Two Kid Schoolhouse

• Nov. 19, 2006 - Thanksgiving for 4

Posted in Food and Cooking

For the past few years, we have had a huge crowd for Thanksgiving. And since some of our friends have large families, the adults are always outnumbered. It's a lot of fun, though hectic. I love to cook a big feast!

But this year my kids asked to have a family Thanksgiving. No guests. So I have to figure out how to scale down the feast for 4 people. Since I like to make several side dishes, it will be hard to do. Most veggie dishes do not make great leftovers. So far the menu looks like this:

Roast Turkey - a basic recipe, I think. We have done a maple-glazed turkey in the past but the soup that comes out of that isn't very tasty. And I have to make soup! One year we were going to brine the turkey but made a big mess and had to disinfect the cooler. I don't think we'll try that again...

Dressing - I don't stuff my turkey. I usually make a basic recipe - bread, onions, etc. - and an experimental recipe. I think last year we had a rice dressing that was very good, but I wish I had written it down because I don't remember. A feast journal is a very good idea that I really ought to implement.

Gravy - Ugh. I don't like gravy much but it seems like a necessity. I did have success with a recipe from the newspaper last year. It was made ahead using turkey legs and wings, roasted and then cooked into broth. So I may try that again this year.

Potatos - mashed. Our local paper has a recipe that can be made ahead and reheated in the oven. Love it! It is said to be the most-requested recipe of all time for that paper.

Three corn casserole - found on the internet years ago. It's the one with the box of Jiffy cornbread mix. I tried it once with a homemade cornbread recipe but it was horrid. OK, not horrid, but not... right.

Cranberry sauce - 1 bowl from a can, 1 bowl homemade. The boy loves his "pipe cranberry sauce." I prefer a not-so-sweet version.

Green beans sauteed with shallots and hazelnuts

One other vegetable - glazed carrots? Brussels sprouts? The brussels sprouts and radicchio salad recipe I hope I can find in an old Martha Steward Living magazine? Just some baked acorn squash? Hmmm....

Bread or rolls - probably from the store, not homemade.

Pumpkin pie and apple pie.

Enjoy your Turkey Day, or National Butterfat Consumption Day, or High-Carb Day... they all apply, don't they?

And remember to be thankful!