Here's the thing... turkey is critical, even though I don't love eating it on Thanksgiving Day.
It serves three purposes, though:
1. It's the cooking vessel for the dressing - now, I know - not everyone will eat the stuff that comes out of the bird, but in my opinion it's the best. But, I've found that the Crock Pot works well as a secondary option - the dressing is still really steamy and good, but I didn't have to go elbow deep into a bird to get it.
2. Without the drippings, there would be no gravy. Without gravy, there is no point of even coming to the table. Gravy can be used later in the weekend on hot, open-faced sandwiches.
3. Which brings me to the turkey itself. I could take or leave the actual bird at the formal meal, but nothing, and I mean nothing is as good as turkey sandwiches the next day.
If you are not yet familiar with
Durkee's Sauce, you need to get to your store and get some. It's... I can't even describe it - it's like mayonnaise and mustard and Hollandaise sauce had a three-way, made a baby and it was Durkee's. Slap that, and some cranberry sauce, and some turkey on fresh, nutritionally-bereft white bread, and Give Thanks all over again.
As for pie, pecan or chocolate chess, please. Pumpkin is fine, but if you're giving me a choice, it's a 3rd place.
As for dressing - cornbread with sage, rosemary, green onion - and NO CELERY. Cooked celery is the bane of my existence.
We always have pickled peaches (which nobody eats), we always have congealed salad.
And there is always a selection of olives. I don't know why.
After four years of being in charge of Turkey Day, I'm giving the reins back to Dad.
I'll be sitting in front of the fire, listening to Alice's Restaurant Massacree.
And dreaming of gravy.
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