Thankgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

I hope you got to celebrate with something delicious looking like this (or perhaps nothing like this!) and with those that you love. We sure did miss our families but enjoyed a quiet day with just me, Ross, and Bryan - a friend of Ross' from school and camp. 

Our special bird came from Cedarville Farm where he lived a good life until this past Tuesday when he came to us. We had decided that buying our turkey from Mike at the farm was very important to us because it aligned with our Christian eating ethic - like supporting a good local farmer who we had developed a relationship with, and the manner in which this turkey was raised had a positive impact of the people who cared for it and the environment, and was healthy for our bodies. 

The turkey needed a brine, so we added 3 cups of salt to 3 gallons of water and soaked him overnight in a 5 gallon bucket. It took a complete rearranging of the refrigerator, but we made it work. The next morning after a quick rinse and dry he was ready to roast! 

We sprinkled the bird with paprika and placed him in an oven bag, stuffed him and left him to roast for about 3 hours. 

It couldn't have turned out better. 

After a 30 minute cool I got to carving. While I was cutting into the breast I started hear this strange sound, it was a faint "gobble gobble." I started freaking out, but then it stopped. I kept carving and then heard it again! I thought I was losing it... then I realized the dishwasher was making some weird squeaking noises. Whew, close one! 

The result was incredible. Delicious, moist meat with a nice, subtle salty flavor. 

I used all the drippings to make a gravy: just put the drippings in a pot, brought them to a boil and added some organic corn starch to thicken. So simple, and the result was delicious! 

Stuffing - with apples, carrots, celery, onions and cranberries. 

Potatoes, also from Cedarville Farm. 

Organic sweet potatoes with brown sugar, cinnamon and vegan marshmallows. 

Green bean casserole - and the only thing that came in a can were the fried onion pieces for the top. I made a simple roux, sautéd mushrooms and onions with the fresh whole green beans, mixed it all up and baked it. 

We have so much to be thankful for - a wonderful meal, each other, graduation is coming up, we get to travel and be home with family for the holidays, we have the opportunity to live and serve at Holden Village soon, and new adventures to come. 

Thank God for good food, friends, family, farmers, cooks, and eaters alike. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!