After a very frustrating Tuesday dealing with work issues all day I was able to finally get in the kitchen Wed and start cooking. For the last 5 years (or so) I have been cooking Thanksgiving for 10-13 people. This years menu (thank you Food and Wine):
- Cider glazed Turkey with lager gravy
- Mashed potatoes with crème fresche (sp)
- Candied Yams (not on fire)
- Butternut Squash/cornbread Stuffing Muffins
- Green beans/caramelized onions and bacon dish
- Brussell sprouts/capers/walnuts
- Desserts: caramel pecan hand pies & granny smith apple pie w/ homemade Vanilla ice cream.
I love spending the week in the kitchen tossing food in and out of pots and pans, whisking and stirring concoctions of all sorts. I start with recipes from magazines (Bon Appetite or Food and Wine), and either make them as is, or modify them to my taste. Normally I try and cut back on the fat (a little anyway) and or eliminate ingredients we don't care for (i.e. the Anchovies in the Brussel Sprouts). What's also fun is to see what I forget, this year it was the dressing on those same Brussel Sprouts. It called for a Vinegar and Grainy Mustard dressing, however in the chaos of it all I forgot to make it. The dish however was still SO good. I am going to make it again this weekend and this time I will include the dressing (to see if it is that much better). The other fun part of the process is to see if we can escape the Candied Yam fire. A few years back I was making Candied Yams and wasn't paying attention, next thing I know there is smoke coming from oven. Yup, I caught marshmallows on fire. Oh well. Chalk it up to experience right HA, well 1 month later (for Christmas dinner) I did the SAME thing. Since those incidents I have come close a time or two but been able to avoid that mess (thank goodness).
All and all it turned out very good. This year I prepared the biggest bird I've every cooked (27.5 lbs). I bought it from a local guy that raises animals in his backyard (he also works at Microsoft and has a fairly large family, talk about patience). I've never met a bird before eating it, until this year. We purchased this along with a few chickens and 1/2 a hog (which will be ready in a week or two). I highly recommend going this route if you can. It's not for everyone, a few dinner guests were creeped out about this, but to me it made the meal all the better.
I'm very thankful for so many things in my life but list toppers...
I'm very thankful for so many things in my life but list toppers...
- My family and I are healthy and active.
- I have a great job that affords us the comfort and ability to experience so many of life's gifts.
- Time together, because believe it or not life really is short.
- For all the people in my life, both past and present.