Its the day everyone forgets about their diet and goes "hog wild". Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I can cook and have exactly what I want to eat and I simply know how good it is. It's the day to use the excuse to start drinking by noon after getting the turkey prepared to get into the oven. Between you and me, some years I cracked bottles or beers before my turkey prep...oops!
My turkey (around 9 to 11#) is very juicy and hopefully not dry by over cooking. My sides have been dwindled down to 2: fresh farm green beans made with butter, seasoning, and bacon and loaded mash potatoes. My potatoes are where the craziness comes in, especially for the diet police. I always make a pound of bacon for breakfast with the majority of it saved for potato prep. The "loaded" portion is heavy whipping cream, butter, bacon, butter, fresh garlic, butter, a layer of shredded cheese, butter, and finally topped with the cheese for extra ooey gooey-ness. OH!...and a little butter. Did I mention the butter??
I do have a dessert. usually a slice of apple pie (half) and some ice cream (pint). I warm the pie in the oven; I don't have time to make from scratch, football is on! Publix makes a a great apple pie so why reinvent the wheel?
Based on how much food I make, it will last for a solid week for the thanksgiving hangover. Diet or no diet, I try and simplify my food debauchery and limit myself to only making it 364 days from then. It seems to work and my bowels are not wrecked for a month after the holiday. I notice the bowels are little more sensitive with age. If you think about it, the menu follows very closely to the paleo program with only a couple of gut busting additions.
Nonetheless, I say no matter what diet or lifestyle you are on, Thanksgiving is a good day to get a little loose with the rules. Just keep it to that one day to make sure you don't fall entirely off your diet wagon.
