Cooking
Ow. I hurt. And I mean, hurt. Two days (and nights!) of cooking. Two nights of not sleeping (well, not nearly enough).
But, I'm happy to report that dinner was a success...Matt's parents and grandmom liked everything (although we made so much, they barely made a dent in the food), and best of all?
What I'm Thankful For
My mother-in-law stayed late to wash the dishes!!!
All of them. Sink-full after sink-full. What more could a girl ask for?
The evening's menu:
Salmon and Cucumber Rolls
Fontina Risotto Cakes
Cognac Roasted Cauliflower with a Gruyere Sauce
Potatoes with Sage and Asiago
Carrots Glazed with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Cayenne
Hazelnut Mousse Crunch Cake
No turkey?
No; I've been turkey-free for almost nine years, and Matt doesn't really care for it, so we decided to go with roast beef.
A roast, with a parsley stuffing, wrapped in bacon, crisped in a frying pan, then roasted about 45 minutes.
I'm going into detail because, apparently, Matt forgot to take a picture of it!
Oh! And don't forget the two dozen popovers. Quite lovely. No picture (grrr).
---Updated 11/27
I am so mentally challenged sometimes: in addition to all the other yummy dishes, I also made the most amazing soup I've tasted since the cream of vegetable soup I had at Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare, Ireland; Cream of Cashew Soup.
Cashews and shallots cooked in butter and peanut oil, add broth, cram and half and half, cook, puree, thicken with just a bit of cornstarch, and yum. So good, I plan to make more this week!
---end update
I also had lovely pear-cranberry jellie bites, which my father-in-law said reminded him of a rich wine.
Again, there doesn't seem to be a picture, but they were lovely to look at (and good enough that the in-laws took some with them).
And what did I eat, you may ask?
The Now & Zen Complete Unturkey Feast
Crispy yuba 'skin', flavorful gluten-based 'turkey'. Decent gravy, though I prefer my stuffing.
So...good meal. Even better, clean kitchen. And now? Sleep. Lots and lots and lots of sleep.
- Turkey Leftovers Recipes
If you ask me, the second best thing about Thanksgiving is not the dinner itself, but the leftovers. I like turkey a lot, especially its amazing versatility. Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered...
- Turkey Drumsticks Braised In Cranberry Sauce Recipe
When you love Thanksgiving as much as I do, you want it to prolong it. One year instead of the traditional Thanksgiving feast at my parents house, we ended up at someone else's house. All was well and good until the following day--no leftovers! One...
- At Long Last; It's My Turn
I've seen this one going 'round for some time. And I confess I've been a bit hesitatant to join in...I may be the world's worst 'my favorite things' list-maker. Seriously; I am terrible at this. When I'm asked to name my favorite...
- It Is A Sham, But It's A Sham With Yams. It's A Yam Sham.
Anya: I love a ritual sacrifice. Buffy: Not really a one of those. Anya: To commemorate a past event you kill and eat an animal. A ritual sacrifice... with pie. (quotes from the wonderful Buffy the Vampire episode, "Pangs") So, anyone else ready for Thanksgiving?...
- Comfort Food
I've had a craving...for comfort foods. So, Matt picked up a Now & Zen Complete Unturkey Feast on his way home from work. Add to this a big pot of mashed potatoes, more gravy (because they don't provide enough), and my own stuffing (their's...
Cooking
Too. Much. Food.
Ow. I hurt. And I mean, hurt. Two days (and nights!) of cooking. Two nights of not sleeping (well, not nearly enough).
But, I'm happy to report that dinner was a success...Matt's parents and grandmom liked everything (although we made so much, they barely made a dent in the food), and best of all?
What I'm Thankful For
My mother-in-law stayed late to wash the dishes!!!
All of them. Sink-full after sink-full. What more could a girl ask for?
The evening's menu:
Salmon and Cucumber Rolls
Fontina Risotto Cakes
Cognac Roasted Cauliflower with a Gruyere Sauce
Potatoes with Sage and Asiago
Carrots Glazed with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Cayenne
Hazelnut Mousse Crunch Cake
No turkey?
No; I've been turkey-free for almost nine years, and Matt doesn't really care for it, so we decided to go with roast beef.
A roast, with a parsley stuffing, wrapped in bacon, crisped in a frying pan, then roasted about 45 minutes.
I'm going into detail because, apparently, Matt forgot to take a picture of it!
Oh! And don't forget the two dozen popovers. Quite lovely. No picture (grrr).
---Updated 11/27
I am so mentally challenged sometimes: in addition to all the other yummy dishes, I also made the most amazing soup I've tasted since the cream of vegetable soup I had at Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare, Ireland; Cream of Cashew Soup.
Cashews and shallots cooked in butter and peanut oil, add broth, cram and half and half, cook, puree, thicken with just a bit of cornstarch, and yum. So good, I plan to make more this week!
---end update
I also had lovely pear-cranberry jellie bites, which my father-in-law said reminded him of a rich wine.
Again, there doesn't seem to be a picture, but they were lovely to look at (and good enough that the in-laws took some with them).
And what did I eat, you may ask?
The Now & Zen Complete Unturkey Feast
Crispy yuba 'skin', flavorful gluten-based 'turkey'. Decent gravy, though I prefer my stuffing.
So...good meal. Even better, clean kitchen. And now? Sleep. Lots and lots and lots of sleep.
- Turkey Leftovers Recipes
If you ask me, the second best thing about Thanksgiving is not the dinner itself, but the leftovers. I like turkey a lot, especially its amazing versatility. Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered...
- Turkey Drumsticks Braised In Cranberry Sauce Recipe
When you love Thanksgiving as much as I do, you want it to prolong it. One year instead of the traditional Thanksgiving feast at my parents house, we ended up at someone else's house. All was well and good until the following day--no leftovers! One...
- At Long Last; It's My Turn
I've seen this one going 'round for some time. And I confess I've been a bit hesitatant to join in...I may be the world's worst 'my favorite things' list-maker. Seriously; I am terrible at this. When I'm asked to name my favorite...
- It Is A Sham, But It's A Sham With Yams. It's A Yam Sham.
Anya: I love a ritual sacrifice. Buffy: Not really a one of those. Anya: To commemorate a past event you kill and eat an animal. A ritual sacrifice... with pie. (quotes from the wonderful Buffy the Vampire episode, "Pangs") So, anyone else ready for Thanksgiving?...
- Comfort Food
I've had a craving...for comfort foods. So, Matt picked up a Now & Zen Complete Unturkey Feast on his way home from work. Add to this a big pot of mashed potatoes, more gravy (because they don't provide enough), and my own stuffing (their's...