The second time around

The big day is over and thank you very much for the delicious food I shared with a table full of new friends. My compassionate massage therapist, Lisa, invited me to share the meal with her family.  Today is my turn to have a quieter second time around, staring my very own 10# turkey which had been thawed yesterday and sat waiting for further directions.

The first thing I did this morning was make a pumpkin pie. Yesterday's desserts included mince meat pie, a peach cobbler and an apple pie that was my contribution to the abundance of food offered., but no pumpkin pie. What's Thanksgiving without it? Considering all the calories I consumed yesterday I believe I will opt for no whipped topping today.

Next I made sure my bird was actually thawed and pulled out the giblets to be boiled and later cut up and added to my dressing. Mrs. Culbertson has been my special friend for years and years! At this point I made my two cats very happy by sharing portions of the cooked neck with them. 

Later on I will soak a piece of cheese cloth in white wine and melted butter (as per Martha Stewart), cover the little fellow and place him in my oven; anticipating the wonderful aroma that will soon follow. The rest of tonight's fare will be simple with the big challenge being carving the turkey. It is my least favorite holiday task. It is an advantage when eating alone- no eyes to witness and the bird no longer cares!

Since there is no one to impress I can just hang out in jeans and my favorite sweat shirt for the rest of the day. After dinner the second time around is still not finished. When all the meat has been removed from the bones I plan to boil the carcass, adding carrots, onions and later more broth, small pieces of meat, a package of frozen mixed vegetables and probably a little pasta. Is it soup yet?

Thanksgiving will probably officially end for me about Saturday when all of the leftovers are divided up and placed in containers and frozen to be consumed at a later date, perhaps even offered to my own future guests. It seems the second time around just goes on and on!