Unlike last year, I didn't have to do Thanksgiving dinner solo: Mama did most of it, and I handled one side dish in particular (the pics toward the bottom). And since Mama was in charge, the turkey was absolutely stellar; juicy and delicious with that nice golden color that looks too darn good to be true. But you don't have to take my word for it, the proof is in the picture.
I hope ya'll had a good time too, and now, without further ado - THE PICS!
Ah, the stuffing. This is only the first phase, where the wet ingredients are cooked first.
The naked bird, in all it's glory. The recipe for the included ingredients is a secret, but the taste is for all the world.
Can't have turkey without the requisite fruit sauces to go with it: apple chutney on the left, cranberry chutney on the right...
... And canned-goods need some love'n too! Our family likes to "slice" our cranberry sauce straight from the can.
This ham brought to you by Honeybaked: When you need it delicious and taken home 10 minutes before closing, it's the brand for you.
The usual suspects -- Potatoes and corn go like peas and carrots.
Yep, that's me, boiling water. I got sooooo demoted!
Eh, just kidding! I'm here working on my side dish -- Pasta Shells and Cheese! I was gonna go with Macaroni, but I thought that I'd go a little fancier for the holiday.
First phase complete. The main sauce was alfredo, and I threw in some cheddar to give it that "extra boost." Cook at 320 for about 10 minutes and you should get something...
... That looks like this! You're not looking for that "too burned" cheese-look for this dish. More subtle, like you just slapped this thing last minute, but it's gonna taste good.
And finally, pose with said-dish, and watch it slowly disappear. Grins and smiles on faces should be the apropos norm.
The stuffing, with the croutons mixed in last so they won't sog up too quickly. Baked in the last half of the cooking cycle, it came out really well this year.
All right, with all the key players in their positions, what could be missing?
Friends and family? Got that covered. Okay, what you've all been waiting for...
BAM! Now is that a turkey, or is that a TURKEY! kudos to the mama - not bad for never having used this particular oven before (we've moved into a new place). What did I do to help out? Well, I did set the Digital timer, so I guess my share would be 20% out of 80%...
This is how I roll -- sweet potato, shells 'n cheese, and a piece of turkey that looks like roast duck. Fan-tabulous!
And remember, with no one to share this with, Thanksgiving just ain't the same.
Have a good'n and I'll catch ya'll in a bit... ;)
o.g.11/23/07
