A Time to Remember?

There's a first time for everything. Some of them you remember and some you don't. Sometimes you don't remember them because you were too young - your first step, your first word. In other instances, you remember then regardless of age, because it was too exciting to forget - your first kiss, your first puppy. Other times, you don't want to remember, but just can't forget - your first fight, the first time you put a ding in your father's car. And, then, there is your first turkey. Not the first one your ate, but the first one you actually baked solo, on your own, without a net or your mother.

I just don't know how to classify this event. Sure, it was exciting, but did it really turn out the way you wanted it to? Here's my story. You decide into which category it should fall.

It was shortly after I graduated from Nursing School. Mom and, my nephew, Charlie, came to visit me over the holidays. I had recently moved into a new apartment - the middle floor of a 3-flat on the Near Northside of Chicago. It was in an older building and had a HUGE kitchen with a stove that was one step up from a coal-burner. For some reason or another, I hadn't baked anything in it yet.

I'd bought a medium size turkey (about 12 pounds). I defrosted it out on the back stairs. On Thanksgiving morn, I arose before daylight and began puttering around the kitchen. I had everything under control. I started the oven and began making the dressing. Soon, the oven kicked off preheat and I plunked the bird in then moved on to breakfast. An hour or so later, Mom and Charlie got up to the aroma of holiday treats and a sumptuous holiday breakfast.

While doing the breakfast dishes, I couldn't stand it any longer. Everything smelled so good that I couldn't resist looking in on the bird. I was completely unprepared for what I saw. After about 2 hours, the bird was finished. I don't mean almost done or well on the way to being done. I mean, finished. Browned skin, meat falling off the bone...finished.

How could a turkey, destined by all respectable cookbooks to take 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours in a 325 degree oven, be finished in only a couple of hours? I had wanted to treat Mom to a work-free holiday, but this called for expert advise. Sure, enough, she confirmed my worse fears. It is about 10 am, the turkey's done, nothing else is, and we had just pigged out on breakfast.

It all worked out fine. We kept the bird warm, started the side dishes, and ate about 1 pm as planned. The next day, I bought a thermometer to test the oven. It sure explained a lot - 325 on the dial was over 450 in the oven.

Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes I get tired of the same old Thanksgiving. Here's a favorite variation on the traditional theme.

A Mediterranean Thanksgiving
Serves 6.

The Turkey

2 pounds boneless turkey breast
1/4 cup sweet butter
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
lemon pepper
1 can vegetable broth
flour
water

Mix softened butter, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sweet basil, sage, and one clove of garlic crushed. Using hands, loosen skin from the turkey breast. Rub butter mixture under skin directly onto the breast and on the top of the skin. Liberally sprinkle with lemon pepper. Place in a metal roasting pan. Bake covered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. remove cover and continue to cook uncovered for another 30 to 45 minutes until turkey breast is done.

Remove meat from pan. Add 1 can of vegetable broth. Place pan on a burner over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in flour mixed in water until desired thickness of gravy is obtained.

The Dressing

12 slices whole wheat bread
14 ounces chicken stock
1 cup red onion -- finely chopped
1 cup celery -- chopped
6 ounces jar of marinated artichoke hearts
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste
2 whole eggs -- beaten

Leave bread out on the counter overnight. Tear into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour stock over bread pieces. Drain marinade from artichoke hearts into a skillet. Finely chop artichoke hearts and add to skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic, rosemary, and thyme to skillet. Sauté over medium heat until onion soften and become translucent. Mix artichoke mixture into bread mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in eggs. Pour into a well-greased casserole. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven until done (about 60 to 75 minutes - mixture will begin to pull away from the edges of the casserole when done).

The Vegetables

1 large eggplant
1 large red pepper
1/2 large red onion
2 tablespoons capers
1/3 cup kalamata olives
2 tablespoons kalamata olive juice
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed - coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme

Cut eggplant, red pepper, and onion into large chunks and place in a large bowl. Add capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Drizzle olive juice and olive oil over vegetables. Add rosemary and thyme. Mix well. Pour into a casserole dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven until done (about 1 hour - eggplant will be soft and non-spongy when done). Stir vegetables twice during baking.