Thanksgiving is over. The turkey is a pile of bones and sandwich makings. Wickeds, what’s your favorite part of the meal? What did you eat too much of?
Barb: Oh my gosh, do I have to pick? Yesterday, I ate too much of everything. I think my true affection goes to the stars of the meal, the turkey and gravy. Every Thanksgiving we say, “We should make this more often,” but then we never do, so it’s always a treat. Then there’s my great-grandmother’s recipe for yellow turnips, my mother-in-law’s amazing homemade cranberry sauce and my husband’s incredible cornbread and sausage stuffing. And the desserts…But my absolute favorite things happen today and tomorrow. Today, a fantastic turkey sandwich with stuffing and cranberry sauce, and tomorrow, my father’s mother’s Depression-era recipe for corn and turkey chowder. (Note: The recipe for Corn and Turkey Chowder is here on the Maine Crime Writer’s blog.)
Jessie: I loved the turkey and the sweet potatoes cooked in cider. And the glazed onions. And there was just enough room for too much cranberry sauce, homemade and canned since I love them both!
Edith: We’re actually doing Thanksgiving today, so I’m not stuffed yet, but I will be! The pies (see Wednesday’s post) will do me in, because I have to sample each, on top of already being stuffed with stuffing and turkey and blue mashed potatoes and garlic-roasted local organic Brussels sprouts (which my son grew!) and all the other parts of the meal. But it’s all good. We can diet tomorrow.
Julie: Sweet potatoes cooked in cider, Jessie? I have to try those. I roast mine, and put them in a bourbon caramel sauce. Love them. The day was a little crazy, with only one oven and lots of food that needed to be heated up. But my favorite thing this year was the pear and horseradish sauce I tried. Every year I try something new, and hope it works. This year it did! Whew!
Liz: Vegan apple pie and raw pumpkin pie (a new recipe I found this year) and both were AMAZING! Oh, yeah, I ate real food too. But the pies were way better.
Sherry: This year we went to the Officers Club at Fort Belvoir for their buffet. It’s the feast that keeps on giving and has things we would never have at home — shrimp, a lovely spread of fruits and vegetables along with all the traditional dishes plus breakfast too. No clean up but no leftovers. Julie I want the pear and horseradish sauce recipe!
Readers: What was your favorite dish this year?
So much good food… and I’m not even American!
Thanks for stopping by! It’s interesting how food and thankfulness became intertwined — maybe we should have posted picture of our pre and post meal walks!
I left my comfort zone and tried dry-brining my turkey (rubbing it inside and out with salt and pepper and sticking it in the fridge for a day–naked!), and roasting it breast side down for part of the time. I was astonished: all the meat, dark and light, was tender and moist, without adding any fat, and the skin was crisp. Nice to know it’s still possible to learn something!
Ditto to the pear/horseradish dish. I have a couple of horseradish plants that I decided to try growing in a pot a couple of years ago, but I have no idea what to do with them now (I assume there’s a root under there somewhere–I haven’t dared to look).
Oh, that sounds interesting, Sheila!
Ooh, mine is dry brining right now, Sheila (we’re doing things a day late), and I also added dry thyme, sage, and celery seeds. AND I’m going to spatchcock it. Living on the edge!
The stuffing and sweet potatoes (both dishes) are always favorites of mine. And my sister-in-law made a delicious cheesecake with chocolate and caramel on top. I had too pieces. I just wish I could have eaten more, but I stopped before I got completely uncomfortable.
The stuffing is always my favorite too!
I’m all about the stuffing and gravy!