Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Thinking Thanksgiving

We usually have a huge family Thanksgiving, perhaps 60 to 70 people, everyone bringing signature dishes and squeezing together at four or five tables. This year my grandma is fighting cancer, and the elder generation is overwhelmed with her care. They've decided we'll do Thanksgiving at a local buffet instead. I understand completely, but I'm sad that the kids will miss the casual conversation and excited play of a holiday at home.

My husband is lamenting the loss of the leftovers. I think he might be the most disappointed of all! He's suggested that I cook a second Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. He doesn't ask for much, so I'll try to oblige. I'm going to experiment with some new recipes I wouldn't have the courage to bring to a family do. Andrew will make Barbara Curtis' cranberry sauce--we're a canned sauce family here, but we just read a great kids book about cranberry harvests, so we'll count this as a learning experience. I'll bow to the new cooking trend with Chief Executive Mom's cider brined rosemary turkey. Vegetables will feature no-sugar-added sweet potatoes, Martha's Plantation Spicy Kale, and a lower-carb version of my grandma-in-law's baked macaroni and cheese. (You can tell I'm Southern because I list macaroni and cheese in the vegetable column!)

Care to share what you're serving for dessert? I need some ideas!

2 comments:

Monica Wilkinson said...

My favorite Thanksgiving dessert is Pumpkin Pie, but this version is the best!

Mix:
1-15 oz. can pumpkin
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
* I substitute pumpkin pie spice for all the spices

Pour into a prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Reduce oven to 350.

Combine:
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. flour
2 T. cold margarine
1/2 t. cinnamon
3/4 c. walnuts

Sprinkle over pie. Bake an additional 40 minutes until a knife or tester comes clean.

Serve with homemade whipped cream (i.e. not Cool Whip).

Enjoy!

Catherine at Frugal Homemaker Plus said...

You'll love the homemade cranberry sause. It was so much easier than I expected when I first made it, and once you try it, you will NEVER go back to canned. I don't even do anything fancy- just the recipe on the cranberry bag.