This past week has been so crazy and busy that yesterday I was determined not to leave the house. I didn't quite follow-through with that self-made promise, as I did have to do some 'child transporting' but other than picking up a daughter from a slumber party, I spent my day doing laundry, vacuuming, looking into London vacations, aruba vacation packages, cruise rates and... Christmas shopping. Today I have more child-transporting, more laundry and more web-surfing for Christmas gift idea's but I also need to find my handwritten holiday recipe book so I can make my final shopping list and menu planning for Thanksgiving.
When it comes to Thanksgiving I like to make our traditional menu items (and I might be strung up by my traditions-loving-family if I didn't!) as well as adding in one or two 'new' recipes each year that I vary.

One thing I don't like to mess with is our turkey.

Keep your crazy nut, fruit, spice and liquid concoctions to dress it up - when it comes to my turkey, as over the years I've found the best, most favored, most eaten and most appreciative bird is the most simple. It's also easy to use leftovers up in pot-pies and soups when you haven't messed with the flavor of the star of the show.


Butter under the skin, oil over the skin, salt and pepper. Roasted to perfection.

As Thanksgiving looms I'll bring many delicious side dishes and desserts to the website, but my turkey? Leave my turkey alone.