Serene Vannoy wrote:
> Even if I weren't ill (tooth infection; antibiotics haven't kicked in
> quite yet), I think looking at this list might make me tired, but it's
> really not as much as it looks like -- I just really like to get
> detailed with the to-do lists when I'm feeling poorly, so I don't forget
> anything.
>
> Menu [things I may or may not make, depending on time/illness/energy are
> in brackets]:
>
> Relish tray (olives, celery, other little nibbles depending on what's
> handy)
> [Deviled eggs -- James will make these if he's up for it]
> Roasted turkey
> Giblet gravy
> Stuffing (made from my bread)
> Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic
> Homemade cranberry sauce
> [Fresh bread]
> Corn with butter
> [Peas in oniony cream sauce]
> [Steamed or possibly roasted sweet potatoes]
> Roasted pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream
> [Baked apples]
> Iced tea, coffee, water
>
> To do tonight:
>
> Chop and cook onions and celery for stuffing; reserve some celery for
> relish tray and cut it up
> Make oniony cream sauce
> Thaw roasted pumpkin
> Make and chill iced tea
> Thaw and cube reserved bread heels for stuffing
> Roast garlic; chill
> Make cranberry sauce
> Make pumpkin pie
> Fill ice cube trays
> Take some time to just goof off
> Find serving trays and utensils for everything; take out some more
> coffee cups and drinking glasses; make sure there are enough dinner
> plates out
>
> To do tomorrow (with approximate times)
>
> Start first pot of coffee (morning; make more as needed)
> Take butter out to soften (morning)
> Squeeze out roasted garlic and set aside (any time)
> Boil and chill eggs (morning)
> Assemble deviled eggs (James will do this whenever he feels like it)
> Start the giblet stock (9:00)
> Make the stuffing and put away the remaining stock (9:30)
> Prep/stuff the turkey, preheat the oven to 325 (10:00)
> Start the turkey (10:00 or so)
> Start bread dough (11:30 or so)
> STOP, REST, and EAT LUNCH (noonish)
> Tent the turkey (1:30 or so)
> Peel potatoes and sweet potatoes (2:00)
> Core and prepare baked apples (2:15)
> Boil potatoes and steam sweet potatoes (2:30)
> Take the turkey out (2:30 or so), unstuff, and let it rest
> Put bread [and apples] into oven (2:30)
> Heat corn and peas (2:40)
> Mash potatoes (last minute)
> Assemble olive tray (last minute)
> Make gravy (any time; keep warm for up to 1 hour or refrigerate until
> last minute)
> Dinner at 3
> As soon as dinner's over, whip the cream for the pies (can be done ahead
> of time if there's time)
>
> Serene

My menu:

Turkey

Stuffing

Gravy

Garlic mashed potatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes

Steamed green beans with bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions, with
balsamic vinegar

Granny Smith apple sauce with brown sugar and cinnamon

Redneck rolls (brown-n-serve)

Pumpkin pie w/ orange whipped cream

iced tea, soda and milk

I bought cranberries but since it's only going to be me, my husband, the
two kids and DD's boyfriend, and none of us are all that keen on it, I
probably won't bother and will make cranberry sauce when my mom arrives
on Tuesday for my aunt's funeral because she likes it.