A thankfully simple Turkey Gravy

So this Thanksgiving was a bit bittersweet for my family. My Gram has been in and out of the hospital since July, so she wasn't able to be with us this Thanksgiving. I usually go over to her house in the morning and help her get the turkey in the oven. It is such a wonderful tradition that we've created, and I really hope that one day it continues with my children and either my Mom or myself. Before I volunteered my services, we used to get both Thanksgiving and Christmas catered. While the catering was good, I missed the home-cooked holiday dinner. So for roughly the past 10 years, a little longer if memory serves correct, I've spent every Thanksgiving morning with my Gram. We would chat and prep the holiday dinner, have a cup of tea and watch part of the parade. This year I still wanted to help out any way I could, so in the morning, I went next door to my Mother's and helped her get the turkey in the oven. This was her first year ever hosting Thanksgiving. Although the company was different, the tradition was still the same. We chatted, and I had a cup of tea.

After the prep work was complete, I went home, got ready and the boys and I went to the other side of the family for brunch. But went back to my Mom's for dinner later on. Of course I asked my Mom if she needed any help when I got there, so I wound up making the Sweet Potatoes on a whim. After my Dad took the turkey out of the oven, the topic of a homemade gravy came up. I said that it was simple and that although I've never made it before, I could certainly try it out. Never be afraid to try to cook something. Especially if you have a backup sitting on the counter next to the stove!

My Dad strained the drippings, skimming all the fat off of it, I think we had about 100 ounces altogether. Just take the drippings a little at a time in a saucepan. Adding a teaspoon at a time of flour, whisking it in until you get your desired thickness. Make sure you whisk out any and all lumps. Since the turkey was seasoned with rosemary and thyme, I added a little of each of these spices into each “batch” of gravy that I made. It came out fantastic! It really was so, so simple! From now on, I will be making my own poultry gravies, and saving a huge amount in the long-run! If you become afraid of cooking, afraid of something being too complicated, or of something not coming out edible (never mind even being good!) you genuinely hinder what capabilities you may have. And please, don't just use this advice in the kitchen!