Here’s a meme I saw over at KnitThink, and I thought it sounded particularly appropriate to use as today’s post.

1. Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? Absolutely no question–staying home. I’d rather be home, cooking for loved ones, than pretty much anywhere else for just about any holiday I can think of!

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? It depends. We’ve done both over the years. This year, it’s a frozen one that Mom got free for having a certain amount of receipts from the grocery store. The one thing that’s consistent from year to year is that we only get the turkey breasts–not a whole bird. As badly as I feel for the poor animals who’ve been so over-bred just for this purpose, nobody in my family likes dark meat, and buying anything else is just wasteful.

3. What kind of stuffing? Believe it or not, Stove Top chicken flavor–the “classic.” Although I haven’t liked it since they changed the formula to a single step a couple years ago . . . but that’s okay. My Dad loves it.

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Pumpkin pie, no question. Almost all of us love pumpkin pie (and I make a good one), but sweet potatoes? Um, no.

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? Neither. I love freshly roasted turkey on the plate, but I also like leftover turkey sandwiches. Or, heck, nibbled right out of the fridge. (“Pick . . . pick pick!” …. Anyone else remember that old commercial?) But reheated leftover turkey? Ick.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? Except for maybe the dish of corn (the preferred vegetable in my family), I can’t think of any one that wouldn’t be missed by someone. The stuffing that Dad loves. The mashed potatoes. Homemade cranberry-applesauce. Mashed turnips.

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? I’ve tried it a couple times, but I don’t appear to have the knack for making good poultry soup . . . it always ends up tasting more like flavored water than actual stock. Very disappointing.

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? I can’t actually think of anything. This is the one meal that Mom and I have down to a science. Usually it’s either she cooks, or I cook, and except for dishing things up, we stay out of each other’s way. But the family turkey dinner? We each have our specialties and we work around the kitchen like clockwork. I admit, though, that someone to clean up for us would be helpful!

9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? We DO eat early in the afternoon, but our turkey doesn’t need to get into the oven before 9:00, so . . .

10. If you go to somebody else’s house, what’s your favorite dish to bring? Except for a semester in college when I was in London, I’ve only ever spent Thanksgiving away from home once. (Although, I think Mom may have mentioned going to my Aunt’s and Uncle’s when I was a year old? I really couldn’t say.) That one time, though? I brought homemade bread. A yeast bread with cornmeal, cranberries, and some molasses . . . mmmmm . . .

11. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn’t bring to your house? My sister always brings her biscuits, which are good. And this year, Mom asked her to bring a dessert because my niece doesn’t like pumpkin pie. In fact, this was cute. Mom called her and asked “Bring something that T likes.” And my sister, asked, “Am I supposed to guess?” Mom laughed and repeated, “Bring something that your daughter likes!” I’m guessing it’ll be something chocolate….

12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you’re happy to see? Our usual guests are just, well, us. Me, my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, my niece and nephew. Just family. There was one year my parents invited friends, and my sister used to alternate years between us and her husband’s family, but since they moved down to Delaware, we get them every year now. (Hurray!) Because my family includes a good proportion of my favorite people in the world. I’m always happy to spend time with them!

13. What’s your absolute favorite thing on the menu? I really love the whole meal. But, I suppose, especially the things I don’t get all that often–the turkey, the cranberry-applesauce, and the mashed turnip. And the pumpkin pie. The other items (mashed potatoes, Stove Top, corn) we get fairly often the rest of the year.

Consider yourself tagged, if you want to be. And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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