I actually don’t make the stuffing… I’ve never been a fan, so my mom and my MIL will both be making stuffing. I’m only making the birds, the bread/rolls/cinnamon rolls and the gravy. It should be an easy day that way, though I may add smoked sausage gravy on biscuits, if I’m energetic Thursday morning.

That is a truly imposing amount of turkey flesh and strikes fear into my tryptophan-phobic cells!

You must have an enormous oven or ovens. Do those mega-birds fit in standard size ovens or do you have an industrial sized one?

I am craving oyster stuffing too… do you make that with cornbread or wheat bread?

The substitute you have sounds really great, but I’m doing 2 birds, a lowly 16 pounder, right next to a 25 pounder. Go big or go home! Last year, we did a 23-25 pounder, and somehow I had no leftovers, so I’m ensuring I have a whole bird as leftover this year. We do very traditional fare… I’ll brine in salt water with whiskey, peppercorns, thyme and sage, stuff the bird with apple and onion quarters, celery stalks and whole carrots. Mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, with three different dressings (oyster, regular and wild rice/mushroom with port), homemade cranberry sauce (again with a bit of port), freshly baked rolls, pumpkin pie and apple crisp. Gravy, of course, will be included. I may make cinnamon rolls w/ cream cheese icing for the morning since I’m already making bread and rolls. It’s a big day of traditions for me.