My Thanksgiving Food & Recipes, Black Friday Shopping

Hi Friends!   Happy Black Friday!  Are you going shopping today for any deals, or did you already?  I am not and at the bottom of the post in my questions you can let me know your thoughts on Black Friday and if you’re a fan or not.

But first it’s time to recap my Thanksgiving Recipes.   My day started off hot.  And by hot I mean I woke up with a high fever and daggers in my throat.  The hurts to swallow, hurts to move, hurts to breathe type of waking up.  Skylar has been sick for the past few days and I thought I could avoid getting her cold and getting but no such luck.  It’s almost to be expected because I have been burning the candle at both ends, but duty calls.  I thought I would feel better today than yesterday, but no such luck on that, either.  Ugh.

What’s a sick mommy to do on Thanksgiving Day?  Suck it up and get my butt in the kitchen.

Scott picked up a floral arrangement and a dozen roses for me yesterday.  He totally appreciated the meal I made for him!  I guess was buttering me up before I even cooked a thing with these flowers.  It was so sweet of him though!

Note before I begin: 
1. Scott is not vegan.  I’ve discussed our different dietary paths many times in the past.   He’s a vegan at home, and a whatever he wants when out.  See Here for more info on our different dietary paths if you’re interested.  Someone always asks so there’s the link.

2. It’s my blog and I am simply sharing what I cooked for my family on Thanksgiving.  I cook 365 days a year, at least 3 meals a day.  This is one meal out of thousands I make each year.  If you don’t agree with the choices I made today, that’s fine and have a nice day.   

Here’s what I made:

1. Turkey
I prepped my bone-in turkey breast by placing it in my Le Creuset and added
the juice of 1/2 orange
drizzling 2 Tbsp EVOO
3 Tbsp of Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Chicken Grillmates seasoning
1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
4 Tbsp Vegan Butter
1 c Turkey Stock in the bottom of the pot
1 c baby Carrots placed around it

I let this sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours like this.  I know that salty brines are good for tenderizing meat.  Strategy worked because the meat was super moist and tender, Scott said.

I roasted it at 375F for 2 hours

2. Stuffing
2 c turkey stock + 1/2 c vegan butter, melted on stovetop
Add 1 box of Stove Top stuffing and let it sit in the pot for 5 minutes.  This stuff is foolproof. 

(If you’re looking for a scratch recipe, this is the BEST stuffing recipe.)

3. Cranberries
1 can Whole Berries + 1 Diced Orange + 2 Tbsp Sugar
Stir to combine and refrigerated for an hour before serving

4. Gravy
TJ’s heat and serve

Scott’s Plate

He said it’s the best meal he’s had since last year on Thanksgiving.  He thanked me a hundred times today for cooking for him and I truly was happy to do it.  I want to make him happy and if cooking a turkey is the way to his heart, I’m happy to oblige. 

Skylar ate a kiddie-sized version of what Scott ate.  She’s 99% of the time a vegetarian.  She enjoyed her meal she told me and went to town on the cranberries, first.  Good thing for bibs because cranberries stain and they were everywhere!

All the potatoes and side dishes that I posted about here…I skipped all those this year.  I was feeding basically Scott.  He didn’t need to go into carb-overload with potatoes plus stuffing.


Ginger Roasted White Potato Wedges

Ginger Roasted Sweet & White Potatoes

5. Dessert on Thanksgiving

I did not make 
High Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes – 5 Minute Recipe    

Vegan No-Bake Pumpkin Pie (Gluten & Soy Free, too!)

Vegan No-Bake Pumpkin Pie (Gluten & Soy Free, too!)

I went Non-traditional!
I made these because the family requested them:

This frosting is thick, sweet, and delicious! 

What did I eat?  I am sick and wouldn’t have been eating turkey, gravy, or stuffing anyway and had no appetite yesterday.  I ate an Edamame Salad with Romaine, Tomatoes, Cukes

And also ate a half batch of  Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea “Peanuts” with Peanut Flour

These really hit the spot! 

 

And washed it all down with a mug of tea.  And a glorious back rub from Scott!  And I went to bed fairly early, for me.

From yesterday’s post, it was fun to hear about the art projects you made as a kid!

Questions
1. How was your Thanksgiving if you celebrated it?
We enjoyed the day together as a family.  I wish Skylar and I wouldn’t have been sick but oh well.  

2. What was the best thing you ate or drank?  Did you eat anything you eat every year and it just hit the spot and reminded you of years past?
Best thing for me was how happy my husband was, spending time with my family, my back rub, and going to bed early!

3. Any interesting stories come out of spending lots of time with your family?  Any drama?  Hope not, but thought I’d ask.
It was just the three of us and aside from a little cranberry cleanup we had a very mellow day.  

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?  If so, what’s the best deal you’ve ever scored by getting up so gosh dang early?  If you’re not a Black Friday shopper, why not?

I am not shopping today, and in years past, never do on this day.  I know, I know, you can get great deals.  But that would involve getting up at the crack of dawn and fighting crowds, possibly being trampled in order to save 20 bucks on a DVD player that I don’t really want anyway type thing, and so I just never shop on Black Friday.

It just means that all of you who do shop today can keep all the merchandise and extra special deals all for yourselves!

My mother gets up early every year and does get some great deals but I honestly don’t need anything and really don’t have the disposable cash to just shop for the sake of shopping anyway.  I mean, in this economy, who does?

Tell me about your Holiday, Your Shopping Thoughts, and Have a Great Day!  

Anyone need a 20 Minute Workout today?   haha!