Lets face it.........I have to be honest. I hate cooking turkey's. I don't mind eating turkey. It is just that they are difficult. They are difficult to stuff and take forever to cook. Just pulling the neck & giblets out makes me sick. The sight of large naked raw meat is slightly awkward. They are difficult to truss up. Shoving them inside a large cooking bag takes skill and 5 hands. Carving them is a messy situation. Why do I wait until the last minute to figure out how to cook the butterball? Why do I attempt to cook a whole turkey every year? Tradition I suppose. Is it tradition to find whatever you have in the refrigerator and then shove it all up the carcass of a dead bird and pray for a "Thanksgiving Miracle" to happen 4 hours later? Tradition, I suppose.
Every year we make the traditional side dishes. These are the ones that generations will talk about. These are the traditions that make a family. Every year the menu is the same. I start planning this menu in October. Nah......really I don't. I get out the recipes the weekend before and start buying everything.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Pink Fluffy Stuff
Crock Pot Stuffing
Cranberry Jelly...from the Can
Cheesy Corn Casserole
Pecan Pie..... From Costco
Dinner Rolls
Ice Tea
If we have extra people dining with us.....
Green Bean Casserole
Fruit Salad
Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Cheesecake
Appetizers
This year I have included a new recipe into the day. I found it over at the Southern Plate. It is called Cranberry Crunch and it looked really yummy. We shall see if it becomes a traditional favorite.
Today, my children are especially thankful for the "Pink Fluffy Stuff." We always have this as a side dish. It could definitely fall into the dessert category. But, we like to think of it as fruit salad??? Yes, that's it!! I like to use my favorite glass salad bowl because this stuff is pretty to look at.
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (in the south we refer to this as "Eagle Brand")
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 quart of cool whip
1 large can of crushed pineapples, drained
Mix it all together & chill. Some people like to sprinkle chopped pecans on top. No thanks! We only eat pecans on pie at Thanksgiving.
