Easy thanksgiving turkey dinner for me has been anything but easy for decades. This year because we can’t travel and see each other, I decided to do an actually easy Thanksgiving turkey, with a side of Zoom. On Zoom, family members and friends across the country can share their table, show their foods, and raise their non alcoholic drinks to better times 2021. Recipes to follow.
But first, what was your Thanksgiving like pre Covid 19? For me, like many Americans, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. The tradition of getting together with family members from near and far and a few neighbors or friends who needed a place to go was a special joy.
My family Thanksgiving was never about gift giving, so I didn’t have to worry about the Christmas chore of gifting those gaslighters in the family who are never happy with anything you give them. I’m sure you know or have some of those in your life. And I didn’t have to worry about religion or politics. In my family of origin there are both Christians and Jews. And probably, like yours, there are both Republicans and Democrats. Thanksgiving was the one event that we could all appreciate and enjoy without any conflicting beliefs or opinions or turmoil.
My parents were not drinkers, so alcohol had not been part of our Thanksgiving family tradition. I, however, was a fond martini drinker until my children went into recovery. Then, to drink or not to drink at family occasions, became a question I had to explore. Alcohol and holiday parties is challenging for those in recovery. It took me a while to give up alcohol to support loved ones in recovery. But 12 years ago, I took the plunge myself, first joining al-anon to learn the language of recovery, and then Alcoholics Anonymous because I wanted to support the 23 million Americans who gave up the thing they loved the most: their drug of choice whatever it was.
Recovery is a miracle for all of us who keep at it no matter how difficult. I do love my own sobriety for many reasons, and I have started collecting zero proof drink recipes to pair with different dinners. This ways I and my sober friends and family never need to feel left out.
This is a one-roasting-pan dinner. Easy as it gets. We put applesauce or cranberry sauce, or both, on the table, and make a simple gravy. Stuffing is Stovetop with prunes and Hillshire Farm Turkey sausage added. We can’t help but love Stovetop. There’s a family tradition.
Mix flavoring Ingredients
Place turkey breast with skin side up into a roasting pan. Loosen skin with your fingers; brush half the butter mixture over the turkey breast and underneath the skin. Reserve remaining butter mixture. Tent turkey breast loosely with aluminum foil. You can remove the foil in the last half hour.
If using russet potatoes cut in quarters and add to the pan. You’ll want chunks to brown and crisp.
Add the sweet potatoes whole to the roasting pan. You’ll mash and add marshmallows later
Cut in half and add 1 tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon. Cover with tin foil and add to the roasting pan.
Ingredients
Instructions
Wash and peel vegetables and cut into quarters or spears toss with seasonings and olive oil and add to roasting pan with potatoes, squash, and Turkey
Baste turkey breast with remaining butter mixture before returning the pan to the oven.
Roast the turkey and vegetables until the vegetables are soft and the juices run clear in the turkey. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone, will read 165 degrees F (65 degrees C).
Baste the turkey once or twice and toss the vegetables to crisp.
While the dinner is roasting, make your stovetop dressing, open a jar of applesauce or make your own, make my classic gravy, and bake some biscuits or scones, if you don’t mind the extra carbs. If you want it really easy, purchase the biscuits and heat.
Ingredients
Instructions
Saute the butter and flour in a saucepan until it bubbles up. Then slowly add 1 1/2 cup of warm milk stirring constantly to remove all lumps. Now you have unseasoned white gravy. Add the pan drippings from the turkey roasting pan and seasonings to taste. If you want your gravy brown, add a little soy sauce.
If using sweet potatoes, cut them in half, mash with a little butter, add mini marshmallows and broil for a minute or two just before serving. You don’t need the marshmallows, but heck, why not? Uncover the acorn squash.
Create a fun platter with the potatoes of your choice, roasted vegetables, sliced turkey, and stuffing. If you have neighbors in need, share your bounty. Turn on the Zoom and see what the rest of the family is having. Oh and don’t forget your non alcoholic drinks. Here are the non alcoholic drinks recipes that we use every day.
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