Never before have I had a whole week off from school during Thanksgiving. Not having to work the Monday through Wednesday before the most important food day of the year was honestly an amazing treat. Not only was I able to pretty much cook everything in advance (except the turkey, of course), but also I was able to enjoy the season with friends and family. The Florida weather was perfectly seasonal, and even a deep-freeze warning one night brought back memories of cold, Oregon mornings, where Rob and I first started celebrating this holiday together.
As I looked around my living room last Saturday night, there were all the signs of the weekend after Thanksgiving: a couple dishes with creative leftovers lunches on the coffee table, Rob in and out of naps, college football on the TV, Sig and his cousin, Turner, also in an out of naps (but trying really hard to stay awake thus something, just something, happens where us humans will need their K-9 expertise – like cleaning up turkey bits), Jenn uploading silly pictures of us on her computer, and just as dusk was creeping up over the golf course, we are all probably very thankful that some lights were accidently left on because none of us were getting up from our comfy, blanket-nested spots on the couches. Well, I know I wasn’t.
As always, my Turkey Day Trials did me well, and while I may have gone overboard on the amount of food we had, it made for a very festive, and belly-growing holiday. Here was the menu:
Appetizers:
- House Cocktail: mulled cranberry cider topped with brut and frozen cranberries
- Spiced nuts
- Boozie olives (olives warmed in the oven with gin, orange peel, and peppercorns)
- Brie with onion jam, fig chutney, and water crackers
- Pigs in a blanket (because they are simply awesome)
- Shrimp cocktail
The Main Event:
- No Fuss Turkey
Sides:
- Rob’s mashed potatoes
- Spicy Leek and Sweet potato soufflé (with browned marshmallows!) – some of these ended up on the wall. Not exactly sure what happened.
- Celery and Onion Stuffing
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Apple, and Rosemary
- Steamed farm-fresh corn and green beans
- Parker House Rolls
- Jellied cranberries (yes, in the can, ridges and all)
Dessert:
- Pumpkin Pie (from Costco – the best!)
- Pumpkin, Amaretto Custard and Whipped Cream Trifle. SO GOOD.
And finally….. food coma.
Ok, so Thanksgiving food is wonderful, obviously. But Jennifer and I indulged in a leftover that was unlike the standard midnight turkey sandwich (don’t get me wrong, that sandwich is probably the most perfect thing I could eat – ever. Like, ever, ever.). So, after a couple glasses of wine, a lovely combination of the French-Canadian Poutine dish, American Thanksgiving, and a late-night Mexican tradition all found themselves together in a happy little co-mingling of sorts, creating an indulgence perfect for only the days after Thanksgiving. There was honestly not a lot of thought to this dish, so there wasn’t much measuring. Actually, there was no measuring at all. But with these ingredients, you only need to go with what you like.
I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, and put blue corn tortilla chips on an ovenproof plate. Then, I spooned some leftover turkey gravy (the Poutine part), and sprinkled an abundance of leftover turkey meat over the chips. Taking a shredded Mexican cheese blend, I spread the cheese evenly over the chips and popped it in the oven to melt. When the OMG-amazing-super-delicious-ooey-gooey-cheesy-turkey-smell wafted through the kitchen, I took out the Turkey & Gravy Nachos, topped them with scallions and hot sauce, and Jennifer and I devoured them. Really, not a morsel left.
As that was a week ago, since then all the leftovers have been creatively constructed and eaten – some great, some not so much. Christmas is well on its way, and I’m starting to get ready. This weekend calls for making cookies and chocolates, sending out holiday cards, and constructing a wreath. And just wait until you hear about what happened with our Christmas tree. Let the O’Donnell – Tamminen Holiday Craziness begin! Until then, I have two more weeks of school, lots to do, and feeling a little like Joey Tribiani at the moment:
“I’m thinking about starting an ‘I Hate Turkey Club.’ Although, I do love a turkey club.”
So, we’re eating a lot of sushi. Happy Holidays!
42 Potatoes 
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