Thanksgiving with Friends
Keith, Pam, Lynn, Bobbie, Patrick, Jim
We couldn’t have ordered up a more beautiful Thanksgiving Day if we had tried. LJ and I had 6 friends to the lake with us for dinner. The sun was shining, it was about 68 crisp degrees, and the wind was calm - just perfection.
Beautiful Day
We drove down Wednesday afternoon, and I was able to get the Italian Cream Cake done the night before. I had made the cornbread for the dressing on Wednesday morning, and we bought a 15 lb. Kosher turkey the Sunday before and it had been thawing in the fridge and was ready to go. We had things so under control that we were able to sit out on the deck and enjoy the lake on Wednesday evening. It was a beautiful start to the holiday.
Thursday morning I put the turkey on a bed of onions, carrots and celery and put lemons, onions, carrots and celery in the turkey cavity. I seasoned it up well and massaged it with olive oil. In the oven for its 3 to 3 1/2 hour roast. LJ helped with the house cleaning (Helped is an understatement. He did it all!), while I was in the kitchen.
LJ Cleans
Friends started arriving about 2:00. By that time I had my potatoes simmering in the half and half infused with garlic, and the turkey was pulled from the oven to rest. I used the turkey drippings to finish off the cornbread dressing and got it in the oven.
What a feast!!! Patrick brought his always wonderful roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta, a delicious yankee type stuffing with leeks, cranberries, sausage, and white bread, and whole cranberry sauce. Keith brought his green bean casserole and perfect pecan pie. Pam made homemade bread (which she thought was overdone, but it wasn’t) and sweet potato casserole. Lynn made a luscious fruit salad, and Bobbie brought a wonderful dip and crackers, and we all proceeded to make pigs of ourselves.
The Feast
This Thanksgiving was particularly special this year. It’s the first Thanksgiving Day that I have ever spent without any family. Mom and my sisters and their families were together in Kansas City, and I called and it sounded like they were going to have a special one, too. My brother and his wife were having a small one together. We were all missing Dad, but we all recognize that we have so much to be thankful for.
Lynn, Patrick, Jim, & Pam
This year I am especially thankful for all our loving friends. We have so many and they mean so much to us.
Pam, CJ, and Jim
