I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner when I was just 15 years old. My mother had developed Hepatitis in January of that year. She spent six weeks in isolation in the hospital and another seven weeks again in August of that year. She was still bedridden and I, being the oldest, became the family cook. My Dad had actually been a cook in the Navy so I learned a lot from him. Dad worked second shift and wasn’t home in the evening when my little sister and brother got home from school. I remember cooking meals then that I don’t even know how to make now. I made a pork chop and dressing casserole that was delicious. I could make a mean Swiss steak, too. On one occasion while stirring the gravy for the Swiss steak in an aluminum pan (I usually used the iron skillet) I reached for something and hit the handle of the big skillet of gravy and it flipped over and hit the floor on top of the heat register. All the gravy ran down inside the register — what a mess! We smelled gravy for weeks.
That first Thanksgiving dinner I cooked is vague in my memory. I know Dad always went hunting on Thanksgiving morning really early. I do recall the challenge of getting the turkey washed and getting that stupid bag of organs out of it’s butt. The neck was stuffed in the neck hole. If the turkey wasn’t completely thawed it was nearly impossible to get out. I’ve heard of many a cook unknowingly leaving in one or both bags. Some turkeys have their feet hooked together with this big piece of metal which is again hard to wrestle off the bird. Actually cooking the bird is not that hard. I like cooking bags because the turkey doesn’t dry out and seems to cook faster. It doesn’t brown as nicely, but that’s OK by me.
I always made oyster dressing because Dad loved it and I did too. I think Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect combination of flavors. The juicy turkey with the dressing and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy and then the sharp tart flavor of the cranberries and sweetness of the sweet potatoes is wonderful. My mouth is watering now — I can’t wait! Sister-in-law Robin is doing the cooking this year — Thank God for Robin!