2018 Holiday Cooking and Baking

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

@Porthos, that apple-walnut-raisin-cranberry pie sounds interesting. Is there any chance you're share the recipe? It might be a nice twist for our family gathering.

I'm with Smithy please, Porthos.

[BeeZee]

Ack, to add to the stress of food prep, I'm sick. I had to write out a list for hubby to get some items since I planned to start some things this weekend and freeze to make the actual day run a bit smoother. I am making a tomato bisque and mushroom/shallot/herb dressing (I've made the dressing before and I know it reheats well). I also planned to make turkey gravy with purchased extra wings (looked for them on Monday and didn't see any, getting nervous). Balsamic/honey roasted carrots. Will be interesting to see what he comes home with (despite my detailed list organized by location in the store), I am really trying to avoid the supermarket this weekend. My sister is bringing a spinach-based veg side dish and Mom is making twice-baked potatoes. Apple pie will be purchased from a local farm that makes good ones. Ice cream. Perhaps Ghiradelli brownies (box of mix at the ready in the pantry!).

[Smithy]

Host's note: Porthos has graciously posted the pie recipe we requested above; it's here in RecipeGullet for easy searching later.

[Arey]

will this recipe work if I use Splenda instead of sugar, and if I substitute craisons and dried cherries in place of the candied fruit how much should I use.

Both the relatives I want to give the applesauce cake to have diabetes and one has had a coronary bypass operation. 

1/2              cup  Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat Vegetable

                        Shortening

  2               cups  Sugar

  2               cups  Applesauce, unsweetened

  3 1/2           cups  Flour

  2               tsp.  Baking soda

  2               tsp.  Cinnamon

  15            ounces  Raisins -- 1 small box

  8             ounces  Candied fruit

1                       cup  Black walnut pieces – (English walnuts can be

Edited November 18, 2018 by Arey
Because I forgot to include the damn recipe (log)

[pistolabella]

Very interesting re: the spoon method, Kim. I'm filing that one away.

 

We put country ham in our greens all year and have it for breakfast a time or two a month, so at holiday time a "city" ham is a real treat. My in-laws order one from Honeybaked and it's delicious, a crowd-pleaser, makes great leftovers and sandwiches. I look forward to it every year, more than the turkey.

 

Leading up to the big day I'm making the inevitable last minute edits to the menu. There will be a broccoli casserole because I'm nostalgic for family I won't be seeing this year, and the dish was always served on their table growing up. I am still doing 2 types of dressing; although I maintain cornbread is king, I know it isn't for everyone and there is something about a good herbed bread stuffing, too. Making my pans of cornbread tomorrow to chunk up and get good and dry. 

Getting wishy washy about my wild rice "dressing" (casserole).  If I opt to stud it with fruit and keep it light, I will be eating it for a week, whereas if I stick to ritual and add the sausage, sweet peppers and cream of mushroom, I know it will get eaten up and it is quite good. At the end of the day, the enjoyment I get from making a crowd pleasing dish overrides my desire to make "just one healthy thing" every year, and I'm not exactly mad about it

I suck at making desserts. Thankfully, various members of my husband's family are still on board to bring sweets. We always end up with a Nothing Bundt Cake at every occasion and my word, they are delicious. Highly recommend to anyone with a franchise location in their area, needing to outsource a sweet treat.

[&roid]

Just my take on it, but the 3 1/2 cups of flour will do enough damage to everyone’s blood sugar that subbing out the sugar/candied fruit won’t make this recipe diabetic friendly. 

[kayb]

5 hours ago, Arey said:

will this recipe work if I use Splenda instead of sugar, and if I substitute craisons and dried cherries in place of the candied fruit how much should I use.

Both the relatives I want to give the applesauce cake to have diabetes and one has had a coronary bypass operation. 

1/2              cup  Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat Vegetable

 

                        Shortening

 

  2               cups  Sugar

 

  2               cups  Applesauce, unsweetened

 

  3 1/2           cups  Flour

 

  2               tsp.  Baking soda

 

  2               tsp.  Cinnamon

 

  15            ounces  Raisins -- 1 small box

 

  8             ounces  Candied fruit

 

1                       cup  Black walnut pieces – (English walnuts can be

 

 

Is this recipe cut off? Would love to have the rest of it, and instructions....

[Arey]

Here it is.

 

             Mother's Applesauce Cake (Poor Man's Fruitcake)

 

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method

--------  ------------  --------------------------------

  1/2              cup  Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat Vegetable

                        Shortening

  2               cups  Sugar

  2               cups  Applesauce, unsweetened

  3 1/2           cups  Flour

  2               tsp.  Baking soda

  2               tsp.  Cinnamon

  15            ounces  Raisins -- 1 small box

  8             ounces  Candied fruit

1                       cup  Black walnut pieces – (English walnuts can be

2                            (substituted)

 

Cream the shortening and sugar together.

 

Sift the dry ingredients together and add them and the applesauce to the sugar and shortening mixture. Then add the raisins, candied fruit and walnuts.Grease and flour the bottoms of 2 loaf pans and line with waxed paper.

 

Bake at 350° until a toothpick or cake tester comes out dry. This takes over an hour  for cakes being baked in the large  disposable loaf pans.

O

ne batch makes two large cakes and a small one in the disposable pans.  The raisons on top always seem to burn.

I had posted it before some years ago in the family favorites thread

 

Yield:

  "8 servings"

 

[kayb]

Thank you!

 

[suzilightning]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 1:23 PM, Anna N said:

But I think the original problem was providing gravy for someone who was gluten sensitive. Someone suggested separating out enough gravy for that person and thickening it with cornstarch. That is what I would do. But I would not thicken all the gravy with corn starch. 

John's cousin, Debbie, and most of her family are actually gluten allergic.  When she hosts the Christmas parade dinner the Saturday after Thanksgiving I showed her how to make beurre manie using a gluten free flour blend.  There are several out there that are acceptable.

[suzilightning]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 9:49 PM, Kim Shook said:

Here you go.  (I thought I already did this - sorry to take so long!)

I do that with oranges … never thought about eggs though!

[suzilightning]

I have no clue what I am going to eat this Thanksgiving.  I may just find someplace to volunteer part of the day as I am also dog sitting for one of John's friend.

[Smithy]

21 hours ago, Arey said:

will this recipe work if I use Splenda instead of sugar, and if I substitute craisons and dried cherries in place of the candied fruit how much should I use.

Both the relatives I want to give the applesauce cake to have diabetes and one has had a coronary bypass operation. 

1/2              cup  Crisco 0 Grams Trans Fat Vegetable

 

                        Shortening

 

  2               cups  Sugar

 

  2               cups  Applesauce, unsweetened

 

  3 1/2           cups  Flour

 

  2               tsp.  Baking soda

 

  2               tsp.  Cinnamon

 

  15            ounces  Raisins -- 1 small box

 

  8             ounces  Candied fruit

 

1                       cup  Black walnut pieces – (English walnuts can be

 

 

 

Arey, I think you could substitute dried fruit for candied fruit with no trouble, although it will change the taste somewhat. (In my book it would change the taste for the better, but I'm not a good judge since I like candied fruit in only small amounts!) I think the dried cherries are an excellent choice. You might also want to consider dried apricots, plums or pears, if you can find them; they'll be sweeter than the craisins and more nearly like the sugared fruits.

 

You noted that the raisins on top always seemed to burn.There's a trick to preventing the fruit from floating upward in the batter. I'm highlighting that question so someone with experience can help.

 

As for Splenda: there have been discussions about baking with sugar substitutes over the years. The chemistry is different - I know you're asking about that - and for some people the flavor is also detectably different. These topics may help you, and get some more focused answers:

Anyone baked with Splenda?

Cooking and baking with sugar substitutes

 

[kayb]

The cooking marathon has begun, and apparently my ability to take photos has departed. Please forgive horrible pics.

 

Done so far: The cranberry salad:

 

The grape salad, for tomorrow night:

 

An apple cranberry walnut crisp for tomorrow night's dinner:

 

 

Tomorrow, I'm cooking red beans and rice for an early T'giving dinner for the middle child and her family, as they can't be here Thursday. The apple-cranberry-walnut crisp is gluten-free on her behalf, and red beans and rice is her favorite meal at Mama's house. The grape salad features her grandmother's fruit dressing. Cranberry salad will serve for both dinners. I'll make GF cheesy corn muffins to go with the red beans, which are presently soaking and will go on to cook early tomorrow.

 

Also cooked the sweet potatoes for the casserole; I'll finish it Wednesday and bake it Thursday morning. Boiled some eggs for deviled eggs. I hope to have time tomorrow to break down the turkey and bag him and sous vide him, but that may wait until early Wednesday. I'm planning on smoking the legs and thighs and roasting the breasts. Also need to pick up the dressing Wednesday (local diner does a much better job of it than I do), make the curry spread for leftover turkey sandwiches, make the the broccoli/cauliflower salad, and make some kind of dessert Leaning hard toward pumpkin cheesecake. So Thursday, I'll roast and smoke the bird, bake the dressing and sweet potatoes, make the mac and cheese and roast the Brussels sprouts. Oh, and make rolls. 

 

Friday I will drink mimosas, eat turkey sandwiches, and shop online. Ain't moving from my den.

[Smithy]

@kayb, where to start? In no particular order:

• More on the grape salad, please.
• More on the apple-cranberry-walnut crisp, please!
• Deviled eggs, cranberry salad, yes!
• I hadn't thought about a curry spread for leftover turkey, but it sounds great... and
• I'll be there Friday for the mimosas!

[Kim Shook]

So, one benefit of my mother's apartment lease not running out until February (she's been living with us since May) is a big, empty refrigerator.  Our turkey breasts, sour cream cheddar potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, and sweet potatoes for Jessica's gnocchi are all thawing right now.  Nice to have them out of my way.  (The other benefit was that it gave Jessica a place to live while they were rehabbing her flooded apartment).

[kayb]

10 hours ago, Smithy said:

@kayb, where to start? In no particular order:

• More on the grape salad, please.
• More on the apple-cranberry-walnut crisp, please!
• Deviled eggs, cranberry salad, yes!
• I hadn't thought about a curry spread for leftover turkey, but it sounds great... and
• I'll be there Friday for the mimosas!

 

Grape salad is about as simple as can be. White grapes, black grapes, red grapes, all cut in half. Chopped pecans. Dressing is my late mother-in-law's "fruit dip" -- a blend of a 7 oz jar of marshamallow cream, an 8 oz block of cream cheese, and a tablespoon of lime juice.  Put as much as you want on the grapes, put the rest in the fridge to dip apple slices or other fruit in later.

 

Apple cranberry walnut crisp -- This is a recipe I saw somewhere over the weekend. Roughly chop a cup of fresh cranberries. Add in a cup of chopped walnuts. Peel and slice four or five apples. Add a cup of sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice, stir it all up and let it sit a bit. The recipe called for a double crust, but as Child B has celiac disease, I just put it straight into a deep dish pie pan and covered it with a GF crisp topping of butter, brown sugar, oats and Bob's Red Mill GF pancake mix.

 

Curry spread is Da Bomb for leftover turkey sandwiches!  My recipe came from the grandmother of one of my friends. Here 'tis, and sorry it's hard to read.

 

And I saw a recipe last week for mimosas with apple juice. Just know I'm trying that! See you Friday!

 

[heidih]

It was somewhat amusing and a bit endearing when my dad called me today to ask for advice on Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing.  He (96) and stepmom (88) are wintering in Rancho Mirage (cue Obama  https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/rancho-mirage/2018/02/17/former-pres-barack-obama-desert-weekend-heres-what-we-know/348605002/)  We have a tortured relationship. He hates going out to eat and her penchant for going along with step bro to an Indian casino tomorrow just was more than he could tolerate so he bought an 11 pound turkey and a box of Mrs. Cubbinsons stuffing dry mix (which he swore was Mam Corizon_ -took a while but I teased it out...)  Now this is a man (former Euro schooled butcher) who routinely handled the stuffing (baked, with liver) and the turkey. But--- he had forgotten as had not done in a while. So we sorted out the turkey. He needed reminding on temp and time/pound. He did remember to rub with salt and pepper (man was long ago a sausage maker and did beef jerky to die for).  We ran through the stuffing as well. Should be interesting to get feedback,

 

For years I held a friend's hand on the gravy. When she had a later in life (43) pregnancy and was losing it emotionally I made the gravy ahead for her and the husband would pick it up T-Day morning and bring us https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/12/los-angeles-top-notch-nog-from-broguieres-farm-fresh-dairy.htmlg  I've now defaulted to just sending her "gravy luck prayers" which I am headed off to do. via text. 

Edited November 22, 2018 by heidih (log)

[robirdstx]

Since we did our traditional Turkey Thanksgiving meal before Halloween, while our son and grandson were visiting from Japan, today we will keep it easy. There is just the two of us, so we will have a Glazed Spiral-sliced Ham with Baked Sweet Potatoes, Lemon Dill Green Beans and Crescent Rolls. Ham and Navy Bean Soup will be making an appearance in the coming week.

Edited November 22, 2018 by robirdstx (log)

[David Ross]

This year I made a Huckleberry-Cranberry sauce.  I buy enough fresh, local huckleberries in season to have throughout the year. It's a simple recipe, just cranberries cooked down in sugar and a bit of water, then about a cup of huckleberries added, (to one bag fresh cranberries).  Just a dash of nutmeg and that's it.  There were 16 at Thanksgiving dinner and I took about 3 cups of the sauce and there wasn't a teaspoon left.

 

[David Ross]

I updated the pumpkin tart that I posted in the opener.  Really all I did was add some white sprinkles to make it look more festive.  The folks at dinner had never tried a candied cranberry let alone paired with the richness and pudding-like texture of pumpkin pie so it was another big hit. 

[robirdstx]

 

Gratin Dauphinois (based on Bourdain’s Les Halles recipe - subbing Jarlesberg for the Gruyere; Potatoes sliced thinner at 1/8” thick) cooked in the CSO on Convection Bake for 40 minutes at 325F; rested for 10 minutes before serving. Husband approved!

[David Ross]

13 hours ago, robirdstx said:

 

Gratin Dauphinois (based on Bourdain’s Les Halles recipe - subbing Jarlesberg for the Gruyere; Potatoes sliced thinner at 1/8” thick) cooked in the CSO on Convection Bake for 40 minutes at 325F; rested for 10 minutes before serving. Husband approved!

I'm going to do that for Christmas dinner.  I usually roast potatoes under the rib roast to soak up the meat fat but I've been thinking of something along these lines for this year.  Thank you so much for the inspiration.

[lemniscate]

I did cinnamon nutmeg palmiers with some TJ's puff pastry I found in the freezer.  These are going to be a Christmas cookie gift plate addition.  (I like the darker, more caramelized ones).

[kayb]

I have just put two of @Arey's applesauce cakes in the oven. If these don't turn out better for me than did the white fruitcakes of a few years back, I'm done making fruitcake! However, if a taste-test of the batter is any indication, they should be excellent.

 

Arey, I do not recall, and I did not copy the entire post with the recipe, just ingredients and instructions. Do you mist or drizzle yours with any sort of alcohol after baking? And do they need to be refrigerated/frozen, or will they keep, like most fruitcakes, nearly indefinitely in a tin?