Gobble Gobble!

I love Thanksgiving. The entire purpose of the holiday is to gather with loved ones, eat a hearty meal, and express gratitude for the people in our lives and the daily blessings bestowed upon us. 

And if that isn't a reason to celebrate, I don't know what is.

While I wholeheartedly embrace the spirit of the Christmas season, the hustle and bustle (and expense) of the holiday season often wears on many of us, so much so that by the time December 25th rolls around we're exhausted and glad the holiday is over.

I guess you could think of Thanksgiving like the deep breath before plunging head first into raging waters.

Once again, my husband and I remained in LA for Turkey Day and, unlike last year, we decided to park our butts at home and make a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.

So we tried an organic, free range turkey (pricey but delish) covered in Michael's legendary butter paste. This paste-- an unsalted butter mixed with shallots and fresh herbs-- drips down the entire turkey, ensuring a gorgeous browned skin and flavorful drippings.

 

He also fills the turkey with lemon, shallot, onion, and apple wedges for moisture.

As Ginger-- that's what I named our turkey-- roasted away in our volcanic oven, I prepared stuffing, potatoes, and gravy. Normally I make scratch gravy, but I kept hearing about the amazing Williams-Sonoma gravy base... so I tried it.

While not bad, it lacks a punch of flavor (so I added wine, but I'd recommend dry vermouth) and is a bit salty for my taste. Michael loved it and since he's the gravy fiend, that's all that mattered.

This was also my best stuffing yet! I'm pretty confident stuffing is in my top foods because it's so diverse, easy, and quite simply delicious. 

Yes, I put my homemade cranberry sauce on the turkey-- it's incredible if you haven't tried it!

I am thankful for being able to have such a bountiful meal, I'm thankful for family and friends, for life and the chance to live it, and for all of you, readers, for continued support of my ramblings.

And most of all, I am thankful for pie with homemade whipped cream (recipe to come).