Wednesday ~ pies

 

 

Apple-Cranberry pie

Homemade evaporated milk using rice milk

mini pumpkin pies using rice evaporated milk

 

Pumpkin Pie for the rest of the gang

All the pies ~ hard to resist

Check and ready for tomorrow.

I had been pondering how to make pumpkin pie without the usual evaporated milk. I need a non-dairy alternative. I searched the internet and it seems you can use rice or soy milk and reduce it down to half. Most instructions called for using a crock-pot and would take six hours. I needed it sooner so I poured the rice milk into a glass bowl and heated it in the microwave for six minutes till it was boiling. I took it out and let it set on the counter while it evaporated. Repeated this about 6 times and voila! Tomorrow will be the true taste test. The mini pumpkin pies were made with the homebrew, non-dairy evaporated milk.

***Update: we tried one of the mini pies and it is very good! Now the non-dairy persons in our family have one more treat to enjoy. 

Tomorrow the stuffing will be made and , yes, we stuff our turkey and have never had any ill effect. Rolls will be baked, potatoes boiled and the finishing touches on the gravy will be made. Not to be forgotten opening the cans of jellied cranberry sauce. Yes we love the stuff...many apologies.

We are thankful for all we have. We are missing our family who are Eastward, working hard and studying. 

Hopefully we can all be together next year...

Tuesday ~

Flour, flour everywhere!
Since these items need to be refrigerated for hours up to 2 days, today is the day for all things requiring flour. I went through 1 five pound bag.

dinner roll dough and music

Apple-cranberry pie crust, music and a drink

the original test kitchen recipe

never fail pie crust dough for pumpkin pie

 

more dishes to be done

the bunny is exhausted

3 hours later ~ the rolls

 

 

 

 

Best American dinner rolls

This is a favorite time of year because:
The light outside changes and gets dark early
More family meals
Hockey
Smartwool socks
Cook and bake different foods
 I use all the tools in my cupboards

I have faithfully followed one of the 10 Laws of Thanksgiving set forth by Sam Sifton: butter.
So far I have used butter in everything I have made. Not a time for diets indeed.

Monday Monday ~

cranberry for pie

 

veggies for gravy

make ahead gravy

 

dirty dishes

La la la la la la...singing a tune by The Mamas and the Papas...that dates me!

Today I will be preparing the make ahead items for our Thanksgiving Day Feast ~

cranberry sauce for the Apple Cranberry Pie &

Make ahead gravy

Now I vowed never to make the apple-cranberry pie after the first one. I was a test kitchen for Cook's Illustrated and in the summer months they sent out the recipe for the pie. It took longer than stated, dirtied every dish in my kitchen and I made me tired. I gave it a bad review and stated all the reasons why. In the mail came the winter quarterly magazine and in it was the very pie recipe that I hated. Since then, I have figured out how to like it, you see making the individual components ahead of time is the perfect solution. (They state this at the beginning of the recipe. Always read your recipes first.) It has been a family favorite since the very first time. I too love the flavor combination. It is a great pie for Fall celebrations.

I know it sounds weird to make the gravy days before...but it is so good and the secret is to add the juices from the turkey on the big day. It is quick and delicious. Carrot, onion and celery, butter, flour and chicken broth, yum. I do not know where I found the original recipe I use but you can find it everywhere in blog land.

Another reason to make things ahead of time is the 'dish factor'. The picture above is the second half of what I did today. whew!

I can take the rest of the day off?

What do you prepare ahead of time to make your life easier?

Tomorrow is Tuesday and 2 more item to make ahead...

Thanksgiving preparation ~

 

 

the oven's clean, the recipes found and the shopping list made ~ countdown to Thanksgiving

I do just a little everyday so I can enjoy Thanksgiving, chat and not drop the stuffing on the floor,( true story) due to exhaustion and marathon cooking. I have one child on vacation from school, she will be my little helper and waiting for the others for college classes to finish up then homeward bound they will be.

I saw a little quote in a coffee shop that read, " One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." Luciano Pavarotti

I think that sums up Thanksgiving in more than a few words

This is a fun cozy time of year!

Relaxing ~

My plate vs. my daughters plate....

In our family we have an old fashion meat and potatoes guy, a vegetarian, a picky eater and the rest of us are sort of normal except the darling daughter that can't have her food touch. Now I am not making fun, but a Thanksgiving meal is probably the hardest plate of food to keep your food separated, and I thought a picture for posterity would be appropriate.

 Handsome vs. cute

I am going to have to make a set of buttonhole napkins for Christmas.

 

My well loved Moosewood Cookbook comes in handy after Thanksgiving. I was vegetarian during the nineties and now eat meat sparingly. What I love about this cookbook is that each recipe is packed with so much flavor that my carnivore husband almost doesn't notice, but he asks. But for those individuals who need to have meat at each meal, the addition of a protein adds chew and texture to an already flavorful main dish. 

Lentil soup with carrots, chopped tomatoes, simmered all day. Just what I needed after a busy Thanksgiving. 

Now to the next holiday and elving to be done ~

Thanksgiving ~ the shopping list

While editing the cupboards I discovered there were a few items missing for our upcoming feast.

The List ~
Turkey, of course
sausage and apples for the stuffing
I have end of bread loaves to chop into cubes, dry and rehydrate
Potatoes
Canned sweet potatoes ~ I know with everything else that is homemade you wonder why!
Marshmallows, a throw back from childhood
Cranberries for the pie
Carrots, celery, garlic, onions and white wine for the gravy
Whole milk, shortening, flour and brown sugar

The Plan ~
I normally do the shopping on the Monday before Thanksgiving but we will be traveling back from the Bay Area. So Tuesday it is.

There are several items for our family feast that I can make ahead. It makes Thanksgiving with the family so much more enjoyable. Tuesday, after the shopping, I make the 'Make Ahead Gravy' then store it in the refrigerator. On Thanksgiving all I have to do is reheat the gravy and add the juices from the turkey. I also make the cranberry pie filling for the cranberry-apple pie. Since I have lost my 'Monday' I will be making the pie crust dough and rolls too.

Wednesday I bake the pumpkin pie and cranberry-apple pie, set the table and chill the sparkling cider.

The big girls and I are leaving today for a debate tournament. So to take care of myself I have planned a little detour to the Purl Bee in Tustin. Who knows what trouble I can get myself into today.

Have a lovely weekend

Thanksgiving ~

I am getting ready for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

 The menu ~
Turkey with apple sausage stuffing, in the bird,
Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Cooks Country
All purpose Gravy,  Cooks Illustrated
Canned Sweet Potatoes with marshmallows, yum
Best American Dinner Rolls, Cooks Illustrated
Canned jellied cranberry sauce, a childhood tradition
Pumpkin pie, Consumer Reports Blue Ribbon 'Pies'
Cranberry apple pie
Sparkling Cider

The only green thing on the table will probably be the centerpiece. We have made steamed green beans but no one eats them. So many other delicious items on the table that we don't normally have I suppose.

One year we ate out at a restaurant thinking we didn't want the hassle of preparing, cooking and the clean up afterwards. That was a big mistake and I wound up making a complete Thanksgiving dinner a few days later. We had forgotten about the leftovers. I enjoy the holiday leftovers in sandwiches, as lunch or dinner and I have been know to sneak some for breakfast.

So I have my recipes gathered and my shopping list prepared. Some of the items in the menu can be made in advance without giving up flavor or freshness. I will share these little tidbits tomorrow.

For now a few pictures of Thanksgiving past

Halloween 2012

'No-Face' & 'Princess Mononoke'

The girls ~ and 'Laura Ingalls'

 My darling daughters designed their costumes and I with my trusty sewing machine stitched. I used  McCall's pattern M4948, for the Laura costume and lengthen the sleeves. This is the pattern I used for when she was Alice a few year back. Such a versatile pattern, add calico print fabric and you have a prairie girl. I found the bonnet tutorial on the internet via 'Given Moments' blog. The internet is wonderful!

Next up is a little fabric swap among the quilters in the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild. I have made one item but no pictures till we swap... two more little things to go to round it out.

Lastly trying a new recipe for baked donuts. I think it will bring a little holiday spirit to the house. 

Our November is filling up with debate tournaments, SAT testing, college applications~ our life is full and happy. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. Furious baking and cooking followed by resting. As I am planning for Thanksgiving, I think first thing is to clean the ovens. I know there is splatters and spills but it just feels nice to start fresh. My recipes are gathered, I did this a few years back realizing that I used the same recipes so why not have them all in one place!? Sometimes I feel like a late bloomer ~

And I am ready to get back to my original plan/idea for this blog which was '12 Quilts 12 dresses'. I need to do an inventory to see where I am at and plan out the 'dresses'. The little girl is easy to sew for, not so many curves. I have probably made 12 or more quilts and have veered off course here and there but I am probably close. I will report back soon...

Happy November

Thanksgiving in March

This weekend we enjoyed rainy weather, a fire in the fireplace, watching hockey, homemade chili and getting ready for company. Our days are full and our home often is neglected. So I made the decision that we needed to spruce things up for spring, and cook for company. My brother and his wife coming into to town on a whirlwind trip so what better way to greet them with a Thanksgiving meal. We don't get to share the holidays together so I am grateful for this opportunity.

They, my family, think I am crazy but I have learned that you can prepare many items ahead of time. Gravy, pie, rolls, bread and stuffing will be prepped today and tomorrow (yes a Monday work/school day) we will throw the turkey into the oven in the morning and all the trimmings can bake tomorrow. I think it will be nice evening and worth every minute of it. So the menu will include, turkey with apple sage stuffing (Cooks Illustrated), mashed potatoes with gravy (CI), rolls, sweet potatoes (baked), green beans (steamed) and a pumpkin pie and never fail pie crust from Consumer Reports Books Pies, 1987. yum!

I have had many epiphanies lately and one that has beats strong in my head over and over is that it is worth making the time and putting in every bit of effort to make something. Whether it be bread or cakes from scratch, knitting a scarf or preparing a meal, it makes it special and I value all these things more. I like the process, the result, and satisfaction of providing. And this is where my word of the year helps. It provides me the opportunity, in a small way, to 'edit' those things that I either no longer value or need to make way for those I do. It makes me a happier person.

Happy Thanksgiving in March

Thankfully