Can't Wait for Thanksgiving
I TRULY BELIEVE I would rather cook than eat! For Thanksgiving, it's a joy to prepare a meal that everyone—from my husband, Martin, right down to our great-grandchildren—is sure to enjoy.
I vary some of the side dishes each year because I love trying new recipes. But Stuffed Roast Turkey with gravy, Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes, Herbed Corn and Walnut-Date Pumpkin Pie are mainstays at our holiday gathering.
Martin and I were married 51 years ago. We were born and raised in neighboring communities and moved to the farm, where we still live, right after our honeymoon.
A few months after our wedding, we had 25 people over for our first Thanksgiving dinner. My sister helped me stuff and roast the turkey that year. But thereafter, I was on my own!
I prepare Stuffed Roast Turkey like my grandma used to, rubbing the skin with butter mixed with paprika. This gives it a rich color and keeps it moist.
Sage adds distinctive flavor to the old-fashioned bread stuffing. I toast day-old bread lightly in the broiler on both sides and cube it for this recipe.
It's a family tradition to serve the stuffing in a turkey-shaped covered bowl that I bought years ago. One year I forgot to get it out. "What happened to the turkey bowl?" our gang was quick to inquire.
Flavored with pan drippings, the gravy is so easy to stir up, but everyone loves it!
When I was young, we would go to my grandmother's for Thanksgiving since my mom was ill. I lost her at an early age and learned to cook by trial and error. I started helping with family meals when I was 8.
Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes is another recipe that includes a "secret ingredient" of fond memories for me. It was on the menu for Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's each year. As the casserole bakes, the marshmallows puff and create a golden-brown topping.