The Best Part

I'm a terrible terrible blogger. I went through the whole of Thanksgiving devoted to my kitchen and preparing a myriad of dishes, and I forgot to take a single picture.
I adore Thanksgiving, even though I'm not actually American. I love that it is a holiday centered around family and food, without the pressure of gift giving. It's all about gathering people together and eating. What could be better than that?
So I gathered together a few other Waifs and Strays here in Las Vegas, and we had a big Thanksgiving lunch before heading off to work later that afternoon.
I've always made turkey for Thanksgiving, even though I was a vegetarian for seven years. This year was the first year that I actually got to eat it and wow.... my turkey is really good! I subscribe to Nigella Lawson's turkey method from How to Eat. You roast it breast down, and you don't cook it for very long. I had a 5lb turkey breast that I roasted upside-down for just an hour and a half. I basted every 15 minutes with butter and cumin, and I let it rest for half an hour before I sliced it.
It's moist, it's yummy, and it doesn't tie up your oven for five hours.
As for the rest of my Thanksgiving menu, well, it was pretty huge. I have some great recipes to add to my repertoire and hopefully by next year they will be tweaked enough that I'm content with them. Here was my Thanksgiving menu and it's inspirations.

Cumin Roasted Turkey Breast inspired by Nigella Lawson
Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts inspired by Molly Wizenberg
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Roast Potatoes
Lemon and Rosemary Green Beans
Together Corn
Apple and Sage Stuffing
Maple Cranberry Sauce inspired by Ree Drummond
Almost Famous Maple Pumpkin Pie (my signature Thanksgiving dish)
Banoffee Pie

That plus a round of mimosas, some good conversation, lovely friends, and a lot of dirty pans made for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

For me, my Maple Pumpkin Pie and Cumin Roasted Turkey are the best part. Two things that will be a part of my Thanksgiving menu for all eternity. So what is the Thanksgiving dish that you always make every year without fail? What is your best part?