Thanksgiving Menu

Over the weekend I had a taste for Tzatziki sauce. So I bought some plain Greek yogurt and chopped 1/2 a cucumber, added 2 chopped garlic cloves and a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper, mixing everything together. We dipped our low fat chips and really enjoyed a tasty wholesome snack with alot of flavor.

I had a late meeting at work tonight so Aaron graciously picked up some turkey breast sandwiches at Subway - it's the only relatively healthy fast food I know of. If anyone has found anything else, please let me know.

I'm looking forward to our Thanksgiving meal. Ok, I won't keep you waiting any longer on the menu. We usually have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Aaron and I love oysters, so in our family, oyster stuffing is traditional. Since Dolores is such an excellent cook, I've asked her to make her red cabbage. It's not what you think. She fries a little bacon and sautees/marinates her green cabbage and adds onions and some ingredients I'm not even aware of. She uses tomato soup for the "red" part. Not your traditional red cabbage, but her's is most definitely better. Aaron will be licking the bottom of his bowl. My mom will get a first time treat!

Dolores is also excellent at making potatoes. Any way you can think of - mashed, boiled, baked, potato salad, in soup, doesn't matter. She taught me how to make potatoes, which really isn't easy. You have to know just when to turn the heat off. I won't give any of her secrets away, though! So she's making the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving again this year.

I'm making the turkey - 18.5 pounds! I'm going to brine it on Wednesday night after it's defrosted. Then I stuff butter and herbs under the skin on top of the breast to keep it moist. I also put foil over the white meat after the crust gets crispy so it doesn't overcook and dry out.

I'm also making the oyster stuffing which includes fresh french bread, canned oysters (they hold up better), Tennessee Pride pork sausage, chicken livers, celery, green onion, sage, marjoram, thyme, red pepper, an egg and chicken broth. Everything gets sauteed except the egg and chicken broth. Pour the mixture over the french bread, add the raw egg and chicken broth and mix with your hands. Thats the best part! Then lay it out in a cassarole dish and cook until everything is hot (so the egg cooks) but not too long so it goesn't get crisp.

I make giblet gravy from the bits on the bottom of the roasting pan. I also let my turkey rest for about 20 minutes before carving it so the juices flow through the bird to keep it moist.

All of the above with cranberry sauce, black and green olives, a really fine Pinot Noir, candles, family, saying what we're thankful for. What more could I ask for on Thanksgiving?