Saturday

This is from Google images but it's more or less what the turkey looks like minus the drumstick.  I only carved half of it, including the brown meat from the leg (very tasty) and there's a fair bit left over from the first side after everyone had had their fill.  Now that's what I call leftovers.  I carved it the new way - taking off the breast and cutting across it and it was such a 'firm' texture that the slices were lovely and thin.

I still can't quite get over the fact that such a whopping turkey can be cooked so quickly.  Under three hours it took, that's all, really, to be perfectly roasted.  All through my life the turkey has been a worritsome beast, needing to go in at some phenomenally early hour and requiring constant basting and attention.  Since I started buying KellyBronzes, it has all turned upside down - literally, in a way.  You start with the bird breast side down and half way through you turn it over.  And that's it!

However, that provided me with my only worry of the day.  The thing was so flippin' heavy that when it was hot I just couldn't get the power needed to lift it out of the dish, let alone turn it and put it back in again.  Fortunately, brother John is made of sterner stuff and he did it all for me, bless him.

The other thing I struggle with is how it stays warm - nay, hot - for two hours out of the oven.  The instructions this year said not even to cover it but I fear that was a step too far!  It had its usual covering of foil, a heatproof table covering and a fleece on top to keep it all on!  And it stayed hot.

And the best thing?  Because I had joined their turkey club (now defunct apart from honouring the points collected so far) and had amassed four points from previous purchases, the whole thing was free.  Didn't cost a penny!

Now that's what I call great value.

Dinner was great and because I've been paranoid about planning everything it wasn't a lot of hassle.  Yes, there was a lot to do but there was only one stressful moment when I was carving and vegetables needed to go out.  And even that wasn't bad because Mum helped.  There's enough leftovers for tomorrow that it is going to be a very easy meal!

It was a fantastic day.  Lots of family here, lots of chatting and laughter and - er - beer!  My recycling 'glass and cans' box is a bit of a giveaway!  I've gone on about the food because when you're the caterer it's a big thing but, actually, we could have had jacket potato and cheese and it would still have been a very lovely day.

I hope yours was as good.

Today will be, I hope, quiet.  Beth and Alex are coming over for midday dinner and I expect I will be sleeping quite a lot in between washing tablecloths, etc.  And then things get back to normal - as normal as normal ever is anyway.

But now it is still very quiet, my guests are still asleep, I need to get a bag of goodies ready for my brother who leaves this morning and there's the coffee.  Must have the coffee.

Have a wonderful Boxing Day, gentle readers.