This was our first holiday since moving to Sundown Farms from Houston. It was also the first time in 8 years the family had gotten together for Thanksgiving as we did for many years. Along with the turkey, asparagus casserole, dressing, shrimp dip, and other sides, Mary fixed Texas Pecan Pie Pound Cake, a pumpkin cake with pecans topped with fresh whipped cream and ___.
11/17/2018, Saturday – Butterball turnkey was put into the outside refer to thaw. Drove to Spanish Fort and met Becky and Randy to get her 8 chairs. Now 16 total attendees.
11/20/2018, Tuesday
- Chopped celery, onions and prepared for the dressing.
Wednesday – Mid-morning, put the 25 lb. frozen turkey into the small cube cooler and filled it with water. The water temp was 68. Mid-afternoon, the water was 44-degrees so put it back into the refer.
- Mandy, Peg, Frank and TS came by. Now expect 18.
Thanksgiving Morning 6 AM – Mary made her usual dressing using the giblets and broth from two long turkey necks bought last week at the South Alabama Custom Meats on Dawes Rd. Cleaned out the turkey and there was still some ice crystals. Stuffed the big bird and had a lot left over. Filled the 1-quart french casserole with some dressing, added about 6 raw oysters; added more dressing and then 4 more oysters. Mixed it all together.
There was still more dressing so put it into a 6″ square pyrex dish after adding good shakes of 6POGS and mixing it in.
7:00 AM – Put the stuffed bird into the 325-degree large convection oven with the oven probe deep in the breast and the ChefWorks probe in the thigh. The thigh temp was 38-degrees. Put the covered oyster dressing and the covered French Casserole dressing in the small oven set at 325.
We ate about 1:30 PM. Everyone stayed around until dark. Mandy took group and family photos with her 35mm camera and Jack took group shots and a video with his drone.
Attendees:
- Kelley, Rocky, Piper, and Olivia – Made a corn casserole and mashed potatoes.
- Peggy and Frank – a lot of stuff. Borrowed their two folding picnic tables.
- Mandy and TS. Tommy had to work.
- Jack and Brook – Brought a fried turkey.
- Becky and Randy – Brought ham.
- Bryan Daniels and his partner Jason
- Lanier and Lanea – Brought tea.
