From the Vaults: Thanksgiving, 2011

   

A Feast with Friends: Our Thanksgiving Day Menu

Turkey with gravy and stuffing (pictured above)
Dressing (vegetarian)
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Cranberry chutney
Butternut squash salad (made by Dan; pictured below)
Kale salad
Green Bean Casserole (made by me)
David Chang's Spicy Brussels Sprouts (made by me)
Macaroni and cheese
Brown 'n' serve rolls
Homemade ice cream (pumpkin with gingersnaps or vanilla with peanut butter cups)
Cherry-blueberry pie (from this book; made by me; pictured below)
Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding (made by me)
Pumpkin cheesecake
Apple strudel

 




Bonus! Baby's First Thanksgiving Menu (8 months old)
Brussels sprout, halved
Green beans
Fresh blackberries with whipped cream
Carrot-bran muffin

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Photo Essay: Thanksgiving Flashback

(some photos by Dan)

Did you notice what's missing?  Dessert!!  For the first time in my life, I was too full to eat any Thanksgiving dessert.  I blame the baby.

I had pie for breakfast the next day.


A few of our recipe links:
Bacon-Jalapeno Stuffing
Cranberry Horseradish Dressing
Green Beans with Balsamic-Shallot Butter


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Stick to your ribs.

Stuffing and gravy is not just for Thanksgiving. It makes a fine late-afternoon snack.

The Original Turkey
Reading Terminal Market
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Two True

I really enjoy the Sprecher root beer served at neighborhood bar and burger joint, Mother's.

This Thanksgiving, though I skipped the Diet Root Beer in the cooler, I got a chance to try two more Sprecher flavors - Orange Dream and Cream Soda.

The cream soda was my favorite of the two, as it was both smooth and strong, but the orange had a definite je ne sais quoi, tightly orange and creamy-dreamy at the same time. These two are perhaps not as classic as the root beer, but they're clearly important steeds in Sprecher's stable.

I had Apple Cake for breakfast.

Thanks, Martha!

Wham, Bam, Thank you, Tim Tam!

At long last -- they're back in my life.

Just like last year, I caught a ride to Target from my in-laws while in Pittsburgh, PA and located Tim Tams on the shelves there. I hope this becomes a family tradition.

Notes:

1. They are still 2 for $5. I bought six packages so that I could hoard 4 and share 2 as an after-the-Thanksgiving-feast treat.
2. This year, the store I visited was stocking two flavors -- caramel (like last year) and chocolate cream (which I'd never tried).
3. Just as I suspected, chocolate cream is better for Slamming with hot beverages.
4. Both flavors remain thrillingly delicious.
   

And now, I have an admission to make. I got a little goofy after Thanksgiving dinner (and not because I was tipsy; I hadn't even finished one glass of white wine). Some of the guests were drinking an Australian red called Jim Jim. I tried to get Dan to do a Tim Tam Slam with the room temperature Jim Jim -- just to see if it would work.



He wouldn't do it, so I did. It worked and it was gross (I do not blame the wine). But I remain simultaneously embarrassed and proud of my Jim Jim Tim Tam Slam. I'm all for breaking new ground in snacking.


[photo by Dan. This photo doesn't need to be any bigger, but I also cannot deny its existence.]


p.s. To my family: that I now have four packages does not mean I don't still want Tim Tams for Christmas. I need a stockpile!

n.b. Everyone else who was new to the cookie (and I, eventually) tried the Slam with hot coffee or tea, at my recommendation (cocoa or steamed milk work, too). I didn't want to spoil Tim Tams for anyone eating them for the first time. But I just couldn't resist this Australian pairing!

We joined the club.

I have never hosted a big holiday meal, and have certainly never been in charge of the turkey for Thanksgiving (it's actually a dish I wouldn't miss, were it to disappear from the holiday's celebration), but I understand that some people are quite passionate about the bird at the center of many American tables on a certain Thursday in late November.

"Cook your turkey on a Weber Grill!" certain Grill-The-Turkey cult members proclaim. This year, we did.

The end result was tasty enough, and the preparation seemed to be low-fuss from where I was sitting.

What's your favorite method of whole turkey prep?

Thanksgiving, 2009

Appetizers: Assorted olives, sweet baby pickles, shrimp and spread, 2 sorts of crackers, pita chips, scallion hummus, dumplings, 4 kinds of cheese (white cheddar, blue, mustard, and I forget), cranberry cinnamon Boursin, and fresh baguettes.














Main Dishes/Sides: Grapefruit, avocado, spinach, and greens salad with citrus dressing; mattar paneer with coconut rice; shredded beets and carrots with garlic and orange juice; turkey (Weber Grilled); Mama Stamberg's horseradish cranberry dressing; orange and cranberry relish; turkey gravy; mashed sweet potatoes with buttermilk; cold green bean salad with soy-glazed almonds; and chestnut and mushroom dressing.




Potables: Wine, cider, cream soda, orange dream, diet root beer, seltzer, water, coffee, and tea.












Desserts: Pear tarte tatin, two pumpkin pies, apple pie, Tim Tams, chocolate peppermint pretzels, and freshly whipped cream.

Point and shoot: The Thanksgiving Day War of 2008

Marshmallows + PVC pipe + plumbing couplings = edible Thanksgiving fun.





Pictured but not needed: three or more laptops.



- More cool how to projects

Aim for the cats!

Or each other. Whatever.







Thanks, NPR and Eric Wilhelm, for the idea.