Turkey

White, yes...and dark too, please.

Stuffing. With whatever's lying around. Decent whole wheat bread, rye bread, nuts, seeds, sausage, apples, onion, herbs, celery.

Mashed potatoes? A little bit, please-- I make'em skins on, cooked with roasted garlic, and one sweet potato.

Cranberry sauce.

Pumpkin pie. Whipped cream. Vanilla ice cream. This year, it's pumpkin cheesecake.

Sometimes, poached pears. Not this one.

Some kind of vegetable side -- beans or brussels sprouts or whatever.

Red wine. Or prosecco.

No marshmallows.

Football on Thanksgiving is overrated. I hate the Cowboys. I grew up with the Lions, and as far as I know there aren't any Billy Simses or Barry Sanderses in Motown anymore, which are the only reasons I've ever known to watch that less than fabled franchise. Hell, they're lucky if they have any latter day Mel Farrs. [...superstar, for a Farr better deal....]

Last couple years, I've been able to grill the turkey, but our deck is off limits this year due to a building renovation project, so I'm going back indoors. The good part about that is I can cook the stuffing in the bird, which I don't do when I'm cooking it on the grill. Grilling does produce a nice turkey, crisp outside, moist in. And frees up the kitchen, of course, which is saying something here in NYC.

Post dinner nap is always nice, too. Usually during the Lions game.

The aftermath: gallons and gallons of turkey soup. Best way to eat leftovers: turkey meat, stuffing, mashed potatoes all mixed up in one skillet and heated through on the stove top. When I was a kid, cold white turkey meat with Lawry's seasoned salt.

Things I didn't eat as a kid: stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberries. Thanks God for acquired tastes.