This was the first year we hosted Thanksgiving for the families time and the theme was “No hospital visits”. I promise, that this was a positive message, that really meant “this is my first time cooking a turkey and I hope no one gets food poisoning, dies or looses a limb. All other mistakes are laughable.”
Fortunately, my husband passed along some vital tips from a chef in Sonoma, Ca, “Brine the sh*t out of it and brine it again.” Ok, sounds simple, but how? We got a large food safe cooler, filled it with brine & ice cubes and placed the local (Ohio), organic, antibiotic free turkey in the cooler over night. Using whole, quality ingredients I seasoned the bird, layered butter under the skin and stuffed it with some citrus fruits and prayed. When the moment of truth 
arrived, hungry family pacing by the kitchen to see if the food was ready, I was rewarded with a beautiful bird. Thank God!
We had a modest gathering of nine people, which turned out to be one too many for my dining room table. 
But it was the right amount to make copious amounts of delicious comfort food, spread out comfortably with full bellies, and have conversation and laughter fill the home. Most importantly, no food poisoning! Hurray!
I am very grateful that both sets of grandparents were able to share in this thankful holiday with my son. We missed the family who couldn’t join us, but know that they were celebrating in their own ways and we are equally thankful for them!
- Family Thanksgiving
As I continue to try to gain full Martha status, I tried a few home made items that I found on Pinterest. With the success of this holiday celebration, I’m getting really excited for Christmas!
Hand Turkeys
Faith * Family * Love Table Cloth
Faith * Family * Love Runner
[...] because she was inspired on Pinterest. It also sparked most of my DIY crafts for this past Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve also tried numerous recipes because you can see what the food is [...]