Turkey & Dressing

One of my favorite things to do, is to fix Thanksgiving dinner. Each year I start early and love the smells and the memories and the enjoyment I get from preparing this meal. For the last couple of years we have had this wonderful "event", at my son Steve's house and I haven't prepared the turkey.. They all asked me to bring my dressing and a couple of the other traditions from Thanksgivings past. But this year we are having the dinner at my youngest son Jason's home. When we were deciding who would bring what, I was asked to bring the "TURKEY" and the dressing..Yahoo.. Since I am working again at Williams Sonoma and Thanksgiving is a BIG DEAL with WS, I am going to brine my turkey this year.. I haven't ever embarked on this procedure before and it is an all new thing for me.. But I hear rave reviews at the store from clients who swear by it..so I'm going to do it.. For the last couple of weeks I have gotten to be the one preparing the food demo for the day and presenting it to the customers in the store. I made a pumpkin pie with all the fixings from the store, pie crust mix, pumpkin pecan butter and even the pie tin and the leaf cutters to make the crust SO CUTE.. this week we had (now get this) mashed potatoes, no, not just any mashed potatoes.. I peeled, quartered, boiled and then riced them. Then added hot cream infused with chives and melted butter. After this was blended into the potatoes I added sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.. put them into a casserole and topped with more cheddar cheese and baked them..YUM-OOO. They are so awesome.. Yesterday I prepared focaccia stuffing with our turkey gravy.. Wow what fun I have being able to cook.. when I go to work.. I tease the staff that we get to work there and we get paid and win prizes and get a discount.. What a fun place to be..fun customers, smells & tastes and great associates to work with.
I am excited to fix my turkey and will let you all know how the brine goes.. Have a wonderful week and take time to reflect on those things you are thankful for. Each year after we finish eating and the evening is winding down we sit around in a circle (all 20 of us) and share what we are thankful for. The grand kids love to share and are so honest in all the things they are thankful for. I am thankful for my family, they are so supportive and such a strength in my life. I am thankful for friends and their love. I am thankful for the knowledge that I am a child of god and he blesses me every day of my life.. I am thankful for wonderful memories and new beginning's. Yes I am thankful for my life..