Falling Turkeys for the Holidays

I enjoy a good turkey. In the autumn breeze of my kitchen, roasting turkey is an aroma that is hard to beat. And I not only like to eat turkeys, I have incorporated them into every aspect of my life. I dressed my son up as a tom last year for Halloween. Heck, I like turkeys so much I even married one.

Yep, turkeys and me are like this...

Oops. Wrong turkeys. I meant this:

That's more like it. Me and turkey trotting along...

An interesting fact about turkey...it was Benjamin Franklin's choice for the national bird of the United States. As a fellow American, I second his nomination and proclaim the turkey to be my choice for the bird with the most tender, mouth-watering, palate pleasing white meat. About this time of year, I develop a craving for a roasted turkey dinner. The canyon winds stir up a chill, the leaves begin to fall, and my tummy reminds me that it is 66 days from the onset of autumn until the arrival of Thanksgiving and I can't possibly wait that long for a little taste of my all-time favorite bird.

Once I get a hankering for a turkey dinner, there is no deterrence from my course. On a recent visit to Sam's Club, I made a side-trip to the back right corner of the meat section. There were the pretty little breasts all packaged and ready to go home with a lucky new owner. I was about to pick one up until my hand was zapped from the electrical surge upon reading the price tag. Thirty dollars for a breast? Seriously? How much is that a pound and for that kind of cash, I better get the whole dang bird, crap meat and all. I can give the bones to people who roll that way, but I didn't realize I was going to have to trade a body part for a taste of the most succulent and delicious meat known to man. Jinkies. Time to incorporate plan number two.

Now that I couldn't have a roasted turkey for dinner, I would have to figure out another cute, fun idea to celebrate the ushering in of a new season. I decided to make mini turkey meatloaves, and form them into the shape of leaves. Yes, that's it! Turkey in the shape of leaves. My family will think I am so cool now. And maybe even my sister 'cause she is the gourmet chef of our family and I can only hope to be like her someday.

So, here you have it, friends. A photo of my turkey leaves prior to 45 minutes of 350 degree heat. I am glad I took the picture beforehand, since they were not as cute after baking. They still looked like leaves, but weren't as fluffy and the color was more brown (side effect of heat, who knew?).



Thaus smiled and applauded my effort, yet I couldn't convince him to taste even one ranch-coated morsel. He opted for chicken, my other favorite white meat, but we consume chicken a couple times per week and turkey is very yummy and desirable, even if it does look like I picked it up off the ground.

While my wild turkeys were baking, I went outside to see what my domesticated turkeys were doing, and I found them mowing the yard. Who needs a self-propelled mower with Xavier around? As soon as he sees a project in motion, he is right at our sides, insistent upon helping. Three gobbles for the little lawnmower man!