This year I got to cook Thanksgiving dinner. For a family that usually ends up driving on the holiday, this was really exciting. My parents came and the three of us were here, so it was a small group, but very nice.
I found it a bit disappointing to cook since tradition dictates most of the menu. I did find a few places to be creative though. I will post the pumpkin cheesecake I made and the smoked turkey that Paul made, but I'll give you some other ideas from the menu as well.
I had to have mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, so neither offered too much originality. I just baked the sweet potatoes, scooped the meat out of them and combined with a couple tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper, baked the skins for a bit, and put the mixture back in the skins. I had this done early and just held the sweet potatoes that way and baked them 1/2 hour or so before dinner. Topped them with some craisins and served.
I had to have mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, so neither offered too much originality. I just baked the sweet potatoes, scooped the meat out of them and combined with a couple tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper, baked the skins for a bit, and put the mixture back in the skins. I had this done early and just held the sweet potatoes that way and baked them 1/2 hour or so before dinner. Topped them with some craisins and served.I did find a new recipe for roasted vegetables since I got the last CSA box of the season the night before. It came with two very large rutabagas, so I had to find a way to incorporate at least one of them in a way other than my usual idea (which is to boil it with the potatoes and mash all together). I found the recipe on epicurious for roasted vegetables, so follow the link; however, I made this with rutabaga and carrots since I didn't have the other vegetables and added a bit of leeks since they came in the box also.
I made up a recipe for cranberry chutney. I sauteed some onion and garlic and added some ginger root and cranberries. I added a cup or so of sugar and some orange zest and orange juice. It really needed some sugar at this point, so I added some craisins and 1/4 c or so of sugar. Then another 1/4 c of sugar. Then another 1/4 c sugar. I also added some coriander seeds and a cup or so of vinegar. I think it will be a good addition to sandwiches this week and was good on the Thanksgiving table.
Sweet potato biscuits seemed like a good addition; however, I made them with canned pumpkin since I didn't use the entire can for the pumpkin marble cheesecake.
We had a green salad with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. We got a beautiful head of lettuce in the last box. So nice to have something so green and fresh with the meal.
Stuffing....ahem...dressing (since it didn't stuff the turkey) that was a recipe that I found on the internet. I made the bread for the bread cubes from the artisan bread recipe. I could have used bread from the store, but it is so easy to make I went this route instead.
Our family's traditional cranberry and apple salad was brought by my mom.
So many things to be thankful for....in addition to a beautiful harvest meal.
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Stuffing....ahem...dressing (since it didn't stuff the turkey) that was a recipe that I found on the internet. I made the bread for the bread cubes from the artisan bread recipe. I could have used bread from the store, but it is so easy to make I went this route instead.
Our family's traditional cranberry and apple salad was brought by my mom.
So many things to be thankful for....in addition to a beautiful harvest meal.
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