I still cannot cook for a small group on the holidays, so we had a 23 pound turkey that was absolutely delicious and moist and just yummy. To make, rinse the turkey and stuff the cavity and the neck with onions and lemons. Take a stick of soft butter and add chopped fresh sage, thyme and rosemary. Mush together with a spoon and then spread it all over the turkey and under the skin on the breast. Throw the thing in the over at 350 and forget about it. I did not even baste it. Under the turkey, I threw in some celery, carrots and garlic cloves. After the turkey had finished cooking, I blended the roasted vegis into the drippings to make the gravy.
For the stuffing this year I sauteed onions, baby bellas, celery, chunks of pork loin, dried cherries and pecans and then added the dried bread and stock. Yum.
Kelly brought Paula's spinach salad which is always delicious and could really be a meal on tis own. She also made the crescent rolls.
Kelly made these roasted root vegetables with fresh rosemary. The sweet potato biscuits are a new recipe I tried this year. They are simply amazing and you should all make them. Today. (I substituted canned squash for the sweet potato puree because I was in a hurry and since I did not have buttermilk, I used milk with some fresh lemon juice squeezed into it - and frozen butter) Kelly made this delicious sweet potato puree with a pecan crust on top.
The appetizer is a caramelized onion dip which I have to say I did not like. It is a texture thing more than a flavor issue.
Baby Evi ate more than all of my kids combined.
The squirrels on the back porch provided the evenings entertainment.
My plate before:
and after. My eyes were much bigger than my stomach! The red sauce is an apple, cranberry orange compote.
Some of the leftovers. We could have fed another dozen people.
And then, dessert! I made a couple of pumpkin pies - I prefer the traditional Libby's recipe on the can. Kelly brought another version made with heavy cream - yum.
This was a new pie I made this year - Tangerine Chiffon Pie. This one is a definite keeper - so light and fluffy and just yummy!
We make this every year by request. Peanut Butter Pie. Obviously, use real heavy whipped cream instead of the cool whip, and I make an Oreo crust instead of the vanilla wafer one.
Apple pie from Susan, Chocolate Mousse Pie (I use Ghiridelli's bittersweet chocolate), pumpkin pies, Tangerine Chiffon Pie, Peanut Butter Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Almond-orange bread pudding (not shown).
Even with sending pie home with all of our guests, we have a LOT of dessert left over. We had pie for breakfast today - and lunch.
It was a lovely day - nice weather, good friends and good food. And today? It is 6:00pm and I am still in my pajamas.
Oh my goodness, so many pies! And so much food.
ReplyDeleteThe sweet potatoes with pecan topping sounds just like my recipe that I made. And I've made that same peanut butter recipe forever. I firmly agree, real whipped cream, not cool whip. I made it for Thanksgiving two years ago.
all looks so delish!!! glad to hear you just use the can recipe on the pumpkin pie. i just use the recipe on the karo syrup thingie for my pecan pie (except i add a lot more pecans than called for). i've tried others on occasion, but i always seem to go back to the jar.
ReplyDeletethe tangerine chiffon sounds divine. might have to try that. oh, probably the peanut butter too.