I intended to photograph the completed Thanksgiving Feast before the family fell on it and devoured it sat down to eat dinner.  However in the hubbub surrounding the final minutes of food prep I completely forgot about taking pictures.

We had a spectacular feast with wonderful company.  Most of the dishes were gluten-free and Paleo.  The exceptions were the dinner rolls that OO (Oldest Offspring) brought and the Apple Pie that TMOTH (The Man of the House Made).  I did not partake in either of those items.  I am finding even the slightest accidental exposure to gluten is not worth the fleeting pleasure that eating the offending article might have given me.

I had some concerns about altering the food at such a traditional meal.  I didn’t want my family to feel that my new dietary regime was affecting their holiday adversely.  I was pleased with the results, and it appears that the family was too.

The Pumpkin Pies with the nut crusts were very well received.  The filling was lighter than the filling from my previous recipe.  I think this was due, at least in part, to using fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned.  The fresh puree didn’t seem to be as heavy and dense as canned puree.

The stuffing was remarkably delicious and actually very close in texture and taste to the stuffing I have made in the past.  It contained sausage, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, dried cherries, sliced almonds, chicken stock, sage and thyme (and maybe garlic powder).

For me, the stuffing is critical.  Stuffing is primarily used as a foundation for my favorite usage of leftovers.  I am having this for breakfast right now:

Mmmmm! Mmmmmmm!  The Breakfast of Champions!  It’s very simple to prepare.  Put stuffing in an oven-proof bowl.  Top with cut up turkey skin and dark meat  Heat in a 350 F oven for about 20 minutes (until it’s hot and sizzling).

The family can expect to see a rerun of at least a few of the new dishes next year.  OO at least will be pleased.    She told me this year was the best Thanksgiving meal ever.  OO has learned that sucking up positive reinforcement works on me.

Coming attraction: Creative leftover utilization. I’m planning to make a green chili that utilizes leftover turkey (plus chorizo) for dinner tonight. If it works out, I’ll blog the recipe tomorrow.