Wednesday, November 24, 2010

T-Day Countdown: Bringing in the Chard




Our countdown to Thanksgiving Day is just about over.

Monday: Beat the rush by doing most of holiday shopping at Giant Food. Touch up lawn by mowing front yard and along driveway. Ellen finishes third of three quilts for grandkids of a long-time friend. Wash insides of most windows with simple ammonia-water mix to remove Windex smudges and streaks from last month’s wash.

Tuesday: Clean bathrooms, run vacuum, and Swiffer tile floors.

Wednesday: Make up guest bedroom & do laundry. Peel and boil rutabagas and mash with butter. Roast Brussels sprouts. Make cranberry-apple chutney. Bring chard in from garden and sauté with onion and garlic and top with sliced beets. Refrigerate all to reheat tomorrow, when we’ll add lemon juice, feta, and toasted nuts to the chard. Check thawing turkey in refrigerator. It’s not gobbling. We’ll make veggie stuffing/roast tomorrow.

Ellen and I are on schedule preparing for the big event. We were planning on 19 for dinner. The number has increased to 21.

All our guests will contribute to the meal. They’ll bring Jersey limas and corn, coleslaw, pepper relish, sweet potato casserole, drink, fruit cobbler, pies, ice cream, and disposable tableware so for the first time we won’t have to spend an hour and a half washing dishes.

Planning ahead—plus many hands—make this traditional Thanksgiving feast both doable and enjoyable.

Yes, three or four hours one day. Four or five another. Five or six another. Seven or eight on the big day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ellen and I are looking forward to Friday.

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