Not politics
So I ordered the turkey last week. This was apparently a good turkey year. Last year the biggest they had was 17 pounds. Sounds like a lot, but after 10 people eat and everybody gets a leftovers, I still have two growing girls to feed for three more days (my neices stay with me over the holiday weekend) and 17 pounds doesn't do it. So I asked for a big turkey. 'How big' she said. Well, 22 or 23 pounds sounds good. Lots of leftovers. "We have a bigger one. We think probably pushing 30 pounds". I was tempted. Wow. 30 pounds. Turkey for days. But I don't think it would even come close to fitting in the oven. So 22 or 23 will do.
The turkey is local then. Less than 5 miles away at Shady Acres. I believe I am competing in the 100-mile Thanksgiving. I think everything should be available from nearby except the cranberries. Hopefully I can get a hold of Jersey cranberries. While a little more than 100 miles, it's the best I can do and people expect cranberries on Thanksgiving. I went out to lunch with my sister-in-law and the kids on Saturday and we all went to a local diner and had a sort of Thanksgiving type meal. Turkey, stuffing, and sweet potato souffle. The kids went on and on about being excited to help this year and was I going to make exactly what I made last year and it has to be the same. It's funny when the most mundane thing you do in your mind is something cherished as a tradition in someone else's. It really put me in the mood for the Holidays. I almost wanted to start decorating. But there is so much more to do beforehand.
The chickens are starting to slack off in the egg laying. I thought for awhile that there was another sneaky chicken, but after pulling aside everything in the shed and checking for eggs, it must be that the days are too short. They are very spoiled now and seem to think that if they surround me and cluck very loudly, then I will let them out. They don't get out to run free too much these days. They have their little chicken yard, but there just isn't enough light by the time I get home to let them roam around. They, like me, will be glad to see warm weather return in the spring.
The turkey is local then. Less than 5 miles away at Shady Acres. I believe I am competing in the 100-mile Thanksgiving. I think everything should be available from nearby except the cranberries. Hopefully I can get a hold of Jersey cranberries. While a little more than 100 miles, it's the best I can do and people expect cranberries on Thanksgiving. I went out to lunch with my sister-in-law and the kids on Saturday and we all went to a local diner and had a sort of Thanksgiving type meal. Turkey, stuffing, and sweet potato souffle. The kids went on and on about being excited to help this year and was I going to make exactly what I made last year and it has to be the same. It's funny when the most mundane thing you do in your mind is something cherished as a tradition in someone else's. It really put me in the mood for the Holidays. I almost wanted to start decorating. But there is so much more to do beforehand.
The chickens are starting to slack off in the egg laying. I thought for awhile that there was another sneaky chicken, but after pulling aside everything in the shed and checking for eggs, it must be that the days are too short. They are very spoiled now and seem to think that if they surround me and cluck very loudly, then I will let them out. They don't get out to run free too much these days. They have their little chicken yard, but there just isn't enough light by the time I get home to let them roam around. They, like me, will be glad to see warm weather return in the spring.
posted by meresy_g at Monday, November 13, 2006
4 Comments:
I had a 24 pound turkey once, and had trouble getting it out of the oven. Do you do some sort of fancy stuffing with your turkey? I am trying a southwest menu this year.
For some reason, I haven't seen many fresh cranberries yet, is there a shortage? That is one thing I like to keep in the freezer for muffins as long as I can.
We grew a 26 lb turkey last year and I knew I wouldn't be able to roast it whole, so we quartered it. It took us a LONG time to eat all that meat!
I'm thinking cornbread stuffing this year. Mmmmm.
No fancy stuffing. Just the regular potato bread, onion, celery, butter, garlic and flat leaf parsley. That is what everyone likes and is the stuffing of my childhood, so thats what I do every year. A southwest menu sounds good. A 24 pound turkey is about the limit. Stuffed with the weight of the roaster, I need help to get it out of the oven as the day wears on. A 26 pounder I don't think I could do. Can you imagine 30 pounds? Wow.
Cornbread stuffing sounds wonderful, Liz. It's been a while since I've had that -- we may just have to do that this year.
I love how excited the kids in your life are so excited about Thanksgiving, Meredith. I really believe traditions exist to give the children in our families a sense of place and belonging. I love how they latch on to that. There are so many things that I do just as a matter of course, but to my kids they're ingrained as part of their lives. It's sweet, really.
And goodness, a 30 pound turkey. Huge!
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