Posted on 11/11/2015 3:11:40 PM PST by Jamestown1630
When I was a kid, the holidays seemed to extend for more than a month - from the moment we awoke on Thanksgiving morning, smelling the turkey already in the oven and yeast rolls rising over steaming pans of hot water - until we finally, reluctantly, took down the dried-out tree in early January. (To make things even more fun, I was born just a couple of days after Thanksgiving, and have nearly always celebrated it on Turkey Day.)
Everything was somehow different during those weeks - the house had been cleaned within an inch of its life and decorations began to go up; slip covers removed from furniture, windows washed and curtains newly cleaned and pressed. The house seemed to have an aura, an actual PRESENCE, that it had at no other time of year; and even today, when I am preparing for the Thanksgiving or Christmas Day meal and the visits of friends and family, I will sense that presence again, like a Spirit that has come to transform everything into HOLIDAY.
(Winter light on a gray day coming through sheer curtains will always summon a little, spiritual whiff of it for me. I like Thanksgiving and Christmas to be cold and cloudy days, the better to sense that childhood holiday presence again - dark and dismal without, but so warm, bright and exciting inside!)
Over the years, I've served many different things for Thanksgiving side dishes, but two recipes have been personal favorites.
The first is an Acorn Squash recipe that I probably like because it has bread stuffing in it - a little redundant at Thanksgiving, but you can find lots of recipes that use apples or other sweet stuffings for the squash.
I think this recipe originally came from the book 'Hollyhocks, Lambs and Other Passions' by Dee Hardie, who used to write for House Beautiful magazine:
Stuffed Acorn Squash (Serves 4, increase amounts for a larger crowd)
2 whole Acorn Squash
2 Cups dry bread cubes
3 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
3 T. chopped fresh Parsley
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
6 T. chopped Spring Onions
4 T. diced Celery
3 T. Butter
2 Eggs, beaten
4 T. Water, if needed
Salt and Pepper
Bake whole squash for 45 minutes in a 400-degree oven, or until soft.
While the squash is baking, combine bread cubes, Parmesan, parsley and seasonings.
Cook onions and celery in the butter until soft. Add the eggs to bread mixture and toss lightly. Combine with the vegetables, adding water for moistness, if needed.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Fill the squash halves with stuffing mixture. Bake stuffed squash for 20 minutes.
(I always salt and pepper the squash halves and put a sprinkle of olive oil in there, before stuffing; and I sprinkle more olive oil on top, before baking. And I probably use a lot more butter and Parmesan than this recipe calls for - but, Hey: Thanksgiving!)
The second is a recipe for Hot Curried Fruit that my Aunt used to make at Thanksgiving - it was my first introduction to anything 'Curry'; and I later learned that people have made it for generations (I think it may be a traditional Southern dish.) Here is a version very like the one my Aunt always made:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/hot-curried-fruit
For the next two weeks: Thanksgiving Cooking!
During my many years as lurker on FR, the annual Thanksgiving thread was one of my favorite things, and I always wished it started earlier, in time to use some of the ideas/recipes that folks posted. (I probably have several years worth of those threads copied and pasted, somewhere.)
I determined when I signed-up that I would revive the weekly cooking thread; and here we are at the first Thanksgiving of the ‘Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread’.
I think I will run the TG thread for two weeks. Please post your favorite Thanksgiving recipes - but also your related family traditions and memories! Leftover recipes are also greatly appreciated ;-)
(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.)
-JT
Good mashed potatoes with some good gravy for Thanksgiving with a few pieces of dark meat and some cranberry sauce to eat the turkey with. I would be happy with just that but I’ll eat just about anything on the traditional Thanksgiving table.
Pumpkin pie does not get me excited. A well done apple pie does
My favorite has always been warm mince pie.
-JT
Sounds good.
But Weber fool here:
http://www.weber.com/recipes/veggies/acorn-squash-with-spiced-pecan-butter
Thank you for the lovely memories and the recipe for the Acorn Squash. I was hungry for squash and bought some at the store last week. I fixed the first one with just butter and pepper. I may try your recipe as it sounds yummy.
I’m going to my BIL’s brother’s home for TG. I’m bringing the standard green bean casserole with the French’s onions. We like it and only make it on holidays. It’s a nice little side dish.
Try butternut squash halves with a dab of butter, and some brown sugar- then bake till done- Can’t beat it if you like sweet stuff
Got to have some oyster dressing along with the bird and all.
We usually do deep fried turkey. (Masterbuilt electric the past few years, before that propane outside.) This year just Mrs p6 and me so I’m thinking prime rib. Maybe even pre made so we just heat it. Expensive yes! At our age...
Problem will be Mrs p6 who thinks anything browned/blackened is burned.
FWIW She is Northern, I am Southern when it comes to food.
Brine your turkey. If you’ve never done it, look it up, it’s easy. Then cook it any way you want. Best. Turkey. Ever.
I do brine my turkey! It’s one of the first things my husband and I did, after we’d gotten married and discovered that we liked cooking together so much.
Somewhere, I’ve got a picture of me and that first huge turkey (we had lots of guests that year.)
So far, we’ve only done the salt water brine; but I’d like to try something spicy.
-JT
You just can’t have an American Thanksgiving without that green bean casserole. People *expect* it; and I’ve never liked the fancied-up versions of it that come out now and then.
-JT
I’ve heard so many mixed opinions of the fried turkey. Some people say it’s wonderful, some say it’s so-so. I personally think I’d like it.
-JT
All that is really needed would be cornbread dressing, good gravy, and a few slices of The Bird. This Thanksgiving thought it might be something different with the pumpkin. Pumpkin pie does nothing for me. Usually the crust is soggy and not in any way appetizing. This year thought of using this recipe for variation. http://www.somethingswanky.com/pumpkin-better-than-cake/
And, of course, the favored cranberry relish, the actual berries with orange sections and peal, pecans put through a grinder. Not too sweet, a little tart and so delicious. The canned cranberry jelly is just too sweet — must be why DH loves it so much. He even puts it on his potatoes...sigh.
Acorn squash ...baked with brown sugar, butter. Perhaps the squash might be used in a souffle such as sweet potato souffle. No to yams smashed and baked w/marshmallows. One year made a tremendous Sweet Potato souffle with praline topping....delicious! And then the recipe was misplaced or it was forgotten where it might have been found. Have yet to find another even close to the original.
Thanks for this thread. Hope to get many new TG goodies from the posts.
Eat Dessert first -it may be gone if you wait!
Oh, No, V.K.! - the ‘sweet potato souffle with marshmallows’ is one of my favorites; I was going to post it when I ping you guys again next week.
One thing I’ve learned from it, though: my version has raisins in it, and some people really hate raisins. I never would have thought that...
-JT
My favorite way to roast a turkey is the low temp really long (10+ hrs I think) roasting time. It is so juicy and tender.
Our only tradition is a silly one but the kids love it and we all end up laughing. It’s a game called “find the turkey”. It’s like the hot/cold game: everyone but one person knows where an object is hidden. When the person gets close everyone says warm, warmer, hot etc as they move closer and closer to finding it. In our version you say”gobble” instead. Slowly if they are far from the hidden little turkey, getting faster and faster as they get closer and closer. When you have a room full of people gobbling as fast as they can it’s pretty funny.
That sounds like a fun game; I’ll save it.
I think my Grandmother must have done some version of a very slow-cooked turkey, because that bird was in the oven by about 6 or 7 AM, and we usually ate about 4 PM. I wish I could remember more about how she did it...
-JT
We love acorn squash and your recipe is one that I will try. I usually cut one in half and microwave in a little water. When it sort of cools off I scoop it out and mix it with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon then nuke it for a few minutes to melt the butter and heat it up. If I serve it that way it seems to serve more people.
I may skip cooking this year.
I've been working on a false Danish using the Kolache dough. I'm making progress with the orange marmalade and cream cheese.
/johnnny
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.