It's coooommmmminnng! This Thursday is The Big Day. Well, for all Americans who are into food and do their own cooking. I know that's not everyone. But it is certainly me.
Up until three years ago, I had never made a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I don't actually like turkey myself, so I was not motivated to cook it. However, I finally bowed to pressure from my sons, who insisted that Thanksgiving must feature turkey. And gravy. And mashed potatoes. And dressing. And pumpkin pie. But most importantly, all of these must be in enough quantity that the bottom of the serving dish is never seen the day of feasting.
My favorite part of our Thanksgiving feast is the green beans with bacon and onions. Unfortunately, the terrible garden season this year meant I didn't freeze any green beans. The "fresh" green beans I saw at the grocery store last week looked disgusting, and I refuse to make it with frozen green beans. They're just not good enough.
So no green beans this year. Sad.
But! I do have two stubborn parsnips that weathered everything thrown at them this year, so I think this year I'll make roasted parsnips and carrots instead of green beans.
I will also make a green salad. The lettuce will have to be from the store, but the tomatoes in it will be from the garden. Or rather, from the garden tomatoes still hanging out in their box on the floor.
The last ingredient from the garden that will grace our Thanksgiving table will be the squash I use for the pumpkin pie.
11 comments:
The carrot/parsnip dish sounds delicious. Ahh, lemon meringue, my favorite! Although, your squash (pumpkin) pie sounds darn good as well.
We are going to my nephews, where there'll be no shortage of delicious food.
My additions will be brownies & a salad.
Happy Thanksgiving! Linda
I, too, am excited. For the first time, we will have company. And company is bringing the vegetables. I have everything planned out by day. Yesterday I made the two very large sourdough loaves which I will cube today and stale up a bit for the dressing. I will cook cranberries today and bake a pumpkin/squash from our garden. And tomorrow is baking all day-- rolls, pies (pumpkin and pecan). The best part for me will be on Thursday when I make the turkey gravy because that is, without a doubt, the very best thing my mother ever made, and she always made Thanksgiving. When I make the turkey gravy, I remember her so clearly. I love how cooking makes me feel connected to people I love who are no longer living. I even feel connected to the ones I never met when I make their recipes.
Linda: Happy Thanksgiving to you, as well! I vastly prefer brownies to pie, but as I said, I bowed to pressure for the full traditional feast. :-)
Jody: I baked bread for the dressing yesterday, too. My sons asked me why I was baking again when we already had a few loaves of bread on hand, and I told them I have to use at least two whole loaves to make enough dressing for their feeding assault. :-)
Why not brownies and pie?
Is it cold enough where you are to store refrigerator items in a shed or garage? That's what my mom would do when we were growing up. (And my sister, when she lived in Alberta, would put early Christmas baking in suitcases and store it on the porch.)
I need to make 2 pies, pecan and pumpkin, and something for the kids who don't like either. Thanks for the brownie idea, Linda!
Since it's just my husband and I, we're making chicken curry with apple pie for dessert. My sister usually hosts a traditional meal, but she's traveling.
mbmom11: For the very simple reason that I do not want anything further to bake. :-) We do have some toffee bars my son made a couple of days ago that I can put out, in case our guest (our priest) isn't a fan of pie.
Mary W.: That sounds like my kind of Thanksgiving meal. Way better than turkey.
I face another one without Jared. You become accustomed to it after a few. lol
The children and I will host our usual single sailor again. This year it is a female ensign which is a good thing since Jared is not here. I only hope she is prepared for a not-exactly-traditional day.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mary in MN
mbmom,
Aww! You made me think of my mom storing extra pies on her enclosed back porch during holiday meals.
Welcome for the brownie idea.
Linda
Mei: I'm sorry your husband won't be there, but I think it's great you have a sailor to dinner who might be alone otherwise. I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving as well. And I will be very interested to know what an American Thanksgiving dinner looks like in Japan, cooked by a Chinese cook. :-)
Mary: You too!
mbmom11: Oh, and I forgot to answer your question: No, outside isn't really an option. It will be below freezing the night before Thanksgiving, but 60 degrees the day of. Too much temperature variation here.
I always cook my turkey two days ahead, carve it and make the gravy. Then a lot of the last minute work is out of the way (I read this idea in a cookbook, not smart enough to think of it). When the turkey is reheated I just put a little broth over it and it's delicious, not dry at all. So now I'm coming to the part I think is interesting. I bought a 22 lb turkey. After it was cooked it looked so small we weighed it. Down to 15 lbs (it must have lost all the salt water that was injected in it). After carving and picking the carcase there was 8 lbs of turkey and 7 lbs of bones and skin. So much for a 22 lb turkey.
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