I'm traveling this holiday, not cooking, leaving my husband to his family
for a change. (I usually bring the turkey and ham, and a giant platter of
deviled eggs for this huge extended family, and the others make the side
dishes.)

It was time to grocery shop, so I looked online at the weekly specials, and
lo and behold, the best deals are on Thankgivingish stuff! So I made a few
phone calls last night and invited for Sunday dinner some people we rely
upon regularly for friendship and favors and vice versa. Just a small group
of neighbors and friends.

It'll be a little, non-hectic pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving with no long
drives or long hours or big messy crowds.

(I was supposed to be taking a vacation from the cookintg this year, but I
guess not! I blame you people.)

The menu, nothing stellar, just a smallish fresh turkey with cornbread
stuffing with lots of browned onions and celery, done with homemade stock
from the last Fat Sunday Hen; candies sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green
beans slow cooked with ham bits, a small "picnic" ham (on the bone, no
spiral slicing or fancy stuff, but a brown sugar glaze), homemade biscuits,
homemade gravy, (now that I know how, hahaha!) and pumpkin pie. The latter
will be Sarah Lee, because I am just not a baker! (I'm serving little
glasses of cranberry juice instead of cranberry sauce.)

Since we are eating tomorrow, everyone should have time to be in the mood
for turkey again by Thursday!