A good bird

Hope your Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful in every way!
Thanks to those of you who left Thanksgiving traditions...so fun to read and think about as we add to our own! We had a full house and a full table on Thanksgiving day. After changing my mind several times, I finally decided to try the turkey recipe my friend Tegan suggested for two reasons:
1. Tegan is a fabulous cook and has never made anything I didnt like.
2. The recipe required a brining process...something I have never tried. I like to add to my cooking skills and knowledge when I can, and although I was a bit intimidated at first, I was really happy with the results...moist and yummy!

If you arent familiar with brining, check out this article at cooks illustrated:

TheBriningProcessExplained

Here is the recipe link for the Apple Cider Brined Turkey with Savory Herb gravy.

AppleCiderBrinedTurkey

Another new thing I tried this year....homemade cranberry sauce. Man, I had no idea how easy it is to make....and so delish! Most recipes call for boiling the sugar and water before putting in the berries, but I accidentally boiled them all together and it worked just fine! Who knew that you dont need gelatin to make it set up?! Here's what I did:
Boil:
1 8oz bag of cranberries
3/4 C water
3/4 C granulated sugar

Cook at low boil for about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 15 min or so. Blend mixture in food processor or blender. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Our final Thanksgiving menu for this year was: (just so that I remember)

Apple Cider Brined Turkey with Savory Herb Gravy
Sausage and Raisin Stuffing
Gruyere cheese broccoli gratin
Becky's corn casserole
Cranberry sauce
Mashed Rosted Sweet Potatos with crunchy pecan topping