The Morning After

Hosting one of the three holidays when my family gets together has definite benefits.  The occasion usually provides the impetus for a thorough housecleaning and a quick clip for any overgrown shrubbery.  The silverplate flatware I inherited from my grandparents gets its annual polishing.  We hurriedly finish any half-done home improvement or decorating projects.  Best of all, though, are the leftover food and wine when the festivities are done.  My family always cooks for an army, and hearty eaters though we are, we never manage to finish everything.  Barry and I have enough goodies in the refrigerator now to keep us going for about a week.

Our first real meal after a gigantic turkey pigout is often brunch the next day.


Mimosas

Mimosas are a classic brunch drink and the perfect way to use up the last of the Thanksgiving champagne.  The only two ingredients are orange juice and champagne; proportions vary according to the mixer's preference.  I like a half and half mixture - just enough champagne to add a little lightness and fizz to the oj.  Best with fresh-squeezed orange juice or a high-quality commercial juice like Simply Orange.


Scrambled Eggs with Giblets

This dish is an adaptation of a recipe from the long-defunct Apartment Life magazine.  Their version used regular bacon and chicken livers.  I use turkey bacon and giblets to cut the overall fat content.

Vegetable oil spray (like PAM)
2 slices turkey bacon
Turkey giblets (liver, gizzard, heart)
4 eggs
Pepper and salt to taste

Spray a frying pan with the vegetable oil and heat on a medium low burner.  Coarsely chop the bacon and giblets.  Add the bacon to the pan.  If you roasted the giblets with the turkey, temporarily set them to one side; if they are raw, add them to the pan with the bacon and saute until almost fully cooked.  Shove to one side of the pan.  Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and pour into the empty side of the frying pan.  Scramble with a fork; when almost done, fold in the bacon and giblets (this is when you add the giblets if they were already cooked) and season to taste with pepper and salt.

Serve with whole-grain toast.



"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast."  ~John Gunther