Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner - Day 2

 Spreading out cooking over 2 days really is the best.  No waking up before dawn to rush to get everything done by dinner.  The whole family slept in until 8AM, and we had a leisurely breakfast.  I didn't start cooking until after 11AM.  The first thing my daughter and I made was "Bread in a Bag".  We made it for the first time in May as part of her homeschool preschool curriculum.  

It's pretty fun, because she gets to squish it around in the bag to mix, and then also gets her hands all messy kneading the dough.  It tastes really good!  (I guess I forgot to take a finished picture, but it is in the picture with all the other food on the table later.)

While the bread was in the oven, we used food coloring to make orange icing for the cupcakes.  Buying an icing dispenser was such a great investment.  

Next was the homemade macaroni and cheese.  We've been saving a block of Velveeta cheese my mom sent in a package.  It's funny how things that seem so simple to make in the US can become so complicated living overseas.  

I made a super simple apple cider in the crockpot with apple juice and cinnamon sticks.  I even had a few hours to spare to wrap my son's birthday presents and facetime with both sets of grandparents, without any worry about cooking.  I threw some green beans in a pot with bacon pieces and salt and some corn with butter and salt, about 30 minutes before our guests were supposed to arrive.  I heated up the stuffing in the oven and the mashed potatoes in the microwave.  A few stirs and putting some things into prettier bowls, and everything was ready!

The finished Thanksgiving buffet, complete with a rotisserie chicken and cranberry jam!  :)