Thanksgiving Evening with Friends

Friday night I hosted 9 people at our house for Thanksgiving dinner. Since our family tradition is to be in Mexico for the week of Thanksgiving and we eat chili rellenos instead of turkey, I always try to make a feast before or after the holiday so we don't miss out. I spent two nights cooking this feast: 

• Turkey – Brined for 24 hours & then cooked in an oven bag 
• Homemade Gravy
• Stuffing (not Homemade. I admit that I use to Stove Top – not because I am lazy, but because it's delicious and why mess with a good thing?) 
• Fresh Cranberry Relish 
• Yukon Gold Potatoes with Garlic & Chive Butter 
• Green beans with garlic 
• Mashed butternut squash with browned butter & sage
• Creamed Spinach 
• Apple pie 
• Pumpkin Pie 
• Mint ginger ale with Bourbon 
• Hot apple cider with Captain Morgan Rum 

I broke out the china, crystal and silver which never gets used and set the table with a Thanksgiving theme. 

I created place cards for our guests using the bundle of flowers (which I thought to be quite rustic looking) from PSA Topiary Peel & Stick and Cabernet ink by PSA Essentials. 

How adorable is this Turkey pinecone? I picked two up at World Market. (Which I am LOVING these days!) 

I was so busy cooking at the party and enjoying the company of our friends, I didn't have time to take many pictures. I snapped this one of Lisa & Susan when they got their food. 

It was a great night with great friends! Everyone really seemed to appreciate all the work that was involved in cooking the feast, and that was appreciated by me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat - we had a great time.