Thanksgiving 2012

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.  We did.  I host the family every year, this year we were 15 in total.  It varies a little here or there but generally the house is full.

I wish I had manged to take more pics, but then again my plate was pretty full as it was.  I did mange to get some pics (food mostly) the day before.

I make this White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pie that's Joe's favorite. 

Can't have Thanksgiving in our house without apple pie.

And no meal is complete without some chocolate.  The girls made these.

Here are my little helpers the day before.  Both girls made the chocolate covered pretzels, and Marissa made the bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  They were both so much help to me both in cleaning and cooking this year.  I am so proud of their eagerness to help, more so in the kitchen than with the cleaning but I'll take what I can get.

I redeemed myself from last year's turkey!!  That was the first year it was dry but I blame the oven running too hot.  This year I used my bottom oven for the turkey and it came out PERFECTLY MOIST!!  I used a dry rub and butter to give it flavor and color and also went with a smaller bird this year.  There were no leftovers...in turkey at least.

We had a TON of food!  We couldn't fit it all on the table.  I always get "comments" on my over cooking but even though I kept things simple "OTHER" people brought more than they should and the table overflowed with goodness.  Luckily, everyone brought food home.

So now that this holiday is over, it's time to focus on Christmas.  I usually start decorating on Black Friday but both Joe & I were exhausted and didn't dig out the decorations from the crawl space.  I feel behind, but taking it easy felt great after all the rushing & cleaning last week.  Who cares if I don't get the Christmas Cards mailed before Dec. 1??