Saturday, November 1, 2008

Preparations for Thanksgiving

Life is becoming normal again. My new phone arrived on Friday. I instantly put 72 items in my calendar and 120 people in my address book--I didn't mean for this to happen, really. I went to sync up with my computer, and the addresses from last year's Christmas cards decided to jump on board. Now the calendar stuff, that was my doing. It HAD to be done. My life was quickly spiraling out of control.


One of the first things on my to do list, was to contact my mother-by-marriage about Thanksgiving and what she wants me to bring.

We swapped a few emails, but here's what I was assigned--rolls, jam, a salad, and a dessert. Okay, so in years past, I have always been the pumpkin pie woman. I LOVE making them, but this year, I'm going to step out of my comfort zone and try something completely different. Reason why is that last year I gave one of my pies away and took the other two home. No one at them. My kids were thrilled. I wasn't too sad either.

This year, I want to make something that looks so absolutely amazing that everyone will save room for it. Any ideas? Here are my thoughts as I perused the web last evening:

Dessert recipe. Do you have a better one? This one looks good and easy, but not knock your socks of amazing.

Seven layer salad. How about a really good salad for Thanksgiving? Something fun and yummy and just a little bit different. I've done this one before.

Rolls - Thanks, Jen, for this one! This was the one I thought I could tackle with my two-year-old running around my feet.

homemade freezer jam.
BTW, the Norman Rockwell above looks absolutely nothing like my parents-by-marriage. They were once referred to as the "Mormon Hippies"--a title I think they somewhat revere, so there you have it.

7 comments:

Darilyn said...

I don't understand the parent's by marriage. Why is Zan's mom not included in that? Sorry, just a little confused.

I've had the pumpkin roll and I only thought it was so-so. Of course that could be solved by doing an over-the-top filling. I didnt look too closely at what that filling was but the one I've eaten before was just okay.

I love love 7 layer salad. I make it every year for Thanksgiving.

And Yay for the blackberry. Are you loving it? I have one too but after Stake Conference we cancelled our data package. So it doesn't update my calendar automatically anymore. I have to sync it to my computer which I have no idea how to do at this point.

Hesses Madhouse said...

After re-reading that, it does sound a bit confusing. Zan's parents--mom and dad--are my parents-by-marriage. It's the siblings that are in-laws. They have potential to be "by marriage," but at this point, they're just in-laws.

Hesses Madhouse said...

To be honest, it's probably more my effort than theirs that influences this.

Rory Baxter said...

Julie,

I have a WAY good dessert that we have every thankgiving and christmas. It is WAY easy to make -and there is NEVER any to take home (much to my family's chagrin) I usually have to make one to take and one to keep. I will email the recipe directly to you -k-
We have a FAB roll recipe from a new sister in our ward - it is the only one we make now and it is so easy Kaeli usually makes them by herself! Will email that too.
Not sure about salad suggestions - we have never really done salads at holiday dinners - and the one "salad" preston's mom does make is still in heated debate with his siblings whether it is a salad or a dessert:) His mom does have one fruit salad that ceana always asks for - I will shoot that to you too -k-
Good luck this year - you are lucky to be able to be surrounded by lots of family. We will be alone for both holidays again this year. I havent decided yet whether that is good or not as our own family has gotten bigger...still working on that one.
Will send you those recipes ASAP!

Crazymamaof6 said...

dude now i wanna see rory's recipes too.
email them to me too please crazymamaof6@gmail.com

we have a pie contest every year for the dessert portion of our family thanksgiving. i always make Pecan pie , my family loves it. his family doesn't even look twice at it. so they don't deserve the wonder.
that salad is delish . my mom makes it.
heavenly day.

and wow that boy making rolls was impressive.
i do rhodes rolls. they are fool proof. i've never attempted real from scratch rolls.

good luck with your recipe hunt.

CompleteLee Blogger said...

How about Pumpkin Chiffon Pie? It is fun and tasty. I don't know where my recipe is right now, but this one looks pretty simple.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32408

Alyson said...

We have a favorite "jam" recipe (which isn't really jam at all, and is so easy to make which, bonus!). Pumpkin butter! Sweet and pumpkiny to spread on rolls or bread. Everyone who tastes it asks for the recipe. Can you imagine anything Thanksgivingier?

Pumpkin Butter
29 oz. can pumpkin
1 box pectin
2.25 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves

Dump everything in pot and mix together. (I usually use a whisk.) Heat until it boils. (Is that what thick non-liquids like jam do? Until it gets hot and bubbles.)

Scrumptious. We love it! Makes lots, more than two cups, plenty for one large family dinner I'd guess.

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