Ready for Thanksgiving

I am ahead of the game this year and am loving it. I am taking a very
proactive approach and preparing ahead for the holiday season. One area
is in the stocking of the pantry. As of last week, the only things I
still need to buy for the Thanksgiving dinner this year is the turkey,
fresh cranberries and possibly acorn squash. Here is an idea of our
typical Thanksgiving menu.

Turkey - usually bought a few days before when prices are at their lowest.
Dressing - I bake bread to use in the stuffing/dressing. The other
ingredients are items that I normally have stocked in the pantry year round.
Whole Cranberry Sauce - I make this using fresh cranberries. This year
I may try home canning it since finding the recipe in the Ball Blue Book
canning guide.
Baked Acorn Squash - this is a favorite in our family. Sometimes, I
will make it glazed.
Candied Sweet Potato Casserole - a favorite containing pineapple and
marshmallows.
Pumpkin pie - made from fresh pumpkins
Sweet Potato Pie - one of my favorites
Shoo-fly Pie - a rich pie made sweetened with molasses
Dinner Rolls

This is always the start of "holiday cookie season" in our family. We
have a couple varieties of holiday cookies made. This year, I have some
autumn themed cookie cutters and plan to let the kids help make &
decorate some sugar cookies.

Of all the ingredients, I am so thrilled to have all but what must be
bought fresh. Who knows, one year we may even be so blessed as to raise
our own turkey. If we had a shelter and safe pen for it, we could buy a
turkey pullet in the spring and raise it until needed for Thanksgiving
dinner. I am looking forward to the day when I can say that we
literally raised each vegetable and meat used in our holiday meal. That
day will come soon enough. Until then, I am just grateful to be as
prepared as I am for this year's special family dinner.