Thanksgiving Countdown

What's cookin'?

We are at that time of year where people, some of whom believe that the kitchen is where you eat cereal & heat up frozen pizza, bravely enter the realm of Thanksgiving Dinner. As I contemplate this year's meal, I realize that this is not a meal for wimps. Sure, anyone can throw a turkey in the oven & wait for the popper to pop and open a box of mashed potatoes that just need water. And then there are the folks with more money than sense that feel the need to shell out OVER $100 for a FROZEN turkey. That is just wrong on so many levels. If you want an organic turkey because it is better for you, etc. why are you getting something frozen instead of fresh? Why are you adding to waste to the environment with the packing and excessive CO₂? (It is packed in dry ice) Why, if you have that much money to spend, don't you spend it on something beneficial, like 5 or 6 turkeys for the local homeless shelter? What really is the point?

 

So, back to the not so wimpy cooking. I am mostly traditional for Thanksgiving. Turkey, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, even cranberry. But I do feel the need to give it all a little kick in the pants. My turkey will have a citrus glaze & a chipotle gravy. My mashed potatoes will have cheese (haven't completely decided what kind yet), my squash will have hazelnuts and even my cranberry will get a kick from some port. We don't have strong family traditions for Thanksgiving, too much of a mixed family. We will all share something we are thankful for and we will all eat way too much, beyond that? I may have to find a way to start a new tradition. How does one go about that?

 

Any great ideas to share? Please, let me know!