For the last few years my mom has had to work Thanksgiving day, and my little brothers go to their dads for the morning/early afternoon, so that means that I am home all day and I get to make the whole Thanksgiving dinner. I love cooking so this is an awesome oppertunity for me once a year to have the whole kitchen to myself and just get to cook and create. I normally make a large turkey, stuffing, Green Bean casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce (has to be from the can!!), rolls, risotto, gravy, a relish tray, pickle appitizers, and a couple of pies...normaly a chocolate and then a pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving day is my day...I am a ninja in the kitchen...I am in the zone, and I have my own little traditions....I get up, get the turkey ready to go in the oven (but don't put it in the oven untill about noon), asseble the green bean casserole, and then snuggle on the couch with a hot cup of apple cider to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade.

So....my question to you fellow Thanksgiving ninja's....how do you prepare your turkey? I have a few Idea's floating around in my head....I am thinking of putting a bundle of herbs (parsley, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme) in the cavity along with several cloves of garlic and wedges of lemon. Then making a basting "sauce" with chicken stock, and all the ingreadients that I put in the cavity, and rubbing some garlic infused olive oil on the bird before roasting it, and then just before it is done, when I uncover it to crisp up the skin, rubbing a halved clove of garlic all over the skin to infuse it again with the garlic flavor.

I'd love to hear your plans for the turkey!!