I love Thanksgiving. It’s all about food and family, without the pressure of the gift exchange. In years past, I’ve prepared my Thanksgiving menus at least a month in advance. I’d send a few menu options out to our guests (Rockford’s parents) and let them vote on which they’d like. (My father-in-law inevitably wanting to mix-and-match the offerings.)

This year, though, I had other things on my mind leading up to today’s festivities. As such, I didn’t prepare a menu at all. My mother-in-law and I tossed some ideas around earlier this week, and our menu sort of just shaped itself.

And here it is: