Family Dinner--post 2

So I kind of backed into an appetizer.  I needed something no bake as my one, single oven will be in use for the bird.

I could do cheese and crackers, but those choices were so overwhelming.  Maybe because I am always trying to up my veggie intake, I opted for crudites.  And what a beautiful, rainbow-esque crudites it will be.  I have red bell peppers, carrots, yellow grape tomatoes, broccoli, and these beautiful and fun carrot-shaped radishes.  I bought premade dips...ranch because while I hate it, it does seem to be popular; and french onion, because, really who doesn't like onion dip.

Tomorrow will be a crazy busy cooking day.  I have to salt the bird--inside and out, wrap in plastic wrap and continue to chill.  I will also be making my cheesecake.

Have I told you about my pumpkin cheesecake?  I am using parts of three different 4 fork recipes (on epicurious).  The piece de resistance is the pecan caramel sauce that gets served with it.  Oh, and there is bourbon throughout.  Yum!

Other cooking/prep work includes blanching the broccoli, and prepping the remaining cruidites.

I will also have Josh add the leaves to the table so I can set it.

Today I am supposed to be cleaning my house.  You can see how enthusiastic I am about that.

Dinner tonight is a pasta casserole from the freezer.

What are you having?

happy cooking