Saturday, I put seven boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot with a stalk of celery. When they were cooked, I put in a frozen hen. Both were seasoned with ground sage, salt and pepper. My Thanksgiving dinner may include one or both of these poultry offerings.
That was followed by two pounds of carrots and an onion and a stalk of celery. Since I am using the much smaller crock pot, I cannot put in so much. However, it is working out.
There were no potatoes at the Farmer's Market and I failed to go to the fruit stand, a permanent structure that carries flowers, too. A trip to WM was in order for potatoes. Okay, I went to WM and paid almost $5 for a tiny bag of potatoes. The two pounds of carrots I used cost me a quarter last week.
Three days of cooking in the crock pot should yield: 7 chicken breasts, one hen, 4 lbs. carrots, 5 lbs. of red potatoes along with the celery, onions, and garlic. I will put the rest of the potatoes in as soon as I remove the potatoes and carrots in there now, mid-afternoon on Sunday. I am going to search for something else to put in the crock pot to maximize the amount of cooked, ready-to-eat food and minimize spoilage.
People talk about using poultry seasoning on poultry. Today, I smelled my poultry seasoning and prefer to use just sage. I'm not sure why I have this, but I must have decided to try poultry season in the past few years.
Right now, two breasts are in the freezer. Four breasts await me. Well, I think there are four. Five? Did I eat one? They will be the basis of dinners and lunches and snacks. I see chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken casserole, chicken in sandwiches in my future. Plus, the chicken can be part of a meal of cooked vegetables. For variety, I will have a can of tuna in a salad and pimento and cheese.
Even though I have an invitation for Thanksgiving, I will probably just stay home. I have formulated simple cooking plans. I will try for the traditional home-cooked dinner. However, I have choices. Stovetop stuffing, a jar of turkey gravy, and canned cranberry sauce will be here just in case I don't get around to the real deal. Diced boiled eggs can be added to the gravy. YUM! I have cans of green beans, frozen broccoli, and other vegetables. When I make pumpkin pie and apple pie, I may make them without a crust.
Now, for the most important subject: macaroni and cheese. At home growing up we never had macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving--EVER! I don't understand the importance people assign to it as a tradition. I have never served it for Thanksgiving and never will. People say this is a Southern thing. Not in my experience!
As a matter of fact, I never remember my mother making macaroni 'n cheese. She may have gotten the blue box for my brother who is much younger and there long after I left home.
Your turn
What have you cooked in your crock pot lately? Are you planning on a big Thanksgiving dinner? What time of day do you serve it? Is macaroni and cheese part of your Thanksgiving? Do you, as I do, think it is a strange item to serve? Are you from the South and think this is a Thanksgiving tradition?
