Thanksgiving 2009
11-26-09 The Main Spread with Fried Turkey and Ham
Friends:
Thanksgiving was wonderful! We had a great turnout of about 50 people altogether for our Thanksgiving Feast. It has always been our tradition to host military singles and young military families to our family gathering and this year was no exception. Eliana and my nieces (Camrynn, Ashlynn & Jasmynn) began cooking on Tuesday. We started with all the desserts that could be refrigerated – Pineapple Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Eggnog Pie, Pumpkin Butterscotch Bundt Cake, and Sopapilla Cheesecake Bites.
11-24-09 Chef Eliana and her cousin, Camrynn, making the Sweet Potato Eggnog Pie
The desserts turned out delicious. Here is a picture of the Pumpkin Butterscotch Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Drizzle. Yum! So moist!
11-25-09 Pumpkin Butterscotch Bundt Cake
The girls worked tirelessly, cooking and keeping the kitchen clean. They were like Santa’s Elves!
11-24-09 Little kitchen helpers taking a pizza break
When guests came in, they wrote their blessings on a leaf for the “Giving Thanks Tree.” Before we ate, we said grace and read the blessings out loud. It was a wonderful beginning to a perfect party.
11-26-09 Giving Thanks Tree
Then they ate and drank to their heart’s content. We had five tables set up with food and one for drinks. The menu included thirty items! The cooking was done by me and the girls, my mom, my 19 year old daughter, Soleil, my mother-in-law, and some of our party guests also brought dishes. The main course included 2 Fried Turkeys, 2 Smoked Turkeys, a Honey Ham, and Mojo Roasted Pork. Appetizers included Lumpia (Filipino egg rolls), Asiago Parmesan Mushroom Purses, Mini Crab Cakes & Remoulade, Ornamental Turkey with Ham, and Cheese & Fruit Skewers. The sides were Cornbread, Bacon Cheddar Cornbread, Cornbread Stuffing, Cranberry Dressing, Roasted Garlic Gouda Smashed Potatoes, Green Bean & Artichoke Casserole, Homemade Macaroni & Cheese, Rice & Broccoli, Roasted Cauliflower, Carrots & Mushrooms, Sweet Potato Casserole, Smothered Greens, Black Beans, Shepherd’s Pie, Stuffed Mushrooms and Steamed Rice. We had 2 soups: Crawfish & Corn Bisque and Chicken & Sausage Gumbo. To complete the feast, we ended with these fabulous desserts: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bites, Pumpkin Bundt Cake w Cream Cheese Drizzle, Sweet Potato Eggnog Pie, Pineapple Pumpkin Pie, Leche Flan & Casava Flan. It was a spread to remember!
11-26-09 Yummy Side Dishes
Look at our beautiful drink fountain!
11-26-09 Sparkling Pomegranate Punch Fountain
We had a full house and it was wonderful seeing so many happy faces. 
11-26-09 Thanksgiving Party People
The girls put on a show for us, we danced, and played games. Most of all, we had a blast!
11-26-09 Sisters dance
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you to all of our family and friends for making it a special day!
Until next time…
Warmly, Dianne
Tags: 2009, Author, Children's Book Author, Children's Books, Cooking, Dianne de Las Casas, Family, Storyteller, Storytelling, Thanksgiving