My Thanksgiving Food & Recipes, Black Friday Shopping

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Hi Friends!   Happy Black Friday!  Are you going shopping today for any deals, or did you already?  I am not and at the bottom of the post in my questions you can let me know your thoughts on Black Friday and if you’re a fan or not.

But first it’s time to recap my Thanksgiving Recipes.   My day started off hot.  And by hot I mean I woke up with a high fever and daggers in my throat.  The hurts to swallow, hurts to move, hurts to breathe type of waking up.  Skylar has been sick for the past few days and I thought I could avoid getting her cold and getting but no such luck.  It’s almost to be expected because I have been burning the candle at both ends, but duty calls.  I thought I would feel better today than yesterday, but no such luck on that, either.  Ugh.

What’s a sick mommy to do on Thanksgiving Day?  Suck it up and get my butt in the kitchen.

Scott picked up a floral arrangement and a dozen roses for me yesterday.  He totally appreciated the meal I made for him!  I guess was buttering me up before I even cooked a thing with these flowers.  It was so sweet of him though!

Floral arrangement on counter top with roses in a separate package

 

Flowers in vases

 

Flowers in containers

Note before I begin: 
1. Scott is not vegan.  I’ve discussed our different dietary paths many times in the past.   He’s a vegan at home, and a whatever he wants when out.  See Here for more info on our different dietary paths if you’re interested.  Someone always asks so there’s the link.

2. It’s my blog and I am simply sharing what I cooked for my family on Thanksgiving.  I cook 365 days a year, at least 3 meals a day.  This is one meal out of thousands I make each year.  If you don’t agree with the choices I made today, that’s fine and have a nice day.   

Here’s what I made:

1. Turkey
I prepped my bone-in turkey breast by placing it in my Le Creuset and added
the juice of 1/2 orange
drizzling 2 Tbsp EVOO
3 Tbsp of Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Chicken Grillmates seasoning
1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
4 Tbsp Vegan Butter
1 c Turkey Stock in the bottom of the pot
1 c baby Carrots placed around it

Some ingredients needed to make Turkey

I let this sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours like this.  I know that salty brines are good for tenderizing meat.  Strategy worked because the meat was super moist and tender, Scott said.

Turkey in dutch oven with carrots and broth

 

Close up of turkey in pot

I roasted it at 375F for 2 hours

Finished turkey after being roasted
Close up of finished crispy turkey

 

Slice of turkey on cutting board

 

Turkey being carved on cutting board
I’m pretty proud of the results I got!  Just going by the looks of it and Scott’s reactions, of course.
Close up of carved turkey
Scott loved it and said it’s the best turkey I’ve ever made .  I’ve only made a few, and have a whole year in between turkey cooking opportunities, so hopefully next year I do just as well. 

2. Stuffing
2 c turkey stock + 1/2 c vegan butter, melted on stovetop
Add 1 box of Stove Top stuffing and let it sit in the pot for 5 minutes.  This stuff is foolproof. 

(If you’re looking for a scratch recipe, this is the BEST stuffing recipe.)

Turkey broth and Stove Top Turkey Mix

 

Plated Stuffing

 

Up close of stuffing in container
Just enough leftovers
Leftover stuffing in clear container

3. Cranberries
1 can Whole Berries + 1 Diced Orange + 2 Tbsp Sugar
Stir to combine and refrigerated for an hour before serving

Can of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

 

Diced up orange and cranberry sauce out of can

 

Finished Cranberry Sauce in bowl
Just as good as boiling cranberries and sugar on the stovetop with a fraction of the time and effort
Close up of Cranberry Sauce

4. Gravy
TJ’s heat and serve

Trader Joe's Heat and Serve Turkey Gravy in measuring cup
I have made gravy from scratch with corn starch and turkey stock in past years.  Major PITA.  I will be buying TJ’s in years to come.
Gravy in measuring cup with plastic wrap in microwave

Scott’s Plate

Plated Turkey, stuffing and gravy
Whoops, almost forgot to take the cranberries out of the fridge!

 

That’s better
Plated turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce

 

Close up of cranberry sauce, carrots and stuffing on plate

 

Full Plate of Thanksgiving meal

He said it’s the best meal he’s had since last year on Thanksgiving.  He thanked me a hundred times today for cooking for him and I truly was happy to do it.  I want to make him happy and if cooking a turkey is the way to his heart, I’m happy to oblige. 

Skylar ate a kiddie-sized version of what Scott ate.  She’s 99% of the time a vegetarian.  She enjoyed her meal she told me and went to town on the cranberries, first.  Good thing for bibs because cranberries stain and they were everywhere!

All the potatoes and side dishes that I posted about here…I skipped all those this year.  I was feeding basically Scott.  He didn’t need to go into carb-overload with potatoes plus stuffing.


Ginger Roasted White Potato Wedges

Ginger Roasted White Potato Wedges
Close up of Ginger Roasted White Potato Wedges

 

Ginger Roasted Sweet & White Potatoes

Ginger Roasted Sweet & White Potatoes before roasting
Close up of Ginger Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

 

See This Post for What I made Last Year & Other Recipe Ideas.  Still worth a try for the December Holidays!

5. Dessert on Thanksgiving

I did not make 
High Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes – 5 Minute Recipe    

High Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes on white plate

These little Vegan Pumpkin Donut Holes are light and airy because they are nut and date-free.
Close up of one High Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Hole

 

Or….

I went Non-traditional!
I made these because the family requested them:

Close up of Vegan Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate Frosting
Overhead of Vegan Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate Frosting
This frosting is thick, sweet, and delicious! 
Vegan Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate Frosting in pan with bars missing

What did I eat?  I am sick and wouldn’t have been eating turkey, gravy, or stuffing anyway and had no appetite yesterday.  I ate an Edamame Salad with Romaine, Tomatoes, Cukes

Edamame Salad
Dressed With Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing
Homemade Slaw Dressing with ingredients in background
Edamame Salad with Slaw Dressing
Love this Combo!  Its a Groove, not a rut!  
If you need other Vegan Protein Ideas,  Click Here
 

And also ate a half batch of  Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea “Peanuts” with Peanut Flour

These really hit the spot! 
Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea "Peanuts" with Peanut Flour on foil lined sheet
Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea "Peanuts" with Peanut Flour in clear container

 

A few Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea "Peanuts" with Peanut Flour in container

Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Buttery Chickpea "Peanuts" with Peanut Flour in clear container

And washed it all down with a mug of tea.  And a glorious back rub from Scott!  And I went to bed fairly early, for me.

From yesterday’s post, it was fun to hear about the art projects you made as a kid!

Child's thanksgiving art projects

Questions
1. How was your Thanksgiving if you celebrated it?
We enjoyed the day together as a family.  I wish Skylar and I wouldn’t have been sick but oh well.  

2. What was the best thing you ate or drank?  Did you eat anything you eat every year and it just hit the spot and reminded you of years past?
Best thing for me was how happy my husband was, spending time with my family, my back rub, and going to bed early!

3. Any interesting stories come out of spending lots of time with your family?  Any dramaHope not, but thought I’d ask.
It was just the three of us and aside from a little cranberry cleanup we had a very mellow day.  

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?  If so, what’s the best deal you’ve ever scored by getting up so gosh dang early?  If you’re not a Black Friday shopper, why not?

I am not shopping today, and in years past, never do on this day.  I know, I know, you can get great deals.  But that would involve getting up at the crack of dawn and fighting crowds, possibly being trampled in order to save 20 bucks on a DVD player that I don’t really want anyway type thing, and so I just never shop on Black Friday.

It just means that all of you who do shop today can keep all the merchandise and extra special deals all for yourselves!

My mother gets up early every year and does get some great deals but I honestly don’t need anything and really don’t have the disposable cash to just shop for the sake of shopping anyway.  I mean, in this economy, who does?

Tell me about your Holiday, Your Shopping Thoughts, and Have a Great Day!  

Anyone need a 20 Minute Workout today?   haha!

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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