Let's talk turkey.


Second time is a charm!



 I recently mastered the art of cooking a whole turkey. "What's the big deal?", you might ask. For me, A LOT. Growing up, I always WATCHED the women in my family prepare a beautiful turkey under a watchful eye. I have vivid memories of my mother waking up throughout the night to check on the turkey in the oven every few hours. I also recall my grandmother carefully monitoring the turkey and prized dressing every holiday. Turkey and dressing were always the best part of my childhood holiday meals.

I remember the first attempt at cooking a turkey around the time my daughter was 10 years old. I had no clue what I was doing and left the giblet bag in, didn't season it good nor did it cook up well. It was such a mess! I never attempted to cook one again.

Fast forward to 2017. My employer gave me a beautiful 13 lb. turkey for the holiday. I didn't want it to go to waste so I decided to tackle the task at hand. With the help of some facebook friends, running into Barb at the grocery store, a nice Cabernet and the internet, I prepared the perfect bird. I even mastered a nice cornbread dressing for the first time.

See....the flaw in my upbringing was that I wasn't an active participant in the holiday traditions I enjoyed. I wasn't invited into the kitchen nor did I demonstrate initiative to learn how to cook these things. I was taught to stay in a child's place and a kitchen wasn't a place where I felt welcomed. There were too many things that could hurt a child. "Move out the way!" " That pan is hot! Be careful!" "Don't get too close to the stove!"

So for me.......taking charge and doing something successful was a big source of pride for me this week. What may seem easy to one person may be a lifetime mental hurdle to someone else. Remember that your obstacles and fears and accomplishments have their own merit. You don't owe anyone an explanation on them.

Well as I prepare to eat the last of this bird in a delicious Turkish seasoned turkey salad, I reflect on starting my own holiday meal traditions and hope that I can instruct my daughter on how to properly cook a turkey next year. Be an active participant in traditions and make more beautiful memories that way.


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