Prep for Neighbor boys' feast - Day One

A beautiful bouquet - ready to go inside two turkeys. :-)

Connor decided several weeks ago that the boys in the neighborhood needed to join us for a sit-down dinner. The idea grew to a Thanksgiving Feast for about 15 to 20 guys who spend their afternoons hanging out around our house.

Tim enlisted the help of a friend of ours, David Vidal. David grew up in this neighborhood -- he was just 5 years old when we moved here 21 years ago. Since then, he's graduated from culinary school and is hoping to get a catering business off the ground. (His website - www.davidjoecatering05.com)

3 guys in a kitchen

4 guys in a kitchen

5 guys in a kitchen (with 3 of the 15 or 18 or 20 or ? boys who will join us tomorrow)

Dishes anyone?

Cuddles praying for manna from heaven

So, David, you just DUMP the salt in?
(Soaking turkeys in brine)

Tim tries his hand at fancy roll-shapingJesus, Angel, and Connor pitch in as evening ROLLS around :-)

Time out for a little improv with Tim

Day one complete.
Pumpkin pies and blueberry pie and 6 dozen rolls and corn bread and roasted corn for the stuffing. Turkeys soaking in brine. David's special potato salad (white and sweet potatoes, cilantro vinagrette, roasted corn and red onions...)nearly complete. Peach cobbler in the works tomorrow (oh happy collection of desserts!). And who knows what else will appear tomorrow?!
Time to sleep and get ready for Day Two.
And then we'll rest up for a day before -- Thanksgiving!