I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. I have been busy or lazy or maybe a bit of both. I don't know if this is an age related thing but it seems to me that time has sped up - it just zips by and I never seem to have enough time to do everything I want. I can't remember the last time I was bored and had nothing to do!
On this side of the big pond and north of the red white and blue border, it's the Thanksgiving long weekend and tho I'm not overly fond of turkey myself, for some reason my kids insist I cook one anyways and they all congregate at my house to partake of it. With their spouses of course and at different times. Two will come at dinner time, one will come by after his work shift around 8 tonight, and one will come over tomorrow for leftovers. So between dinner time and now I have to prepare turkey, stuffing, a gallon of gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, turnip, carrots, green beans and a pineapple upside down cake from scratch to go with the pumpkin pie (which I bought). Thank goodness I had the foresight to make my cranberry sauce yesterday!
Since it is cranberry season and it's about the only time of the year you can find organic fresh cranberries in North America I decided to preserve a few. I made a simple cranberry sauce and canned a few small jars for other occasions, and as well I dried a bunch in my dehydrator to use in salads and baking. I did not add any sugar to the dried ones and they are quite tart but I like them that way - natural. I can soak them in fruit juice to plump them when I use them in salads.
The pineapple upside down cake did not turn out too bad. I used a fresh pineapple I bought already cored.
What would a turkey dinner be without stuffing...this is how my mother and her mother before her made it. In my family we always make the dressing outside of the turkey in a separate dish and we use torn fresh bread and cooked potatoes, mashed without milk. I like to use the stuffing bread with the herbs baked into it. The potatoes keep the stuffing moist while it bakes and prevents the fresh bread from "gumming" up into a doughy dense mass. Then I add sauteed celery, onions, chopped sage and savory, salt and pepper to taste. Every family seems to have their own way to prepare this yummy traditional dish!
Thanksgiving (and other holidays) is not the time to be starting a diet or for flatbelly eating! That doesn't mean it has to be a free-for-all either. It's a time to celebrate the season's bounty with those close to us and we should enjoy all of our favorite foods on such an occasion. Keep portions small and don't go back for thirds!
I remember Thanksgiving as being one of the only two days of the year when we were allowed to eat as much as we wanted to when we were growing up!! Mom's stuffing was legendary, or at least it was in our family. It looks like you have inherited her ability to make it, as yours looks just like hers! I have never been able to do that! I feel like I could reach through the computer and have a taste. It looks so good! I need to start using my deydrator! At the moment it is just an expensive ornament. Bad me! Love you lots sis. Hope you enjoyed these few days with your family and that it met more than your expectations. Would have loved to catch up for a chat. XXOO
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