How Was Your Thanksgiving?

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Posted by Theresa111 • 11/27/10
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I was let off of the hook this year, as I have been working part-time helping a local caterer during the holiday season. This was so nice as we got to hold and play with our new Grand Niece, who arrived in mid September. What a beautiful little girl!

My nephew roasted a turkey, steamed big perfectly-spiced carrot chunks, creamed mashed potatoes, cooked green beans adorned with crispy fried thick bacon bits. His gravy was flavorful and smooth ... sans lumps. He served dinner rolls (from Trader Joe's), which had toasted sesame seeds on top and were slathered with butter. He made an apple pie and a pumpkin pie, too.

My niece made the stuffing and helped her cousin in the kitchen. Everything was perfectly seasoned. I barely dashed a little salt and pepper on the gravy.

I only ate one plateful and refrained from heaping the plate unnecessarily nor did I return for seconds. I will admit to leaving with a good sized take away of leftovers. We had a good time there and we wen across the city to visit my extended family and later to our friends home. It was fun.

Please take a few minutes and share with all of us your gathering and or dining experience. Did you cook this year, or were you as lucky as I? Do tell.

family, Food Preparation, Holidays, leftovers, sharing, thanksgiving, traditions

Discussion Replies

0 votes

sugarpies (11/27/10)

I did a Chicken Roulade with Cranberry-Fig Stuffing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus and for dessert Gingerbread Cupcakes with butter-Cream Cheese frosting.

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0 votes

amybyrd21 (11/28/10)

I went to pot lucks this year. I cooked Butter beans for one and Death by Twinkies for the other. I am cooking for tomorrow for a large gathering of people from Hubby's work. I have been cleaning house and preparing food all day.

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0 votes

Theresa111 (11/28/10)

I'm getting into the Holiday Mood! This year I am going to try new recipes, since there are literally millions to choose from. I am going to be a crusader in my kitchen.

Buck, Your dinner and cupcake looks mouthwatering. No really, my mouth is watering.

Amy Pot Luck Dinners can be so much fun, plus everyone feels like they have contributed.

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0 votes

Theresa111 (11/28/10)

I made the mistake of buying (I should spank myself) three fruit pies from The Pennsylvania Dutch Amish store. I had heard great things about their food and furniture and that I really needed to visit their store. Well on Wednesday I did. On Thursday, the pies that one of the family put into the over to warm up, they were mushy! The apple pie I ended up taking home, was chilled (the way we like them) and when I cut into it, the bottom was still partially thawing and it was unbaked all the way. I am taking that pie back to the store on Thursday (when next they are open), and I am going to request my refund. @ $11.00 a pop I was surely disappointed. Won't be giving them any more of my hard earned money.

I should have baked my own pies. Guess I learned a huge lesson and ... I ended up with pie on my face. Bad Teesa!

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1. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (11/29/10)
  
  That's horrible! There was a Mennonite bakery back in South Carolina we used to go to and it was wonderful. That's very disappointing that your pies were so poorly made.
2. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (11/30/10)
  
  I agree. I just wonder how many other people got the same RAW deal. The store was packed. Felt like I was in downtown New York City. Packed!
0 votes

amybyrd21 (11/30/10)

I had a Paula Deen Dark Rum Pecan Pie this weekend. I was dissapointed in the crust. The filling was great. I want to make one so I am looking for a recipe for a decent pie crust not one that tasted like cardboard.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (11/30/10)
  
  I'm certain Sugarpies (Buck) can fix you up. Check out his cookbook! Click his avatar and then visit his blog.
  
  There's nothing quite like that perfect flaky pie crust!
2. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (12/04/10)
  
  I've got several good ones Amy. The one that Cooks Illustrated did which uses Vodka to retard gluten formation is pretty good but if you're like me you probably don't keep top of the line vodka sitting around the kitchen.
  
  I love an Amish recipe that actually uses apple cider vinegar to help retard the gluten and gives a nice flaky crust with a subtle flavor.
  
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  1 tsp. salt
  1 cup shortening (for a buttery flavor use 3/4 shortening 1/4 butter... crust won't be quite as flaky but still good)
  1 large egg
  1/2 cup cold water
  1 tbs. apple cider vinegar
  
  In large bowl combine the flour and salt and whisk together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or using your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Add the egg, water and vinegar and continue to stir and work the dry ingredients until they are well moistened and form a dough. Form dough into a ball and divide into 3 equal sized balls. Form one ball into a disk and roll out on floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie pan and trim edges to 1-inch overhang. Fold edges under and crimp. The remaining dough can be used right away or placed in plastic and frozen for up to 3 months.
  
  You can also do this in the food processor by starting with the flour, salt and shortening and pulsing 2-3 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Then add the egg and vinegar and pulse one or two times to combine. Then add the cold water with processor running through top until dough comes together. Proceed as above with rolling.
3. 0 votes
  
  ibozo (12/05/10)
  
  The vodka was supposed to be put in the pie crust? I thought if the crust turned out well you got to do a shot. :-)
4. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (12/05/10)
  
  Yes, the vodka (or in the case of the Amish recipe cider vinegar) retards gluten formation because alcohol helps keep long gluten strands from forming. That gives a nice flaky crust as opposed to a chewy and dense crust because of overprocessing (which almost everyone ends up doing). Good vodka won't leave an aftertaste in the crust like other alcohols so it works best. The cider vinegar used in the Amish recipe doesn't leave a strong taste but there is a little subtle flavor that I actually prefer in the crust but you can only really taste it if you sample the crust without a filling. Any filling overcomes that very, very light flavor.
5. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (12/08/10)
  
  @sugarpies I can only drink vodka with orange juice, in a London hotel and if I get to jump up and down madly on the bed! Wheee. I barely ever drink, but my husband insisted I at least try vodka when we were on our London trip October 2003. We had such a fabulous time.