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Thanksgiving Recipes

Have You Invested in a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Yet?! Here’s Why I Think You Should….

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Ironically, in spite of ALWAYS saying, “You’ll only be as great a cook as your tools and ingredients allow you to be,” I put off buying a KitchenAid stand mixer for years. And years.

The very person who consistently pays more for most ingredients and who grabs every new kitchen gadget that hits the market put off buying something because it, “… seems so high.”

If I didn’t do a great deal of baking, it’d be more forgivable but with a large family, there are always birthday cakes to make, homemade icing to throw together, candies, pies, and whatnot. And that in’t even counting Thanksgiving and Christmas – my annual grand finales!

I knew Kitchenaid stand mixers were gorgeous and knew the brand had one of the best reputations in the business but I  honestly assumed my handheld mixer could do anything it could and I knew it was far cheaper. More on the faulty assumption in a minute.

Earlier this year, my youngest daughter got a Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) and immediately began to rave about it. She’s one of the rare humans who does as much baking and cooking as I do, so when she recommends something, I listen. I decided to test her Kitchenaid out with something I make each week – Homemade Whipped Cream. My husband and I love it in our coffee (as well as on ice cream, cakes, cookies… heck, I’ve even seen him eat it right out of the bowl!).

(Continued Below the Whipped Cream!)

Homemade Whipped Cream

Homemade Whipped Cream (Recipe) 

First of all, I fell in love with the fact that all I had to do was put all of the ingredients into the bowl and that the Kitchenaid did the rest. My right arm marveled at something being beaten without it feeling the burden.

However, if the results had been the same, I would have stayed loyal to my handheld for the rest of my life.

The results were not even remotely the same. My homemade whipped cream has always been delicious but this time it had a MUCH better consistency – a consistency that made it look better and, somehow, even taste better. I remember picking it up with a spoon and thinking how much it looked like store-bought whipped cream. My handheld never did that!

Then it hit me… if the Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) makes this big of a difference with something as simple as whipped cream, imagine the difference it can make with cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, divinity, fudge… that was it. I was sold.

Yes, a Kitchenaid stand mixer  is more expensive than hand held mixers and, yes, for most of us, they’re somewhat of an investment. But here’s the thing, if the meals we make for our loved ones aren’t worth it, nothing is.

I would never recommend anything to my readers that I don’t absolutely love and use. I’d never suggest you buy something unless I knew you’d love it – I’m just not built that way.

I 100 percent believe you will love a  Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) and recommend buying one before Thanksgiving and Christmas show up in your home! From what I’ve read, other stand mixers do not hold a candle to the Kitchenaid brand, so I wouldn’t get sidetracked there, if I were you. Kitchenaid is a household name and know I know why.

See Also: Recipe for the Best Whipped Cream!

KitchenAid

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

Homemade Vegetable Broth for Thanksgiving Dressing

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Vegetables for Vegetable Broth

One of my daughters, Brittany, has been a committed vegetarian since she was 12 years old. It began with eating the top part of tacos while leaving the meat at the bottom untouched and with eating everything on her plate except for the meat. I asked her, very matter of factly, about it one day – not wanting to make a mountain of what may have been a molehill.

Spoiler alert – it was not a molehill.

She adorably told me, “I don’t want to ever eat anything that once had a face.” I told her that it was her decision to make and that I was on her side. If she didn’t want to eat anything that once had a face, no one… and I mean no one… was ever going to make her.

I read up on protein,vegetarianism, health concerns AND benefits, etc. We became black bean burger experts and, truth be told, the whole family surely benefited from the increased veggies in the kitchen. I made certain then and I make certain now that anything I cook for her doesn’t contain any ingredients that… well… once had a face.

One of the biggest areas of concern (for me anyway as a cook) has been replacing chicken broth in the food I make for her. It adds SO MUCH FLAVOR! Store-bought vegetable broth simply cannot compare. That’s why I prefer to make my own vegetable stock to use for her dressing at Thanksgiving. She’s a huge, huge, huge fan of garlic and flavorful herbs, so I can add those in and give her the layers of flavor she loves.

And no faces.

The recipe below really isn’t a recipe as much as it is a technique because it’s so customizable. If you’re using a vegetable broth for soup or stew, you might want to leave out the sage and replace it with thyme or basil. However, for Thanksgiving stuffing, don’t dare leave out the sage.

While I’ve said (in the recipe below) to simmer for 30 minutes, I actually turn the heat down and simmer for longer. Why? I love for the kitchen to smell like Thanksgiving! Naturally, you can’t simmer too long, however, or your broth will cook away. The house will smell like Autumn Heaven, but you’ll be left with a tablespoon of broth.

Vegetables for Vegetable Broth Vegetables for Vegetable Broth

Gluten-Free Corn Pudding (or Use All Purpose Flour for the Traditional Version)

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Gluten-Free Corn Pudding

Gluten-Free Corn Pudding

I’ve been tweaking, experimenting, tweaking, planning, and re-tweaking favorite and new recipes for the upcoming holidays.  In our family, real joy is found around the dining room table (holidays, special days, any days….), so I put the utmost thought and planning into the food we’ll be gathered around.

Like most families, we have our traditional favorites that make their appearance on their perspective holidays, but I also love to try new dishes and desserts to keep my adored ones on their adorable toes. I’ve been experimenting with corn pudding the past few months because everyone loves corn and, let’s face it, it’s a must-have for Thanksgiving.

Before I had to give up wheat and gluten, my go to corn pudding called for a box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix (recipe). I’ve been trying since to come up with a recipe to rival that delicious recipe. The one below is as delicious, it’s just different, you know?

I’ll post future corn pudding recipes as well as other side-dish, bread (gluten-free, of course) and desserts here on the food blog in the coming weeks.

After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it!


Sous Vide Turkey – The Way to Get a Perfectly Moist Turkey Every Time

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If you’ve been paying attention to food trends lately, you’ve very likely heard of sous-vide, even if you’re not completely sure what it is. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to try the sous vide cooking method.

That’s because undeniably, poultry is where sous-vide shines. Unlike red meat, which can be eaten with a gradient of done-ness so the outside is gray and the inside is pink, with poultry, you need to cook it through. With a larger cut, like turkey breast, it’s impossible to cook the inside without overcooking the outside. Sous vide allows the entire piece of turkey to cook at the same time, so it’s completely, perfectly done. It‘s amazingly flavorful and never, ever dry!

Don’t let the name intimidate you. Sous-vide (soo-veed) means ‘under vacuum,’ a reference to the way food is packed before you cook it using this method. The equipment used to cook the food is called an immersion circulator, so you’d properly say, “I’m cooking this delicious turkey sous-vide,” not “I’m cooking this delicious turkey in the sous-vide.” But I digress. Why are people going crazy for sous-vide cooking? And should you jump on the bandwagon?

The premise behind sous-vide is actually simple. In traditional cooking methods such as dry heat (baking, roasting, broiling, frying, searing) or moist heat (boiling, braising, poaching, simmering), the goal is to get the center of the food cooked to the temperature that you want it to be.

Unlike grilling, here’s how sous-vide works:

Season your food (or even add a marinade or sauce) and place it in the bag you’ll be cooking in. You can invest in a vacuum sealer or just use Ziploc® bags (Brand name bags seems to leak less).

To vacuum seal with a zip top bag, place the item in the bag, then keep the zip top open and lower the bag into the water immersion circulator. Allow the water to press the bag closed, and lower it in until just below the zipper, so all the air is now pressed out. Then, zip the top and remove the bag from the water bath.

Bring the water in the circulator to the temperature that you want your food to be, and then place the bag back in the water bath with the immersion circulator. Cook it for a predetermined time, then remove from the bag and pat dry. The sous-vide cooker circulates water around the pot. The circulation prevents hot and cool spots from forming in the water to ensure even temperature throughout your food. Your food never overcooks. It’s just how you like it, every time.

Note that there are several types and brands of precision immersion cookers ranging in price from about $119 – $169. Many can be controlled remotely via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Kosher.com will review several brands, prices and other accessories in future episodes.

If you already own an immersion circulator or plan to purchase one in time for Turkey day, try this great recipe from Michal Frischman for Kosher.com.

Sous Vide Lemon Herb Turkey

Sous Vide Lemon Herb Turkey

SOUS VIDE LEMON HERB TURKEY

1 2-pound (1-kilogram) boneless, skinless turkey breast, sometimes known as turkey London broil (see note)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspooon salt
2 tablespoons flour

Mix the honey, lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper. Place the turkey in a heavy-duty ziplock bag or in a vacuum sealer bag. Add marinade to the bag. For a ziplock, submerge the bag in a bowl of water until just below the opening of the bag so the air is squeezed out, then seal the bag. For a vacuum sealer, set the machine to wet seal.

Place the turkey in a sous-vide set to 143°F (62°C). Cook for four hours or up to eight hours.

When ready to serve, heat oil and flour in a small saucepan. Stir well and cook for one minute. Add the juices from inside the turkey bag and whisk until no clumps remain. Slice the turkey thinly and serve with gravy on the side.

Note: You can follow the same time and temperature for any size turkey you would like to use.

Variation: To cook in the oven, keep the skin on and bone in. Bake at 375°F (180°C) for about an hour or until the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C). Remove and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes

About Kosher.com
Kosher.com is the premier site for kosher cooking and conversation and the place to go for all things kosher food. Less than a year old but a rising star on the kosher food scene, it has thousands of top-quality kosher recipes, articles, tips, and entertaining shows. The site is the ultimate platform for the most diverse collection of kosher recipes.

Check out the kosher.com ongoing cooking series, where they will address choosing the right times and temperatures in sous-vide cooking for a range of different foods, and much more.

You can also rely on recipes for sous-vide at www.kosher.com, at many other online resources, and on the app your immersion circulator is linked to. Over time, you will likely want to experiment and come up with recipes on your own.

Stay tuned for the entire sous-vide series only at Kosher.com. They will have you cooking like a professional chef in no time!

And, you won’t want to miss this Sous Vide Video (http://www.kosher.com/shows/video/155/two-easy-ways-to-start-cooking-next-level-ribeye) –  Watch Chef Gabe on Episode 6 of ‘Under the Hood’, only on Kosher.com. Chef Gabe takes two cuts of ribeye to the next level with his seasoning and cooking techniques. Watch as he sous vides then sears the eye of the ribeye, or Spencer Steak, and then perfectly sears a ribeye crescent. These two ribeye ideas are sure to make your next steak a winner.


Quick and E-A-S-Y Side Dish: Oven Roasted Frozen Corn

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Roasted Frozen Corn

Roasted Frozen Corn

Okay, y’all, this one’s so easy I’m almost embarrassed to post it as a “recipe.” Since I don’t like keeping good things all to myself, I’m going to forge ahead.

  1. Start with a bag of frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw).
  2. Pre-heat the oven to the broil setting.
  3. Spray a cookie sheet with a little olive oil.
  4. Spread the frozen kernels across the pan and drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper.
  5. Broil!
  6. The time you leave them in the broiler is a personal thing. I like for them to have a little more bite to them than the next person might, so I generally take them out after 7-8 minutes.  Others may leave them in there for up to 15 minutes.  It’s a personal preference thing.

This is one of the easiest, cheapest, and downright tastiest side dishes you can make.  The last time I made roasted frozen corn, I went a little longer than the one shown above and I used it in tacos.

Fantastic!

The Best Butter My Kitchen Has Ever Enjoyed: President Butter

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President Butters Collage
Admirably, the French consume the most butter per person globally. How they top us here in the states is mind-boggling, but I tip my hat to them. Knowing they share my passion for butter like few others, I jumped at the opportunity to review Made in France President Butter.

I never knew President even made butter. Of course, I’m well aware of (and a huge fan of) their cheeses – AMAZING in their own right. In fact I just recently bought a President Brie Cheese  that I’m fascinated with.

But back to their butter. Their delicious butter, that is.  (Warning, this review includes tons of pictures, so be sure to continue reading after each picture.)

I was sent the following President butters to review:

  • President Sea Salt Butter
  • President Spreadable Salted Butter
  • President Salted Butter Bar

President Sea Salt Butter

I’m almost as obsessed with sea salt as I am butter, so naturally the first one I tore into was the President Sea Salt Butter.

President Sea Salt Butter in Wrapper
When you open the little dome-shaped container, you find that the butter is wrapped beautifully in gold paper. Very classy. Very French.

President Sea Salt Butter

The first thing I noticed about the Sea Salt Butter was its great looks. Truth be told, she’s a beauty. The streaks of darker yellow running throughout the paler yellow was striking.  I thought then, “This butter would be GORGEOUS on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table!”

I’m not ashamed to admit that the first thing I tried the President Sea Salt Butter on was my finger. I sliced off a chunk and into the mouth it went.

My first thoughts:

  • Creamy
  • Delicious
  • This is how butter should taste

Beautiful and delicious – how does it get any better?

As for the taste of salt, it was subtle – just as it should be. Detectable? Yes. Over-powering? Not in the least.

The first non-body-part thing I ate with the Sea Salt was Steamed Rice and it was spectacular.  Since I knew I’d be using Sea Salt Butter, I simply didn’t salt the rice after taking it out of the steamer.

President Sea Salt Butter with Steamed Rice
 

The President Sea Salt Butter is out of this world – not only on rice but pasta too. I’m certain it’d be delicious on anything.

Including fingers.

President Salted Butter in a Tub
If you know me at all, you know my obsession with sweet potatoes. I make baked sweet potatoes pretty often – so I was anxious to try out my new favorite butter on one of my greatest culinary loves in the world. So the next night, I baked sweet potatoes and allowed some Salted President Butter to melt down into them before adding the brown sugar.

Off the charts delicious!

When my husband and I were eating supper, he said, “These are the best sweet potatoes I’ve ever had. What did you put in them?”

Funny thing is, I made them just like I always do – the ONLY difference was this time I used President Butter instead of one of the ones I normally use.

I thought it was a great testament to the butter that he noticed without me saying anything.  I knew I had noticed how much better they were this time, but I was afraid I was just being partial to my new found butter obsession. He had no idea the butter was new… so he’s an even better judge than me.

Sweet Potato with Butter and Brown Sugar
I’ve read butter reviews online before where people have either given or taken away proverbial points awarded to a butter based on color.  Apparently I’m in the great minority here because…

  1. I honestly don’t give a very big flip about color.
  2. The little flip I do give is actually TOWARD a more pale color for butter.

The majority of people seem to want their butter to be quite yellow.  Again, I know I’m in the minority here, but I prefer my butter to be paler. If it’s terribly yellow, it just screams “MARGARINE!” to me. But when it pale, it purrs, “Creamy butter…” – with an emphasis on cream.

President butters are incredibly creamy and more delicious than is seemly. It just isn’t right for anything to be this good.

Okay, so where can you find President butter?  I’ve found a few on Amazon (if I didn’t already love Amazon, I would now):

You can also visit President Cheese‘s website and search for stores near you. You can also read more information about President butter and cheeses on their beautiful website.

I’m watching my local grocery stores in the hopes that President Butter will soon be available.  This is exceptional butter and… take it from me… once you’ve tasted it, everything else seems like a distant second.

I HIGHLY recommend getting your hands on some President Butter right away – as in the sooner, the better but whatever you do,make sure you have plenty for the holidays. My mind is buzzing at the thought of President Butter on corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and rolls – to say nothing of the extra creamy goodness it’ll bring to homemade fudge, butter cookies (I think I’m beginning to drool…), casseroles, dressing…

President Butters Collage

Ten Things to Do the Day Before Thanksgiving (Pre-Cooking and Prep Work)

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Buttermilk Biscuits Make Biscuits and Cornbread for Your Dressing the Day Before

I made the coffee a little extra strong this morning. It’s the day before Thanksgiving and, in my kitchen, it means there’s WORK to be done! After getting my backside kicked years ago with the first holiday I hosted in our home (it happened to be a Thanksgiving), I’ve learned that the more you can get done the day before the big day, the less stressful the big day, itself,will be.

And everyone gets to eat on time, as opposed to two hours later. People sure get antsy when they’re hungry.

One of the things I do the day before Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter is (admittedly) a little extreme… maybe a little eccentric… possibly anal… but, there you have it.  I clean off my dining room table and set out everything I’ll need for preparing the meal. All the broth, the mixing bowls, mixer, beaters, measuring spoons, casserole dishes, green beans, etc.  There are a few methods (and benefits) to my madness:

  1. I quickly discover if I’ve come up short with any ingredients. Better to find out on Wednesday than Thursday.
  2. I can hit the ground running on Thanksgiving morning without sorting through cabinets or drawers.
  3. I always get pizza the night before a holiday (!!) – after all, how can I cook when the counters are covered and my cooking utensils have already fallen into formation? Getting a night off from cooking when I’m on the cusp of a cooking marathon is priceless.

Below are 10 things you can do the day before Thanksgiving to preserve your sanity and keep the natives from getting restless.

  • If you make cornbread stuffing or dressing, prepare the cornbread the day before. Same with biscuits or other bread you’ll use in your stuffing/dressing. In fact, making your bread the day before is actually best because dressing and stuffing are best when the bread is dry.
  • Pre-Cut and pre-measure the onions, sage, celery, and other vegetables you’ll use. Store them, separately, in tightly covered containers or, better yet, plastic Ziploc bags (after all, they don’t have to be washed). When all you have to do is grab ingredients and toss them into your casseroles or stuffing, you’ll be singing your own praises.
  • Double-check the things most of us tend to overlook: Napkins, aluminum foil (plenty for cooking AND covering leftovers), tablecloth, whipping cream, butter, drinks, ice (uh oh, we need more ice), drinks, lemons for tea, candles for mood…
  • A lot (and I do mean a lot) of people actually assemble their dressing the night before, refrigerate it, then bake it on Thanksgiving day.  I’m not sure why, but I’ve never been able to bring myself to do this. I’ll pre-cut everything but, somehow, pre-assembling it makes me anxious. If your holiday backbone is stronger than mine (and it’d almost have to be), it’s something you might consider.
  • Clean out the refrigerator and possibly even the freezer. Nothing’s more aggravating than trying to park leftovers in unavailable parking spots.
  • Most desserts can easily be made the day before. Pecan pies, sweet potato pies, pumpkin pies, cakes, cookies, and brownies are just as good the next day. Sometimes they eve seem better, dont’ they? The last thing you need on Thanksgiving Day is more work or more competition for precious oven time.
  • Be sure everything is charged up  – telephones, ipads, and any other technology that may be furthest from your mind at the moment.
  • Most cranberry sauces and even cranberry salad can be made the day before. I’ll be making my cranberry salad this afternoon – It tastes just as good the next day (and even the one after that).
  • Boil eggs for deviled eggs the day before. Peel them, pop them into a plastic bag, and the only thing you have to do the next day is assemble them.
  • Go ahead and make your pie dough and even roll it out and put it into your pie plate. Simply refrigerate it for use the next day.

Most of all, cherish and enjoy every minute. Whether you’re doing prep work (as your cat watches your every move as though you’re the most fascinating person in the world), sneaking into the olives again, or talking about the big game – Thanksgiving is all about time spent with your family. Make every moment count double!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. I hope it’s your best one yet.

Also See: Thanksgiving Facts, Tips, and Tidbits

Thanksgiving Facts Plus Cooking Tips, and Tidbits

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Thanksgiving Facts

Thanksgiving was my dad’s favorite holiday and although Christmas edges it out in my book, I love it to distraction too.  Anything that involves three of my favorite things in the world – my family, cooking, and (of course!) eating – gets my seal of approval.

I’ve had a few Thanksgiving-related ideas for posts and articles bouncing around in my head, but didn’t think any of the bunch was “heavy” enough to warrant its own post.  So I decided to make a “Vegetable Soup” type post – throwing everything into one place and hoping it all turns out!

20 Fast Thanksgiving Facts

  • The first Thanksgiving was observed in Plymouth in the fall of 1621.  The idea for the event came from Massachusetts Governor William Bradford.  He was so thankful for a great harvest hat he decided to plan a festival to give thanks.  90 Native Americans (Wampanoag Indians) joined 50 English Colonists for the celebration.
  • The Wampanoag Indians were the ones who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
  • The first Thanksgiving (which actually lasted 3 days!) is said to have been observed in October rather than November. Personally, I wish the holiday were observed today in October – far enough removed from Christmas to get the attention it deserves.
  • In 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation naming November 26 as a day of national thanksgiving.  I’d love to know why November was chosen over October, but all the research in the world hasn’t uncovered this “tidbit.”
  • On October 3, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving.
  • In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day one week earlier to boost the Christmas shopping season. In 1941 Congress ruled that the fourth Thursday in November will be observed as Thanksgiving Day and a federal legal holiday.
  • Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. See???? They have the right idea!
  • While we credit the Pilgrims (or English Colonists) with “inventing” or “creating” Thanksgiving, historians tell us that Native Americans traditionally threw a shindig as they gathered to enjoy and celebrate their harvest each autumn.
  • Lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast.
  • Over the years (thank goodness!) we moved to the more traditional foods such as mashed potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potato pies, corn, dressing (or stuffing), green bean (and later green bean casserole) and cranberries.
  • Green Bean Casserole was inspired by the Depression Era. It was a way to take things that were already on hand and make a dish without spending a great deal of money.
  • The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920’s.
  • Campbell’s Kitchen “invented” the Green Bean Casserole in 1955.
  • Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.
  • Like me, turkeys have poor night vision. I’m guessing they shouldn’t drive at night either.
  • Cranberries are native to America. Our biggest producers are Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Cranberries are actually only one of a handful of fruits that are native to America. The blueberry and Concord grape are a few others.
  • Thanksgiving Day football is a treasured tradition in the homes of most of us. The first football game played on Thanksgiving Day was in 1934, when the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears.
  • The Guinness World Record for a Pumpkin pie goes to a whopping 3,699 pounds (after it was baked) pie in 2010.  Credit for this beast goes to the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in New Bremen, Ohio.
  • Not only was pumpkin pie not served at the First Thanksgiving, ironically, back then cooks put pumpkin into pie crusts rather than into the filling!
  • From OceanSpray.com – In the 1880s, a New Jersey grower named John “Peg Leg” Webb discovered that cranberries bounce. Instead of carrying his crop down from the storage loft of his barn, Webb poured them down the steps. He noticed that only the freshest, firmest fruit reached the bottom; rotten or bruised berries didn’t bounce and remained on the steps. This discovery led to the invention of “bounceboards”, tools used to separate rotten berries from fresh ones.

Thanksgiving Parade Pastries“Thanksgiving Parade Pastries”

A Few Personal Thanksgiving Tidbits:

  • For years, I prepared my Cornbread Dressing the same way: I made my buttermilk biscuits and buttermilk cornbread the night before, then crumbled them the next day when assembling the dressing.  Earlier this month, I toyed around with a new process to see what the results would be.  I stayed true to my choices of celery, sage, onion, and chicken broth but this time I used the Pepperidge Farms “Packaged” Dressing mix – you know, the bags you see everywhere this time of year that most of us traditional cooks snub and pretend not to even see.  They’re basically dried bread crumbs and seasoning.   Another change I made was instead of making my traditional buttermilk cornbread, this time I made the cornbread with bacon drippings instead of shortening.  Best. Dressing. Ever.  The bacon drippings (notice how I just refuse to call it “grease,” as though not saying it makes it healthier) in the pan gave the cornbread extra flavor and a crispiness that makes it IDEAL for dressing. The combo of using the packaged bread crumbs and the crispier cornbread made a dressing that was even more delicious than my traditional one but, more importantly, it made a dressing that wasn’t smooshy and soft. Making it this way allows it to be warmed up later in the day (and even the next day) by simply drizzling a little more broth on top.
  • If you don’t have a somewhat unique Family Thanksgiving Day tradition, come up with one this year. We actually have several in our family:  (1). Since 2001, I’ve made uncommonly delicious filled pastries (pictured above) for breakfast. I call them our “Thanksgiving Parade Pastries” because I always make them with one eye on the televised parades. They’re divine and not nearly as difficult to make as you’d think. (2).  I’m something of a punch freak. I just can’t seem to have holidays without punch. I have a special New Year’s Day Punch, Christmas Day Punch, Thanksgiving Punch, Easter Punch, and even a Halloween Punch.  When two of my three daughters were married, I came up with a Wedding Punch for each.  Well, of course I did.  Family traditions are fun, familiar, and oh so comforting.
  • Never try anything radical for the first time on a holiday. I don’t care if it’s a hairstyle or main dish, holidays simply aren’t the time to wander out into virgin territory.  While adding a new side dish or casserole to familiar, tried-and-true side dishes may not spell disaster (after all, even if it flops, you have others), doing something completely different with your ham, turkey, or bread could potentially spell disaster. Been there, done that, still have the emotional scars.
  • Don’t just have what you think you’ll need on hand, have more than you foresee needing. While shopping with my youngest daughter, Stephany, last night, I kept putting cream of mushroom soup into our cart. She asked, “How many of those are you going to need?!”  I told her I “needed” 6, so I was getting at least 8. After all, it’s not something that couldn’t be used if I didn’t need them on Thanksgiving Day. The words BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY apply to holiday meals as much as they do to anything in life.  I like covering my behind so much that I even make sure I have favorite “Green Giant” vegetables in the freezer just in case.  If the oven goes out, I drop a casserole, or something unforeseen and hideous happens, I have a back up.  I’ve never had to use these backups on holidays before, but knowing they’re there keeps anxiety from making a holiday appearance in my kitchen.
  • Buy cute, seasonal napkins!
  • Repeat after me, “No one cares if you buy/use disposable cups, bowls, and even plates.”  They really don’t care! Why make even more work for yourself when you could simply toss all the dishes into the trash. You’re going to have plenty of pans, bowls, and silverware to wash, why add to it?  Again… no one cares and no one will think less of you.  If they’re like my crew, they probably won’t even notice.
  • While I do use a few of my favorite Rachael Ray casserole dishes, I make quite a few casseroles (including dressing) in disposable foil pans. They’re ideal for reheating meals and, when they’ve served their purpose, you can sit leftovers out for dogs, cats, birds, possums, skunks, Bigfoot…
  • If you’re lucky enough to have someone new at your table this Thanksgiving, be sure to ask them (well ahead of time) what their favorite Thanksgiving side dish and/or dessert is. It’ll mean the world to them when you set it in front of them.  Needless to say, be sure you do the same for the ones you’ve been blessed with for years!
  • Most importantly – treasure each and every moment with those you love. Not only are you making memories you’ll have for a lifetime, you’re playing a role in memories they’ll have for a lifetime. When you think of it that way, you’ll realize that any time spent NOT laughing, NOT smiling, and NOT enjoying yourself is time wasted.
  • Don’t forget your Crock Pot! If you can use this kitchen staple for one of your vegetables or side dishes, you’ll free up precious stove top space and non-existent free oven space.
  • I make something called “Relish Tray Salad” (pictured below) for most holidays. I got the idea from an old episode of “Emeril Live” (how I miss that show!!!).  I simply toss together varying combinations of: Gherkins, blanched baby carrots, cauliflower, cocktail onions, olives, sweet midget pickles, and assorted jarred peppers.  Throw it all together – including the juices.  No matter what combination you go with, the flavors are amazing and the colors add a lot of pop and personality to the holiday table.  What’s more, everyone has fun picking out their favorites (without fail, I’m left with quite a few cocktail onions).

Relish Tray Salad Relish Tray Salad

Ninny’s Cranberry Salad Recipe: Jell-O with Celery, Pecans, and Crushed Pineapple

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Jell-Salad with Cranberries

Jell-O Salad with Cranberries, Pecans, and Celery

This morning I was thinking a lot about my mom and how she embraced the holidays. A few weeks before hand, the recipes and cookbooks would cover the table and counter as she jotted down ingredients and made her plan of attack.  I’m now in THAT role, myself.  Funny, we never suspect that we actually will be… until we are.

My mom made a particular Cranberry Salad each Thanksgiving. After I lost her (far, far too soon), I tried to recapture her Jell-O salad each year, but none of them were like the one she made.

Then one summer, I was going through an old hutch and found an old cookbook of my mom’s I hadn’t seen since she moved on to Heaven.  I had forgotten that I even had the cookbook! I opened the book and written on the opening page, in her handwriting were the words, “Cranberry Salad” Pg 15.

The first words to come to my mind were: Thanks, mom.

I turned to the page she told me to turn to and, sure enough, the recipe was exactly the one I was looking for.  I couldn’t make up my mind if I wanted to cry or smile, so I sort of ended up doing both. I did kind of chuckle though because right beside the recipe was one of her nutty backward check marks.  She was left handed, so I guess that explains it, but the woman’s check marks were as backward as backward can be.  I remember teasing her about it and she’d laugh and say that her check marks were “beautiful” and that everyone else’s were backward.

I don’t know. Maybe she was right.

Here’s my mom’s favorite  recipe for Cranberry Salad.  The recipe calls for Cherry Jell-o but I recall she always favored Strawberry, so I went with Strawberry too.

Daughter see, daughter do.

Cranberry Salad

2 (3 oz) pkgs strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Prepare the jell-o as directed on package. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and chill.

Don’t let the celery throw you – it’s excellent in this salad and you’ll love the crunch.

A word about adjustments for personal tastes: While you need to stay pretty much within reason when working with Jell-O recipes (so they’ll properly set), you can experiment with the amounts of celery and pecans. I typically crust the pecans, but in this particular Jell-O salad, I left them pretty much as they were right out of the bag. I just wanted more texture. I also (in this particular one) added a little more celery for crunch. While I kind of liked the pecans being larger, like this, I didn’t care for the increased celery.

Too much of a good thing can sometimes be a bad thing.

Family Recipes:
If you haven’t already, it’s a great idea to write down (and safely protect) favorite family recipes. If a parent, aunt, grandparent, or uncle makes alterations to a recipe, be sure to write down their exchanges or alterations. Better yet, let them write it down in their own handwriting. It’s pretty special to have handwritten notes and notations from loved ones.

Sometimes they even come with backward check marks. 🙂

Jell-Salad with Cranberries

Adorable! Thanksgiving Table Decorations

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Thanksgiving Table DecorationsYou know how some things just have your name written all over them? The adorable trio (Autumn Inspirations Turkey Polystone Table Decor (Set of 3)
), above, have my name tattooed all over them.  I remember talking one time with my mother and her best friend, Ann. They were talking about their “decorating” styles. My mom loved “Country” and “Victorian” while Ann was more in favor of “Contemporary.”  I confessed that I wasn’t sure I even fell into a category of style – that I simply surrounded myself with the things that make me smile.

Guess that means that instead of “styles,” I have “smiles.”

The little turkeys above could provide miles and miles of smiles. I think all of us could live with that!

  • 3 Assorted
  • Resin
  • 3″L x 2″W x 4.25″H and 3.5″L x 2.5″W x 4.25″H
  • Multi-colored
  • Fun seasonal accent pieces

See Autumn Inspirations Turkey Polystone Table Decor (Set of 3) for a closer look at these cuties.