It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of turkey.  Turkey has a distinct timeline.  After about two to three hours sitting out in the air of a warm kitchen or dining room, the meat gets dry. I don’t care how long the turkey has been brined, basted and babysat.  Eventually, the meat will dry out.

I think that’s why everyone loves the leftover turkey on the essential Thanksgiving sandwich.

You can buy the Thanksgiving Sandwich all year–but to me, it’s special and needs to be made at home..

You know the one I’m talking about.  Be it on a roll, spongey white bread or homemade artisanal bread, there is nothing quite like that sandwich of leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo. It is the relaxing and chill afterthought of Thanksgiving stress.

This year I won’t be cooking because we will be dining in New York City. But that isn’t stopping me from craving that “Essential Thanksgiving Sandwich”.   Today, I’m making it happen…

OK—tomorrow we go to pick Oona up at the airport. Her flight is supposed to land at approximately 6:30 PM.  Given the fact that tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, is the most travelled day of the year, I will take delays into consideration.  I’m sure her flight will arrive late.

I’m sure my time on Philly’s Blue Route on the way to the airport will be spent cursing the traffic that will surround my car. I will have to give myself plenty of time to get to the airport. Actually, Bonaparte will be driving because he is a much calmer person whilst driving than I am.

When we arrive back at Chateau Bonaparte, I will have the “Essential Thanksgiving Sandwich” makings at the ready.   It’ll also be fun to do the reverse—have the leftover sandwich before Thanksgiving!

I purchased a small turkey breast at Wegmans.

My little A-cup breast!  I’m hoping braising it in a slow cooker will make it nice and moist! Like a milk-filled teat…..

This little A-cup won’t be roasted. Instead, I’ll slow cook it in the crock pot with some chicken broth, shallot, (onions bother my GERD—as does too much garlic); a hint of garlic, fresh thyme and Bell’s seasoning.

This stuff is freakin’ amazing. In addition, how could anyone pass this colorful packaging up?

(If you’ve never used Bell’s seasoning, I strongly suggest trying it. Not only does it smell like the incense at church, but it is so delightfully aromatic and gives a nice flavor.) Oh, naturally a bit of salt and pepper to season as well.

My ten-buck crockpot. It’s only me and Bonaparte. Actually this is the first time I’m using this–I hope it works!

The reason for the slow-cooking is to retain moisture. A slow braising if you will!

I stuffed that little titty into the crock pot with a ton of Bell’s seasoning, fresh thyme, chicken broth, shallots and a bit of garlic.  Actually, I can smell it from upstairs as I write this and the scent is incredibly pleasing. I’m hungry!

Stuffing?  Yeah. Only it won’t be anywhere near the crockpot.  I made a quick bread stuffing, which is now officially a dressing because it won’t be cooked in the bird.  My mother never added sausage or meat in her stuffing. It was a basic egg, bread, milk, salt, pepper, sautéed onion mixture and it was divine.    I followed the same recipe with a few exceptions.  I mixed a stale baguette in with the spongey white bread.  I added Bell’s seasoning and left out the onions (remember—I have GERD).

Is it stuffing? Is it dressing? I dunno–but it’s pretty darn good!  This pic was pre-bake. I took it out of the oven and the outside is nice and crispy and it’s waiting to be sliced and placed on that sandwich!

That’ll be baked for a while until it takes the consistency of a moist bread pudding.  I don’t want to overbake it and it’ll firm up in the fridge.

Although I adore my canned and jellied cranberry sauce and have about four cans in the pantry to prove it.

Wegmans calls this “food you feel good about”. If I didn’t feel good about it do you honestly think I would buy it????  I’m imagining this would be great for a UTI as well as a delicious holiday meal treat!

I picked up a bag of cranberries at the grocery store. I followed the directions on the back of the bag to make a sauce/compote –cook the cranberries in water and sugar. That’s it.  I did, they are in the fridge and nice and solid.   I’m still debating whether to use these cranberries or my beloved canned.

Here’s my fresh cranberries.  I’m buying some more because my friend, Stephanie, gave me a great cranberry sauce recipe. By the time Christmas rolls around, I may have had my share of cranberry everything!

Lastly, I’m going to make another brioche.

My brioche ingredients. I have some leftover brioche in the freezer but I’m going to use it for French Toast!

It’ll have to “rest” overnight in the fridge, then rise for a second time tomorrow—so with my time management, we should have nice fresh brioche to toast for the sandwiches.

Brioche dough–ready and placed in a warm place to rise!

It’ll be nice to have a choice of bread—spongey white bread or homemade brioche?  It’ll all be good once it’s toasted.

Those sandwiches will taste fantastic on brioche because of the density–there’s no gaping holes for the cranberry sauce to ooze through.  I’m getting more hungry by the second!

This Thanksgiving we won’t be seated around a table with a large amount of relatives.  Even though we will be at a restaurant, it’ll still be intimate because it’ll be me, the three kids, and Bonaparte.

We will be having Thanksgiving dinner here! I’ll let you know how it was!

I am thankful that I have my children and Bonaparte.

I am thankful that I have my health.

I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to write whatever the hell I want to.

I am thankful for the roof that is over my head.

I am thankful for our little rescue rascal Chippy.

I am thankful for my Sriracha T-shirt because I thought it was “Siracha”—ya learn something new every day!

My love of  “Sriracha” is so intense that I had to get this Tee-shirt to prove it! And to help me spell it correctly!

I am thankful for all the readers of my blog. You keep me going—even when my laziness creeps in, I keep at it. Thank you so much! XOXOXOXO!

Thank you. And…”Thank You For Being A Friend”…Andrew Gold!