That time of year!

It's that time of a year again folks, where a girls thoughts turn to turkeys, stuffing, sweet potato pie, brining etc... Well at least this girls thoughts anyway. Yes I am aware that it's not even Halloween yet.
However, early October is when I start my menu planning for Thanksgiving. When I lived in New Mexico I never once thought of Thanksgiving, to be honest I didn't even like it. I didn't know what all the fuss was all about.
Back home we all went to my Aunts house for dinner ( lunch) and we were all back home by 3. My grandmother and Aunt did all the cooking and the menu has not changed ever! They are good cooks but twenty plus years of the same thing can get old.
Anyway when I moved to California, I had to start giving some serious thought to what my plans for Thanksgiving would be. The first three I traveled, and one year my mom and her homies came out to visit me.
But last year, last year was the first year I wasn't going out of town nor did I have family to come visit. I realized that I would have to make Thanksgiving dinner, It would be totally up to me what we would have. Did I mention I had never cooked a turkey before in my life! The thought of making Thanksgiving dinner made me excited, nervous and giddy all at the same time.
I would be making dinner for Me, Cory and Jill.
Three people should be easy enough right? The goal was simple, meal for three. Well that idea flew right out the window as I started reading food magazines and the New York Times food section. All of sudden my soul concern was, am I going to brine the turkey? Do cornbread stuffing or make my grandmothers dressing. It went on and on for days and I loved every single minute.
Finally the week of T-day came and I started cooking the Sunday before. I must have been to the grocery store at least a dozen times in those four days leading up to dinner. I would like to add that my good friend Jill did contribute appetizers ( yes of course we had appetizers) and side dishes to the menu. Our menu consisted of the following:
Appetizers
puff pastry pinwheels (Jill)
Kettle chips with blue cheese melted on top (Jill)
Champagne Cocktails with blackberry liquor
Dinner:
Turkey
Cornbread Stuffing
mashed potatoes (Jill)
cranberry sauce (Jill)
Princess yams
spicy green beans and kale
Cranberry Margaritas
Dessert
2 Sweet Potato pies
Lime chocolate cheesecake
Black velvet and coke (Jill)

We started this day at 11 and it went on until 3 am! The three of us had so much fun that day. I have to say it was my favorite Thanksgiving so far.
This year I will again be cooking dinner and the planning has started. I've read that Salting a Turkey is the new Hotness for bird prep this year over brining. I'll have to do more research to learn about this technique. I am so excited for this year after the success of last year. Now I finally get why people love this holiday so much. Great food, friends and relaxing it's awesome! So look for more T-day post from me in the next month and if you have any ideas or recipes I'd love to hear them.