Good morning, all! Sorry for the late posting, but getting my full belly out of bed this morning wasn't easy. So much food. But we had an incredible time cooking for some great friends, and I can't wait to share with you.
Cocktail - Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail
Sparkling apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice. Sooo good... even the non-whiskey types enjoyed it. (And very festive!) Oh - for anyone keeping track, we got 5 hits from Russia last week - thanks for coming back to us!! (And new country to visit us this week is Taiwan... welcome.)
Appetizer - Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Creme Fraiche
Yes, it tasted as good as it looks. This soup made a ton! We had 7 people with enough leftover to feed the entire street. We did not strain it, but did everything else as directed. Also, the creme fraiche didn't really do much - it kind of disappeared into the soup, so we're not sure if it made a big difference or not. This was made earlier in the day and reheated before serving... so a perfect dish to bring in a Tupperware to the in-laws house and impress them with your fancy cooking skills.
Appetizer - Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini
So we had leftover goat cheese and puff pastry from last week, and figs were going to be a part of another recipe, so being the clever and resourceful cooks that we are - this was added to the menu. So delicious. And once again, the fig jam can be made in advance and it carries well!
The Good Stuff - Let's Start with the Bird
Okay, I've made plenty of turkeys and usually follow a different (kind of boring) recipe, so I was excited to try something new. The dry brine was amazing, the cook time was spot on, and the gravy was spectacular! The changes were minimal. First, I don't have a turkey roasting bag, so I just coated it in the herbed salt, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and placed in a shopping bag on top of a baking try overnight in the fridge. Worked just fine. And for the gravy, instead of draining the pan, and straining, blah blah - we just put the roasting rack right on the burners and began boiling it up. Then made the roux (the fat's already in the bottom of the fan, so who cares), added a bit of white wine (we just eyeballed it) and the rest of the carton of store-bought turkey stock. Stripped some rosemary leaves off the branch, tore them up by hand, and then just did a couple of squirts of dijon mustard. (You can tell at this point, we were just getting tired and lazy.) The end result was fantastic! Rich and smooth, with a nice flavor from the herbs and the turkey juices. A beautiful result.
Mac & Cheese
Remember when I said we had a mac and cheese recipe in our back pocket. This is the one. We make it every year, and it is frequently requested at family and social gatherings. The mixture of the Gruyere and the sharp cheddar are perfection! (And its a really easy recipe to follow.) It may seem overly "liquid-y" when you pour it in the baking dish, but the noodles will absorb it, don't worry. I'm getting hungry just remembering it.
Brandy and Orange Mashed Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups
Is that not the cutest little thing you ever saw??? Jennifer followed the recipe exactly, and even made it earlier in the morning, and just baked before serving. They were delicious and beautiful and so impressive. I'm telling you - bring the soup and these to the holiday party this year... you'll blow everyone away.
Cranberry, Fig, and Pinot Noir Chutney
Halved the recipe, but followed it exactly. (Except used a Cabernet Franc instead of Pinot Noir - it's what was open in the house.) Cranberry sauce is one of those things where no one really thinks about it, until the turkey is on the table, and then you just grab the canned crap. Not at a Culinary Sundays Thanksgiving! It may be the overlooked side dish that everyone only eats about a teaspoon of, but you better believe its going to be fabulous. (And fabulous it was.... leftovers currently in the fridge and going to my Dad's house on Thursday.)
Scalloped Potatoes and Fennel
No boring mashed potatoes at our dinner! These were incredible - a great texture and flavor combination with the roasted fennel, cream, and fresh rosemary. Definitely another show-stopper.
Brussels Sprout Hash with Caramelized Shallots
Roasted, sweet, salty - delicious! (Okay, we also added bacon.) Jennifer and I are both green bean casserole-haters so we opted to change up the vegetable and go with the one that most people wouldn't expect. Fantastic vegetable dish!
Sausage, Apple, and Golden Raisin Stuffing
No real recipe for this. Here's how it works. Grab a bag of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned stuffing. Cook as directed (using chicken stock and lots of onion and celery.) Then add cooked and crumbled sage sausage, chopped apples, golden raisins, and whatever else is lying around your pantry. End result - delicious!
Final Plate
Yeah, we weren't in the mood to make bread from scratch... we used garlic butter crescent rolls. Don't judge us - you weren't in the kitchen with us. Let me run you through how to cook the entire meal and keep your sanity. First, make the cranberry sauce and the fig jam the night before. Leave in fridge, and bring to room temp before serving. Make the soup in the morning or even the night before and just warm up stove top before serving. Stuffing can be made in the morning, and just tossed in the oven to heat up for about 10-15 minutes. Sweet potatoes can be made in advance and then baked before serving. Macaroni and cheese can't really be made in advance - but all the prep work can and then its just boiling water pretty much. The potatoes and fennel take a long time and are kind of a pain, but once they're in the oven, you have a lot of free time. Brussels sprout are stove top and rather easy. Seriously - if you plan and execute it right - you can pull off the entire meal without breaking a sweat.
Wine - House Wines
Large group, varying wine preferences... we just grabbed some Rose, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Pinot Noir out of the stockpile and let people choose for themselves. Sorry, Harry's - we'll be back next week.
Dessert - Pumpkin Flan and Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Caramel Squares
Okay, let me say that I detest pumpkin pie. I personally don't think pumpkin should be served as something to eat because it's just weird. Let me also say that I sometimes find flan boring unless it has some sort of flavor, like vanilla bean, or salted caramel. Now, let me say that I gobbled up this flan like the world was ending. It was just creamy and rich, and didn't taste like pumpkin but just tasted good. And who doesn't like chocolate coated caramel bites??? Spectacular dessert!
There you go. Thanksgiving done Culinary Sunday style. From the three of us, we wish you all a healthy and happy holiday, filled with great food, friends, family, and wine. Next week, it will be "ugh, I'm so sick of cooking for people and need a break" so we're breaking out the Crock Pot and giving ourselves a little rest.
Next Week - Braised Short Ribs
