We celebrated our Thanksgiving early this year, doing it on the Saturday before so we could share in some time with loved ones that couldn't be here on Thanksgiving Day. With everyone leading busy lives and going at a fast pace, it's always nice to have a day to slow down and spend quality time together. Enjoying delicious food and sharing a day of love and laughter, and the many things we are grateful and thankful for.
Just four of us here this year, our youngest daughter and future son-in-law sharing the day with us. But it was still a grand-sized feast we all enjoyed, with several delicious side dishes to accompany one beautiful slow-smoked Turkey. The Mister gets most all the credit for preparing a perfectly cooked turkey that was juicy, tender, and so delicious! I helped in that just a little by whipping up a basting recipe of chicken stock, apple cider vinegar and honey, which he used to baste on the turkey throughout the cooking process.
We had a delicious meal, Sweet Potatoes, Dressing, Crockpot Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Bean Casserole, Deviled Eggs and Rolls. Plus the star of the show the Smoked Turkey cooked on our big green egg! I had a Chocolate Cake on the ready for dessert, but we were pretty satisfied and quite full, so we never got to that!
The beautiful Turkey being basted during cooking Cooked beer-can-chicken style, while cooking low and slow at 275 degrees, for about 5 hours on our big green egg. It was juicy, tender, and so very delicious! A baste made of 1 cup chicken stock, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. honey, basted on about every 45 minutes kept it moist.
A few of the side dishes fresh from the oven. (left to right) Sweet Potatoes with melted mini-marshmallows, Macaroni and Cheese, and Cornbread and Herb Dressing.
Leftovers were divided up so we all could have a bit of do-over later on, or the next day. Speaking of which I think I need to go warm up some of that!
I hope you will have lots of family time together with those you love on Thanksgiving Day, and your tummy will be as delighted as mine was after our delicious meal. And, may you have more than plenty of love and laughter to fill your heart!
Also I wanted to add a special message to my Mom who had a birthday yesterday!
~*~ Happy Birthday Mom! ~*~
I Love you so much! OXOX
Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!...
