A snowy Thanksgiving

We got over six inches of snow yesterday and it's just beautiful. The trees looked like they've been frosted and the ground is smooth and white. We'll head out for our morning dog walk soon and mess it up with tracks and footprints but for now it's a soft pillowy landscape.

I've been up since 5:30 doing this and that for my Thanksgiving prep. I enjoy all the fussing and cooking so no hardship there. We've simplified the meal over the years so instead of fixing many different dishes today I'll make them one at a time over the next several days. Today is roasted turkey with gravy, stuffing, and corn. Tomorrow will be leftovers plus mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole. Saturday features all those leftovers and green bean casserole. Oh, and I'll be making chocolate pecan pie with homemade vanilla ice cream somewhere in there too. Basically this approach means that I get to sit here, drink coffee, and do a blog post on how very thankful I am for this life we lead instead of scurrying around trying to get everything to come out of the oven at the same time.

Probably wouldn't work if you were hosting, but we take a more intimate approach and it's just Chris and I until Sunday when we have a leftover party. Everyone brings their leftovers (bonus points if they've been turned into a new dish) and we get to enjoy the company and food without the stress that seems to haunt a formal Thanksgiving meal.

I use the Cook's Illustrated updated Julia Child turkey roasting method (how's that for mouthful?). You dismember the turkey and then roast it in pieces nestled on top of a mound of stuffing (my Mom's recipe of course). It's like having a stuffed turkey but faster and you don't have to worry about the white and dark meat cooking times because you actually start them separately. Sounds weird but works great and it's not actually that much more effort. Although it is pretty funny to see me wrestling a turkey carcass trying to get it to come apart. I've learned to buy smaller turkeys and make sure my swearing is kept to a mutter. Wine helps too.

Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving and take this opportunity to say thank you to all the people who make your life a good one.