Planning a Thanksgiving Menu that I actually look forward to eating

Thanksgiving - the epic meal of the year - is in a few weeks and I have begun thinking about the menu this year. I am not a fan of marshmallows, tins of fried onions, or canned green beans hiding under canned cream soup. But I do like tradition.

busy kitchen, thirty minutes to go

Each Thanksgiving, I cook for about 15 people. This leaves me with a turkey dilemma - roast one turkey or two? I can roast a big 22 to 24 pounder or two smaller turkeys and have tried both approaches. I am not sure which is best.

More exciting than the turkey is the rest of the meal. Brussels sprouts are necessary as are potatoes of some kind. My dad always requests mashed carrots and turnips, a family favorite. My mom requires a fruit salad with whipped cream served by heaping spoon fulls on the side. I have a favorite recipe for cranberry chutney that I really enjoy and is great for the turkey sandwich party I host the following day.

Pre-dinner snacks, very important!

Although I reserve the right to make last minute changes, here is my menu for this year:

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cream - recipe here. Make extra and toss with pasta and provolone cheese later in the week.

Mashed Carrot and Turnip - Cut 6 large carrots and 3 small to medium turnips into a very large dice. Boil in salted water until tender. Drain well. Mash with a tablespoon or two of butter and a heaping teaspoon of dried dill. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Roasted Potatoes - peel your small to medium yukon gold potatoes. Use a fork to scrape around the surface of the potatoes to create a rough surface. Boil them in salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain them well. Toss with a generous amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them in a hot oven until tender.

Cranberry Chutney - recipe here. My friend Meaghan commented on this previous post that it would be wise to visit the bulk aisle of the grocery store in order to save significant money on this recipe, and I agree.

I am on the fence about green beans this year. One year, I made a great green bean dish which involved tossing fresh green beans in anchovy paste, olive oil, minced garlic and a squeeze of fresh lemon, and then roasting them in a 425 degree oven. Now that was good. But do I need a third vegetable dish? Hmm.