Thanksgiving part duex

We had 2 Thanksgivings this year, check out part one here.

Friday morning I wasn't too rushed. I knew I had plenty of time since were weren't eating until 6pm or so.
That doesn't mean I didn't have about 4 panic attacks, mainly about the turkey...
First - I had placed it in the brining solution Thursday after we got home from Palestine...
My first thought after placing it in the bag was... AM I SURE ABOUT THIS?
So the turkey sat in the bag for about 12 hours or so, and I turned it shortly after I got out of bed.
I had never eaten a brined turkey and I had never brined one, so this was all news to me. I opened the oven... took a deep breath and shoved the turkey inside. Then left it alone and didn't even look at it for about 3.5 hours.
Then he looked like this:I basted it every 20 mins with butter until the meat thermometer told me it was cooked through - then basted it again. Shhhhhhh!
In the end - it was GORGEOUS, juicy, and proved to me that brining a turkey is well worth it.
I almost forgot to take a photo at all! So this is the non-hacked up side.
Then we ate. All 8 of us shoved in my kitchen. I need a bigger house..
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean cassarole, rolls and croissants, and gravy. Something I learned this year - holy hell the gravy from a brined turkey is salty. I will have to use a gravy base next year.
Don went a little crazy and made 4 pies!
Cherry!

Pecan (with Kahlua!)
Pumpkin!
Apple!After all that, we somehow had the energy to play games for like 4 hours...