Holidays Are Better When I'm Not Hosting Them...

I was just checking out Babies and Bargains and was reminded that Thanksgiving is coming up. I really like Thanksgiving when I am going to someone else's house but this year we are hosting it at our home so I get a little stressed (this is because I like everything to be perfect- I know that it's silly but I can't help it).

We had Christmas at our home last year and it was so much work. I was still nursing my daughter who had a dairy allergy so everything I made was dairy free. Everything was completely, 100% from scratch which included the bread for the stuffing, the chicken stock for the gravy and stuffing and the rolls. I could have not done this but there was no way I was going to host Christmas and not be able to eat what everyone else was eating.

This Thanksgiving I am free to eat what I want but I am going through a cook from scratch phase lately so I think I will be pulling out my inner Martha Stewart. I know I am crazy and making a ton of work for myself but I guess everyone has their thing that they obsess over.

I think our menu will include:

Turkey

Crock Pot Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

 Cranberry Sauce (I am going to try and make my own but I may have a can on hand if things go awry)

Corn

String Beans

Some other veggie

Rolls (awesome recipe here)

Pumpkin Muffins (I have tons of puree in my freezer)

Someone else can bring other deserts

Lots of wine and some beer

I am going to start making chicken stock to freeze so that I will have enough to make the gravy and stuffing. I found a great recipe last year for crock pot stuffing and make ahead gravy but I lost the links so I have to use my good friend Swagbucks to locate them somewhere out there.

I also have to make valances for my dining room and family room windows, some pillow slipcovers for my couch and an ottoman slipcover. I have really been slacking on these but I am working on the ottoman slipcover right now (what a pain in the you know what) which is taking a bit- once I finish it the other stuff will be a breeze (did I mention that I am scared of my sewing machine so I hand sew everything- I suppose I am super crazy).

Like I said, I like holidays so much better when they are at someone else's house.