roasted chicken with cranberry sage stuffing: giving thanks, early.

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If you think about it, its rare that Thanksgiving-themed meals are asthetically pleasing. They consist of huge globs of comfort food, or sauces drizzled liberally over the plate. However, just looking at this makes my mouth water, because the very disorderly heaps represent family, love, warmth, and lovely smells that bring all together.

I was supposed to have a large potluck, a pre-game party for the Thanksgiving antics that will ensue next weekend. However, my friend Austin is arriving next weekend from Ottawa, and even though a potluck themed around Thanksgiving is glorious, one held for a friend is even better. So if you know Austin, come celebrate his presence next Friday at 6ish, at my place. 

I bought a new bible, for I've been lacking in the word of God portion of my life for a while. I know, I know -- a bible isn't supposed to be bought on the base of its aesthetic looks, but I just couldn't resist the coarse linen and screen printed tree, or the forward by Desmond Tutu.

While I sewed, they played. Until Stel came along and tried to drag me away from my copious amounts of fabric.

It worked. How could I resist that face. Or that scarf.

While we waited for the chicken to bake, my lovely friends aided me in stretching out the quilt to its full size -- large.

Sage. A lovely herb. And the very aroma reminds me of the Middle East, mostly Egypt, where bedouin tea is made from wild sage. The raw smell conjures up images of sitting by the Red Sea, with the setting sun reddening the mountains of Saudi Arabia. As I tore up the leaves to place in the stuffing, I wondered whether I would rather be there or here, in Canada, with my friends. It is difficult, but I would choose the latter rather than the former, for I may travel the world, but where would my soul be without my friends, my family.

All in all, it was a success -- for it was a meal of familiarity, associated with family, with comfort, with love, rather than taste.

 Roast Chicken with Cranberry Sage Stuffing

Stuffing
1 1oniononions, chopped 
3 2cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs. fresh sage leaves, torn
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 1/2tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 1/4tsp. (1 mL) salt 
4 8c. cubed dried French bread
2/3 2/3c. chicken stock
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 c. halved fresh cranberries
2 apples, peeled and finely diced

Chicken
1 2chickenchicken, rinsed and patted dry
1 onion, large chunks
4 garlic cloves, halved
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbs. fresh sage leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all the stuffing ingredients together.

2. Place chicken in baking pan and put as much stuffing in the cavity as possible. Tie the legs together. Make small slits in the skin of the breast and the legs, place chunks of onion and garlic underneath the skin. Season the skin with salt, pepper, oregano and fresh sage. Cover with a lid or tinfoil.

3. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours, or until all the juices run clear. Remove lid or tinfoil and let the chicken skin brown. Remove from the oven and Cover with tinfoil or lid for another 20 minutes, to let the meat rest.

4. Cut off string, and remove all the stuffing. Serve with mashed potatoes and yams, or broccoli and brussel sprouts with cheese sauce. Drizzle gravy over the chicken, or serve with cranberry apple chutney.

5. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Give thanks.