Day of Thankfulness and not so Traditional Cooking!

Thanksgiving is almost here and I have to still run around and get a few more items to complete my shopping list. It never seems like there is enough time probably due to my little habit of time mismanagement! We are having a smaller crowd than usual this year which required only one 15 pound turkey. Last year we had two turkeys and my husband and his friends Vinnie and Lenny thought it would work out better if we roasted them on the gas grill outdoors using the rotisserie. Some how they manage to tie up both turkeys at the stake which weighed in at 30 plus pounds! It certainly would have made any boy scout proud they way they wrapped and knotted the unsuspecting poultry to it's spike-let! I had my doubts but was doubly assured this would work fine! As the big birds struggled to make their rotation over the grill I watched skeptically from inside with my Dad. A few minutes had passed when my father calmly stated " I think you have a fire out there!" Well sure enough flames where shooting out of the bottom of the Weber! "Fire in the hole!" I shouted! The men sprung to action! Extinguishing the fire they examined the charred turkeys. They had admitted ( a difficult thing for men to do! ) that the weight was too much and they skin was the accelerator in this case. They removed the birds and salvaged what they could. One was refurbished to go back on the rotisserie and since the oven was busy with other dishes of the day there was a back up plan for turkey number two. Vinnie had brought with him one of those Ronco Rotisseries. You know the ones that use to be on the infomercials hawked by Ron Popeil. They work pretty well for what they are. However they are made to accommodate a large chicken at best. In order to get this unwilling bird in there the legs and wings had to be amputated. Ouch what a sight! " Oh well" I thought "they are always enough sweet potatoes and green bean casserole to fill folks up with!" With a little faith and holiday magic the two turkeys were cooked ( maybe not to perfection! ) and were on the table with the rest of the goodies. I could swear I could taste something like charred skin but I ate it with a smile! Hopefully this year will be less eventful though we have Ozzie now so no telling how dog versus turkey will turn out! Happy Thanksgiving to you all!