Two days until Thanksgiving!

I'm brining my lovely 10 pound fresh turkey for 6 hours today per Alton Brown's Good Eats recipe. I'll be cooking it up this afternoon, carving it, and taking it to my dad's for dinner on Friday. I hope it still tastes like a fresh turkey by then.

Also on the menu: dressing, cranberry salad (my mom's recipe), double layer pumpkin and chocolate pies for both my in-laws and my dad's house, and possibly homemade rolls, though I'm leaning toward the brown and serve to save me some time and energy. My dad and ex-sis in law are providing the other sides.

My brother will probably not be there. He has just not gotten his act together this year and has really made a mess of things. At least I can see his ex-wife and one of my nieces. She's only 6 months younger than Meg, so I love them to spend time together, though we don't get to that often. Just hoping for a peaceful, uneventful meal up there. Pray a quick prayer for my dysfunctional family, if you would.

Now, for some fun. I've gotten a lot of those "getting to know you" lists and they're kinda all the same. I thought I'd make my own Thanksgiving-y version of one and I'm tagging everybody who reads--so lurkers, come out of the closet and let us get to know you :)

1. What's your favorite way to eat/cook a turkey? I like the Good Eats recipe I mentioned above--brining it first, then roasting in the oven. Comes out juicy and very flavorful.

2. What's your favorite side dish(es)? I love good dressing like my MIL makes and cranberry salad like my mom (and now I) used to make.

3. Favorite Thanksgiving dessert(s)? Good ole pumpkin pie for me--I love to make the double layer ones--they're lighter and not as rich as your traditional ones.

4. What do you like to do after the big meal? I love to sit back and nap and chat with the family, getting up every so often to pick at the leftovers.

5. Friday after Thanksgiving--are you shopping or not? Not me--no way! I'm not much of a shopper anyway and crowds make me panicky. Though Bryan and I are going to get out Saturday for a bit of shopping--probably won't be much better....hmmm.

6. Kitchen appliance you can't live without? (Not really a Thanksgiving question, but it's a good question anyway) My KitchenAid stand mixer that hubby bought me a few years ago for Christmas--indispensible, I tell you!

7. Do you decorate for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend or later? I usually wait until later--around the first/second week of December. I get kinda tired of looking at it if I do it too soon and we're usually out of town on Thankgiving weekend anyway.

8. Five people you're most thankful for this Thanksgiving (I'm sure you have more--feel free to list them): Well, let's just say Jesus right off the bat, then Bryan, Megan, Zoe, and little Zachary on the way. And all my family and friends that I love so dearly.

That's it for now. Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!!