We celebrated Thanksgiving #65 together yesterday, just the two of us. We’ve had all kinds of Thanksgivings from our family of three in Belgium to big family gatherings in Mississippi. Probably the hardest were the years that entailed Thanksgiving with one family at lunch and a second with the other family at dinner. By the second, everybody was already stuffed and the kids were cranky! This year, we are back to celebrating with just the two of us. One of the television anchors on a morning show this week said he liked the leftovers best because the choices were not so overwhelming as it was with all the sides. We have agreed and purposefully whittled our menu down to our favorites.
Turkey is a given, but ours is a turkey breast since we are both partial to white meat and this will give us enough for those treasured leftover turkey sandwiches. (Honey wheat bread, mayo, lettuce, sweet pickle, and turkey)
Dressing is one of my favorite things to cook and eat, so I look forward to assembling the ingredients to make a dressing that is a cross between the way my mother-in-law and my mother made it. I sauté the Holy Trinity (onion, celery, and green pepper) like my mother and toss in sage and poultry seasoning like my mother-in-law. I’ve created my own balance of leftover cornbread and white bread for texture. Since there is no real recipe, there is always a bit of wonder in whether there is enough sage to taste but not overwhelm and welcome relief when it comes out exactly right. (I will confess that I feel like I’ve missed a bit of Thanksgiving celebration when I don’t get to make the dressing, though I do enjoy eating other cooks’ version of the treat.)
Cranberry sauce is a perfect accompaniment for that dressing, but it should come straight from the can, sliced using the ridges for a guide.
Giblet gravy is a must, especially for Allen, even though I had to buy “parts” so I could make a reasonable facsimile to his mother’s.
Sweet potato casserole has marshmallows on top, not the crunchy topping.
English peas must come from the silver LeSueur’s can.
A perfect Thanksgiving like this one ends with an Ole Miss win (31-21) in the Egg Bowl though there have been years when we retired to our hotel to watch the game since it was easier than dealing with family members who were on the other side of the competition – both for them and for us.