Maybe I am just picky, but I do not think I have ever had a Thanksgiving dinner like my mom would make. Actually, when my mother was alive, we tried several times to get prepared Thanksgiving dinners and nothing ever really met the expectations we had.
One year, I was working day and night around the holidays due to a project that had been installed. Unfortunately, that project required quite a bit of baby sitting in the beginning. That Thanksgiving, my parents had ordered the Thanksgiving dinner from Albertsons. I got to their home rather late and everything was still in the oven keeping warm. My mother started apologizing for how bad the meal was. And she was right, it was pretty awful. So, we marked Albertsons off the list for possible Thanksgiving dinners.
Another year, I cannot remember why, but I think we ran out of leftovers for Thanksgiving fairly quickly. Oddly enough, we still wanted more turkey, dressing, and etc. So, we tried Thanksgiving dinner from Boston Market, Black Eyed Pea, and Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel offered both turkey and ham with their meal, but the ham was really salty. Black Eyed Pea was okay, but not quite like mom's. Boston Market, while the turkey was delicious, the dressing with carrots in it was not appetizing. My mom and I were highly critical. LOL
For the last few years of my mom's life, my mom would come into the kitchen when she could to see how everything was coming together. I would make the rolls from scratch, prepare everything for the dressing, work on the candied yams, and help my father season the turkey. The last two Thanksgivings that my mother was alive, my father and I would put together the entire dinner. The last one with her, she told me what a wonderful job I had done.
After my mother's passing, my father and I went to visit long time friends for Thanksgiving. It was nice to share the time with them, but it just was not the same. For Christmas that year, I ordered a brined turkey from Central Market and prepared turkey and dressing for dinner. In that case, it was pretty much like mom's Thanksgiving dinner.
The following year, I ordered Thanksgiving dinner from Bread Winner's. To be honest, there was a good deal of food, but it was only enough for one meal. No left overs. My father and I ate early, so that evening I was hungry. My father met with his friend that evening and had another Thanksgiving dinner at Golden Corral.
I was terribly frustrated with having been left at home by myself and there was nothing to eat. Then, it hit me - try the Thanksgiving dinner given by Buca di Beppo. I know - the Italian restaurant making Thanksgiving dinner? It was actually very awesome! It cost me a little less than the one I got from Bread Winners and I actually had left overs for a few days! It was really a wonderful dinner and if, in a pinch, I had to get Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere, I would definitely go there.
This year, Thanksgiving just was not the same without my mom. I had no leftovers to eat and I missed that. So, I bought a turkey breast and will be working on making my own Thanksgiving dinner today. Albeit, it is a week or so late, this is my own tribute to my mother. As I reflect upon the years, it was really my mom that made the holidays so very special. I wish she was still here.
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