It was the night before Thanksgiving ...

and I stuffed my face. 

No, seriously. I stuffed it.  

On Thanksgiving day, we go to hubby's grandmother's house to be with family and celebrate. There are usually between 15 -25 of us, depending on who's in town and off work. 

When it comes time for clearing the left overs off the table and making to go plates, I'm always inauthentically reserved. I'll take, maybe, one piece of turkey and a small spoonful of mashed potatoes. 

Let's be clear. The best thing about Thanksgiving dinner is Thanksgiving dinner left overs. 

Taking one little piece of turkey is not going satiate my year long left over cravings. 

I wouldn't change anything about going over to Grandma's house but I also didn't want to feel left-over deprived so I decided to make a pre Thanksgiving dinner this year. I initially invited a few of my friends over but then my anxiety got the best of me and I canceled -- on having people over. Dinner was still on for hubby and me. 

It was a huge success.

I opted to roast a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. We didn't miss the dark meat and it was much easier all around. 

I followed the instructions for cooking the turkey breast HERE and I used the instructions for gravy (step #4) HERE.  Both were super easy and the results were delicious.

I asked a coworker for her stuffing recipe after hearing her rave about it. So rave worthy. I'm not a stuffing person but I'm pretty sure that's because I've never had it like this!

I made some substitutions - I used leeks and celery instead of fennel (too much like licorice for my taste) and used Pepperidge Farm's herb stuffing mix instead of making it from scratch. Honestly, just as good! I simply added Streetman's original chicken seasoning and dried thyme to the mix and viola! I felt bad for not making the stuffing from scratch all of two seconds.

The Chew: Mama T’s Pancetta and Fennel Stuffing Recipe

Makes 8servings
Ingredients

• 2 cups Pancetta (chopped small)
• 1 large onion (small diced
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (crumbled)
• 1/2 c parsley (I deleted this)
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 fennel bulbs 
• 1/4 c white wine
• 1 stick butter
• 1-2 cups chicken broth
• seasoned stuffing mix
• 1 egg (beaten)

Instructions

1. ƒ Preheat he oven to350 degrees F. ƒ 
2. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, render the pancetta. Cook until browned and then remove it from the pan.  ƒ 
3. Discard some of the fat, but leave enough to cook the onions and garlic. Sauté until soft. ƒ 
4. Add the sausage, parsley, and thyme. Cook until he sausage browns.  ƒ Add the fennel and cook until golden.  ƒ 
5. Add back in the pancetta and pour in the wine. Bring to a simmer. 
6. Add the butter and stir until melted. ƒ 
7. In a large bowl, add the stuffing mix, chicken stock, add the mixture in the sauté pan. Toss to coat evenly and then add the egg. ƒ 
8. Add the mixture to a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Cover with foil and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a few more minutes until golden brown. 

Seasoned Stuffing Mix
Servings: 8­-10

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of bread 
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/8 tsp of sage
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp marjoram leaves

Toast bread cubes, then put into paper bag with all seasonings and shake to coat bread cubes.

Casseroles. Green bean casseroles. I know. But you have to understand, I dislike most vegetables, especially green beans. This might be the most delicious, trashiest green bean casserole out there. Actually, it doesn't have the canned onions on it, it's Ritz crackers right there on top. Total gourmet now.

 Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

Mashed potatoes were also on the table and they were yummy as always. I used russet potatoes, a stick of butter, salt/pepper and whole milk. If I'm ambitious, I will melt the milk, butter and about 10 cloves of minced garlic together before adding them to the potatoes. Another variation is cream cheese and subbing yukon golds for russets. 

Not dry in the least:

We start clearing the table and walk back into the dinning room to this. Naughtiest beagle ever. She took down a whole turkey one year --at grandma's house.

Plenty of left overs now, today was a total success.

I want to wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving if you celebrate it and a blessed Thursday if you don't.