Posted on 11/17/2016 4:35:04 PM PST by Jamestown1630
Especially at this time of year, I’m a fan of ‘finger food’ that can be made ahead, frozen, and ready in just minutes in the event of impromptu visitors. Nothing fits this bill better than the Gougere, a light savory ‘puff’ of cheesy pastry that goes wonderfully with cocktails and freezes very well. There are many variations on the Gougere, but this one is basic and classic:
http://chezbonnefemme.com/recipes/gougeres/
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Last Thanksgiving, I took the advice of Freeper ‘boatbums’, and we dry-brined our turkey for the first time; it really was the best turkey we’ve had, even though we made the mistake of letting it go at 450 degrees for nearly the entire cooking time! So I thought I’d post again the link to the instructions we used. I’ve never eaten turkey breast meat that turned out as moist and succulent as last year’s turkey did, so we’re going to do it again this year:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/18/food/fo-calcook18"
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Lastly, a recipe I found today and haven’t tried, but which looks like another very interesting ‘finger food’ for parties, and perfect for Thanksgiving: ROSEMARY PECAN GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES, from thecafesucrefarine.com, a really nice husband-wife cooking blog:
thecafesucrefarine.com/2016/03/rosemary-pecan-goat-cheese-truffles/
I hope that everyone enjoys a very happy and meaningful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be grateful for this year.
-JT
On years when Beau gets a bear, like THIS year (534#!) I use thin strips of bear steak and a strip of bacon, layered. Then I roll them up (bacon on the outside) and secure with a toothpick.
Then I put them in a pan and drizzle them with olive oil. Bake them (350 degrees) with a sprinkling of brown sugar and cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika.
Yogi Bear Appetizers. ;)
It would work with venison, too!
the trick is to generally let things happen through the miracle of time
Forgot a little peanut butter cup for the turkey body but y’all already knew that.
We always had venison, turkey, pheasant, quail and ham at thanksgiving when i was a kid
Humblegunner and Eaker made (or had made) the best dang paper thin prosciutto from a deer they got.
This recipe never FAILS to please. I bring it to our Family Christmas every year...and people beg for more!
Crock Pot Mushrooms
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/230775/crock-pot-mushrooms/
There is not a single thing healthy about them, but it’s a once a year treat. :)
NOTE: If you decide to double or triple the recipe, cut back on the dry Ranch Dressing. I’ve found that ONE packet easily flavors 3 pounds of mushrooms, otherwise it’s way too salty, at least to my pallet. I mean, you’re clogging up the arteries of your guests - don’t want to over-salt them as well, LOL!
Our BEST Christmas when I was a kid was the year that Grandpa hit a Pheasant with his car and he cleaned it and cooked it up for us for Christmas Dinner. On the very same road, a tree fell off of a Christmas Tree truck right in front of him, so we had a FREE Christmas tree that year too!
G-d Bless Us. Every One!
(This was mid-state Wisconsin; Christmas Tree Capitol of the Midwest, and Pheasant Capitol of the World!)
Yeah there where always deer and pheasants in the cornfields this time of year, hogs been dispatched and processed
I saw a guy got a 36 point buck up there last week.
Diana’s Marinated Olives
One large orange
1 10-oz bottle Pimento-Stuffed Green Olives, drained
1 6-oz can Large Ripe Black Olives, drained
1 bottle Italian Dressing (your choice, mild or Zesty!)
Cut orange rind with a potato peeler to make pretty strips of the peel. Don’t go too deep - you just want the RIND and NOT the bitter white pith, beneath.
Then, cut the orange in half and juice it.
Combine the orange peel strips, the olives (drained!), the orange juice and enough Italian dressing to completely cover. At this point, you can put it in any container that fits, and put it in the fridge and let it marinate over night, at least.
To serve, I put it in a pretty glass bowl with a slotted spoon.
(If you need more than one batch, just repeat the main ingredients.)
This also makes a LOVELY gift presented in a pretty jar.
You can also chop it all up and use it as a topping for a block of softened cream cheese, served with crackers.
I always put orange zest in my hand made cranberry relish.
Most people like that tinned ocean spray crap in a can.
Not me.
I just buy a can for those folks
Nice little touch is craisin oatmeal and walnut cookies
My mother used to grind up cranberries, oranges and some walnuts in a meat grinder. It was delicious.
I always do an olive, pickle, gardinera side
Mother and brother say I am inheriting Great Grandmas grinder, they are sick of the work LOL
Try those Craizin oatmeal cookies they make me crazy and orange zest would be brilliant
We’re going Hog Huntin’ in TX come January.
Well, Beau and a buddy are doing the hunting; Diana is staying at the Casino/Spa, LOL!
He sure did! Proud, PROUD Grandpa, that’s for sure! If he raised his kids and Grandkids right, they’ll ALL want that rack above their fireplace mantle!
My Mom makes the BEST Cranberry Relish. I can’t eat leftover turkey sammiches without it!
Are we BLESSED, or WHAT? :)
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