Holiday Overboard

This is our 3rd Thanksgiving in California. I wanted to make it special so I cooked and cooked and cooked for 2 days. JD told me not to make so much, it would only be us and the girls, we didn't need all of that food. But Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without a feast. So I made 4 casseroles, 2 desserts, 4 side dishes, and a turkey. I went a little overboard.

It was actually a lot of fun planning the menu, prepping the dishes, and cooking everything. JD helped some, the girls popped in and out of the kitchen when something needed a good stir, and it all came together without any stress. The past 2 days were a steady rhythm of teaching myself how to brine a turkey, sharing my culinary prowess with my girls, and the rich smells of sweet potatoes baking, vegetable stock simmering, and yeast rolls rising. It felt like a holiday.

This Thanksgiving could also be known as the year of the terrible mealtime meltdown from both of my girls. Beatrice is my picky eater so I knew she would have a hard time with all of the new things on her plate today. I did not expect the total freak out she had when she saw the bright orange sweet potato casserole, the green beans topped with fried onions, and about 8 other weird items on her plate. "Please don't make me eat any of that," she cried. It was not a good start to the meal.

Penelope, who will eat anything, mimicked her sister and freaked out too. JD and I remained calm for the sake of the holiday and convinced everyone to try a bite. They did and it was determined that the turkey, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole were fit for consumption. Everything else was "yucky and gross like poop."

We feasted, we rested, we played with friends. I have spent the evening trying to find room in my fridge for 4 casseroles, 2 desserts, 4 side dishes, and a turkey. I went totally overboard this holiday and it was perfect. Happy Thanksgiving!