This year, for some unknown reason, that did not happen. For that matter, it is entirely possible that in past years I decided my menu three days before Thanksgiving and I only delude myself now, with false memories of my own organizational skills.

Nevertheless, this year? It is done. Shiv came over and we had a hard-core strategizing session, printing recipes like mad and wielding Sharpie pens and glasses of our Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cab blend with aplomb and little regard for safety. The menu has been created, and I present it to you here, now.

Thanksgiving breakfast for the chefs:

Holiday quiche -- hash brown crust, swiss and pepper jack cheeses, and sliced ham
Coffee
Orange juice

Appetizers

Vodka-spiked red and yellow cherry tomatoes
Winter fruit chutney (with oranges, cranberries, pears, figs, raisins, ginger, and apple)
Cheddar-stuffed mushrooms with walnuts, parsley, Worchestershire, and cognac
Sushi rolls (peanut or avocado) courtesy of Shiv

Main course

Herb-roasted turkey with shallot pan gravy (and the best under-the-skin herb-butter rub you've ever seen)
Vermouth-roasted garlic and mascarpone cheese mashed Yukon Gold potatoes
Bourbon cranberry sauce
Jerusalem artichoke and sage gratin
Ambrosia salad, because I cannot have Thanksgiving without it
Stuffing courtesy of Little Owl
Mushroom and onion gratin with Gruyere cheese
Sauteed mushrooms and leeks, courtesy of the Neff
Buttered brussels sprouts, because I adore them
Sweet potatoes that were clearly concocted by the GODS, courtesy of Shiv
Green and white asparagus with parmesan cheese
Butternut squash gratin with rosemary breadcrumbs

Dessert

40-proof pumpkin pie, courtesy of Shiv
Carrot cake, courtesy of Shiv
Bailey's Irish Cream cheesecake
Vanilla-pear clafoutis
and a Chocolate-bourbon tart with currants and orange-custard sauce.

So, yes. It seems that I might have my hands full. Next step: scheduling the order of preparation, figuring what I can make beforehand, and working out in what order dishes need to be added to and removed from the oven.

All day today I was in a horrible mood. I went from tired to grumpy to worried to annoyed to grumpy to pissed off. As soon as I got home, I started making dinner -- a vegetable cobbler with a scallion-biscuit top -- and the second my knife bit into a potato, everything seemed all right again. This is how I want my life to be.