Thanksgiving Take-Aways

I've learned that in corporate life--and life in general--it's all about the "take-aways". So what were my "take-aways" or "key learnings" (substitute your buzzword de jour) from Thanksgiving 2009? Everybody seemed to like the list in the last post, so I'll stick with that holiday trend:

1. Never trust Kroger.

After assuring my friend Alex and I that they would, in fact, provide me with a cooked, WARM, and ready-to-serve turkey, they still found a way to succumb to the Can't-Find-a-Cooked-Turkey-To-Buy-in-Louisville Curse. I sent Bobby to pick up the turkey while I mashed the potatoes (more on potatoes later in the list), he returns in a huff of "OKDon'tfreakout!" Just what every first-time Thanksgiving hostess wants to hear from her hubby, right? He presents me with a white trash bag (tall, kitchen) with yellow drawstrings and GIBBONS scribbled across the front in a black sharpie. I was too distraught to capture this on the iPhone cam because at the time it was NOT funny. Kind of like how leprosy ISN'T funny. It's a little funnier now. The turkey was cooked, put back in a little turkey bag that left imprints all over it, put in a trash bag, and into the refrigerator. COLD. Once removed from it's bags and onto my counter, it was probably the ugliest looking turkey I'd ever seen in my life. Bobby proceeded to attack it with our large kitchen knife (read: not a turkey carving device of any sort), and butchered the poor bird all over again--and all over our counter. It was enough to make this card-carrying carnivore want to turn over a new Vegetarian leaf. Really, I hope Bobby treats his surgical patients a little better under the knife. So all in all...don't trust Kroger.

2. Make your own turkey.

See above.

3. Don't use Fat Free Cheese in Macaroni and Cheese.

Let's call this "Bobby's take-away", and leave it at that.

4. If you're going to mash 10 potatoes by hand, do NOT wear a cashmere turtleneck.

Thank you, Secret Invisible Solid.

5. Dinner should always be after 3:00pm.

Otherwise it looks awkward when you carry the remnants of the champagne bottle back to your room for a "nap". I'm not saying I did that. I'm just saying it's a take-away.

Turkey aside, everything turned out really well. The Bourbon Brown Sugar Ham was the hit of the meal, the Mexican cranberries were delicious, the broccoli casserole was wonderful as always, the potatoes were perfect, and the mac & cheese was better reheated the next day :) You're probably all really sick of looking at your own Thanksgiving left-overs, but here are some snapshots of a few of the dishes before dinner--and my fabulous place mats and napkins (on sale at Pier 1 for $2/ea!!!) Totally showing off my beautiful wedding gifts too! And of course, our surprise dinner guest who wanted us all out of her chairs ASAP.

Thanksgiving SuperPost

And now...the blog post you have all been waiting for...for approx 48 hours--the Thanksgiving SuperPost! I am so excited because this is my very first attempt at hosting Thanksgiving dinner, and therefore a little relieved it'll just be for four people :-) My hope is that it'll be a successful meshing of Bobby and I's traditions. So if you really don't have anything else to read, here's a tally of Bobby and I's compromises and concessions:

1. Turkey AND Ham
Winner: Bobby
We'll be having both

2. Mashed Potatoes
Winner: Anne
Don't get between me and my potatoes

3. Macaroni and Cheese
Winner: Bobby
I don't know why I fought it, it's not like I don't love Mac & Cheese

4. Cranberry Sauce
Winner: Anne
Who cares if I'm the only one who eats it?

5. Broccoli Casserole v. Steamed Broccoli
Winner: Bobby
I guess things covered in cheese are pretty good...

6. Pumpkin Pie
Winner: Bobby

7. Bobby makes his own #$@*&! pumpkin pie
Winner: Anne

8. Dinner Time (lunch or dinner?)
Winner: Bobby
Butts in seats by 12:30 or 1:00pm

9. Gravy Boat Debacle
Winner: TBA
I need a gravy boat to serve gravy. Bobby is (and I quote) "Morally Opposed" to gravy boats because it would imply we ate gravy regularly.

Compromise casualties: Stuffing, Sweet potato casserole, Green bean casserole

OK enough of that...onto what you're actually reading this for!

Champagne Turkey

OK I'm going to be totally honest here. I have ONE oven. So as much as I love this turkey recipe, and would love the bragging rights of making my own turkey, I just can't do it this year. Thank you Kroger for helping me out! However, IF I were to make my own turkey, my mother and I swear on Grammy's fudge that this is the very best turkey you can make.

1 (12 lb) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 apples, cored and halved
1 Tbs garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.

Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

It makes the BEST gravy too!

Holiday Ham with Ginger and Bourbon

Because it's not a Kentucky holiday without some Bourbon. Bobby made me buy some Jim Beam from Costco so I'd stop cooking with his Four Roses!

1 fully cooked ham, 5-6lbs, outer skin and fat removed
4in piece of fresh ginger root
1/2 cup (ish) of Bourbon
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (1/4 cup if using Splenda)

Score a diamond pattern into the ham, 1/4 inch around top and sides. Peel ginger root with a spoon and grate finely. Place ham into crockpot or slow cooker. Combine ginger, Bourbon, and brown sugar in small mixing bowl and pour over the ham.

Cover, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Baste often.

Mom's Mexican Cranberries

Since I'm the only one eating them, I'm making them the way I like!

1 (16oz) can jellied whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 (10.5 oz) jar jalapeno pepper jelly (preferably red but green works)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Cook cranberry sauce, pepper jelly and 1/4 cup cilantro in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring often, until jelly melts. Pour into serving dish and mix in remaining cilantro. Cool in fridge until dinner time.

It's good on turkey and ham both, and if you end up with a so-so turkey, it's the best! I'll also use it on turkey paninis with some brie after the holiday :-) Everything's better with brie!

Mom's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These may be a little bit more work, but they are worth every mouth watering bite! I don't care how you've previously made mashed potatoes. From now on you should make these--end of story.

10 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 cloves of garlic, crushed (sorry Dad)
1 cup butter
8oz cream cheese (I use 1/3rd less fat, but I mean, it's the holidays...)
1.75 cup sour cream
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper

Bring 3" of water to boil, add potatoes and garlic. Cook until tender. Mash with all your strength (or Bobby's strength in my case) until smooth and creamy. Add cream cheese, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix very well. Spoon into a 3-4 quart baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

**Can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated! Just be sure to bring them to room temp before baking.

Jan's Mac & Cheese

This recipe was actually the very first blog post! So you can flip back through the archives, or keep reading. I've eaten a lot of mac & cheese in my day, and this is by far some of the best I've had.

1 (8oz) package of elbow macaroni, or about 2 cups uncooked macaroni
2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion salt
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Cook macaroni according to the package directions, and drain. Place milk, flour, and onion salt into a container with a lid that you can shake. Once the lid is on tightly, shake for approx 1 minute.

Stir together flour mixture, 3.5 cups of cheese, and cooked macaroni is a large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into Pyrex or other 9x13" baking dish that has been greased or Pam-ed. Sprinkle evenly with last 1/2 cup of cheese, followed by the breadcrumbs. Pour melted butter evenly over the top (to keep the breadcrumbs from burning). Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

Last but not least. Oh, who am I kidding? We use the Libby's recipe!

1 (9in) unbaked deep dish pie crust (in freezer aisle)
3/4 cup white sugar (use less if working with Splenda)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15oz) can Libby's 100% Pumpkin
12oz of Evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temp to 350, and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours.

________________________

Well OK. I'm tired of typing and you're probably tired of reading. Just remember that if you're also cooking with one oven to watch the dishes closely. The dish on the top rack will heat faster, so you made need to have them switch places halfway through. Here's the FINAL MENU for Gibbons Family Thanksgiving, check back over the weekend for photos of how everything turned out--and HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Final Menu

Oven-Roasted Turkey
Holiday Ham with Ginger and Bourbon
Mexican Cranberries
Garlic Mashed Potatoes and gravy
Macaroni and Cheese
Broccoli Casserole
Crescent Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cake
Champagne

Southwestern Soup

As many of you know, Bobby and I have been dieting most of the Fall, so I haven't had the opportunity to be as creative with our weekly menu as I like to be. Lots of grilled fish and veggies most nights...but hey, it's working :-) But here is a great Southern Living recipe that 1) doesn't break the caloric bank 2) is perfect for crisp Fall weather, and 3) double perfect for Thanksgiving week because it makes a ton and you'll feel like you're eating light all week leading up to Starch Day--I mean Turkey Day.

This is delish and has just the right amount of kick.
Southwestern Soup

1lb ground beef (or turkey, but we're saving turkey for later in the week)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 (16oz) cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
14-15oz of Rotel, undrained
1 (14.5oz) can of petite diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5oz) can of beef broth
2 cups frozen corn
1 envelope of taco seasoning (we use low sodium)
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups of water
Dallop of sour cream and chopped cilantro to garnish

In a soup pot or dutch oven brown the ground beef/turkey, onions, and garlic over med-high heat until meat is cooked. While browning, rinse and drain all the beans. Then add beans, tomatoes, broth, corn, taco seasoning (basically everything but the garnish), plus the 4 cups of water. Cover and simmer on low to med-low for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro.

Yum! Make sure you save or freeze the leftovers. In other news, had a wonderful weekend in Florida with T&C--Bobby was missed, of course. Bobby's starting his last leg of Internal Medicine tomorrow, and his parents are coming up for Thanksgiving on Wednesday or Thursday following Papaw's surgery (replacing the battery in his pacemaker). So stay tuned tomorrow for a pre-Thanksgiving SuperPost--which will include the final menu! And if anyone has good ideas for quick and easy Thanksgiving centerpieces, please send 'em to me!

Cranberry Brie Chicken Pizza

What could be more delicious sounding? Seriously. I made this for myself because Bobby turned up his nose and opted to go out with some friends, and then complained that the smell of brie in the oven made the kitchen stink! Guys! But it took a good deal of self control not to eat the entire pizza, so I'm pretty proud of myself. So thank you, AllRecipes iPhone application for introducing me to this delicious idea!

Also note, when I was describing it to one of my coworkers, she let me know that she does something similar with her Thanksgiving leftovers--and adds brie to a turkey panini with cranberry sauce. So you could take that route, or add turkey to the pizza instead of chicken. Needless to say I'm pretty fired up about Thanksgiving leftovers already :-) Especially since I'm overruling Bobby and keeping the mashed potatoes (whoever heard of something so ridiculous as a person opting to CUT mashed potatoes from the overgrown Thanksgiving menu! Clearly that should have been established pre-wedding--like when I gave him the courtesy of telling him one week before the wedding that I never intended to mow a lawn EVER--there are just some things you should clearly discuss first, and the priority of mashed potatoes on the holiday menu is one).


Cranberry Brie Chicken Pizza

1 Boboli thin crust
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4-6 chicken tenders
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 wedge brie
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Grill chicken breasts or tenders or dice in to cubes and cook in a pan over the stove. Heat oven to 350. Place boboli crust on baking sheet. Spread cranberry sauce over the boboli--one cup may not look like it's covering the whole pizza, but when I used the whole can things got very messy in the oven and made the boboli a little soggy. So I think about a cup should do it, because it'll cook down a bit when heated. Cube the brie into bitesized pieces and place evenly around the crust. Add diced chicken, and sprinkle a handful of mozzarella cheese over everything. Bake for 20 minutes and serve!

And it's good cold the next day too :-)