Hands On Thanksgiving

Our made-from-scratch turkey day meal went smoothly.  Local foods were a must-turkey, wheat berries, potatoes, cornmeal, eggs, squash, eggplant, onions and apples all grown or raised by our nearby friends.

Turkey with Honey Balsamic Glaze

Make Ahead Whipped Potatoes

Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage & Figs 

Gravy

Mixed Vegetable Bake

Fresh Pineapple & Grapes

Challah Bread

Crock Pot Apple Dessert with Vanilla Ice Cream 

I made the cornbread for the stuffing weeks ago and froze.  The day before the meal, I made the Challah and whipped potatoes. Bob and I spatchcocked the turkey the night before. We cut the drumsticks and wings from the bird and de-boned the thighs to cook along side the breast.  I cut most of the vegetables the day before except the eggplant which would turn colors cutting that far ahead.

The once 12# turkey roasted in only 2 hours cutting it like we did and slicing was a breeze.  I'd never reheated whipped potatoes but that actually worked just fine.  Using a thermometer to test final temperature for all the hot foods was a must, as the small deep baking dishes I used took a little longer to roast. (Turkey must be 165 degrees, stuffing 155 and other hot foods 145) For the mixed vegetable blend, I roasted the harder vegetables like winter squash and carrots 10 minutes before adding the other vegetables.  Mine had a mix of eggplant, patty pan squash, celery, basil, oregano, sweet peppers and olive oil.  To the crock pot apples, I decreased the sugar, adding 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Planning back from the eating time, my Thursday oven times went as follows:

• 10 am crock pot apples
• 1030 am turkey
• 1115 am mashed potatoes and stuffing
• 1130 am vegetables
• 1230 pm heat bread 
• 1240 pm gravy
• 1 pm "let's eat!" 

Bob and I both worked with our friends, processing and distributing the turkeys on Monday and Tuesday.  Of course the best part of the meal was enjoying it with our family: