So I survived the Thanksgiving Extravaganza! Even though I kept waking up in a panic the whole week before I managed to pull it off and no one got sick (my measure of a successful meal)! And despite a mishap with the macaroni and cheese (I pulled it out of the fridge to put it in the oven and it was still frozen!) the lunch was on the table and ready to eat at 12:30 as planned. There were even times in the morning when I was standing around thinking that I should do something, but everything was done (except of course for the frozen mac n cheese). To make a meal like this involves LOTS of planning. I started a month before, I picked out recipes, looked around to make sure that I would be able to find all the ingredients for everything I wanted to make, then I made a
menu. The menu went up on the fridge and beside each item I had a make ahead schedule. Then for the day of the event I had an oven schedule, also posted on the fridge so that everything was cooked and things that needed to be hot were hot, and everything was cooked (except the mac n cheese, which ended up in the microwave and then stuffed in the oven at the last second). I ended up with twice as much food as needed; a whole extra turkey, an uneaten cake, and a gazillion leftovers!
This is what a Thanksgiving meal for 20 people looks like before it's cooked.
And here are some pictures of the spread. Thanks to a
friend of mine who actually has an eye for photography!
And the end of Thanksgiving means the beginning of the Christmas season so this past weekend Babes and I decorated the tree to the first playing of Xmas music this year! I used to have fairly strict rules on when Christmas started and when I would start decorating for it, but since I've been overseas I've realized that it's important for me to decorate because otherwise, in many places, you won't see Christmas. Oh sure, you'll see some trees and lights, but it's nothing like the holiday spirit that you get in the US. So every year after Thanksgiving I put away the fall color and bust out Christmas.
2 comments:
WOW! Love the fridge pic - I like to pre-prepare foods so that on feast days it is easy. Hope you are able to sit back and enjoy the results too!
Mushie! You are so organized! I remember when you walked me step by step through making a Thanksgiving meal! Again, I am so impressed! Glad y'all have the Christmas tree up! Better than we're doing right now! Can't wait to catch up with you! :)
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