Thanksgiving Feast 2014

Hello my precious readers.. I wish I had a table big enough for you all.  :-)  The big day dawned yesterday and Dayle began making his sage bread stuffing and getting the turkey prepared and in the oven by 10 am for a 5 pm dinner.  I cleared the table, we put in another leaf and spread the tablecloth just so.  Then Dayle stood on a chair and handed down our "turkey" dishes we got last year from the cabinet above the fridge.  I set the table for the feast.  

One of the things I love about blogging is when you visit a friend's blog and you see something that sets you on a quest.  Last year I saw a turkey plate on one blog and started researching them and eventually found some on eBay.  They actually come from "Replacements.com" - who not only sell on their own site but do a hopping business on eBay.  We now have a service for 10 - which is how many we can seat at the table.  :-)

The house is filling with the aroma of roasting turkey and the platter is awaiting.

Dayle's turkey emerges from the oven.. he covers it with a tent of foil where it will rest while we quickly put the green bean casserole, corn casserole and candied yams in to bake.

Mike and Gabe helped me by peeling the russet potatoes, I cubed them and put them on to boil.  I whipped the cooked potatoes and added some milk, sour cream, salt, pepper and some garlic cheese sprinkle.

I showed Mike how to make the gravy.. you put the turkey pan on the burner, whisk some flour and water together, add a container of organic chicken stock and the giblets from the turkey that Dayle cooked and chopped in small bits - then you turn it on high and stir, stir, stir.. until it thickens.  Never add salt until it's nearly ready, it may be salty enough from the drippings and stock.

We all gather around the table and I always begin the meal by thanking everyone for coming to celebrate the day with us.  And then.. we pass the food and the ones in the middle serve us the big pans that we can't pass and the feast we've been planning, purchasing and cooking is being enjoyed by all.  Again, everything turned out perfect!  Not an easy task. :-)  The menu was roast turkey, sage dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, corn casserole and candied yams.. I forgot to photograph Dayle's cranberry sauce.. but it was pretty and yummy.

And the reason for the celebration, our family.  Kristi snapped the photo for me.  She and the boys went to her parent's house for dinner, Travis slept here as he worked graveyard shift the night before and last night too and needed his sleep.  So, he got up a bit before dinner to visit with all of us.  Happily, Kristi and the boys got here right before our dinner was served, so our little guys got to be in the photo.

From left, Beth, son Shawn, Caleb, Dayle, me behind, Hayden, Gabe and Mike (Shawn and Beth's sons) and MY baby.. Travis.  Our daughter Amy called us from Ohio where she was at her in-laws for dinner.  We got to say hi to our two granddaughters.. that was so nice.

And so, we are thankful for our bounty, our family, our cozy old farmhouse, the 5 acres of land that is ours, our health, and all of the things we're grateful for on a daily basis.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)