The day-after plate

The day after Thanksgiving is my favorite eating day of the year. Every single thing on the plate has already proven itself and the pressure is off. I like my gravy as a little puddle directly on top of the mashed potatoes, not on the turkey. My husband stared at this setup with the face of a man watching me break a law. We’ve been married long enough that he just shakes his head and hands me a fork.

A round plate with a pile of stuffing, a mound of mashed potatoes holding a puddle of brown gravy, a wedge of bacon-topped sweet-potato casserole, a spoonful of green bean casserole, and sliced turkey tucked underneath the edge.