Don't pull that!

Well the big day arrived!! The day after Thanksgiving, Jeff's family came to have lunch at my house!! As you know from my previous post, I was nervous as to which mistakes I would make in this cooking adventure.

I only had two that I know about for sure.....and they weren't a real biggy:

1. I needed the rolls to rise on Thanksgiving day and my house was too cold so I had to turn our heat up. It was in the 70s outside so the 4 of us felt like we were going to die of a heat stroke....BUT

THEY ROSE....

and they tasted great!!

2. I cooked an empty pan and burned the cooking spray that was on said pan...... that was ready for the cheese biscuits for my mom's feast.......but I figured it out and all was fine!!

The other item I prepared on Thursday for my big meal on Friday was my first ever home made fresh cranberry sauce! This was fun! It ended up being tart (was supposed to be) but it was still good! 

Actually, everything I made was great!! Now, depending on which person you ask.......you may get a different answer because of different taste preferences.....but I tasted everything.....AND I thought everything tasted great.....AND I am my harshest critic!!! AND.....everything turned out pretty much like it was supposed to turn out....AND that is a THANKSGIVING MIRACLE!!!! in my cooking world...

BUT WAIT!!!! THE TURKEY!!!

I was so nervous about the turkey. I am not a meat eater. It really grosses me out to see meat before it is cooked. I don't care for Turkey. I have made it known that I would rather have a burger and fries for Thanksgiving...but everyone else prefers the traditional meal.

Thursday night after eating dinner at my mom's, I put my plan into action. It was 10:30pm. The first step was to take the "turkey breast with bone-in" out of the refrigerator and rinse it then dry it......GROSS.

I cut open the packaging and a river of blood poured into my sink. I held back a gag and then a goat bleat actually came out of my mouth involuntarily. Max ran out of the kitchen. I had called him in to watch because he was interested.....but he yelled as he ran away that he would just look at it once it was cooked. I turned the water on and started to rinse the turkey breast. I started with the nasty cavity.

Then I flipped the turkey over and saw this flap. I thought it was like a skin flap and maybe it should be cut off. I started to pull it.....then it looked like it was tucked into a butthole.....I started to gag uncontrollably. I yelled for Jeff. He came in as I pulled the skin flap as tight as I could....

I threw up a little in my mouth!!......

The nightmare continued until I got the turkey oiled down, butter up under the skin and completely seasoned......then I had to crack the bones when putting it in the crockpot...........I nearly fainted....and then it still would not fit!! Jeff had to do it!!

The turkey ended up being the best tasting turkey!!! Max loved it and he is my pickiest eater!!! It was not spongey! It fell off the bone, it wasn't dry or bland, it was full of flavor.....it was perfect!!! I will brag, brag, brag!!!! 

Friday morning cooking went well, too! No problems. Everything was done on time and all my recipes worked!! 

I had fun and am very pleased! I hope to do it again next year!!!............maybe not bathing the turkey with the neck sleeve.......