Society

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I wanted to wish all of our virtual family at the blog a Happy Thanksgiving. I am particularly thankful for the regulars on this blog who have made this site a place for civil and reasoned discussion and debate. This is my favorite holiday and I hope that each of you will have a great time today.

We have over two dozen people over at our house this year from Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, New York, Denmark, and Switzerland. I am making our usual two Turkey dinner (one smoked on the grill) and of course my traditional Waldorf salad. I also do the gravy. However, before the big culinary push, we have our traditional Turkey Bowl (45 years and running). Every year, we invite all of the kids in the neighborhood for a touch football game of the Chicago Bears (God’s Team) against the Washington Redskins. With the record of the Redskins this year, I might finally have a surplus of Bears volunteers on my team. We expect 30 or so kids (who are drawn as much by the donuts as the glory of the game). Rain or shine, the game will go on. Given the rain outside of my window right now, this could be a wet cold game but that is what the coffee and hot chocolate is for.

After the Bears are victorious and all is right with the world, I will return to cooking and try not to have my grilled Turkey catch fire this year (an annual struggle that amuses everyone but myself).

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all . . . even the Redskins.

80 thoughts on “HAPPY THANKSGIVING”

  1. Bdaman,

    Next year can we all invite ourselves to your house?

    As long as there are no more people than there are leaves on your trees. 🙂

  3. rafflaw,

    Emmet, welcome! Congratulations to all.

    Grandpa: “Few things are more delightful than grandchildren fighting over your lap.” (Doug Larson)

  4. Thanks again for all of the good wishes for my new grandson, Emmet. We saw him and his parents today and they are on cloud 9 with two beautiful boys. Enjoy your weekend!

  5. I’ll have to give you props on that, bdabriner. That does sound good. Although I do have a distinct fondness for smoked turkey . . . it’s just so hard to keep lit and you need really big papers.

  8. I’m a Briner

    Here’s how I did mine.

    Wednesday around noon.

    2 gallons of water dumped into a cooler/bucket

    Add
    1 cup of salt and one cup of sugar make sure completely dissolved
    One bottle of Mojo Criollo pronounced Mo Ho
    http://www.latinmerchant.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=SCM0011
    2 tablespoons All Spice
    2 tablespoons Adobo seasonning
    http://www.goya.com/english/product_subcategory/Condiments/Adobo
    1 tablespoon black pepper

    Place Turkey breast down and submerge, cover with Ice
    About 6 hours later flip it breast side or just make sure you rotate it so water from ice melt mixes in.

    Thursday 8 a.m. I fired up the coals for the barrel smoker.
    I cut 2 inch wide round limbs of a living Black Jack Oak and soaked them in water. After you do that remove Turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly with cold water then dry with a paper towel.
    Quarter a apple a sprinkle with olive oil and rosemary. Place in the turkey cavity.

    9 a.m. Turkey in the smoker, Black Jack on the coals
    14-16 pound bird would be done around 5:00
    You’ll need to add more wood and or coals a few more times.
    If you use Match Light Charcoal burn off your coals in a separate container before adding to existing to be sure to burn off lighter fluid.

    Mojo is the key. If you use it often in your cooking you’ll find you’ll have Mojo than you know what to do wit.

  9. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

    I came to Michigan for the holiday and my fingers just thawed out. Best wishes to you all, and rafflaw in particular. Now that’s the way to celebrate the day!

  11. The best thing about a birthday on Thanksgiving?

    You don’t get rooked on presents like Christmas babies.

    The worst thing about a birthday on Thanksgiving?

    At some point, you’re going to have a lot of extra turkeys.

    Congratulations again on your family’s new addition, raff. May you all enjoy many happy years of having a birthday cake to add to the Thanksgiving desert table.

  12. Rafflaw,

    Ditto to what lottakatz said. And just under the wire — a Thanksgiving baby… Definitely a reason to give thanks.

  16. Thanks for the good wishes from all. My daughter took a long time, but last night at 11:06pm she had an 8 pound 6 ounce boy, named Emmet. A good Irish name for my second grandson! We will be heading in to see him in a little while. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Thanks again!

  19. Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!

    Congratulations Rafflaw!

    Professor Turley,

    A sincere Thank-you for keeping the lights on; and hats off, for featuring Mespo, Elaine and NAl! They and all your loyal regulars really do keep keep the place rocking.

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