A THANKSGIVING MEMORY

This very long post is a slightly edited version of an e-mail I sent to friends describing a particularly memorable Thanksgiving a few years ago. The other day, my friend, Lori, sent it back to me, knowing full well it would wind up right here.

So, pour yourself a little libation and settle in for a long read.

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I had so been looking forward to Thanksgiving Day playing in my friend Lori's yard planting new plants.

That was the plan.


This would be a repeat of our previous Thanksgiving Day’s activities…a new tradition, of sorts. In Tucson, November is our second spring so everybody refreshes or replaces their drooping or dying summertime plants. And since neither of us had family anywhere close and my truck-driving husband was typically not home on Thanksgiving, gardening seemed a pleasant alternative to the typical Thanksgiving feeding frenzy.

When Lori and I first started talking about doing this, I’d said I'd make a pumpkin pie to go with our sandwiches. After all, this was to be a work day, so no cooking was planned. After years of being the sole cooker of… and also major cleaner-upper of… family Holiday dinners, I promise the whole kitchen duty thing is NOT my idea of a fun day! The pumpkin pie was as far as I was willing to go.

However, Lori's boyfriend, Ron, was going to be there too...so at some point I suggested that if we really wanted a Thanksgiving dinner, we could just buy one from the grocery store…already prepared.
So, that became Plan B.

Then, a few days later, Lori called and said, "You know.......I just LOVE my new home and I am dying to cook and serve a meal in it and I think I'll invite Hal and Cathy over...just for dinner...and cook a simple Thanksgiving meal. Ron said he'd do the turkey."

I grudgingly said, ok, fine.....but you know darned well I hate, HATE, HATE the whole idea of doing all that cooking, so keep it simple, cause I am going to be working in the yard...NOT helping in the kitchen!
She agreed to that, so now, we have Plan C.

On Wednesday, I had prepared by purchasing numerous 6 packs of annuals that thrive in our cooler fall temps.

So, early Thanksgiving morning,appropriately dressed in my grungiest work clothes,  I took the precious plunder to its new home at Lori’s, excited and happy about a day playing with plants!

We had gotten a good start at planting and potting and prettifying her yard....ideas rollin' round in our heads...doing our usual magic!

But then we thought of some things we needed from my place. So we made a quick run to gather it all up...threw it into the back of my truck...hopped in... to head right back but NO!..the truck battery was dead!

DRAT…or words to that effect.

A little boost from a good neighbor…and off we went again…..intent on continuing our happy day of gardening.

Once again, we were up to our elbows in potting soil when……..



...................................................................the phone rang.



A friend of Lori’s had been taken to the ER and wanted Lori to come. NOW!

Lori, being...well, Lori turned to Ron and me and announced that TG dinner was now in our hands....and left.

GULP!!

Lori is very good at delegating.

Plan D is now in effect.

I told Ron I was glad he was doing the turkey.

Ron said,

” I didn't say I'd do the turkey. I just told her I saw this good idea about how to do the turkey and she said
‘Fine, you're in charge of the turkey’. (good delegating)

Ron's ‘good idea’ for the turkey was too soak it overnight in a brine solution.

I'm not sure what all was in the brine...except I remember seeing sliced oranges. This brining is a new thing for me but I didn't think further about it... or I would probably have just gone home right then.

I had slathered that turkey good with softened butter after Ron had drained it, rinsed it and patted it dry...and into the oven it flew....followed by a huge pan of cornbread.

I had waffled on my determination NOT to do any cooking...and had bought fixings for cornbread stuffing as I am not wild about bread stuffing, which was now on Lori's menu for this ‘super-easy, no cookin’ kind of Thanksgiving dinner!

At this point, Ron and I discuss and agree on who will do what.

He is the self-proclaimed mashed potato King and would definitely be responsible for those....and would see to the cooking of the fresh green beans...which I hate....and the canned corn...which he had requested to be part of the menu, much to Lori's disgust!

I got the onions and celery chopped up and went outside for a smoke and gazed longingly at all the pretties just waiting for our magic touch...and sighed!!!!!!

Dinner guests were to arrive at 4-ish. There was some question about just how many dinner guests…because Lori kept thinking of other people she might want to invite.

We had put the turkey in about 1.

At about 3, the damn little temperature gadget popped right on out of that bird.

Well!!!

Ron, (the honest to God rocket scientist) made a quick run to his nearby house for his handy-dandy electronic cooking thermometer gadget...cause we are sure this pop out thing can't possibly be right!

It was.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Dilemma.

Dried out, overcooked bird vs

sitting on the counter, developing food poisoning bacteria bird.

We opted for some of each.

The bird was in the roaster sitting in all that juice and butter. I thought it better to drain most of it off so the bird wouldn't become a sodden, greasy mess. Together, Ron and I accomplished that.

I thought I'd give the juices a taste to see what I would need to do gravy-wise.

Here's the point where I was truly wishing I had paid more attention to the brining thing...and gone home!

Melted butter, oranges, orange extract and SALT.

Lots of SALT!!!!!!

No…I mean LOTS OF SALT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OMIGOD WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS???

I get into Lori's spices to see what I can see. I taste briny/fruity broth. I sniff spices. I taste. I sniff. I pray.

Thankfully, as I am the one who put most of Lori's kitchen things away when she recently moved in, I know where almost everything is to be found. At this point, I, unfortunately, am more acquainted with Lori's kitchen than she is!
So is Ron...the rocket scientist, mashed potato King-turkey- brining Dude!!!

I am working on the gravy.

I am in constant prayer.

The turkey is in and out of the oven.

I have added Lori's bread for stuffing into the cornbread stuffing...as the number of guests is a bit up in the air and we don't know for sure how many people we are feeding.

That sounds like no plan at all to me!

Lori calls to report her friend is doing well and says she will be home around 5.

5!!!!

She has spoken to Hal and Cathy and asked them to delay their arrival.

Poor turkey bird.

I ask Lori about which tablecloth she wants to use. She tells me, uncharacteristically, that she doesn't care. I ask where I might find one. She replies that she isn't sure...could still be in any of the closets where things were temporarily placed at move in...or could be in a big box in garage marked "Linens."

Thank you, Lori.

Unlike me, Lori has and actually USES all the pretties to set a very fine table. The woman, as far as I know, has never had a paper plate in her house...never uses anything but cloth napkins…and is more than a little particular about how things are done when it comes to ‘entertaining.’

She, honest-to-God, serves delivery pizza on her best china!

To each his own.

I occasionally go to the patio for a cigarette and fervently wish to start drinking wine...even this early in the day! Ron is in agreement. We smoke, wish for wine...and for Lori to be nagged with runners in her pantyhose for the rest of her days!!!!....

I continue to work on the gravy and pray.

The turkey seems to be hanging in there.

Ron has the VERY BEST EVER mashed potatoes ready.

The canned corn is in the pot ready for heating.

The stupid fresh green beans still haven't been cooked.

I worry.

He tells me they only need a very few minutes. Ugh! Hard green beans.

The dressing is finishing up in the oven…after some tweaking.

The tablecloth is on the table.....unironed!

HAH! If she wants it ironed, she'll have to do it herself IF HERSELF ever comes home!!!

The guests arrive and GLORY TO GOD, Cathy (whom I've never met), is an honest-to-goodness take over woman! I LOVE HER IMMEDIATELY!

I retire to the patio.

I especially love her when she explains that she has NO idea how her two desserts turned out as she cooked them in Hal's convection oven instead of her own regular one.

Cathy absolutely sparkles!

She is one of those rare and wonderful people who are lit from within and shine their light on all around them. Meeting her may have been the very best part of this Thanksgiving Day!

Except maybe....

the brined turkey-roasted and flavored to tender perfection

the creamiest ever mashed potatoes

the savory cornbread/bread dressing dried out only a little on the very edges

the sweet, crunchy Waldorf salad brought by Cathy

the fresh tasting corn from the can

the wondrously delicious (to me) gravy with many subtle layers of

flavor...and LOTS of it.......Thanks to all the kitchen gods and goddesses

for answered prayers!!!!

the superb cheesecake and apple Betty successfully prepared in a

convection oven by my new BFF, Cathy.

There is yet more to tell.

Through some sort of special magic, Cathy was able to prevail upon our Dear Lori to allow some of the food to be served straight from the pans on the stove top.

I can assure you THAT has never happened in Lori's house...and will probably never happen again!

And she is probably going to furious when she reads this...that I have outed her!

Ask me if I care.

Lori provided one of the very best ever wines I've ever had. I'll get the information about it and share it with you wine drinkers. It's NOT TO BE MISSED! (L thinks it was EARTHQUAKE.)

Lori provided the warm and wonderful home in which we gathered.

Lori provided the interesting mix of people who shared in the very special time.

Lori provided the fun and companionship of 3...yes 3!...fantastic Border Collies...who were underfoot trying to help the whole afternoon. My apologies to Bentley, Tyler and Dos for the many times they were stepped on by my clumsy feet.

A happy time was had by all...brought to you...sort of....by Lori!!!

I never even touched the green beans.



I have to say it….

I am GRATEFUL for Lori’s friendship anyway.