And then it was the day after the first feast of Thanksgiving 2013. And I rested. EPF is running around being all kinds of productive - apparently the collection of people inspired him to think about what he'd like to be improved around the house. Me? I'm sitting still.
Round One of Thanksgiving 2013 went quite well last night - good times with some friends and some family (and a special shout of appreciation to James for providing the photography for this entry!). I had some recipe successes, and some recipe failures, and some random snafus along the way. As promised, here's the story, with all recipes listed in a clump at the bottom (with links to original posts where applicable).
The turkey, of course, was great. It was surprisingly huge (19lbs!) but that's okay - EPF is a big fan of smoked turkey. (Bonus preview: I'm working on some guest blogger events, and he'll be one of them - he makes mean mashed potatoes, without overcomplicating them - and he also can smoke a turkey like a boss.)
My Super Stuffing returned, and this year I actually stuck to the recipe - well, sort of. In the past I've used pre-dried/cubed bread, croutons really - but they're marketed as stuffing starter so OBVIOUSLY it's different. Anyway, this year I got actual sourdough - and you know, the slight extra tang really made a difference, so I vote for that always. Also, the recipe calls for onion, and I did that the first time but per a tiny note I seem to have used shallots last year. I like them better. So that's what I did this year, and I don't know that it makes a massive difference but I still like them better. I had batted around tweaking the recipe - adding some nuts, or some loose sausage, or something - but in the end couldn't bring myself to mess with perfection. When you've nailed something and it's a crucial part of a holiday, it's a pretty bad idea to mess with it - and I did enough of that, as you will read.
I needed something green on the table, and green bean casserole has been vetoed in this house so I opted for fresh green beans. Those of you that are 55-year olds like me all have the November Good Housekeeping laying around the house somewhere, and in there you saw a story on Ina Garten, and her recipe for Green Bean Gremolata. You maybe thought to yourself "huh, that sounds good - fresh and bright and interesting but uncomplicated. I'll try it." Well, don't. Or if you do at least change a couple things. If I had THOUGHT about it, I would have realized that huge amounts of parsley are gross and so is raw garlic. But I didn't. I'll say this: fresh green beans are still good, and the rest of the topping is good. Just skip the nasty bits.
Also, funny story: these green beans were supposed to be steamed in the steamer pot, but we had an unfortunate incident wherein the steamer pot nearly went up in flames and as of this typing remains on the balcony, de-stinking. So, the beans were microwaved, and they were still nice and crisp and hot. Improv and recovery will get you through the holidays. And the recipe actually called for blanching, which is boiling and then ice-bathing, but that is just too many bowls and complications so that wasn't going to happen anyway. Come on, Ina.
We skipped yams this year and did roasted acorn squash, which - the way I prepare it - tastes pretty much the same but looks prettier.
Unless you are a six year old boy, that is. Then, well, it looks like squash and that's yucky. But if you're a one and a half year old boy, then it's so delicious the only reasonable thing to do - after pulling out as much as you can with your little fingers - is pick up the rind and mash it right into your face. So I guess the moral of the story there is know your audience.
I've got a pretty easy and tasty homemade cranberry sauce - I made it last year and it was good, but a little too tart, so I overruled the recipe's recommendation for entire chunks of rind. Much better result this year. I needed a little less than half an orange's worth of zest for my pumpkin pie (next up) so used the rest of the orange here.
Remember that Good Housekeeping I mentioned? Well, Ina also has a pumpkin pie recipe. I fussed and fiddled with that too -- and the truth is, it's more a pumpkin custard pie. But if you normally find pumpkin pie a little too dense (and, uh, you aren't too worried about your cholesterol), then this might be the pie for you. I also attempted to decorate with leftover crust bits. This is trickier than one might think, as I couldn't put it on till a good ways through the baking due to the pie being liquidy. This led to not-fully cooked crust atop the pie, and it had already been in the oven too long so more baking was out. My next thought was EPF's culinary torch, purchased specifically for creme brulee. That, however, is somewhere in a box in the garage, and may not be seen for quite some time. So I ended up toasting the dough to completion with a barbecue lighter. Let me be clear: I do not recommend this as a strategy. It's just one of those things that sometimes has to happen at the holidays. You know? Oh! And Ina neglects to inform you that you're going to need pie weights, which I don't have, and I didn't have dried beans laying around, so scavenged various things together - rice, lentils, some barley - and put them on parchment. It worked, but caused some anxiety.
And finally, the Toll House cookies. These were a success with both of the aforementioned boys, so I imagine will be with your home as well. I changed nothing about the recipe since my last posting. They remain delicious. Thanks, Grandmom.
And that, my friends, is the story of Thanksgiving round 1. While I had a great time hosting, cooking, etc, I look forward to round 2 - when I will come bearing stuffing, and that is all.
(Recipes after the jump)
(Recipes after the jump)
Recipes
The Best Stuffing (previous post & notes here)
From Food Network, courtesy Dave Lieberman. Makes about 8 servings
1-pound loaf sourdough bread
1 stick butter
10 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/2-inch thick in both directions (crimini is important here)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 to 4 stalks celery with leaves, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (or 2-3 shallots - which I prefer)
About 10 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stems
10 to 12 fresh large sage leaves, chopped
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I had a 4-cup carton, so dumped the whole thing in, and it was fine)
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves (kind of optional - you don't really taste them)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread it evenly on 2 baking sheets. Toast the bread in the oven until completely dry and beginning to crisp and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Melt 1/4 of the stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, 2 tablespoons butter, and thyme. Once the butter has melted, cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add sage and remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Pour the chicken broth mixture over the bread cubes and toss to combine until the bread cubes absorb the liquid. (If you have a particularly large (that is, deep - of this variety) baking dish and are running out of mixing bowls as you frantically cook, skip this - put the bread in the baking dish once it's out of the oven and pour the mixture directly over it at this point - and mix carefully.) Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, and sprinkle with parsley. Bake in the center of the oven until heated through and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes before serving.
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I had a 4-cup carton, so dumped the whole thing in, and it was fine)
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves (kind of optional - you don't really taste them)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread it evenly on 2 baking sheets. Toast the bread in the oven until completely dry and beginning to crisp and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Melt 1/4 of the stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, 2 tablespoons butter, and thyme. Once the butter has melted, cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add sage and remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Pour the chicken broth mixture over the bread cubes and toss to combine until the bread cubes absorb the liquid. (If you have a particularly large (that is, deep - of this variety) baking dish and are running out of mixing bowls as you frantically cook, skip this - put the bread in the baking dish once it's out of the oven and pour the mixture directly over it at this point - and mix carefully.) Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, and sprinkle with parsley. Bake in the center of the oven until heated through and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes before serving.
Green Bean Gremolata
Adapted from Ina Garten, Good Housekeeping Nov 2013 p190
2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp grated lemon peel (about two lemons, or three Meyer lemons)
olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
Steam the beans however you prefer, but microwave is easy and doesn't take up a burner. Place them in a large microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water, give or take. Cover & vent, and microwave for about 10 minutes, depending on your microwave. Check them about 7 minutes in to be sure.
Meanwhile, combine the cheese, pine nuts, and lemon zest in a bowl (all those quantities are approximate - adjust if you are super fond of pine nuts, etc). When the beans are done, toss them in olive oil to coat, salt and pepper them, and toss with the gremolata. Done!
Roast Acorn Squash (quantities assume 8 people, can easily be adjusted)
Adapted from Eat, Live, Run
4 acorn squash (per the farmer I spoke with this morning, certain other squashes can substitute - carnivale, for example)
1 stick butter
~ 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
sea salt (flaky is best but coarse will work in a pinch...ha! ha! ha!)
Cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Plop in one pat of butter, about a tablespoon. Add about a tablespoon of brown sugar, some sprinkled around the top. Sprinkle the sea salt over the whole thing.
Put them in a baking dish, add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish (around the squash, not in), and bake - this is an adaptable dish. The recommended is 400 for 45 minutes. To coordinate with other dishes I tend to do them at 350 for an hour. It's approximate. The squash should be tender and the brown sugar should be all gooey. Mash it up with your fork and enjoy!
Cranberry Orange Relish
Adapted from Tyler Florence and the Food Network
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 orange: zest from about half of it, juice from the whole thing
1/2 cup sugar
1 whole cinnamon stick (or more if you like)
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature or cool and refrigerate. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature or cool and refrigerate. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
Pumpkin Custard Pie
Adapted from Ina Garten, Good Housekeeping Nov 2013 p185
1 unbaked pie crust, source of your choosing
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (I didn't have light brown sugar so used about 3/4 dark and filled it the rest of the way with granulated white sugar)
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (I didn't have light brown sugar so used about 3/4 dark and filled it the rest of the way with granulated white sugar)
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or whatever you happen to think the pie filling may lack - the absence of clove & cardamom bugged me for some reason)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (roughly half an orange)
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons dark rum (or dark liquor substitute - I used brandy since I only had Captain Morgan (don't judge) and that didn't seem like it would be quite right.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the pie crust in a pie dish, and place parchment on top of the crust. Fill the parchment with pie weights, or whatever you are using here, and put the whole thing on a jelly roll pan. Bake it for 15 minutes. Take it out and prick it all over with a fork, then put it back in for 5 minutes. Take it back out, and turn the oven down to 350.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, cream, milk, liquor, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for about an hour, or until the the center of the pie is set. Let cool COMPLETELY before serving.
Toll House Cookies (notes in original post)
Courtesy of my Grandmom C.
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (roughly half an orange)
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons dark rum (or dark liquor substitute - I used brandy since I only had Captain Morgan (don't judge) and that didn't seem like it would be quite right.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the pie crust in a pie dish, and place parchment on top of the crust. Fill the parchment with pie weights, or whatever you are using here, and put the whole thing on a jelly roll pan. Bake it for 15 minutes. Take it out and prick it all over with a fork, then put it back in for 5 minutes. Take it back out, and turn the oven down to 350.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, cream, milk, liquor, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for about an hour, or until the the center of the pie is set. Let cool COMPLETELY before serving.
Toll House Cookies (notes in original post)
Courtesy of my Grandmom C.
- 2 cups + 3 tbsp sifted flour
- ~3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 sticks cold margarine
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed down
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 12 oz package Hershey's chocolate chips (suggestion: only use about 80% of the bag. It will work out better.)
Cream margarine, add white sugar and cream well.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.
Add the dry mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.
Add eggs & beat well.
Add brown sugar. Mix well.
Add vanilla extract; incorporate.
Add chocolate chips and mix.
Drop by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment, do not crowd. They will spread quite a bit and may still bump into each other, but a little of that is okay. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 12 minutes.
Do not overbake in oven, as they will continue to cook for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooking rack. Leave them for about 3 minutes before doing so. This recipe can be doubled, and is quite tasty without chips - because not everyone likes chocolate.
Good luck, and remember: they're supposed to be thin and chewy...all that brown sugar gives them a molasses-y effect.
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