Hello Lovelies,

Well, we’re halfway through the holidays and after Thanksgiving I think we ate for a week! I cooked a 16lb turkey, made my dad sausage stuffing, roasted butternut squash casserole topped with marshmellows, buttered summer squash, mashed potato and turnip, homemade gravy, fresh bread and mom’s candied carrots. Now my thanksgiving and all time favorite holiday meal stems from my New England upbringing with savory flavors and winter veggies like squash. And by the way… stuffing is not damn dressing! Lol

Our holiday was small but it was really special too. This was my our first real family holiday in our home and as a married couple. Yeah I had them before in my first marriage but it was stuffy, low fat food, working out the morning of, watching what you ate and how much, no football, wine sipping non sense. I yearned for a true family holiday like the ones I remember from my childhood. Family, laughs, laziness, good food, a family gathering of just happyness.  With babydoll losing his father at an early age, it was so super important to me to create  memorable new holiday memories for us to treasure and hold on to. It was the first “happy” holiday my son’s had in a very long time.

As for leftovers….I cooked for an army I think because I had a ton of food leftover. I had a bit of everything so I had to get creative so it would allget eaten. I had asked my brother in law to come prepared. Lol prepared with tupperware. He’s a trucker in the oilfield too and he also lives on his truck. So I packed him 2 large turkey meals big enough for 2 meals in each container. I also made my amazing turkey soup which came in very handy because I was sick the week after. This soup was a huge hit because it’s extremely flavorful.

Then, I took my leftover gravy, added milk and candied carrots, squash minus the mashmellows, and shredded turkey and made a turkey pot pie! Homemade biscuit dough dropped on top and baked in the oven.

“Almost” nothing goes to waste in our house. I try hard and yet have so much to work on with that lol I ain’t gonna lie. But use leftovers by transforming them in other yummy dishes because I don’t about you, but I can’t eat turkey dinner until it’s gone. Lol

I’ll post my recipes shortly including my injected, dry brined, stuffed turkey!! Stay Tuned…