I only spent two days in the office last week and wrapped a few days of PTO around Thanksgiving, which always lands on a Thursday. It ended up being a five-day weekend.

Despite enjoying a long (extended) weekend, spending some quality time with the family, and doing as little as possible, you still need a vacation after a vacation.

Owning a home comes with many DIY projects and always some exciting surprises. We’ve had our share of unexpected in the past 12 months, so hopefully, I could put a dent in the to-do list.

I planned to do some chores in and around the house and cook plenty of turkey and sides.

The Tale of 3 Turkeys

I managed to source three good-sized (14-16lbs) turkeys I would be cooking last week. Two were from a local supermarket, and one was from a local farmer. The latter is for the family.

While the size of the turkeys is nothing compared to the monsters you can find in the US, ranging from 18-24lbs, it is plenty for a family of five.

This Thanksgiving, I tested several brines and BBQ glace, spicing up each turkey’s flavor profile and learning how to boost its juiciness.

Each turkey spent approx. 24 hours in a nice brine bath, soaking up the flavors I added.

Once I remove the turkey from the brine, I’ll pad it with paper, rub some olive oil on the skin, insert butter under the skin in strategic positions, and then rub it with a selection of spices.

Each turkey is then slowly grilled on the Traeger, spatchcock, or whole until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Make sure to take the temperature around the breast bone or where the meat is thickest. I use the wireless thermometer by Meater, which makes cooking much more effortless.

NOTE - preparing a chicken or turkey to be spatchcocked is a morbid and dramatic exercise.  YOu basically cut out the spine of the bird using a poultry scissor, flipped the bird, and then forcefully broke the chest bone.  It snaps and cracks, and then you can flatten the bird.

I use the birds’ gizzards and necks to make an outstanding stock, which I then use to make the gravy. It is packed with flavor and much better than store-bought gravy.

Blessed Turkey

My week started with making a spatchcock turkey for my wife’s women’s group at church. They meet every Monday evening to learn and discuss the Bible. This week, they had a potluck Thanksgiving dinner, and I had apparently volunteered to prepare the turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

I fired up the trusted Traeger beast, placed the spatchcocked turkey breast on the grill, and let it roast for 1-2 hours until the internal temperature reached 165F.

In addition, I made a generous portion of cranberry sauce using whole cranberries, not the canned stuff and added a splash of bourbon.

My wife said the turkey, including the cranberry sauce and homemade gravy, was very popular. At least there wasn’t much left, which is a good sign.

Day of Giving

Four years ago, we kicked off a day of giving by cooking a Thanksgiving meal for several local families who needed a homecooked meal.

Thanksgiving is an opportunity to spend time around the dinner table, but for some families, this is impossible due to unforeseen circumstances.

We prepare a full Thanksgiving dinner with grilled spatchcock turkey, two to three sides, and dessert and deliver it to the families on Thanksgiving day.

Some families we’ve helped were deficient in finances, displaced due to unforeseen incidents, a parent deployed abroad, or medical problems/bills. Everything that could force a family to focus on healing or changing their life and an even bigger reason to lend a helping hand.

It is a blessing and a privilege to help others. The Gratitude we receive when delivering food cannot be measured or expressed—it has to be experienced.

A Family Turkey Dinner

I prepared a third turkey for the family Thanksgiving celebration, not spatchcock but whole. It takes a little longer in the Traeger, but you still remove it when the internal temperature reaches 165F.

1st Sunday of Advent

Sunday, 1 December, happens to be the first Sunday of Advent. It is the official countdown to his birth 2024 years ago, and we celebrate his birthday every year since.

But, the 1st Sunday of Advent is more than just a Sunday. It symbolizes Hope, and we light the ‘Prophet’s Candle,’ which further starts the process of Jesus’ coming.

• The first candle on the Advent wreath is for Hope 
• We anticipate and prepare for the birth of Jesus
• The first candle is purple, which also means royalty

Week Forty-Nine Meals

We will continue to enjoy the turkey celebration. It’s one of the only holiday celebration dinners that keeps on giving the following days and weeks.

My meal plan is based on leftover turkey, which I use to create new lunch and dinner items.

School Lunches

I whipped some mayo, mustard, and spices with chopped-up turkey. It’ll be served on a store-bought croissant. Making croissants is beyond my skills, so I rely on the bakery.

Then, I made a few quesadillas with turkey, cranberry, and grated cheese.

One lunch item will be left-over turkey stuffing casserole.

Lastly, I experimented with a recipe and made delicious turkey stuffing meatballs using dried cranberries, a fresh batch of box stuffing, and ground turkey.

Dinner Time

Dinners will be amazing this week, but I’m glad turkey season is over. We have been overeating on turkey and sweet sides—enough for a year.

I whipped up a scrumptious turkey pot pie and baked it in the oven.

I simmered a bunch of beans, making a white turkey chili.

Lastly, I made a stuffing casserole, which I look forward to sampling.

Meal Plan

	Lunch	Dinner
Monday	Turkey Stuffed Quesadilla	Turkey Pot Pie
Tuesday	Turkey Salad Croissant	White Turkey Chili
Wednesday	Turkey Stuffing Casserole	Turkey Stuffing Casserole
Thursday	Cranberry & Turkey Stuffing Balls	Turkey Leftovers
Friday	Cranberry & Turkey Stuffing Balls	Firepit, relaxation, and alcohol

Have a fantastic week, my friends. I hope you enjoy these meal plans. It is much easier to make food in advance, although you must invest several hours preparing meals during the weekend.

Meal Prep Party Pictures

Here are a few mood pictures from the previous week since I did not prepare dishes this week.

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