Thanksgiving, Part Three

A few weeks ago I held a Thanksgiving dinner party with the theme of "redemption" to make up for an epic fail (overcooked turkey) in 2011.   I didn't necessarily fail this time around, but it did not live up to 2010.  I've never made a more beautiful, moist bird in my life, and I will only be failing every time I try to recreate that.

Also, this dinner party was so traumatic on a whole new level that I wonder if I can ever do this again to be honest.  And the worst part?  I loved everything leading up to it - the invites (tinyprint.com does amazing invites, by the way), the RSVP's that a portion of the invitees failed to send back... despite the fact they were fucking STAMPED, the decorations, the anxiety, the food, everything.

I did the standard fare (turkey, potatoes, stuffing) and friends did a great job at the potlock part (salmon, slaw, veggies, cheese, dip, etc.), but I'm particular proud of the pomegranate cranberry sauce.  It is a mash-up of this recipe and another cranberry pomegranate relish.  I didn't use any herbs like year - just red wine, sugar, frozen cranberries, pomegranate syrup and pomegranate seeds.

The first Thanksgiving party I held I seeded two or three pomegranates and then juiced x amount of seeds by blending it and straining it by hand.  I don't do that anymore.  Once is enough.  I bought those seeds prepackaged, and I'm not sorry about it!

Thanksgiving Part Two: 2011

Last year Adam and I hosted Thanksgiving for seven people, including ourselves.  It was pretty epic and nerve-wracking - for me, not him.   This year, I decided to double the invitation, assuming the majority of friends would not be able to make it. My my how schedules change and open up once food is involved.  How for the love of god am I supposed to host 15 people Thanksgiving dinner in December, without a dining room, without more than one oven, and keep everything warm enough to still be tasty?

I have been feeling icky about the whole thing since the initial 'save the date' email went out, because of obvious panic, but then I saw these dudes on the Cooking Channel last night and got all excited:

There is nothing like the smell of Thanksgiving in a home, and there was no greater culinary accomplishment than roasting a gigantic ass turkey and making number of sides for a handful of my friends.  SHIT SMELT LIKE SWEET SUCCESS.

Am I right, or am I right?

Lunchtime

Last year, Adam and I were gifted a twenty two pound turkey and an eight pound turkey breast.  I finally got around to cooking the turkey breast in the slow cooker this weekend.  I had half a Lipton's onion soup mix packet in the pantry, so I mixed that with some salt, pepper and paprika and rubbed the turkey breast and let it six for six or seven hours.  Ding!  I shredded half of it to make enchiladas for dinner and was undecided on the rest.

Until I decided I would throw some in the orzo salad with zucchini and Feta (a variation of Real Simple's) that I had made for tomorrow's lunch.   There is something about the texture and shape of orzo that I have always loved.