It all looks good - especially the turkey. Many cooks have a hard time getting a planned meal together. Leave it to you to "wing" it at the last minute.

What type of Japanese Maple do you have? I would've thought Sandy had blown the leaves to kingdom come. Is it indoors?

I really liked the picture of the red maple leaves with the scallops, asparagus and mushrooms. You sure cooked a lot of meat! What no mashed potatoes or candied sweet potatoes? LOL
Clare

Dcarch, everything looks fantastic! I know who to called now when I have an emergency,lol.

My favorite is the one dish with the scallops and the maple leaves, now that Teresa mention them I see them too.

Your friends knew that you would come to the rescue and do a great job!

Silvia

Beautiful and what a wonderful thing to do for everyone..true thanksgiving.

I love your first photo. Even though your turkey isn't roasted, it looks like a beautifully roasted turkey. Picture perfect.
~Ann

This post was edited by ann_t on Sun, Nov 25, 12 at 16:54

I also wondered how your maple could still have lovely leaves, mine are long gone now that there is snow on the ground here.

The scallops look very delicious to me, I love 'em and very seldom have them. They're never very good here.

Good for you for throwing together a meal for that family. Disorganized doesn't matter, it's Thanksgiving and sometimes just having a hot meal is something to be thankful for.

Not one but TWO frozen turkeys, though? Was there a rush on fresh turkeys or did the storm disrupt deliveries like it disrupted everything else?

Annie

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D-sauce for Dcarch ....... what's next?

Annie, I had the same thought. I was at three supermarkets today, all of which were practically giving fresh turkey away. Nary a frozen bird to be found, probably in the back freezer, waiting to be sold full price for Christmas.

As for Japanese maples, they are still full of pretty leaves here, too, right next to the bare, uprooted oaks.

Gorgeous pics and food DCarch!

How could you even think of a menu like that on such short notice?? Wow.

just something I threw together at the last minute...you are amazing! That would take a year of planning and practice for me to replicate.

Thank you Teresa. Winging it is not a big deal, since I don't follow recipes very well normally. Not that I am any good, just lacking patience. :-). That is a wild maple started from a flown in helicopter seed. Maple seeds leaves are edible, not just the sap.

Thanks Clare and Silvia. The scallops were dry scallops. Normally $19.00 a lb. It was on sale for $13.99 a lb. Amazing sous vided at 120F, seared and coated with bacon powder. I had a few other dishes. Vegetables, bread and fried bananas. No stuffing.

Thanks trailrunner. Storm Sandy was terrible for many people, but Thanksgiving is a time for people to count their blessings.

Thanks Ann_t. I had nothing to do with the perfectly done turkey. Modern electronics assured me that the entire bird was cooked at exactly at 150F, +- one degree, inside and outside. I did cheat. I gave it a one minute instant browning with a hot soy sauce braise. What's the difference, few people eat the skin anyway.

Thanks Annie. Yeah, My guests insisted to go shopping with me so they could pay for the meal. They ended up picking up all kinds of meats. The supermarket we went to had both fresh and frozen turkeys, all big ones. I am not sure where did the other two friends shopped for their turkeys.

Miisa69, thanks for viewing my post. If I ever need to source D-sauce, then I may click on your link. Not sooner.

Thanks jasdip, Cathy. It was a challenge for sure to have to deal with unplanned ingredients. I kept imagining I was in an episode of Master Chef having to cook with surprise mystery ingredients.

dcarch