My First Turkey

I’ve watched my mom cook a turkey for years and this year I got to do it. And the fire department didn’t even come, unlike other cooking adventures I have embarked upon. Don’t look at me, it wasn’t my fault that the sugar in the apple turnovers converted to liquid and dripped down the oven to start a fire. Or that pools of butter formed on the cookie sheet when my croissants were cooking to also drip down the oven and start a fire. It only meant I needed new cookie sheets and the fire department keeps me humble.

Let me just tell ya, I don’t think Mom’s get an adequate amount of thanks for what they do. So, if you haven’t thanked your mom for all the hard work she use to do or still does for you, go ahead and give her a call and tell her thanks. My mom always use to tell me, Maura, these are the easiest years of your life, because you are only responsible for you. But when you get married, everything changes. When I was in trauma therapy my doctor always use to say, Marriage is about getting out of yourself. I think I’ll hear his words until the day I die, as they are so firmly rooted within me now. Most mother’s do a phenomenal job at getting out of themselves and I believe it’s important for us to thank them for their sacrifice and witness.

Last Wednesday night I rinsed the turkey in cold water and made the stuffing. A friend had cubed loafs of Tuscan bread, which had been drying out on our counter for the day. I sautéed onions and celery with a dab or two of butter and tossed it with some dried poultry seasoning and chopped apples. Thursday morning I stuffed the turkey and underneath it’s skin I rubbed a mixture of fresh herbs, freshly ground pepper and salt. And in it went for five hours. Nothing burned or blow up, so all was well (not that I have ever blown anything up while cooking. I did all of my “blowing up” in Organic Chemistry in college).

Pinterest anyone?

Kathryn graciously bought these for our house on Thanksgiving!

Gerber daisies are my favorite!

Time to eat!

My beautiful roommate Tala!

I’m sorry I didn’t get pictures of the food, I was to preoccupied with trying to make sure everything would be warm at the same time. And many thanks to Kathryn Baker who took these photos. Kathryn is a second year law student at Vanderbilt, who also loves photography. You should check out her blog cameras & cowboy boots.