US Thanksgiving 2021

[Wait. Wot]

We are having 12 people coming to join the two of us. It's going to be the largest dinner party here since the before times.

 

We farmed out everything but the bird, gravy, stuffing, dressing and cranberry sauce.

 

Speaking of the bird:

 

 

30 pounds of locally raised organic turkey brined, stuffed and ready to go into the oven. The stuffing is Pepperidge Farms herb seasoned with canned oysters and water chestnuts.

[kayb]

Bird just went in the oven. Dressing is made. Sweet potatoes, green bean casserole made yesterday. Broccoli and cauliflower salad in fridge awaiting dressing. Rolls need to be shaped and put back in the garage to rise. All I have left to do is make the mac and cheese, prep and cook the sprouts, and cycle everything through the oven. We don't eat until 5:30, so I'm cruising along here.

 

Thankful for all y'all, and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

[heidih]

35 minutes ago, Wait. Wot said:

 

We farmed out everything but the bird, gravy, stuffing, dressing and cranberry sauce.

 

So it is stuffing in the bird and dressing baked i a dish, and both will be present?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, Wait. Wot said:

We are having 12 people coming to join the two of us. It's going to be the largest dinner party here since the before times.

 

We farmed out everything but the bird, gravy, stuffing, dressing and cranberry sauce.

 

Speaking of the bird:

 

 

30 pounds of locally raised organic turkey brined, stuffed and ready to go into the oven. The stuffing is Pepperidge Farms herb seasoned with canned oysters and water chestnuts.

There again is that stove that I covet.   Glad to see it en situe.   

[Wait. Wot]

2 hours ago, heidih said:

So it is stuffing in the bird and dressing baked i a dish, and both will be present?

Yeppers

[gulfporter]

Chamorros (pork shanks) were falling off the bone after 80 minutes in the Instant Pot.  Sauce was a variety of dried chilies, onions, tomatoes and tequila (!).  fyi, I learned late last night that putting alcohol in an Instant Pot could be risky as well as too prominent since it doesn't evaporate as it would in other methods. So I boiled it on the stove in the chicken stock that I used to rehydrate the dried chilies, before all went into the Instant Pot.  

 

Our meal was simple, some baked camotes (yams), a lot of gravy from the sauce (I stick blended it after shanks were done, adding a tablespoon of tomato paste).  Pickled onions are de rigueur with pork here.  

 

 

[heidih]

On 11/24/2021 at 2:43 PM, heidih said:

I envy those who actually have folks coming though I am pretty Covid picky on interactions. Father home till Tuesday when he has aortic valve replacement so his fantastical idea not grounded in reality of great family Thanksgivings is his desire. Only 3 people. Turkey legs, green beans, cranberry from can, and cornbread.  His wife is doing the legs with potatoes in pan. I am twitching from lack of cooking so I am pre doing the cornbread now, then the green beans (coconut milk, mustard, ginger  simmer - soft for the elders). They won't eat sweets so I am not even going there. Also reducing the dishwater tasting liquid she boiled turkey necks in yesterday with some smoked turkey bones from freezer. Good base for a soup. We  shall see  Al underscored with medically directed low salt protocol. 

So this happened and was well received. Early  for me at half past noon so I just picked. Elders eat early. I'll work on leftovers through day. i am squirreling the bones for a soup/stock. Pain free day mostly so far. No images as not pretty presentation. Hope y'all are enjoying your food.

[Kim Shook]

On 11/23/2021 at 8:46 AM, racheld said:

I would.   Just get your dear Mr. into that Transporter, and whiz over here.   We could sorta approximate that April in 2009 when you stepped out into our back yard and we all changed course a little bit, I think.     (Of course, the only caveat is that if you could see my house, you wouldn't eat my cookin'!).   We've just let things go for so long, with "keeping no company, having no horse, no servants, just this snug little cottage," that things are too out of order, kilter, sorts, hand, place, and control to have anyone in.   Scarce a soul has passed our doorstep save the postman and Amazon, for here these nearly two years.   How about we have it on the HOLODECK!!??  There's the ticket---all those replicators and settings and easy-peasy EHL GREY, HOTT.   I'm for that, and I'm wavering between being Lwaxana Troi and Jadzea.   I'll check my closet.      Moire non of how things REALLY are, in a less public forum.   

 

I'm giddy with the prospect of going out, I think---Kathy and I are going on some errands and to lunch---first time in years, and my first venture into someone else's vehicle in a long time.   She's picking me up at ten, so I'd best go finish getting ready.   Love to Y'ALL, from way over here!!   

Well just imagine my delight when I come to this thread and see that one of my posts has lured the lovely Miz @racheld out of eG retirement!  And, I have to say that if I had the opportunity of being in your house, I wouldn’t give a dern WHAT it looks like – I would just revel in the company of @caroled, Kathy, Miss O and your dear self!

 

@kayb – I’ve copied the information about the coconut cake and will be trying it after the holidays.  Thank you so much for posting them.

 

@gulfporter – those sweet potatoes are absolutely gorgeous!  They remind me of the ones that we get at our favorite Central American restaurant.  Theirs are drizzled with what appears to be sweetened condensed milk, but the potatoes themselves look the same.  SO good.

 

@Orbit– apparently, you can make cute deviled egg chicks when they are cut that way 😁.

 

@Wait. Wot – love that you make stuffing!  We love stuffing, but almost never make it anymore since we tend to make “parts” rather than a whole bird.  My mother and I used to joke that a turkey was just a really expensive cooking vessel for stuffing.

 

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.  I find myself in two camps – I do feel nostalgic for a family and friend filled holiday and confess to feeling a bit hurt when no invitations were forthcoming from close family.  But, as crazy and stress-filled as the run up to last week has been, I found myself quite grateful that it was just the three of us this year.  Jessica was pretty good about getting her food done without needing me to completely rescue her.  All the food was delicious and we’re still eating leftovers. 

[haresfur]

Late to the party but it has been a cool enough early summer to turn on the oven and turkeys pretty much show up this time of year and disappear after Christmas. So I cooked a "Banquet turkey" Which is basically just the breast on the bone and one joint of the wing to help it stand up. Small birds by N. American standards but large by two person family standard. And ovens here are European-size so there was barely room for a tray of smashed rosemary and olive oil potatoes. Asparagus and homemade red cabbage sauerkraut on the side.

 

First time trying dry brining and it worked really well. 205 C for 35 minutes then 175 C until done. Fan-forced setting.

 

The dogs were very happy with the scraps.

 

eta: gravy

Edited December 5, 2021 by haresfur (log)