This is a very long post filled with pictures, a menu and a little bit of silliness. If you can hang with me until the end, you will be rewarded with a giveaway. :)
For our Thanksgiving meal this week, I will be feeding just the six of us with the possiblility of a couple of extras. However, that evening we’re feeding 20 members of the York College men’s basketball team since they have games all weekend and are unable to go home. SO, I spent the weekend cooking and baking and getting ready Thanksgiving Day!
My turkey is cooked and being deboned by my husband right this very minute.
Wow, did the red button pop up or did the red button pop up?
Yes, I believe the turkey is done.
My rolls are baked and in the freezer.
Ain’t they purty?
I have no idea what happened to that one.
Or that one.
(Hey, someone had to be on quality control duty.)
ehem
Here are the rolls (before quality control moved in), pumpkin pie and a big pot of
hamburger meat (which is for the b-ball team dinner).
Thank you for humoring me and looking at the fruit of my labor this weekend. Now here is my menu for the week:
Sunday, November 22
Oatmeal, peaches
Italian roast wraps, tossed salad
Spicy avocado dip with chips, grapes
Monday, November 23
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Salmon patties, creamy mac and cheese, peas
Chili on baked potatoes, pomegranates
Tuesday, November 24
Yogurt, toast
Corn dog muffins, steamed cauliflower and carrots
Chicken veggie stir fry, pineapple
Wednesday, November 25
Strawberry bread, applesauce
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, carrot sticks
Chipotle chili hamburger skillet, green beans
Thursday, November 26
Caramel apple dip with apple slices
Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamy green bean casserole, homemade dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, Donna’s Oh My Stars Cookie Bars (I’ve been waiting for a special occasion to try these!!)
Taco Salad, fruit tray, butterscotch brownies, Lynn’s no bake cookie bars (The YC b-ball team will be fed a traditional T-giving meal at noon. I figured they’d like something besides turkey for their evening meal!)
Friday, November 27
Scrambled eggs, oranges
Turkey sandwiches on rolls, mashed potato pancakes, fruit
Leftover taco salad stuff
Saturday, November 28
Sweet potato streusel muffins, bananas
Shepherd’s pie, apples
Turkey and biscuits
This is the last week of the November Gratitude Challenge! I know this is a busy week for many of us…but please take the time to reflect on what God is doing in your life and join us for Gratituesday! Remember, there are prize drawings for those who participate in the November Gratitude Challenge!
Be sure to sign up for this Children’s Book giveaway if you haven’t already!
And now for this new 48 hour giveaway!
Because this weekend I used so many of the methods in Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Holiday Hospitality ebook…and because using these methods and recipes have been SO HELPFUL to me and will make Thursday (and this whole week) SO much simpler for me…I wanted to spread the organizational fun. Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered into a drawing to win this ebook.
And also…I’m going to let you in on a little secret (just in case you’re going to be NOT reading blogs this weekend). There may be a little Black Friday love going on in the Heavenly Homemaker’s shop this weekend. Be sure to watch for it!
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This giveaway is now closed!
Your rolls look DELICIOUS, Laura!! I’m sure they passed “quality control” with flying colors. :o)
I’d love a copy of your ebook… it sounds great!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love, Kristy @ Homemaker’s Cottage
Greetings, Laura. Your pictures are really getting me in the mood. Thank you for sparing us the picture of the raw turkey, with all that awful necky gunk stored inside. Yuck!!
May the Lord bless you all this Thanksgiving. Let all the earth praise Him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Looks like you have been very busy, and have a big week ahead! Blessings!
Black Friday love, huh? Sounds interesting!
I love your e-books, and I’d certainly love to get my hands on this one!
I’m definitely making my turkey ahead of time this year. Thanks for the great advice! Hope you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving!
We are so blessed this year! Our youngest is having a medical procedure on Monday, so we are invited to our neighbors! I am taking rolls, a yam carrot casserole, and a pumpkin log stuffed with cream cheese dessert! Such a treat to be spoiled like this!
But I will be baking my Christmas turkey early!
You meal looks wonderful! Do you have a recipe for the rolls on your blog?
I cooked our Thanksgiving turkey on Saturday =) um, while I went shopping even!
Hope your e-book tells me what to do with all the s.t.u.f.f. in my basement so we can find room to host a couple other families on Thursday! ;-)
Have a great week!
It all looks delicious! Happy thanksgiving, all you Americans! May we all remember to give thanks every day!
I love your cooking ahead ideas!
Those rolls sure look yummy! :)
Yummy rolls!! Can’t wait to make my own!
Would love a copy of this e-book ~ always intersted in new ideas and techniques!
Happy Thanksgiving and many, many blessings <3
Your weekly menu always makes my mouth water. The pictures don’t help matters. I’d love to win your e-book, but I am very thankful that I don’t have to host Thanksgiving this year. I AM in charge of pies. I will be giving your pumpkin pie recipe a try. I’m going to use the squash that we have so much of rather than pumpkin. I hope it works!
OOOH I would love to win this! Maybe it would make having people over a little less terrifying to me!
You are so organized! I would love to learn to be just a little bit more like you. I’m sure I could garner lots of tips from the e-book, thanks for the chance to win!
I would love to win this. Having folks over is scary for me. I’m not sure why…but I always fear I’ll do something “wrong”. Maybe being more organized would help!
I loved looking at all the pictures and now have a sudden desire to cook my turkey! Hope it thaws in enough time for it to be cooked “before” Thanksgiving! :) I agree with everyone else, your rolls look fabulous! I would love the recipe. Thanks for the giveaway!
Your pictures make me hungry…especially those rolls! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love reading your blog and every weekly menu looks delicious!
Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!!! Love your blog!!!
Just recently started reading, within the last two months, and was caught by York College today. Would that be York College associated with the church of Christ?
Your rolls look wonderful! I think a quality test of only two was a great success.
Happy Thanksgiving! May God show your family His blessings this holiday.
While I won’t be hosting T-day this year, I will be hosting Christmas Eve dinner for the first time.
This will be a great help. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for the give-away!
Michelle
We’ve already had our Thanksgiving in Canada, but I think next year I’ll try cooking the turkey ahead. I think it would make the day go so much easier.
Ooh pick me, pick me!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Happy Thanksgiving! Those rolls look awesome!
Gotta get my menu out too… yours looks wonderful! Hope quality control was satisfied.
I love your meal plans. I like the way you include b-fast and lunches. Most menu plans I read only do dinner. We’re home all day, so we need b-fast and lunch ideas. :)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! You are very inspirational to me and make me laugh – what a blessing you are!
Please enter me! Everything you baked looked delicious!
Thanks, Laura. Great thanskgiving tips!! I am going to do the turkey on Wednesday for a first time this year! I would love the ebook!
God Bless your week.
~Cynthia
Your rolls look very good!
I am making those exact same Chocolate Oatmeal Bars (Oh my stars bars:)) for our thanksgiving dinner. I have had the recipe forever, but have not made them in a long while! (before we changed our eating habits!) I too, have been waiting for a special occasion to make them! They are oh so very good!!!
Thanks for the chance, Laura! Happy Thanksgiving!!
You’re so prepared! I haven’t even BOUGHT my turkey yet…granted, most of that was due to the confusion of whether we’d make it to my parents’ house or not…but all excuses aside, I’m panicking just slightly now!!!
Oh and I wouldn’t mind a free eBook!
Laura, Thank you for your blog! I really enjoy and look forward to reading your posts each day. You are an inspiration to me in my daily walk with God and my family. I’d LOVE to be able to win your e-book to help prepare for the upcoming holidays! Happy Thanksgiving!
I get so stressed when feeding large groups of people. You may it look too easy!
I’m hoping to see your dinner roll recipe soon! Yum!
I enjoyed seeing your post today! Your blog is a blessing to me. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hoping for the giveaway. Thanks.
Ooh, I’d love to win a copy of your e-book. And I really enjoy your blog. I hope you have a great week.
I love seeing what’s going on in your kitchen. Looks wonderful!
Put me in the drawing, please!
It all looks delish! I don’t blame you for the quality control. I am usually burdened with that job too! Thanks for the great giveaway!!
The rolls sure look yummy! I’ll volunteer for quality control duty anytime! Thanks for the giveaway! :)
Great post, would love that hospitality book! And I am impressed that you roasted your turkey already! How many pounds did you buy to feed 6 plus leftovers?!
Looks wonderful…thanks for the giveaway!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Looks great and the book sounds helpful. I also wanted to mention that I feel quality control is a very important area :)
Love that you put up pictures of your food!
Thanks for the giveaway! Quality control…I’ll have to use that one!
Quality control is my specialty!
I would be so grateful for a free ebook.
Can I be on your quality control team? :) Thanks for the great giveaway!
WoW! You accomplished so much this weekend. Thank you for sharing the pictures and for hosting the giveaway.
The ebook would be awwesome to read!
Wow, you continue to impress by feeding your family AND a basketball team Thanksgiving dinner. So fun to see all your work and what an excellent job!
Being organized is such a blessing . . . thanks for this fun giveaway. The rolls look delicious!
I’m so impressed with your planning. An ebook would be perfect for me. :)
Count me in please! I totally took your cook the turkey ahead of time suggestion and will be doing that early this week. :-) Thanks for that! I use a ton of your tips and several of your vegan recipes (food allergies in the house) and oh how I appreciate you and your lovely blog!
Laura, you rock! :)
Everything looks yummy!
i love the other recipe ebooks I’ve gotten from you so I would love this one, too!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Of COURSE I will be reading blogs over the holiday weekend!!
you’re so great at hospitality, Laura :) I would love to interview you on the topic (or just read the book!) :)
Please sign me up!
-and thanks for the linky love to the cookie bars! ;-)
Would love to see a tutorial on those rolls! They look wonderful!
I would love to win.
Thank you for doing this giveaway!!!
Oh, I really WANT this! I plan to cook my turkey ahead like you suggested. I can’t believe this never occurred to me. LOL!
Trust me, I need this!
Your meal plans always look delicious!
The rolls look delicious!
Thanks so much for your recent posts about cooking for Thanksgiving. I’m definately going to go over the gravy making tutorial again, as I’ve had several disasters in that realm. Happy Thanksgiving!
Laura,
I have tried many of your recipes over the last 2 weeks and EVERY one has been fantastic. I plan to comment on each one later, but I wanted to post a comment to try to get your free give away! Thank you for your time and efforts in posting your home management ideas.
Love your blog!!! I plan on using your turkey cooking tip later this week. What an awesome idea!!! We have a couple of mutual friends, being a Christian makes this a small world. Your ebook would be a terrific addition to my kitchen.
Laura :)
If only I were as organized as you. I’m still trying to clean a space for my guests to sit when they arrive tomorrow. I haven’t even thought about the turkey – except to take it out of the freezer (I remembered this year, that’s a first, I think). I would love to win your e-book. I certainly could use ideas to make entertaining a bit less work and a lot more fun!
I need more help!! Thanks for posting!
I would love to have this with all your tips – thank you!!
Wow Laura! You really have it together! I would LOVE to receive this book! It sounds wonderful!
I would love this book! I love all your tips and advice. I will be utilizing the turkey and mashed potato tips. Thanks a lot!
I love reading your blog. You are so organized. I never knew you could cook your turkey days ahead of time and nobody would notice the difference. Thanks for that tip! We love your recipes!
Love your blog!!!
Would love to win this! Thanks for the opportunity. :)
Lori G
Thanks Laura—your a great planner, blogger and great pic’s. Would love your eBook. It looks fabulous.
Looks delicious!!! Sign me up for the drawing please.
I am loving your blog and humor!!!
yummm Shepherd’s pie… I use leftover turkey this time of the year!
I’d love the e-book!
Hello fellow Husker! I just found your website and I love it! I’ve been reading through your old postings and I’m addicted! Your organization and excitement for healthy cooking is my inspiration! Thank you!
Oh wow! Now I am hungrey! Lol!
Husband got me a slow cooker and I can’t wait to cook a chicken in it now! =)
I love you hiints about getting ready ahead of time. Why didn’t I think of that?
Thank you for entering me into the drawing. Have a blessed day!
this would be great!
Your Thanksgiving tips are great! I would love to read more hospitality tips.
thanks for all your great posts. I would love a e-book on hospitality.
How did it get on your quality control team?
LOL!!!!
I would LOVE to win this one! Thanks for the giveaway!!
I never thought of making the turkey ahead of time. Great idea!
Nice! I don’t even know what to do for Thanksgiving, so this would be fun. I have zero posts re: T-day, and I was surprised! I’ll have to catch up next year!
Your quality control team looks like the one in our house when fresh-out-of-the-oven rolls are involved! Thanks for all your great ideas! Hey, you were too kind to think of sharing some apples with us, but I’m sure your boys could eat WAY more than my almost 4 yr old girls! So you enjoy all them there apples and purty rolls! ;-
)
If you ever have any openings for quality control agents just let me know….that’s one of my specialities…(thank you Veggie Tales Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything!) I would love to win a copy of your e-book! Thanks for the chance!
I would love to win the e-book – but most of all I want to thank you for taking care of the basketball team. I never thought about private families caring for them when they are away from home, especially over a family holiday. God bless you for using your gift of hospitality to care for them!
Love your website, and always excited for new ideas to feed the fam! Thankful for YOU! ;)
Your new blog layout looks fabulous! FInally clicked over from my reader. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would love to win this ebook, I’ve been trying to cook more and I need all the help I can get! :)