THANKSGIVING SHOWDOWN!

I am making Thanksgiving dinner this year and no one in my family is interested in attending.  That may be because I announced it will be a much healthier version than what is customary.  My mother-in-law will be making a guest appearance, but I think even she has the good sense to eat at home first.  LOL.  My husband's on board with the idea so I think that is awesome.  I'm not doing this because I think having turkey and gravy one day a year is a sin, but more because I am tired of bowing to the pressure to do what's best for everyone else instead of myself.  Maybe next year I'll have the usual, but this year I am trying something different.  I'm preparing "Cranberry and Lime Drunken Chicken," "Cuban Style Roasted Sweet Potatoes," and "Brussels Sprouts with Marjoram and Pine Nuts."

You can find the recipe for the chicken in the November issue of "O" magazine or on the website (Cranberry and Lime-Leaf Drunken Chicken)  The Brussels sprouts are an old Bon Appetit recipe, but can be obtained at Brussels Sprouts with Marjoram and Pine Nuts/ Bone Appetit.  I'm not sure where the sweet potato recipe originally came from, but there are plenty of similar versions on the web.  For dessert I plan to make Pistachio Brown-butter Cake with Concord Grapes. 

I will be marinating the chicken tonight and most likely baking the cake.  I'm sure while I do this visions of candied sweet potatoes and hills of potato filling soaked in gravy will be dancing in my head, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!  All I have to do is replace those thoughts with thoughts of over-sized thighs and hills of dancing cellulite and the decision becomes easy!  I'll let you know how things turn out.  Until then, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

“The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret.” -Sarah Bombell