, fine dice
-1 celery stalk, fine dice
-1 elephant garlic clove, minced
-1 loaf of Great Harvest Dakota bread
-3 Apple-Chardonnay chicken sausages
-2C of chicken broth
-.5C craisins
Mix it all up, bake it some, and you’re done
bobbi says
Thanks husband:)