Ok, guys, here’s the deal.
Thanksgiving is Thursday. Maybe you’ve heard?
Orrrrrr maybe you’re wondering where my Thanksgiving recipes are?
Don’t hold your breath. I am not that organized.
Control freak. Type A. Bossy hog. OCD. Anal. Detail-oriented.
Those words all describe me perfectly.
But when it comes to seasonal recipes, I’m a bit behind. I did make some out-of-this-world-Lloyd-said-his-dad-has-some-competition-now stuffing ahead of time, but I sometimes I just don’t have the energy to style and photograph my food. Sometimes I just have to live my life as a normal person, not a normal person with a food blog. For awhile, I was cooking and baking stuff that I felt my readers wanted to see. I stopped doing that. Now I cook and bake what I want, or what Lloyd wants, or what my family and friends want, and if it turns out great, I share it.
And sometimes, even if turns out great, I don’t share it. Lloyd is impatient. He likes his food hot. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to dedicate to capturing the perfect picture that will entice you to make the meal. Sometimes I’m just plain hungry. So sadly, I do not have any delicious Thanksgiving recipes to share. There’s plenty of deliciousness and inspiration on other blogs.
If I was a nice food blogger, I’d post some links to recipes I’d recommend.
But I’m not that nice. And I don’t have time for that.
We’re getting off topic. So now that you’re not mad at me anymore for not posting a Thanksgiving recipe, let me show you why this is way better than a Thanksgiving recipe.
Thursday you’re going to eat turkey. Lots of it.
Carbo-load, too-much-wine, oops-the-rolls-are-burnt, how-am-I-out-of-butter, Grandma-is-sleeping-in-her-mashed-potatoes, Mom’s-squash-is-the-best, pie-to-the-face, Aunt-Rosie-is-drunk-again.
I hope you have one of those holidays.
And next you’ll swear off turkey (at least until Christmas), slip into a booze-induced, tryptophan-coma and sleep with the Tums on your bed-side table. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed! Excited, even. Maybe you have the day off. Maybe you’re one of those whack-job Black Friday people who will wake up and go to the mall and fight with another mom because “No, my son needs this Tonka truck for Christmas!”
Whatever you do, it’s inevitable. You’re going to forget alllllll about how just yesterday you said you ate enough turkey to make a vegan cry, ate so many biscuits that you’re going to turn into one, and how you couldn’t possibly eat another cookie for a month.
Ya you are!
And then, you’re going to eat leftovers.
You glutton, you!
Cold, standing with the fridge open.
On a sandwich.
Straight from the casserole dish.
“I’ll just eat the congealed gravy with a spoon.”
Maybe heat up the rest of the stuffing, but why bother?
It will be a vicious cycle, that will repeat itself all.weekend.long.
Eventually, you’re going to get pissed.
You’re going to be all, “Where’s the rest of the turkey?!” “Who ate the stuffing I hid in that Tupperware container in the back where I thought no one would find it?” “I don’t even like cranberry sauce, but I’m pissed someone else ate it!”
The worst is going to be when the desserts go missing. Johnny went to his high school reunion last night, had a feeeeew too many brewskis, came home and demolished the pecan pie.
Just wait until you see it tomorrow morning, when it comes back up. You’ll be crying because not only did he eat the pie, but he totally wasted it if he’s going to regurgitate it!
Sound familiar? Thought so.
And so by the time Monday morning rolls around, and you have to go back to your 9-5, Christmas music blaring on the radio, and still cursing your family for finishing insert-favorite-Thanksgiving-dish here, you will be so over Thanksgiving.
You don’t want no turkey. Mashed potatoes are for the birds. I don’t even like green bean casserole. Cousin Susie’s apple pie isn’t even good! Why did I eat three slices?
Yea, I thought so.
And when your significant other says, “Honey, what do you want for dinner?” You’re going to say, “Sesame Beef Stir Fry. I saw it on Liz’s blog and I can’t stand the thought of any food that resembles a dish that was on our table last Thursday.”
And your spouse will nod in agreement, thinking, “That Liz. She’s always right.”
Yea, I thought so.
Sesame Beef Stir-Fry
Serves 2
Adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp bottled minced ginger
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1.5 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ lb. flank steak, sliced against the grain
- 1 bunch broccoli crowns, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 4 C baby spinach
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Directions
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil to pan and coat. Add beef to pan, and cook until browned. Remove from pan.
3. Add broccoli and cook until slightly softened. Add onions and cook for 1 minute. Add soy sauce mixture and cook 1 minute. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute. Add spinach, and cook until wilted. Top with sesame seeds.
Takeout gets a healthy makeover in this quick and fresh dish, perfect for health-conscious, time-impaired individuals. Whatever you add to your wok cooks in a flash. Meats emerges tender and succulent, and vegetables maintain their vibrant hues and crisp. Here, tender flank steak gets a splash of greens served along side scallions, spinach and broccoli.
This flavorful stir-fry is just what the doctor ordered after a holiday weekend full of indulgences.
So good, it’ll make you forget all about your Thanksgiving dinner.
