third world county

Not exactly a recipe, more a plan of battle.

In the past, I have gone so far as doing away with traditional Thanksgiving meal fare and simply cooked up a pot of chili, in an effort to keep the day as simple as possible and be able to concentrate on just being with family.

But alas! Lovely Daughter. especially, wants more traditional fare (and I suspect others of simply catering to the cook in not being so insistent). So…

Here’s what I plan this year:

Lovely Daughter can bring her beloved green bean casserole, and while I’ll not make pumpkin pies this year, I’ll make pumpkin bread. As for the rest of the meal… *sigh* OK, some yams or sweet potatoes (although perhaps I can foist those off on LD, as well? ), cranberrry sauce (canned–I’m still going for easy, simple, quick prep) and…

In the rice cooker, a turkey breast in the bottom, in a bath of turkey gravy fixins, surrounded by cut up potatoes and topped with dressing. I’ll let it all cook together in the rice cooker for a couple of hours and report back later as to how it actually all came out.

Oh, the dressing? Frankly, I’ll probably buy a package mix and jazz it up with chopped onion, boiled eggs and celery (all made up ahead of time) with more freshly-ground pepper than any package includes (heck, none of them include ANY freshly-ground pepper), etc. Maybe some freshly-rubbed sage and such, as well. Pop some baby carrots straight from a rinse outa the package into the veggie steamer for the top of the ricve cooker and I’ll be good to go.

Simple. One or two pans (counting the pan for the pumpkin bread… made in the bread maker, of course). I don’t expect to use the ovens at all, except as warmers for the dish(es) L.D. may bring. Oh, I might dump the p-bread and bake up a fresh loaf of wheat bread for the meal as well… also in the bread maker.

Juuuust enough for us four and my parents, should they decide to “drop by” (230 miles out of their way–*heh*) for a visit.