Thanksgiving 2011

Started off with a semi-late breakfast. I made french toast for my brother and stole a few bites for my Dad and I and I also made him scrambled eggs. My Dad made us egg souffle omelets, an apparent specialty of his I never knew he had. He wanted swiss & I wanted cream cheese, so we compromised and had a little of each + a few cut up vegetarian sausages. It was sooo good! I also made us protein pumpkin pancakes. Ahh, the day had barely started and we already had to make 284494 things to please everyone :-P.



Luckily I had prepped a handful of things the evening before, as my back decided to spasm all day. Honestly, I'm not sure how I managed to stay standing all day. It was pretty bad.

But I pushed through.

Appetizers, anyone?




The spinach dip was made with goat cheese. I'd never made it that way before, so was a bit nervous, but it turned out pretty well.

The dogs got dressed in their party clothes...


Audrey Hep....I mean Bella!

& tuxedo boy himself, Buster!



While Henry hid and Ethan looked on, probably silently laughing...



Unfortunately, my DSLR battery died right as the food finished. And then when I tried to use my backup point and shoot, that battery was dead! Electronics are so rude sometimes.

It didn't help that my iPhone was taking all blurry pictures all of a sudden...



AH well, we do what we have to do...



The feast all strewn about...

I cooked everything except the turkey, so my Dad did the honors of carving it as well...



I couldn't find the Thanksgiving table runner (grr!), so I had to use the spring set up



I'm pretty type A and was getting frustrated that I couldn't find 4 matching glasses, couldn't find the right decorations, etc. but it all still worked out..



Turkey, homemade gravy, mashed sweet potatoes topped with caramelized bananas, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole

Also, unpictured: orange soda cake topped with an orange-cream cheese frosting & my personal fave, pumpkin pie with a ginger cookie crust topped with homemade maple/cinnamon/vanilla whipped cream. I don't like whipped cream, but I could eat a bowl of that.

Nom, nom, nom.

Success.



xo,
Amanda