Mmm, delicious, turkey, thank you!

I really couldn't let Thanksgiving go by without a shout out to Sister K, who hosted our family for the second year in a row. After the first year, with probably as much drama as a family holiday could handle, I couldn't believe that Sister K was up to hosting again. (I would have been running for the hills.) But she agreed, on the proviso that she would be doing Thanksgiving her way, rather than trying to do everything the way we had traditionally had it. Although it took a little bit of time to embrace the idea that things like the onions in chili sauce and mashed turnips would not be on the menu this year, in the end, it was probably one of the most delicious Thanksgivings on record.

Sister K started the meal with a roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook. It was amazingly delicious. (I made it at home this weekend for myself and a couple friends.) Then she served the turkey, which she covered in turkey rub from Williams Sonoma, seared in the oven and then slow cooked. I don't think that we have ever had such a moist turkey. The sides included Martha Stewart's cornbread, bacon, leek, and pecan stuffing (amazing!), Ina Garten's sour cream mashed potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts (I could have eaten the whole dish), and fresh cranberry sauce.

I got to Sister K's house early to help her out. She made everything look so easy that I kept teasing her that she should have her own cooking show. Maybe she won't have her own show just yet, but she has inspired me to set a goal for myself for next year: more cooking of my own. Last night I purchased two of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. One of them is called Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?; I felt like it was meant just for me.