Thanksgiving success

I've had a long-time fear of cooking a turkey. The first year I was married - about 20 years ago, I decided to invite everyone over for Christmas. I decided to make a turkey and a ham. Well, I was a newlywed without much cooking experience and didn't think it was a big deal to make a turkey. I thought you just stuck it in the oven and cooked it. I didn't think about how long it took to thaw. I gave no thought to seasoning it. I had no idea that there were parts of the turkey enclosed that had to be removed. So, clueless little me pulled it out of the freezer the night before and put it in the oven, partially frozen.

As people were arriving, I think it was one of my sisters that helped me pull it out of the oven to check it. It, of course, was no where close to being fully cooked. And she asked something about the bag inside the turkey. I think she was asking if I was using it in the stuffing. My dumbfounded look must have said it all. "You took that out, right?" I was asked. Ummm….no, I didn't. Oopps. Luckily we made ham, too, so that was the meat for our dinner that year. It went down as my greatest kitchen disaster, with the stove fire and the gravy pancake coming in a close second. But…those are stories for a different day.

So, I was hesitant to make a bird, but I'm so glad I did. I used an Urban Accents Gourmet Gobbler Turkey Brine Kit and it turned out super juicy and tender. Here's a peek at some of the culinary highlights of the day.

Pulled out my recipe book with all the recipes I saved from my co-workers when we were first married. I made the Green Bean Casserole recipe that Heidi gave me and the Corn Casserole recipe from Alma. We are talking early 90's here -- way before you could use Google to find recipes. They were passed on from friends and family or clipped from newspapers, magazines or the back of boxes and cans.