Thanksgiving Eve

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Can't you feel the holiday feeling in the air today? The kitchen is bustling, the front door swings wide with company, the house smells fantastic, the Christmas carols are floating through the air, and I get to spend the day engaged in my favorite hobby: cooking. I feel envigorated! Last night I brined the turkey, made the gravy base, cranberry sauce and four pie crusts. Today I'll finish off the pies and do all the chopping and prepping for side dishes. And tonight the party really kicks off.
Instead of making dinner in an already chaotic kitchen, a few years ago we started a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dinner tradition. If you remember from the cartoon, pushy Peppermint Patty coerces good old Chuck into inviting all of the gang over for Thanksgiving dinner. Trouble is, poor old Charlie Brown has no idea how to pull it off. With the help of Snoopy and Woodstock, he sets up the ping pong table with a mish mash of chairs and then serves a fine feast of buttered toast, pretzels, popcorn, jelly beans and pink sherbet. And that has become our official Thanksgiving Eve dinner (with a few grilled cheese sandwiches thrown in for good measure). The cousins look forward to the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Eve party every bit as much-and maybe even more-as the real Turkey day tomorrow. It takes a little premature pressure off the cooks too! And tonight we'll break into a pie or two. I confess that they taste ever so much better the night before, when one is not button-bursting full.

Happy Thanksgiving! There is so much to be grateful for, even during these penny pinching times. I'm counting my blessings. I'm absolutely astounded by the kind comments that everyone has left regarding my absence. I count the connection with my dear readers as one of my greatest blessings this year. Thank you for coming here, trying the recipes, reading the words, and for leaving comments. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. Have a wonderful holiday!