Thanksgiving
Now that my birthday week is over, I'm thinking about the next holiday on the list: Thanksgiving! I'm definitely one of those people who thinks we should take it one holiday at a time, although that does not mean that I have not played Christmas music at my desk since August. Please ignore the double negatives. I type as I think.
Anyway, Thanksgiving is already upon us... only 10 days! 10 days until the one day a year that we can look at everything that God has blessed us with and devote a whole day to giving thanks. It's easy to get lost in the food and the fun but it's cool to think that this whole thing started because the Pilgrims wanted to recognize that God had blessed them with so much and then there were Indians there too. Okay, so I don't remember the whole story but the last time I heard it was like 2nd grade and all I can think about is The Addams Family Values when Wednesday sets fire to the pilgrims for taking the Indians' land. Not quite historically accurate.
We will be doing 2 turkey dinners this year: one with Brian's family on Thursday and then one with both mine and Brian's family on Friday. Don't ask why we're doing double days. It's a long and complicated story. The Friday dinner will be made completely by yours truly and I have already tasked my husband with the job of photographer so I don't have to worry about washing my hands after every step to take a picture and then have you guys hate me when I post my recipes with pictures of a pile of dirty dishes because that's all I remembered to take.
Here's the thing - this whole "cooking the entire meal" is not new for me. Growing up, my dad always did the turkey. Everyone else brought a little of whatever they were supposed to but he always did the turkey. A few years back, I started helping him. Then about 4 years ago, he just retired. He let me take over the whole thing. He still does the gravy because I dislike gravy andhave had no intentions of ever learning how to make it (keep reading, I'll eat my words in a few minutes).
Fast forward to last year, my family drove up to Nor Cal to visit for Thankgiving and I decided to do the turkey dinner just like old times. Except there was no one else bringing all the other sides so I added the mashed potatoes, stuffing (which is part of doing the turkey), cranberry, biscuits, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and 2 cheesecake desserts to my task of making the turkey.
Phew.
This year... will be different. *dun dun DUUUUNNNN (that's supposed to be like the scary music sound)
I've turned to trusty PW and I will be BRINING the turkey for the first time ever in my life this year. Scary, right? I'm trusting her with the MAIN COURSE. I mean if the turkey is ruined, then Thanksgiving without turkey is like.... well, something bad.
That is why I will only be trusting her with the bird this year. I'm still doing all the other sides that I mentioned, the same way I did them last year. I'm not brave enough to do a whole PW inspired Thanksgiving meal. Mostly because I like the stuffing out of the box since we all know that's the yummiest way.
Turkey Brining from Pioneer Woman
Roasted Turkey from Pioneer Woman
Also this year... I will be attempting her gravy recipe. Insert words into mouth.
Turkey Gravy from Pioneer Woman
It's just that everyone likes gravy (except me) and I will have all the ingredients and it would really just be sheer stubborness and laziness if I don't make it so I'm going to bite the bullet and do it.
Plus that means I get to buy myself a cool flat whisk since I'll "need" it for the gravy.
Sidenote: I enter giveaways every once in awhile and I've never won. Never ever. This past weekend PW had a giveaway for some really cool turkey tools and I will be honest with you, I totally pouted this morning when I didn't win. Sooo.... does anyone want to send me an All Clad turkey roasting pan? Or some Wusthof carving knives?
No?
Anyone there?
Hello?
Anyway, Thanksgiving is already upon us... only 10 days! 10 days until the one day a year that we can look at everything that God has blessed us with and devote a whole day to giving thanks. It's easy to get lost in the food and the fun but it's cool to think that this whole thing started because the Pilgrims wanted to recognize that God had blessed them with so much and then there were Indians there too. Okay, so I don't remember the whole story but the last time I heard it was like 2nd grade and all I can think about is The Addams Family Values when Wednesday sets fire to the pilgrims for taking the Indians' land. Not quite historically accurate.
We will be doing 2 turkey dinners this year: one with Brian's family on Thursday and then one with both mine and Brian's family on Friday. Don't ask why we're doing double days. It's a long and complicated story. The Friday dinner will be made completely by yours truly and I have already tasked my husband with the job of photographer so I don't have to worry about washing my hands after every step to take a picture and then have you guys hate me when I post my recipes with pictures of a pile of dirty dishes because that's all I remembered to take.
Here's the thing - this whole "cooking the entire meal" is not new for me. Growing up, my dad always did the turkey. Everyone else brought a little of whatever they were supposed to but he always did the turkey. A few years back, I started helping him. Then about 4 years ago, he just retired. He let me take over the whole thing. He still does the gravy because I dislike gravy and
Fast forward to last year, my family drove up to Nor Cal to visit for Thankgiving and I decided to do the turkey dinner just like old times. Except there was no one else bringing all the other sides so I added the mashed potatoes, stuffing (which is part of doing the turkey), cranberry, biscuits, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and 2 cheesecake desserts to my task of making the turkey.
Phew.
This year... will be different. *dun dun DUUUUNNNN (that's supposed to be like the scary music sound)
I've turned to trusty PW and I will be BRINING the turkey for the first time ever in my life this year. Scary, right? I'm trusting her with the MAIN COURSE. I mean if the turkey is ruined, then Thanksgiving without turkey is like.... well, something bad.
That is why I will only be trusting her with the bird this year. I'm still doing all the other sides that I mentioned, the same way I did them last year. I'm not brave enough to do a whole PW inspired Thanksgiving meal. Mostly because I like the stuffing out of the box since we all know that's the yummiest way.
Turkey Brining from Pioneer Woman
Roasted Turkey from Pioneer Woman
Also this year... I will be attempting her gravy recipe. Insert words into mouth.
Turkey Gravy from Pioneer Woman
It's just that everyone likes gravy (except me) and I will have all the ingredients and it would really just be sheer stubborness and laziness if I don't make it so I'm going to bite the bullet and do it.
Plus that means I get to buy myself a cool flat whisk since I'll "need" it for the gravy.
Sidenote: I enter giveaways every once in awhile and I've never won. Never ever. This past weekend PW had a giveaway for some really cool turkey tools and I will be honest with you, I totally pouted this morning when I didn't win. Sooo.... does anyone want to send me an All Clad turkey roasting pan? Or some Wusthof carving knives?
No?
Anyone there?
Hello?
