A Cowboy’s Thanksgiving
You can see pictures of
The Thomas Ranch Thanksgivings by clicking on the year below.
2004,
2005,
2006,
2007.
Do Cowboy’s Thanksgivings differ from normal American Thanksgivings?
We wake up early on Thanksgiving Day, usually around 0400. The Turkey is taken out of the refrigerator and placed in the oven. Like most of America we stuff the Turkey the day prior with
Casey’s Famous Stuffing. We also prep our vegetables, pies and everything that we will be using to create our meal the night prior. When we use prep we are talking about placing it all in the kitchen, not actually starting to cook it. The morning of Thanksgiving the hustle begins. There are usually anywhere between two and four cooks working in our kitchen at one time.
Casey is in charge of the Turkey. This is the most important part of the dinner. To date there has never been an uneatable Turkey. She has never even came close to burning it. One year it was so tender that it was trying to fall apart when we were trying to transfer it from the cooking pan to the serving dish. That was an excellent Turkey! She is one of the best cooks we have ever had the pleasure of sitting down to a table with and tasting the meals prepared.
She is also in charge of the homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. This is a recipe that was handed down to her from her Grandmother. I personally have never tasted homemade potatoes and gravy like this. If you could only sit at our table and try this you would fall in love with it. Delicious.
Casey is also in charge of the vegetables, and buns. Sometimes she shares that responsibility with someone, usually Bridget, prepping her for her time to make it for her family. The veggies differ from year to year, but you can almost always count on peas being one of the dishes. It seems to be a common vegetable that we can all enjoy. Her buns are sweet rolls. With butter melting on their warm tops it is a taste and smell of Heaven.
Russell is responsible for the Pies. Apple pies, and pumpkin pies are always on the menu each and every year. Sometimes he does specialty pies, such as Cherry, or Raspberry, sometimes even mixed Berry. He does not try to compete with his Grandmother who was making (her almost Famous Lemon Marange) these from scratch since prior to his own birth. But, he realizes that he got the talent from that side of the family. His Grandmother, Mother, and Sister are all excellent in the Kitchen.
He is also responsible for
Russell’s Candied Jams. His Jams are made with two full size (not those small dinky ones) cans, a bag of brown sugar, and a full bag of full size Marshmallows. Some years his Marshmallows will disappear into the Jams while others the light golden brown top will just beg to be dipped into with the serving spoon.
He is also responsible for the Eggnog. This is simple a quick stop to the store and four gallons later he decides he has enough. Between Papa, Bo, and Russell the eggnog doesn’t last too long.
For an outsider looking at the Thanksgiving process may look like chaos, but for this family they blend and flow together, never meeting a beat. The remaining kids prep the table and the food is placed on the table. Usually Nana or Papa will lead us in Grace. Then it begins, the self-indulging, over-gourging, belly-splitting, rendezvous’ with an upset stomach.
Once the meal is done and the plates are placed in the sink it seems everyone rest down on the couches. Light talking is done. That’s when the sandman strikes. Everyone’s eyes seem to grow a little tired and become droopy.
Does this sound like a typical Thanksgiving? I believe so. I don’t know of too many families that don’t celebrate the same way. Sometimes friends or some military are invited over, but mostly this is left for Family.
Happy Thanksgiving,
The Thomas Ranch
