The air was filled with the smells of home cooking as the family entered the home, late. The meal had been ready for over an hour, kept warm in the oven while we waited their arrival. Everyone was excited to see each other, catching up over a family meal. I had been a Chaotic week filled with a mix of cleaning, cooking, and decorating; I was happy to just relax and enjoy.
The bird was cooked different this year as we laid our turkey flat, butterflied almost, using a technique called spatchcocking. I was nervous in the hours leading up to the meal, I’ve always put the turkey in the oven first, timing the balance of the meal from there. With a 1:30 meal time, the turkey went in the oven last. The turkey did cook fast and stayed moist, even after holding it over. I’m sold with this technique
We had a fabulous family meal filled with fun and laughter. We are so thankful for the happiness and joy our life is filled with.
The chaotic part isn’t so much the natural pandemonium in the hours before serving; it’s the week leading up to the event. exhausting yourself over meal planning, shopping, creating a cooking schedule; then comes cooking and doing dishes. Hoping the weather cooperates without interrupting travel plans is always on your mind. We’ll have a few weeks to relax before starting the process once again in celebration of family.
