A vegetarian makes a turkey, part 2

I had just about decided we wouldn't celebrate thanksgiving this year... I was feeling it was a-great-idea-I-just-couldn't-quite-get-the-energy/time-do-to. But what is it about cooking this particular bird that gets me every time? I'm not sure. I don't even eat turkey!

So very last minute we decided to give it a go and we had people that live near us, including our parish priest, come over. It was soooooo worth it. It was wonderful. I made turkey, a pumpkin pie and chestnut puree and everyone else brought side dishes for the turkey. Turkey is surprisingly easy to make. It's just time consuming. I used this brine, then stuffed it with lemon, fresh thyme and onion, smeared it with butter all over and cooked it until it looked done. Next year I will get more professional and use an oven thermometer. ;)

I made everyone write down something they were thankful for and place it on a tree branch before we ate (see pic above). My favorites were the youngest kids' answers. What makes you really, really happy, I asked them. My two-year-old said "food" (!), a three-year-old said "laughter" and a five-year-old said "pictures".

After dinner I paraphrased and translated the book If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, also for the second year in a row. I feel like I should get some kind of award for sharing American culture. ;) My favorite thanksgiving books are that one and also One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims for small children.

I used all plastic plates and silverware, but there was still a lot of clean up / headache the next day. Oh well. Still so, so worth it.