The menu is as follows:

• Wolfgang Puck’s Brined Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy
• Traditional Mashed Potatoes (simply put – boiled potatoes, half and half, butter, and salt and pepper)
• Green Bean Casserole with French Onions
• Plain Green Beans
• Maple-Glazed Yams with Pecan Topping
• Cornbread Stuffing
• Turkey Stuffing
• Crispy Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

I am going all out, as usual, and have added some yummy hors d’oeuvres to my menu.

Hors d’oeuvres on the menu:

• Mini Venison Burgers
• Bacon Deviled Eggs
• Tomato-Artichoke with Feta and Goat Cheese Bagel Chips
• Lil’ Polskas in a Blanket
• Petite Cucumber Sandwiches with Garlic N’ Chives Cheese Spread
• Red Pepper and Spicy Chipotle Hummus Cucumber Stacks

***  I will post recipes in a later post for those who are interested.

I am going to have 8 people for our formal sit-down dinner.  It sounds like I’ll be having a lot of food, but I thought that with the wide selection on the hors d’oeuvres I’ll be able to accommodate everyone’s pallette.  Plus I am expecting friends to trickle in after they have gone to their previous engagements and am sure they will want to snack as the night goes on.

Here are some pictures I want to share with you of the food preparations.

Prepping the Turkey

Cleaning the turkey:

Placing the turkey in brine:

Like most people, I don’t have a very big refrigerator.  All the space is needed and will be taken up by all the other foods I will prepare ahead of time tonight.  So I had to come up with a clever solution.  I bought a brand new bucket.  At first I counted on it being cold as it has been, however today it has been beautiful here.  The temperature has been in the 70’s.  So after some careful thinking I came up with this solution.  Lined my bucket with 3 new bags.  Poured the brine in.  I used a large glass bowl and my old pizza stone to weigh down the turkey then tied up the bags.  Next I lifted the entire bucket with its contents and placed it in a large storage tub.  (Since it wasn’t going to be that cold, I couldn’t let the bucket stand on its own.  I had to basically build my own cooler.)  I filled it with ice and let the turkey brine on my deck overnight.

I used 2 pots to make the brine and had to chill the bigger pot, using cold water and ice in the sink, to get it down to room temperature.  My house is smelling pretty “briney”.  It’s not a bad smell, just very strong.

Preparing the Beurre Manie:

• 2 ounces butter mixed with 2 ounces of flour until it forms a soft dough
• After adding the flour to the butter, first rub the flour into the butter
• Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a Beurre Manie (compound butter)

Apples and Onions with Sage and Rosemary Stuffing:

• 3 apples, quartered and cored
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 4 sage sprigs

Preparing Some Hors D’Oeuvres

Garlic N’ Chives Cheese Spread:

Bacon Deviled Eggs:

I started my day yesterday at 9:30AM.  I went out and bought all the ingredients and supplies needed.  Then I came home and started to prepare all of this.  I’m hoping tomorrow everything is going to go well and it’s just a matter of roasting the turkey and assembling the side dishes and the hors d’oeuvres.  I’m soooo tired and must go to bed now.  It’s 1:30AM on Thanksgiving!  Happy Thanksgiving!!!  For now….Good night! 

Here’s our conversation:

On 11/19/07, Lily of the Valley <xxxxxxx@gmail.com > wrote:

Dear Recipe Guru, 

I don’t have much time tonight, but I am defrosting some chicken breasts. I want to make a chicken alfredo, but have the chicken turn out a little more “tasty” and either marinated or friend to put on top of alfredo sauce and linguine. Any advice?  Lily of the Valley 

Instant Messenger Chat:  

me:  when do you need it ?  tonight?

LOTV: yes

me: for tonight?  okay let me see what I can do. you want a quick version or a detailed version i can do it a bunch of ways

LOTV: quick!  I’m a mom.  quick quick quick

me: okay so you don’t mind canned stuff right?

LOTV: no

me: you just want the chicken more tasty

LOTV: we have canned alfredo

me: gotcha=]

LOTV: i dont have time tonight to make it fresh and im tired

LOTV: it’s easy then

me:  I’ll get you something in a bit

LOTV:  k thanks

On 11/19/07, GotFood13 <GotFood13@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Lily of the Valley, 

From our brief conversation I was able to gather that you’re not interested in a very involved recipe tonight.  So instead of giving you a recipe, I’m going to help you with kicking the taste of your chicken up a notch.   

Basically boil your pasta as you would usually.  You indicated that you were going to use canned alfredo sauce.  So I’d leave that up to you as far as which brand you like and which you’re going to use.  Start simmering the alfredo sauce in a sauce pan while you work on the chicken.

 The chicken: 

1. Cut your 1/2 lb of chicken breast in to bite size pieces.  (I’ll leave this up to your preferences)

2. Put cut chicken pieces in a mixing bowl.

3. Sprinkle some salt & pepper (2 – 3 small pinches of salt and 2 shakes of pepper)

4. If you have garlic powder sprinkle some on.

5. If you have Italian seasoning, add a dash.

6. Mix the chicken and ingredients.

7. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

8. Heat up a skillet on high heat and add a little bit of oil.

9. Once oil is hot put chicken in and spread out the pieces evenly.

10. Let chicken pieces sit for about a minute before turning.  This is for color and to sear the chicken.

11. Turn the chicken a few times.  Once all the chicken pieces have turned white from cooking, lower heat down to medium and cook for about 8 – 10 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked.

12. Once chicken has been cooked remove from pan straining the oil.

13. Put chicken pieces into sauce pan with the alfredo sauce simmering and cook for another 10 minutes on low – medium heat.

14. Then serve over your pasta of choice.

I hope these quick tips helped!  Let me know when you leave a comment! GotFood13

On 11/19/07, Lily of the Valley <xxxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Got Food! 

I’ll try it tonight! 

LOTV