The looming Turkey Day holiday......

For someone not hosting Thanksgiving, I've sure got a lot of cooking to be done before the holiday.

It all started out, eons ago when I started dating the now-hubby (cripes... how did 13 years pass so fast?). I did the dinner with my own family, but drove over to his house for desert. And made and brought a pecan pie.

I've been bringing a pecan pie over ever since.

The first Thanksgiving after my dad died, I went up to my aunt's place in Coon Valley, Wisconsin, with my bro, sis in law, their kid, and my mom. But I still made and sent a pie along to the in-laws (well, they weren't in-laws then, but ya get the drift). I also made a Spiced Cranberry and Zinfandel Sauce that I took to my aunt's house. I fell in love with that, and even though I haven't gone up to my aunt's since, I continue to make it, since I love it.

Within the past couple of years, I've also started bringing over the sweet potatoes and green beans to the in-laws, last year was the first year of Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole and Mashed Maple Bourbon Sweet Potatoes. Both were hits, and I've been asked to bring them again.

I usually also like to bring something appetizer-ish, and this year I think I'm going to try a Salmon Mousse since it'll be a nice little "something different". The mother-in-law always puts out some cold shrimp and and variety of crackers and cheeses.

This year I also wanted to try a Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe, to actually attempt a rolled crust (my usual pie uses a tart crust, much easier to do) with the snazzy French rolling pin I got for Christmas last year.

And then there is the stuffing. At least I plan on doing that after Turkey Day to help the "there is never enough stuffing!" feeling. And the prep is even started... I browned some turkey necks and giblets tonight to throw in to the crockpot for stock and giblets that I can throw in the freezer. Then I can pull them out when I need them and it won't be such a task to make the stuffing.

I think that's it. I plan to do the cranberry sauce next Monday night (it's easy), do the Salmon Mousse on Tuesday along with the mushrooms/bechamel for the green beans and sweet potatoes up to the topping, pies on Wednesday night, and Thursday I just have to throw the veggies together and warm them before we head to the in-laws.

This is always the point in time where I go "crap.... have I signed on for too much?"