#24 – Brown and Serve Rolls: This item pulled into the pit area via in my in-laws as a highly touted rookie during my first Thanksgiving dinner with them. However, this up and coming star turned out to be a bust. This is a great idea in theory, but never comes out properly and often loses its best quality by the time the meal is served…..warmth. The rolls also get burned quicker on the bottom than a poorly assembled sprint car engine.
Even at its best I found it to be mediocre compared to a starter further up in the lineup. However, fills the field and content to take its start money and go home.
#23 – Chips and Dip: Any of our larger Thanksgiving meals has had a single guy that doesn’t know how to cook and still wants to contribute to the meal. If you are this guy (and in the past I have been) this is the smart choice. Even though it’s the ultimate cop out the most you may have to do is not smash the chips and if you pick up a dip in the cooler just make sure it stays cold. While some people may roll their eyes at your offering almost everyone will partake before dinner.
This is the racing equivalent of the driver everyone likes that makes the feature and pushes off with a beverage in the seat with them so they can pull in the infield on the first lap and enjoy the rest of the main from the best seat in the house.
#22 – The Veggie Tray: This item takes more effort than the chips an is a solid choice when having to celebrate Thanksgiving away from the “shop” and don’t have access to your best kitchen equipment. The result is similar to chips and dip with a line longer than for a Tony Stewart autograph session to grab a snack before dinner starts.
#21 – The Shrimp Ring: The racing equivalent of the lapped car that should pull in but gets in the way of the leaders. This is the item that shows up much like a driver that doesn’t run well and nobody really likes. Depending on who brings the shrimp ring and me knowing where it came from is the deciding factor on if I partake. Because the shrimp is normally brought by Chip and Dip person while trying to branch out a bit I normally pass.
Next up is positions 11 – 20…