Hello Aprons in the Kitchen followers, past and present!! Becky is back in the kitchen after a long sabbatical but life is busier than ever. I have 9 more months of graduate school and I will be an Advanced Practice Nurse able to sit for Nurse Practitioner boards. When I looked back on my previous blogging, I realized that it relaxed me, causing me to focus and remember good times. What graduate student doesn't need to relax?!
It is Thanksgiving week and our family is anxiously awaiting the arrival of our Greenberg smoked turkey. This turkey is amazing and shipped directly to your door a day or two before the big feast completely cooked and ready to eat. It has instructions for storing, re-heating, and recipes for turkey leftovers, assuming there are any. You can still place an order for your Christmas bird but don't delay or you will be disappointed. You may be asking yourself, "if Becky is such a wonderful cook with a cooking blog why does she order a smoked turkey?" I am able to cook a delicious oven roasted turkey and have successfully attempted it only once in my entire adult life of almost 20 years. Reason #1: this is an absolutely wonderful turkey if you like smoked meat and it doesn't get anymore convenient than this. Reason #2: I despise handling raw, whole birds and rarely roast a whole chicken so a whole turkey is too much for me. Reason #3: as a nurse who usually works 12 hour shifts the days preceding Thanksgiving, I don't have time to prep and roast a bird. Trust me on this Greenberg smoked turkey, you won't regret it.
When I think back on Thanksgiving as a child growing up, I remember my mom oven roasting a turkey either uncovered or inside an oil coated brown paper bag. My daddy always made the dressing, not stuffing because we didn't stuff our bird, but dressing made separately than the turkey and cooking in a dutch oven. He would stand at the kitchen table, while the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade played on the TV, chopping, adding, and tasting incredients until it was just right. He made the best dressing and mom's turkey was always juicy and delicious. Then she would make hot dinner rolls, pecan pie, and maybe coconut or sweet potato pie, and giblet gravy. I don't remember the other side dishes but you can tell from my memories what I looked forward to eating. We always had a big crowd; usually all five of my brothers and sisters and their families and anybody else that showed up was always welcome to eat at our table. There was never a shortage of food and family at our house.
I have tried to pass this attitude of giving and hospitality on to my girls, now ages 12 and 18. We will volunteer a portion of our Thanksgiving Day to the Thanksgiving Table at Renee's of Sharyland through our church, Palm Valley Church in Mission. Our children will function as a "turkey taxi" to deliver prepared meals to home-bound individuals that are in need of a Thanksgiving Day meal. Chris and I will volunteer on-site to serve to those dining. We will also have 3 guests at our table and would likely invite and serve anyone who knocks on the door needing something to eat, just as my mom did all the years I was a child. As a family we will also take active roles in the Christmas toy drive, children's coat drive, and holiday food box collection. Closer to Christmas the girls and I will assist with the City of Edinburg Police Department toy drive. Last year the girls really enjoyed helping children select toys during this morning-long event and we look forward to doing so again.
Even though Chris and I have never been financially rich and we would say we were raised in "poor farmer" families, we are proud of our raising and consider ourselves rich in the love and generosity we learned from our parents. As you move into the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, find giving and volunteer opportunities that appeal to your history, your personality, and your beliefs; there are plenty of options! Happy Thanksgiving!!
