I've got everything I need to make a delicious, comforting meal tomorrow. Cooking it will be simple; after 12 years of practice I have my Turkey Day routine down. It'll be the two of us this year. We had guests the two previous years and normally I alternate between having guests and being on our own. I usually don't go to anyone else's house for Thanksgiving because it is a very important meal to me and I hate not getting my favorite foods. John's boss invited us this year, and while I genuinely enjoy his boss' company I wasn't willing to chance the possibility of yams, oyster stuffing, green bean casserole, and mince pie. I revere other people's family traditions, but I personally am not eating mushy green beans in Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup with dried onion rings out of a can on top of the casserole ever again. Ditto for creamed onions.
We will have the following meal, no part of which is negotiable except for the spinach salad. Last year I believe I sauted squash, zucchini, peppers, garlic, and onions for our veggie side dish. I do like some variety. I meant to make butternut squash soup this year but all the squash were gone by the time I thought of it. Anyway, this is what I consider Thanksgiving dinner:
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Roast turkey
Gravy made from pan drippings, flour, and turkey broth
Fresh celery, savory, rosemary, dill, fennel, and onion for broth, dressing
Red potatos for mashing
Breadcrumb and sage sausage dressing
Fresh young spinach leaves, button mushrooms, and bacon for salad
Jellied cranberry sauce: 1 can (for resident Midwesterner)
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
Pear cider, hot mulled apple cider, and Kahlua for the coffee
John is making the pie tonight, for which he is my hero, and I'll do the rest tomorrow. Once the turkey's in the oven and the innards are simmering with the vegetables and herbs in water to make broth I'll have plenty of time to start refining my paper for Philosophy which is due Monday. The exciting part of the feast preparation is the last hour or so when I have to coordinate making the stuffing, boiling the potatos, baking the dressing for the last 45 minutes of turkey cooking time, putting the salad together, and making the gravy in a pan on the stove. John will set the table for me. We will have candles and a little centerpiece consisting of whatever roses I can rescue from today's rain. The cats will sit at a short distance and stare at us while we eat. It will be cold and grey outside, warm and cozy inside.
Thanksgiving is the only thing that reconciles me to November. It's so very comforting.
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