Cooking my First Thanksgiving Dinner

So b/c I attended the funeral in Pa I cancelled my ticket to Louisiana so that meant I was going to attempt to cook a thanksgiving dinner for Jay...and he happened to invite a co-worker so now the pressure was on, b/c we are having company
My dinner was going to be simple, turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, and green beans. I have made most of this stuff before except the turkey, but I have baked chicken numerous times so it couldn't be that difficult right?

So the plan a 8-10 lb turkey, dinner at 5-6 pm.
Jay picked up the turkey on Tuesday evening, almost 2 complete days to defrost and then cook...
So Wednesday, goal is to make the cornbread dressing, my grandmother's recipe...which means I have to make cornbread...I have made cornbread before, but it has been a while and sometimes it just doesn't cooperate...
But here it is, beautiful!

 So now that the cornbread is done it is time to finish the dressing....

So here is all the stuff in a bowl, yep, I made a lot...but I just followed the recipe so yeah we are going to be cornbread stuffing for a few days following Thanksgiving. 

So here is Thanksgiving Day, I have taken care of Matthew so it is now time to get the turkey started. So cut up some veggies and an orange to go in the bag and add some rosemary and sage, plus of course some Slap your Momma Seasoning...so the turkey is ready..then I put it in the oven not realizing that it is too tall and my first mishap, the bag gets stuck on the burner and starts to melt...so now it starts to smell of burning plastic and I am going oh-crap...I lower the rack in the oven but the bag is ruined so time to take off the bag and go old-style, foil wrapped on top of this turkey. So back in goes the turkey...setting the temperature on 325 which is less than the directions called for but I want this thing to cook slowely, it is 9am and I need it to make it to 4 pm....

 So after getting the turkey in the oven, Matt and I head over to the gym and I get a workout...but we come home and need to keep the boy entertained so he gets in his johnny-jump-jump and we have some fun. We turn on the holiday radio channel on TV and start singing Christmas carols...yep, it is going to be a long holiday I am already getting sick of those carols but the kid stations suck for songs so it is the best I got...we sing a bit, I check on the turkey...then when Jay gets home we take the rest of the stale bread that didn't go into the cornbread dressing with us to walk queenie and go feed the ducks by the pond near our house.  It was a great chance to get out and enjoy this absolutely amazing day. The weather was in the 60s it was sunny, just perfect!

 Now back to dinner, it is 3 and time to start potatoes and gravy...

 Yep, it is 4 pm and the turkey is done, it is falling off the bone..and yes, I turned it at some point so it is up-side-down, breast on bottom so they can soak up the juices of the veggies, chick broth and herbs that are providing a great smell throughout our apartment.
Underneath are the greenbeans and the cornbread dressing getting heated up and ready to go.


So it looks like it is all coming together but like a good Fontenot/Dimiterchik, about an hour too soon so Jay has to call his buddy and basically say, you need to come over, it is time. Also, Matt didn't take a good nap, I think he could smell and feel the excitement that today was a special day so at 4 he finally falls asleep and so we have quiet...another reason to get over, we might be able to eat in peace!

So the table is set, and the turkey is done, it is really good if I do say...and of course just as we sit and get ready to chow down....Matthew wakes up 48 minutes. This may be a tough evening...and sure enough it was so we didn't get any more pictures of food, people or anything...one of use was holding/entertaining Matt while the other was entertaining and keeping our guest company.

So it all came together, the Turkey, I give myself an A! The dressing, well, it wasn't as perfect as Grandma use to make but ok, so B, greenbeans, I put too much of the french onions on them so C, mash potatoes get of course an A, I am so good at those! Gravy a B, it wasn't my best....dessert was cookies and the chocolate cake that our guest brought...so not a bad meal...but way too much food. I am use to more people so of course 4 potatoes made too much mashed potatoes and I already mentioned the cornbread dressing is just a whole cassarole dish and it is just way to much...we will be eating this for a week at least...
I was going to make a gumbo and use the turkey for it, but until we get through some of these leftovers, I am going to leave the turkey to go with all the dressing and potatoes....
So success...now it is black Friday...Jay is again at work and Matt and I are listening to Holiday tunes, getting ready to hit the gym so I can work off some of these calories....we will attempt to hit BabysRUs today so we can get that much needed push toy as Matt is getting into standing alot these days and needs something to help him walk...plus if we get the right toy it should turn into a riding toy or something once he is ready...so in a sense we need to get a new toy for that.
Well, hopefully everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and had some delicious turkey...and if not, I guess next year you need to plan on being where I am b/c if I have to do turkey again, I am so on it!