'Twas the day before Thanksgiving...

And nobody feels like cooking dinner. In all fairness, we've BEEN cooking today, but mostly sides for tomorrow's meal (cuts down time. Just pop it in the oven after the bird is done)

So it'll probably be take out today. Come to think of it, it's been takeout every Thanksgiving Eve for 20 years.

Anyone else like this? Who out there can't wait for the meal tomorrow? I'm a turkey junkie. I could eat it 2-3 times a week. But this is different. A roasted turkey, and all the trimmings that put you in a coma. THAT I can only do once or twice a year. I'm also a stuffing (dressing for you folk in other parts of the country) addict. But I only get that when I get a roasted turkey, so thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas.

I married a southern girl, so some of her traditions make their way into our meal. Fresh string beans and red potatoes boiled with ham hocks (instead of mashed potatoes), and greens also cooked with a hamhock and drizzled with red vinegar. She takes sweet potatoes and bakes them with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar (rather than candied yams). We'll have the obligatory pumpkin pie, but she also makes a sweet potato pie. Don't judge me, but I actually prefer the sweet potato pie now. The one thing I put my foot down on is STUFFING. I don't want no sausage dressing, or cornbread stuffing. Oh, hell no. I want my coal region, breadcrumb (crumb? closer to crouton, but whatever) stuffing!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all have a good day with your family, and enjoy the meal for what it truly represents: We're all fortunate enough to have something so over-the-top abundant. As much as I, like most I suppose, will feel like I don't have it as good as some... I know I have it pretty damned good. If we all think about it, we all have a lot to be thankful for.

 

We're the same way, Ray. Except this year, we haven't premade much of anything. I guess we kinda figured that we don't have enough stress in our lives, so why not make things more exciting Thanksgiving morning. Actually, my folks are coming over and my elderly grandmother is in town for the holiday, so that matriarchal battle to cook the most tomorrow has my wife and I on the sideline for the most part. I'll step in the kitchen here and there just to make it look like I'm doing something. You know, open the oven, pretend to fix the aluminum foil tent on the bird. Maybe stir something on the stove, or help reach a pot from up high. Even so, I'll get the scripted 'OK, go on now...there's too many uv us in here as it is!' Snappish, but spoken with love of course.

I'm a Tday feast connoisseur. My wife makes fresh honey cranberry sauce from scratch that is ribbon worthy. Stuffing (as it's referred to 'round here) can only be the way you described it. I've been to other dinners as a guest where cornbread or something or other was the base. Not in this house thank you. The sausage kind isn't thaaaat bad, but it's not something we do. I usually brine the bird for a few days before hand with some seasonings, but this year the folks will be cooking it a traditional way. Still yummy as hell and can't wait to overindulge come tormorrow afternoon. Top that off with a little Wild Turkey with Honey for digestion after some pumpkin or apple pie (or/probably both) and it'll be a usual and splendid holiday.

We have very much to be thankful for and it's hard to keep sight of that sometimes. Even though there are times we would like more, we have it better than a lot of folks and our kids don't want for anything (well, anything unnecessary ) and there's more than enough love in the house to go around. We are all very fortunate to live in one of the greatest countries in the world. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. :Thanksgiving:

 

Bad news, bud. My wife and I take turns cooking Thanksgiving. This year just happened to be her year.