Like I told you yesterday, I always try to do something special for Thanksgiving breakfast…you know, just in case I don’t consume enough calories in the actual Thanksgiving meal. This year, I found this recipe for Pecan Overnight French Toast–and it was DEEEELISH!

Ingredients

• 1 Large  French Bread
• 6 – 8 eggs
• 2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• pinch Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 Cup softened butter
• 2 TBS light Karo syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 Cup packed light brown sugar.

Method

Start by cutting a loaf of french bread into slices.

Next, combine the eggs, cream, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dip bread in mixture and place in buttered casserole dish. Cover and put in the fridge overnight. Go to bed. Because if you’re anything like me, you’re making this at 11:30pm on the night before Thanksgiving.

Wake up. Preheat oven to 350. Enjoy the fact that you’re almost done making breakfast already! Mix together pecans, butter, Karo syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.

Spread on French Toast.

Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

As most of you have probably figured out by now, I love making things from scratch. Especially if I have the time! And Thanksgiving is one of those days when I really enjoy and pride myself in making things from scratch (with LOTS of butter). Today I finalized my menu–mashed potatoes, turkey, dips, an amazing blooming bread thing as an appetizer, cranberry sauce, all the Thanksgiving goodness.

But there is just one thing I cannot make from scratch–turkey gravy. I know you’re supposed to use those weird bits–giblets, liver, etc.–that come in the turkey, and that REALLY freaks me out. So I decided to put my weird feelings aside and find a good tutorial. Who else should I turn to, but my dear friend the Pioneer Woman (okay, we’re not really friends, but I consult her so much, I sometimes feel like we’re friends). She has an excellent tutorial on how to make turkey gravy. And I read it. And like I said it’s an excellent tutorial. But I just couldn’t get over this picture:

Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman

I tried. I tried to tell myself: “Kate, you are a grown-up. You are a soon to be mother of two, who will have to deal with many gross things in the future. You used to want to be a doctor and held pig brains and sheep hearts and dissected all sorts of creatures.” But despite the Pioneer Woman’s encouragement, I decided that I just can’t do it!

So I did what I do every year…I bought the packet. I might add some drippings from the turkey in there, but I just can’t touch those icky parts. And it makes me feel a bit guilty…like I’m a Turkey Day failure. But friends, that’s just how strongly I feel about not touching those weird parts! I hope you won’t judge me .

How about you? Are you brave enough to make “real” gravy?

With Thanksgiving just a week away, I’m starting to plan our menu. We’re spending Christmas with the fam, so it’s Thanksgiving with friends this year. With Thanksgiving I’m always torn between traditional and something totally original. My husband is taking care of the turkey (cooked in a bag, upside down, stuffed AND covered in bacon–yum). Here he is carving the Turkey a few years ago (hope he doesn’t kill me for posting this pic ):

For Christmas that year, my little sister bought him an *ahem* more masculine apron to wear on such occasions.

Our friends are taking care of sweet potatoes and stuffing…which leaves appetizer, cranberry sauce, veggies, potatoes, and dessert for me. Woo hoo!

Appetizer…I usually do a cheese plate. But I can’t eat all the cheese I like, and so I’m thinking about doing something kind of fun and different. Any suggestions? Something that doesn’t have to stay super hot and is fairly light. I started looking for recipes, and it seems that every appetizer recipe includes goat cheese, brie, or blue cheese–NONE of which I can have. After looking for 30 minutes, here are my front runners: Hot Bacon Cheese Dip, Pear, Onion, and Jack Cheese Strudels, Bacon-wrapped Water Chestnuts (these sound weird but I’ve had them before and they are delicious!), or Artichoke-Parmesan Crostini. Thoughts?

Cranberry Sauce…I’m a werido and love the congealed stuff in the can. But I usually do a simple version of the real stuff for the Hubby (He doesn’t like peanut butter OR congealed cranberry sauce–how did we end up together?!?).

Veggies…This is the big question. Green bean casserole? Green Beans Almondine? Brussels Spouts? Glazed carrots? Turnips? I just can’t decide!!!

Potatoes…I do mashed. That’s the one thing for me that has to be super traditional. And Thanksgiving evening, I make potato patties, which I then fry in butter the next day. Love them!!!

Dessert…Typically my favorite course, but once again, I’m torn. Apple pie for my hubby?  Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies half dipped in chocolate (a favorite of my childhood)? Pumpkin cheesecake? Or the one that’s really making my mouth water…this Vermont Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting? Decisions, decisions, decisions…

What are YOU making for Thanksgiving?