End of an era (I guess)

[ModelMaker]

Mrs. Ed's favorite holiday, hands down has always been Thanksgiving, since taking over from her Grandmother some 40 + years ago. Since the boys got married it was no excuse it would be here no matter what the wives thought about it.
Since we're both looking 70 square in the eye, it has become a lot of work and not being 100% healthy, she announced this would be our last sponsored T-day.
Since I do all the cooking 364 days of the year, her practice is not always (ever) correct to conventional cooking practices. There is hardly any help from myself that is allowed without an argument (I always loose). I was moved up to head chef this year and we butted heads for 2 straight days! For instance, the bird had to be stuffed (did that wrong) and in the oven by 7a.m. for dinner at 1p.m. since the Deputy Sargent had to looking after the youngsters at 6p.m. After basting at 11a.m. and checking temps the bird was very done, but still needed a couple hours to be just right!! After the rest at 1:30p.m. I lifted the bird unit out of the roaster, I shook the meat off the legs and thighs and removed and sliced the tuff pair of breasts. Nobody even mentioned it, but I knew.

The tradition is being passed on to the oldest son and his snowflake princess wife unit. He mentioned he might need to borrow our roaster pan and electric knife. I'm betting we'll be eating a Hy-Vee cooked dinner next year........
Thanks for weathering the rant!

Last picture of home cooked Modelmaker bird and pies.
Ed

 

[Stingerhook]

Your son and the snowflake may surprise you Ed.

 

[Maylar]

I passed the baton to my son a few years ago once he had his own house. I still bring the pies.

 

[gcs]

Lol, I hear ya....

Here's a different approach... My son and his fiance and her parents went to Golden Corral for Thanksgiving, that's the girls parents tradition, Never would have guessed that was a thing, but he said the place was packed with a long line waiting to get in. and no cleanup!:-D

 

[Shadowdog500]

Eat a good meal before going over to their house for thanksgiving next year.

My wife and I used to stop at a diner to get something good to eat whenever on the way to a family meal that we knew was going to suck.

 

[4ever3]

New situation here this year, it was all on Mrs. 4ever3 and I but we had a blast cookin and baking it all.

Ya gotta play the hand your dealt.

Things change and time matches on…

 

[oldgfbbq]

Food looks great to me. You can look forward to the future phone support that will be needed each Thanksgiving Eve. I really enjoyed the visits with my Grandmother and then my aunt after we moved from Texas to New England. After about 5-6 years, the conversations were more about goofs we had made in years past than additional advice from her. They are both gone now, but I still have fond memories and hope to pass them along to my daughter, and hopefully starting soon. :-D

 

[bowhnter]

We handed ours off this year to our daughter and SIL. He’s not bad with the grill and Egg either.
It’s not the cookin, it’s the prep and cleanup that did us in.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Does your son know how to cook or bbq? It’s pretty hard to mess up a fresh butterball.

 

[TravelingJ]

Eat a good meal before going over to their house for thanksgiving next year.

My wife and I used to stop at a diner to get something good to eat whenever on the way to a family meal that we knew was going to suck.

Same. I've learned to plan ahead like that as well. I ate a big breakfast yesterday and picked at dinner, and ate again when I was home.

Went to a friends party on Wednesday and know their limitations... so ate before I went.

Same today, met more friends for pizza. Love the restaurant, but know that when our group of 25 shows up, the services goes down. Ate a sandwich in my car on the way to the restaurant.

 

[Meskaroni]

Thank you for your service.
Welcome to the trainee department, where you will live out your days trying to teach the young privates by yelling and punishment. Good luck

 

[lunchman]

You endured it Ed, that's what counts. But I hear you loud and clear. Oh, and welcome to the 70 Club!

As mentioned in my other post, we hosted for the first time in years and even though all went well, it took a lot out of us.

Food looks good from here and a belated Happy Thanksgiving, my friend.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Agree with welcome to the 70ties club. We went to my son and D-I-L for T Day. Not sure what we would have done if I ate at home. Woulkd have tried to do something. They bought cooked dinners from a grocery store- Market Basket. Turned out pretty good Got 2 dinners for $80 each There were 17 people at their house and everyone enjoyed it

 

[smoke ninja]

we readily took over the family Thanksgiving from :becky:'s aunt 8 years ago when we bought our house. she was ready to be done after 30 years. unfortunately several family members passed and the tradition fizzled out. Thanksgiving is a small affair here now. just us and the two kids plus the father and sister in laws and an adopted family friend.

we love to cook and host parties so we created practice Thanksgiving...a made up holiday where we cook for our friends. we get a healthy turnout of nearly 20 people and it's probably the second most anticipated party we host after taco pool party

 

[ModelMaker]

Wow, looks like this is a natural progression! I will be available for help, and just hope for the best.
Ed

 

[halfcocked]

Christmas used to be at our house for years, roasted whole pig and a dozen or so friends and family. So, we always had T at friends' houses. I was tasked with bringing the deep fried bird for years. Looking at eighty in a few years plus one I gave up deep frying and now bring roasted ducks to the gathering at our daughter's in-law's. Even that produces more cleanup than I want. Also, I never cared for turkey much and find myself eating very little at these parties given that the ducks are inhaled as I carve by the crowd.