This Thanksgiving marked many new first for me.

• It was the first time I ever completely hosted Thanksgiving Dinner, on my own, from planning to clean up.
• It was the first time I ever cooked a Turkey by myself.
• It was the first Thanksgiving I spent outside of Texas.
• It was first Thanksgiving without my grandmother.
• It was the first time I ever did shopping on Thanksgiving Day (and the first time my sister-in-law went shopping together.)
• It was first Thanksgiving with my all my newly extended family – mom, father-in-law, sister-in-law and husband, of course.
• It was our first Thanksgiving in our new house!
• It was the first time I ever got use my dining room set for a holiday meal.

Regardless of all the firsts, this was probably one of the most remember Thanksgiving I have ever had. I was surrounded by family, got spend the day, doing one of my favorite past times – cooking and shopping!

Thanksgiving Dinner could not be more picture prefect. This year I wanted to make everything from scratch … nothing was from a box or can … everything was fresh and homemade. In terms of cooking the only issue I had was that I didn’t calculate the correct cook time for the turkey and it took longer than I expected to cook. I also have to admit that it took longer to defrost than I had expected. Since I did a dry brine, I had cut the time it brined by a day and half.

The Menu: 

Turkey (oven roasted)
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes Casserole
Corn Pudding
Cranberry Sauce
Brussel Sprouts
Fruit Salad
Rolls
Mini Cheesecake with Cherry Sauce on the side
Mini Chocolate Cakes
Apple Pie