Thanksgiving now and then

Gah.  We've just picked up our other car from Maday Motors.  During a routine oil change they discovered we needed new tires, brake pads and calipers.  We just got done writing them a check for repairs to O's car.  Apparently Mr. Maday wants to buy his wife a new yacht for Christmas.  

I hope the kids are happy with tomato soup and cheese sandwiches for Thanksgiving.  Just kidding.

Recipe courtesy of my brother-in-law.

Normally we would have Thanksgiving at my older sister's house in Wisconsin.  This year, obviously, we are having a home-bound holiday.  I've already bought our turkey from Ferndale Farms, and I've gotten permission to make green bean casserole for the first time in ages!  Hubby hates green bean casserole, but I like it.  We'll have stuffing, gravy, rutabagas, and sweet potatoes.  Maybe mashed potatoes.  With pumpkin pie for dessert, and possibly a banana cream pie too - we'll see how ambitious we are.

Mom with her devious dominoes face.

The trick will be timing everything to be ready at the same time.  My mother always said that was the difficult part - making sure everything was prepped and cooked and served together.  She would start several days ahead of time, thawing the turkey and making pie dough.  The day before she would peel potatoes and rutabagas, bake pies, mix the stuffing and spend a good hour 'fighting with the turkey' (her words), picking out the pin feathers and washing out the cavity.   

My mother's handwriting was notorious.

Thursday morning she'd stuff the turkey and put it into the oven, and make all of the sides -- potatoes, rutabagas, corn and Waldorf salad.  And when Thursday evening finally arrived we'd gather together at a table covered with bowls and platters of amazing food.

Christmas dinner, circa 2002.

This is our first year doing Thanksgiving on our own.  Hopefully we'll make my mother proud.  Even if we burn the turkey and spill the stuffing, as long as we're together and enjoying our time with each other, she would be happy.