Where are you celebrating our “Be Thankful” Day this year? With the ease of travel these days, any one of us could end up pretty much anywhere. From the west coast to the east coast and beyond. Or if you’re Buzz Lightyear, you’d say, “To infinity! And beyond!” Buzz knew what he was talking about. Space travel for ordinary people is looking like it’s getting closer all the time. Who knew cartoons like the Jetsons or movies like “A Space Odyssey” would be so prophetic? And which came first? The scientific ideas or the movies? Maybe sci-fi writers should collaborate with scientists. Oops! That was a {TANGENT ALERT!!!}.
Back to turkeys. When I wrote for the newspaper a while back, I did a piece on the first turkeys we, as new cooks, cook. I had a surprising number of women, including two of our mother figures (moms, mom-in-laws, and “ex” mom-in-laws – who we still loved), who let me know they had done the same thing. I was happy to know that I was not alone in my ignorance.
What was the blunder, you ask? I bought the turkey, pulled it out of the freezer in plenty of time, prepped it properly and stuck it in the oven. Yum, as the hours passed the house smelled better and better…
The baked turkey was ready and pulled out of the oven – and during the carving process, I realize there’s something crammed into the inner cavity (no stuffing in that first turkey, after all I was still learning the Thanksgiving basics). What the heck would be put inside a turkey? Whatever it is, I’m pulling it out and open the package. You all know what’s in there – if you’ve made more than one turkey that is. The neck and innards. If you’re squeamish, the neck gets you first – you likely drop it in horror, then the liver and heart…is there anything else in there?! (Imagine my grimace). What were they thinking when they packaged this one???? Are we supposed to EAT them????
I’m kidding (mostly) about the squeamishness, as I used to cook chicken hearts and gizzards for my husband. He quit eating them some years ago and that's good thing or he’d be cooking them himself these days – I’m meaner than I used to be, lol. (Most of my family could right now be rolling their eyes at me and saying under their breath, “Yeah, right.” Or “That’s a laugh, she’s always been mean.”). Dang. Another {TANGENT ALERT!!!}.
Back to turkey cavities. I’m sure there are more of you out there who did the same thing. Maybe they didn’t mark the packaging well enough or maybe some of us don’t read the instructions very well…or at all. (Although, I usually do when I’m cooking…but maybe it’s because of a certain first turkey…). Who is to say? I’m just glad I was not alone in my first proud moment of successfully cooking a turkey…with certain innards intact.
Our feast went on quite nicely once I got done laughing and set a determined check mark in my brain for the next turkey I cooked. We were grateful that the turkey tasted great, despite the innards being cooked inside (well, isn’t that where they belong?).
Laugh, cry, get angry for a moment, whatever we need to do when we catch ourselves blundering, then look for the things we can be thankful for, because dwelling on negative and dark things only brings negative responses within us. Let's be grateful for the good side of everything. That silver lining is not so elusive as we sometimes think.
Be grateful!! Be happy!! And bless those who can't afford a turkey this year!! (And joyfully accept the gracefully given blessings if you are being blessed. The giver gets as much, and sometimes more, than the receiver does. Just be grateful.)
Happy Thanksgiving all!!! (I hope your turkeys turn out spectacular!! Without the innards.)
Comments