Kitchen

[Chalcedony]

Not quite that early, but she was usually up before 7 a.m. to get it going while we kids watched the parade (we lived in the Mountain Time zone and they didn't tape delay it in those days). We would always eat around 1 p.m. I still love when the smell of roasting turkey starts to fill the house! My sister and I do mist of the cooking now and tend go sleep a bit later (lol) so we don't typically eat until mid-afternoon or later. I've always loved Thanksgiving and can't wait to see my family next week.

[JustJules]

My mom wouldn't get up quite that early because we never ate Thanksgiving supper until around 2pm, but she was always up between 6-7am so she could start stewing the neck and giblets for the gravy. My dear mother was a wonderful cook and very organized, her holiday meals were some of her best and it seemed like she always had a mental list she would go off. She would also get the turkey out of the fridge and get it prepared. Then it was always pie time...she would make her pie crusts fresh that morning and they were wonderful and flaky. While the pies were baking she would work on making the stuffing. Like you, I remember waking up to the aroma of onions and celery simmering in the turkey stock and pumpkin pies baking. By the time the parade started she was well under way with her cooking. The bird went into the oven when the pies were done, and that's when she took some time for herself before going back to work on the side dishes. She would always have the table set the night before and we would snack on crackers and cheese and dips in anticipation of the meal. No matter whether it was just our family or we had friends over she always had everything timed perfectly. She made it look so easy that I didn't appreciate how difficult it was until I started entertaining. On the times we traveled for Thanksgiving we usually visited my Grandma, and my mom would always be up early and helping her with the cooking. The kitchen always seemed to be the place everyone would gather to tell stories and reminisce. Such good memories of Thanksgiving and holiday time.

[betteb]

Yes she did. She would do as much as she could the night before, then get up before dawn and put the bird in the oven. We would wake up a few hours later to that wonderful smell

[anniebear]

My mother was barely able to find our kitchen and she sure wouldn't have gotten up that early to cook anything! I have gotten up early though to get the turkey started cooking. I now use turkey cooking bags and can sleep a little later before having to get up and wrestle the big bird into one since it will cook faster that way! I may or may not go back to sleep for a little while after it's in the oven. Love the aromas of holiday cooking!

[anniebear]

dp

[Cookie06]

I have exactly the same memory of Mom getting up at the crack of dawn to put in the turkey. Now my turkeys get done in 3 1/2 hours. I don't know how she didn't ruin all those turkeys, she cooked them forever!! ha ha

[BeckiWV]

Yes, my mother would get up very early to start her turkey.

[gulf coast girl]

In our house it was always my dad that did most of the cooking and yes he got up at the crack of dawn. I remember it was usually snowing on Thanksgiving where I lived. I loved growing up in the midwest, we'd go sledding while the parents sat inside and got everything ready to eat. We'd eat around 2pm and again before bed we would all eat a turkey sandwich.

[glmama]

Yes, of course.

[chrystaltree]

Yes, indeed. She would get up at 4am to put the bird in the oven and to start chopping the veggies. I remember waking up to the smell of turkey cooking in the oven. I never did that because we ate much late. My mom served dinner at 1or 2pm, I served dinner at 4 or 5.