Rather than spending this Thanksgiving in London on Skype watching my family eat a big meal while I eat a sad plate of canned spinach like last year, I had some friends over for a traditional American Thanksgiving feast.

My friend Manuela came over in the morning and we cooked for 8 solid hours.

I made Cassie’s cranberry applesauce while she worked on Emily’s sourdough stuffing.

Cranberry sauce was great! Really fresh tasting, few ingredients and spot on in traditional flavor.

The stuffing was beyond gorgeous. I think it’s safe to say it was my favorite dish of the feast! We probably would have had a bit more to serve people if we hadn’t kept taking little bites as it was cooling.

We somehow ended up doing equal amounts of work and making the same number of dishes, although I have to give her credit for the turkey. I can’t touch raw meat!

I wish I had more nice photos of the food, but when it starts getting dark around 3 pm you don’t have a lot of options.

Family picture.

Feast being served.

Below:

Turkey, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, pan-fried Brussels sprouts with bacon, apple and balsamic, maple syrup roasted sweet potatoes, sourdough stuffing, cranberry applesauce, green beans cooked in a white wine lemon butter sauce with shallots, and PUMPKIN PIE (in the fridge!).

Lots and lots of wine (in classy cups since I don’t have wine glasses yet).

Excited turkey carver.

I’m sad Thanksgiving is over, but I’m looking forward to the Christmas season. Even though I dislike mince pies I think I’m going to attempt to make my own …