Long Gone, Like a Turkey in the Corn

It’s that time again. We are all going to eat ourselves silly, or maybe not. I know I will say one thing and more than likely do the other. You know which OTHER I mean, I am sure.

It has been such an enlightening week for me this year too.  I always love to have lots of people around the table eating, but at the holiday season I especially want to have them there, family and friends. It just breaks my heart to think that someone is alone not having a meal.  As I wrote last week, the Fill the Dome project is amazing and I just want to mention that Joe’s sister Jessie Burgum actually goes around her neighborhood and asks for collections of turkey to give to those who are in need.  It really is a boost to me to know that there are all these young adults in our community that care.

One of the things that was brought home to me in the last week is the generosity of strangers. I went shopping for the sorority I work for and while I was at the store I decided to purchase turkeys that were on sale for 40 cents a pound—COULD NOT PASS IT UP. Anyway I had two of them when I checked out, and by the time I walked out of the store and got to my car, which was directly out the store door, I had lost a turkey! Now to say I was just a little confused would be an understatement. It was an 18 pound turkey! How could I have missed that rolling off my cart? One was placed on the bottom of the cart by the cashier and I placed the other one there. I know it was there.

So I backtracked all the way back to the cashier. She was just as amazed as I that I could actually lose a turkey. It was somewhat embarrassing, I have to say. So now I had another employee and the manager involved. Yes, I know I should have just gone back and purchased another one at 40 cents a pound; however by this time I was on a mission to find the one I lost. The manager was, well, really, really nice. She went out of her way to help me locate this missing turkey. I came to find out NO ONE turned in the missing turkey, HMM!

So now I am at the point where I have to look at this in an entirely different light. There was a reason I did not hear the turkey roll off my cart. Yes, for those of you that know me I am a true believer in “there is a reason for everything.” I decided that someone, seeing this happening on the way to my car, just thought “I need a turkey.” Lo and behold, there it was. I give them my blessing, I really do. What did I get out of it? Well, a manager that was kind enough to replace the turkey that escaped and the knowledge that yes, people do really care, no matter how silly or not the situation is. Now, would this generosity happen at a different time of year? I really think that it would, and with the same ending. I appreciate knowing that we still care.  So please, if you can get that spirit, share and care.

Lastly, I wanted to comment on something else that happened this last weekend. I participated in the Pride of Dakota Showcase at the Civic. On Sunday night as we packed our car, we were approached by a gentlemen and women in a car. They saw all of the people coming out of the building and wanted to know if this was where they were giving out free Thanksgiving meals to take home. It made my heart just stop! They were sad to find out it was not, but mostly they were appreciative that we even responded to them. They said “have a great Thanksgiving,” and they meant it. Gosh, the old Deb would have run to the car and invited them to her home; the Deb with Mike standing there thought she better not.

SO with all that said, I hope that you are all having a blissful day and eating what you want on this day.  I do have a leftover recipe for you too. It comes to me from one of the ladies at the sorority via her grandmother. Thanks, Brenna.

Chicken or Turkey Stuffing Casserole

Ingredients:
4c Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing mix
1c butter melted
2c cream of celery soup
1 soup can milk
4c cooked chicken or turkey
1 (1 lb) pkg. frozen peas (or any veggie)
2 tbsp chopped onion
½ tsp pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl mix melted butter and stuffing mix. Put half of it on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine the soup, milk, chicken or turkey, frozen peas, pepper and onion in another bowl. Pour over the stuffing mix in the pan and top with the rest of the stuffing. Bake one hour, uncovered, at 350 degrees
Have a great week, eat well and stay safe. Until next week….

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