Save the Turkey, Pass the Pie!

You might think I was after these turkeys to make them a part of my Thanksgiving dinner. But, no. They were way too fast for me! And when I heard the little babies saying Peep peep peep just like my character The Peep from the Runt Farm series I just had to let them go their merry way.

I’m spending this Thanksgiving with my mom. It’s just the two of us, so it’s extra-specially cozy and quiet. At first I wasn’t so sure I would like celebrating without tons of family around, and lots of dishes made by many great cooks. Mom doesn’t see so well these days, so if we were going to have a good meal it was up to me.

I didn’t exactly do the best job of marketing before hand and when it came time to start cooking today, there were some things missing. The town where Mom lives is kinda small so the market was closed. And really I’m all for that, as everyone should have some time off for the big meal and even some football if they like that sort of thing.

Usually I can sneak next door to supplement our food supply. But my sis and her husband were off to see the grandkids and the doors were all locked tight. Hmmm, how can I make pumpkin pie without evaporated milk? Turns out it is possible and yummy, even if it was a bit less firm than I would have liked. I couldn’t find any powdered ginger to put into the mix, so I minced up some of the candied ginger that I brought along this trip. Yum!

When it came to the Yam and Potato casserole I was missing the flour and a few other things, but corn meal mixed with an egg and some stock seemed to fill in nicely. Well, Mom will eat just about anything we put in front of her, so I wasn’t worried. And sure, the recipe called for Mozarella cheese, but cheddar worked just fine. (Cletus would have approved I’m sure.)

A couple of slices of smoked turkey, steamed zucchini and some cranberry sauce rounded out the menu perfectly. Well, maybe not perfectly, but we didn’t choke or anything. Mom is a diabetic so of course she ate the cranberry sauce first and saved room for pie too.

All in all I liked being on my own and experimenting with the materials at hand to make a meal. I felt all grown up somehow and peaceful inside.

Here’s a wish that your holiday be filled with just the right ingredients to make you truly thankful!