Gobble Gobble It's Turkey Time!

One of my favorite meals to make every year (one which I have finally perfected, yes PERFECTED) is Thanksgiving dinner. The menu planning, the grocery shopping, the prep, the cooking and of course - the eating. Everything about it is FANTASTIC! Especially the whole part about leftovers for days which means I don't have to cook anything for a while. However, I do love that I can take remaining turkey, add some carrots and celery, toss in some broth, white wine and herbs, throw in some egg noodles and voila - you have soup for another few days! Yep - it's a lovely time of year.

After finally making peace with my menu after 20 years of trial and error, it has somehow (to spite a few years of side-dish mishaps) gotten easier every year to make this Turkey Day fest. I make the same dishes every year - because they taste pretty darn good (if I do say so myself) and because my husband would most certainly have some sort of culinary conniption if I decided to change the menu (I did this once with my enchilada recipe and I thought he was going to cry). So, every year I make the same menu items (I'm sharing my menu secrets so take notes):

- Roasted Sage & Rosemary Turkey
- Mushroom & Sausage Dressing (note: stuffing is cooked in the bird, dressing is cooked in a casserole dish)
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (trust me it rocks)
- Sweet Potato Souffle with Praline Topping (I've been making this since I was around 10 years old)
- Spinach Gratin (one of my go-to recipes for a few holidays)
- Cheesy Bacon Corn (my Dad's recipe)
- Cranberry Orange Relish (none of that canned goop)
- Gravy
- Rolls
- Pumpkin Pie with fresh Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream (if you mention that canned/tub crap I'll punch you)
- Deep Dish Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

However, this year, I have decided to shake it up a bit. Since my husband NEVER eats the crust to the pumpkin pie (sad little wedge of pumpkin-less pie crust on an empty plate) I'm just going to make the pumpkin custard and I'll brulee the top - sans crust (in essence a creme brulee). When my darling husband first heard this new plan for his beloved holiday dessert he sort of freaked out."Your going to do what now? I don't think this is a good idea." When I reminded him that he just threw away the crust anyway, he seemed to soften up to the possibilities of life without discarded pie crust. And thus, a new tradition is born. Yay - I win! Sometimes kids, you have to change it up a little - even with your favorites.

What is the lesson for this blog? I don't have really. Make what you love to eat - especially during the holidays. Make things that remind you of home, of your childhood, of your family and friends. Perfect it by trying different variations (stuffing with cornbread muffins or roasted garlic bread from a local bakery), get opinions from those sampling your delicious deliverables (too moist, too dry, too much bacon - ha, caught ya - as if THAT would ever happen) - you get the drift. Then, adjust. You will always have some traditional recipes that you will keep and that is most definitely OK, but try something new. A new side dish or a new dessert (in addition to pumpkin pie - let's not go crazy with losing tradition folks) is a great way to start. Keep Aunt Vera's cranberries (you don't want to hurt her feelings now do you) but trade out your glazed carrots for a yam gratin!

Whatever you decide to make this year, whatever you decide to bring to the potluck table, may your Thanksgiving be a happy one!

Gobble, Gobble my culinary friends! Gobble. Gobble.