Football Counter-Programming 2017: Week 12

I don't know what to write about today.

So--let's talk about turkey. Tis the season to discuss America's first bird, the almost national symbol, the food-based avatar of our holiday hopes and dreams.

How do you like to eat it?

Roasted, deep fried, or only prepared by someone else? Do you like the breast meat or would you ignore all of that in favor of the dark meats? Or would you ignore the bird entirely if you could get delicious stuffing and sides every day--or possibly pecan or pumpkin pie?

(And . . . do you like your pecan pie the traditional syrup way or do you prefer the chess variety?)

Andbutso . . .

I like my turkey roasted. But I always brine it overnight before putting it in the oven. I have a dedicated/labeled 10-gallon Thermos cooler drink dispenser that is only used for this process.

For those of you in the know, this is Alton Brown's preferred method for turkey preparation. He's done it more than once on Good Eats, but I think this clip is the first one:

Beyond that? It's simply putting it in the oven and waiting. And it never takes as long for my turkeys to roast as the television shows would have you believe. But that may be because I don't buy enormous birds? Or maybe I'm just THAT GOOD at Thanksgiving preparations?

Anyway--other than the birds, I love to make stuffing (with apples, raisins, and pecans)--even more than mashed potatoes and gravy. And we favor the green bean casserole and the sweet potato casserole, as well as crescent rolls, maybe some fruit ambrosia, and probably two pies (definitely pumpkin and if I'm lucky a variety of pecan).

In short, we are very, very down-the-line traditional with our T-day fixins.

Do you do anything out of the ordinary? Once the food is done and eaten, do you watch the NFL? Or the Macys parade in the morning? Do you decorate for Christmas that same weekend? Do you not cook at all and prefer to go out to eat?

Let me know what you like to do and look forward to during the food/celebration season.

And remember . . . the college football year is coming to a close. There is very little that can change about your team'ss' chances--no matter how hard the sports commentator talking heads try to fill up thirty minutes convincing you otherwise. So . . . dust off those board games and DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

Until the final game of the regular season arrives next week!

Thanks for clicking in.