Preparing a Feast

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love them more than any other holiday in the year. I love the spirit in the air, the smells that come from the foods, the weather, and most of all the lights! I could drive around for hours looking at Christmas lights – no joke.

Since we moved to Florida I had to learn how to prepare these big holiday dinners all by my lonesome. I enjoy doing it though so its not a big burden. I go all out, way over the top. People could come to my house and eat for the rest of the week and I would still have leftovers for work on Monday.

If for some reason we decide to go home for Thanksgiving this year though I will be cooking along side some wonderful cooks that do this year after year. Even though I really love doing this myself, I would love the chance to go home but in the event I don’t this is what will be on my plate come Thursday:

Smoked Turkey ~I don’t know why but my husband loves to smoke a turkey so every year he pulls up his pants, slaps on an apron and gets the smoker going!

Baked ham with pineapples

Macaroni and cheese ~ this is probably my favorite thing of all time

Chicken and dumplings ~ my grandma’s recipe, she always had a pot ready at the drop of a hat

Cornbread turkey and dressing ~ for all you southerners, this is the best stuff around

Candied yams

Cabbage ~ most southern family’s usually make some fashion of greens and I don’t really care for them but I can throw down on cabbage

Giblet gravy

Pasta salad

Sweet potato pies

Lemon meringue pies ~ courtesy of my 13yr old

Cheese balls with crackers

Homemade salsa with chips ~ I gotta have things out to keep the guys out of the kitchen until the food is ready so I started serving appetizers on the counter.

If I can roll myself off of the couch on Thursday I will post some pictures of the event and even along the day on Wednesday when I prepare most of my food.