Wow... Thanksgiving is two days away! I promised to document my experience, but I have been so busy, that I hardly even had time to sit down and open up a browser. Extremely exciting though... I did do all of my Thanksgiving shopping last night during Monday Night Football. I am a late night shopper. I can't explain it, but there is just never enough time in a day for me it seems. Of course, it was better for me because I was able to miss all of the hub bub of the holidays crowds. Now, I will tell you that I was extremely nervous. I had planned on purchasing my Thanksgiving feast on Monday evening, but my future mother-in-law informed me that I needed to allow several days for my turkey to defrost if I was purchasing frozen (and of course I was... it was cheaper!). I could not really reroute shopping earlier because I would not be coming back into town until Monday afternoon from Pittsburgh. At least the Target Sales ads treated me well!
The Invitation | I decided to send out an Evite to family members and friends for my first fabulous Thanksgiving feast. Since we decided to do a potluck, it was great because they could RSVP on the invitation and include what they would be bringing so that we would not have doubles. I thought it was festive and informative!
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| Pillsbury Caramel Apple Pie |
The Serverware | Well, I have a slight obsession for all white serverware which started with Pampered Chef, Kohls, and Pottery Barn. It has now moved onto the Christmas Tree Shop, and I am constantly picking up new pieces at an extremely affordable price. My newest joy... an all white teapot for $4.00 (after using a 20% OFF coupon!).
My Color Scheme + Decor | So, I completely opted out of the traditional oranges, reds, and browns, and went more with a green and brown paisley pattern from Waverly. I was able to pick up matching table linens as well from the Christmas Tree Shop (its my new favorite place!). I decided to decorate with glass cylinder vases staggered at different heights with pinecones, green apples, and pears! My best investment were these white pumpkins that I will use at each place setting with green napkins. I believe they are going to look fabulous :)
My Turkey | They say that you should plan on 1 1/4lb of turkey for each guest that you have and I plan on hosting for twelve. With this calculation I should have purchased a 15lb turkey, but since I was looking for leftovers, I went ahead with a 20lb frozen turkey. Yes, it is in the refrigerator thawing out. My mother actually called me today to check on that! I was extremely excited the last time I spoke with Lisa from Williams Sonoma. She was extremely helpful on planning for my first Thanksgiving and tips on brining my turkey. I planned on making my stop into the store this week, however, after shopping at my local Giant store, I was able to find a similar Apple & Sage Brine mix for only $3.50 on sale. How could I pass it up? I did however, make my stop in to Williams Sonoma and picked up my Fig Jam, which paired exceptionally well with goat cheese crumbles on crackers during a soiree earlier this week! I did not realize how unprepared I was for my first turkey until I realized all of the necessary items I was missing. What could I live without when roasting my turkey? Here is a list of what I purchased and what I did without.
- Turkey Roasting Pan (purchased)
- Turkey Roasting Rack/Lifter (purchased)
- Sharp Carving Knife and Fork (own)
- Cheesecloth (chose to live without)
- Carving Board (own)
- Turkey Platter (own)
- Bulb Baster (own)
- Flavor Injector (chose to live without)
- Brining Bags (purchased)
- Wooden Spoon (own)
- Flat Whisk (own)
- Gravy Separator (chose to live without)
- Thermometer (own)
- Linen Twine (purchased)
- Trussing Needles (chose to live without)
- Gravy Boat (own)
- Liquid Measuring Cups (own)
- Saucepans (own)
- Fine-Mesh Sieve (no idea - chose to live without!)
Check back later for tips on roasting your turkey!
nicole brennan . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . 302.545.0412 . wilmington
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