Essential Thanksgiving Link from Marianne

Hi Barbara---

This was in Saturday's NYT -- fun to see the videos. I am going to try the Brussell sprout hash. I only have one oven so I appreciate any make-ahead and stove top recipes. I am also going to try the make-ahead gravy and add drippings right before serving.
    ----Marianne

Essential Thanksgiving Your guide to the year?s most important meal, with our best recipes, videos, techniques and tricks. Or, copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://nyti.ms/17SJuJE

Thanksgiving Recipes for Veggies?

First of all,  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who has taken the time to read this blog! 

We are going on the 5th year of sharing recipes and food adventures here on Feast Everyday, and I really appreciate everyone who has participated or followed the blog.

I am finding myself relying on the Recipe Index more and more to look up the recipes we use frequently or ingredients needed for holiday meals while I am shopping. 

This Thanksgiving I am using

• Chris's mother's Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins, minis for the kiddos
• Mrs. King's lasagne for the night before
• Grandma Hall's bread stuffing
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Ann's Ultimate Pumpkin Pie (maybe --- I might just stick to the basic - this one is hard to pull off well--
• plus the usual suspects, like mashed potatoes, and a green salad 

Plus my cousin, Susan, showed me a recipe she uses for a baked egg casserole which  I'll try for breakfast and post afterwards.

But this year I am still stuck on what vegetables to make --- which don't either take up my oven while the turkey is still cooking --- or interfere with gravy making on the stove top.

I usually roast brussel sprouts because Tom loves them so much, and sauté another like glazed carrots for color.  But they are a hassle to do with everything else going on.

Ideally, I'd like a vegetable (or two) which I could pre-cook, at least partially, and then reheat in the microwave, or keep warm on a hot plate.

Any suggestions?????

B

Also, while you are cooking this year, please think about taking a photo (cell phone ones are fine) and sharing some of your favorites with us. 

Bacon Wrapped Honey Chicken for Sunday dinner

Note from B:  My sister, Jane,  recently mentioned that she often makes this dish.  I posted it back in February 2009 when first starting up Feast Everyday.  I had forgotten about it!  It is so easy to do, yet seems special.  I made it for Sunday dinner yesterday, and it was pretty darn good, I must say. 

This is a simple, tasty way to bake chicken which came about when we received a jar of local honey from our friend, Bud, who is an experienced beekeeper in addition to being president of our community college. We used boneless, skinless thighs but I am sure it would work with breasts, too. Be sure they aren't wet.  (Dry with a paper towel if necessary.)  To start, lightly season each side of the chicken with salt, then put a spoonful of honey on each thigh, then place a sage leaf on top. (If your honey is too runny, chill it first.)

Wrap each piece with a strip of bacon. 

Tuck the ends underneath. And place them on a shallow roasting pan.


Scatter some vegetables to roast along with the chicken. This time we used broccoli, but it was even better with sweet potatoes the first time I tried to do this.

Roast at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes depending on the thickness of your thighs.. The bacon turns crispy and the juices flavor the veggies. The bacon also keeps the meat moist. The sage leaf is not overpowering and looks interesting showing through the bacon.

The leftovers reheat easily for lunch or dinner the next day.

B

Molasses Crinkles by Colleen

Molasses Crinkles by Colleen

Hi Barb---
Just made these for kids in my class and took to Spanish class tonight and they were a big hit in both venues. Flavor of gingerbread without all the work. Really easy and kids love to help with the glaze.
       --- Colleen

Molasses Crinkles

3 sticks of butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs1/2 cup molasses*
4 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger

*Spray the inside of the measuring cup with a little bit of cooking spray/Pam before you pour in the molasses. It will make it easier for the molasses to pour out of the cup. This trick works for anything sticky; honey, peanut butter, etc.

Optional Glaze/Drizzle:
Powdered sugar (about 2 cups)
Milk or water (about 1/4 cup, or as needed to make icing easy to work with)

Cream butter and sugar and add eggs and molasses. 
Then stir in dry ingredients.
Roll into balls the size of walnuts and refrigerate on waxed paper-lined baking sheet until thoroughly chilled.
Heat oven to 375.
Take each ball and dip top in sugar or sanding sugar (sugar sprinkles).
Place on greased baking sheet, sugar side up, and sprinkle a few drops of water on top of each cookie.
Bake until just set, but not hard for 10-12 minutes.Let cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to rack tocool.
You can drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze to make them more festive.
Mix powdered sugar with either milk or water and put in squeeze bottle.
Move bottle over cookies back and forth while squeezing lightly.Let drizzle set before putting in container.
-
     ---Colleen

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Fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies by Colleen

Fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies by Colleen

Hi Barb--

Here is another recipe for you. Just made it to send to William in a care package. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, these are HEAVEN. Not sure if I have sent before. I submitted it to a PTA cookbook once.

The thing to do is to get on my friend Megan Fisher¹s distribution list and have her bring you her cookies already made. Short of that, stock up on the Reese's (or pirate them out of your kid's Halloween candy) and make your own. This is a good time to get the Reese's cheap post Halloween. My Target has walls of leftover candy. I double the recipe. It is a bit of work to make with all the unwrapping, and go big or go home, right?

---Colleen

Megan's Fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
10 large Reese's peanut butter cups, cut into 4-6 pieces*
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Cream butter and peanut butter together with sugar.
Add vanilla and eggs.
Add in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix until smooth.
Stir in peanut butter cup pieces and chocolate chips.
Drop dough (about 3 Tablespoons) onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in 350 degree oven 11-13 minutes until dry and slightly firm to touch.
LET COOKIES COOL ON SHEET FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE before removing carefully to cooling rack. Use wide spatula for removal.
Cool completely and then store in airtight container.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

(*I think you can also use the small Reese's peanut butter cups (use 20-25), but don¹t use Reese's Pieces. You won't get the same comforting feeling if you are crunching through the hard candy coating. Leave the Reese's Pieces to ET.)

---Colleen

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Apple Pie by Chris -- My Mom's Long-Time Recipe

 

Apple Pie by Chris - My Mom's Long-Time Recipe

Funny thing is that everyone in my family loves this pie COLD! I have to bake and cool it early in the day so it can be chilled by dinner. Leftovers are a morning breakfast favorite.

I should also add that for years, John and Matt have both asked for this apple pie for their birthdays instead of cake!

   ---Chris

Apple Pie
(my mom's long-time recipe)

Crust:
2 1/4 c. flour
9 T lard - yes, I know but it makes the flakiest crust!
4.5 T. butter
1.5 t. sugar
3/4 t. salt
3-4 T. very cold water

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in lard and butter until it's evenly crumbled. I do this by hand. Add enough cold water to make it all stick together. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate at least an hour. Can even do the day before.

Pie:
6-7 c. peeled, sliced apples - my favorites are (in order) Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and 20 oz. cooking apples
Add 3/4 - 1 c. sugar and sprinkle with 1/8 t. salt.

Put in pie crust and dot with 2 T. butter. Put top crust on and seal. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle on a mixture of 2 T. sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon and 1/4 t. nutmeg. Slice a few vents into top.

Bake 10 mins at 450 and then lower temp to 375 for about 30 minutes.

---Chris

Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Spiced Almonds by Chris

Chris's Pies

Note from B:  We enjoyed Chris's baking talents recently -- so I asked her to share her two pie recipes with us.  Today I will post this delicious chocolate confection --- the crunchy almonds are really interesting and fun to eat with the rich chocolate pie. 

Tomorrow I will post her Mom's favorite apple pie recipe. Not to be missed!   --- B

Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Spiced Almonds
(from Four Star Desserts by Emily Luchetti)

9 inch prebaked tart shell

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 T. unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/8 t. salt
1 T light corn syrup
2 T. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. dark rum
1/3 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325.
Melt chocolate and butter together. Whisk till smooth.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and sugar. Add the corn syrup and then the milk, vanilla, and rum. Mix till smooth.
Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.
Spread chocolate chips on bottom of tart shell.
Pour chocolate mixture over them.
Bake until almost completely set, 20-25 mins.

Serve warm with dollop of whipped cream and spiced almonds.

Spiced almonds:

1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1.5 T cinnamon
1/2 lg. egg white
1.5 t. vanilla
1 1/3 c. whole natural almonds

Preheat over to 300 degrees
In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk egg white till frothy. Stir in vanilla, almonds and reserved brown sugar mixture.
Spread almonds in single layer on a baking sheet and bake them, stirring every 10 minutes until they are dry, about 30 minutes.

           ----Chris