Pre-Thanksgiving

We are staying home this year for Thanksgiving so I am cooking a turkey. I think I can pull it off, because I consider it a big bird and I roast whole chickens all the time. As everyone knows, it's all about the timing and the side dishes. Many years ago I hosted Thanksgiving and if I remember correctly, it went well.

My parents and my brother are coming, so that will be eight of us--definitely manageable. Besides the turkey, I will make cranberry stuffing, "smashed potatoes" (leave skin on, mash coarsely with butter and salt and pepper, then bake until browned on top), butternut squash, and sliced sweet potatoes with ginger and molasses. My mother will bring acorn squash, brussel sprouts, stuffed mushrooms (for my Dad), and asparagus (just to add more green). I'm not very confident in my gravy-making skills, but that's OK...it'll taste good enough, I'm sure.

Dessert will be apple and pumpkin pies. Some years we have a third pie, but that's only if there are more of us around the table. And some years we have even more items, like a soup, but I'm skipping that this year. I think this is enough, and I don't want leftovers for a week (although a few days without cooking is fine with me!).

It's funny, but most of these dishes are just gussied up versions of what we eat often, anyway. I think squashes are wonderful, easy side dishes all fall and winter, and so healthy if prepared simply. And poultry is a staple here.

But it's not about the food, really. We are all (relatively) healthy and that's reason enough to celebrate. Happy Thanksgiving!