Our Thanksgiving Feast Week

Monday November 20th-Friday Nov 24th

This is an exciting week as we spent our Monday moving things to the coast house. Beds, rugs, some kitchen items, and appliances. The appliances will be hooked up this week while we are at home spending Thanksgiving in Portland. We were hoping to be in the house for Thanksgiving as we normally spend the week at the coast, however, things are not quite done so we will enjoy our holiday with a full kitchen to cook and beds to sleep in. Fingers crossed we can visit and christen the home with our first fire and some blessings over the Christmas break.

We decided to have some quick meals for this week knowing we would be busy with moving and getting Linnea’s updated passport for a trip this spring to Belize, as well as getting new phones and switching phone carriers for everyone. Lots of time signing paperwork and dealing with bureaucracy. We got together some homemade pizza, goulash, and pork chops for the nights leading up to turkey day. Linnea and Andrew shared a farro soup that is always a hit for the vegetarian crew.

Thanksgiving, on the other hand, will be a 2-day prep and cooking affair with the following recipes below. Most of these we have made for many years in a row for our little family of four. I gave up on a roast Turkey years ago as we are just a small family with 2 vegetarians so we resort to really yummy turkey meatballs that are juicy and tender and have that Thanksgiving taste with apple and cranberry built into the meatball itself. You cannot beat the ease of this recipe and no wasted dry turkey to feel guilty about not wanting to choke down for the next several days.

Farro Soup

Farro and Chickpea Soup for Summer by Deborah Madison

daddy does not use tomatoes and puts in rosemary and parsley instead of basil

Ingredients:

1 cup farro, soaked 4 hours in cold water
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 celery rib, peeled if stringy, then finely diced
2 garlic cloves chopped with a handful parsley leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 cup finely diced or crushed tomatoes, plus their juices, fresh or canned
1 (15½-ounce) can organic chickpeas
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To Finish:

1 small handful basil leaves, finely slivered
extra-virgin olive oil
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Drain the farro. Warm the olive oil in a wide soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and garlic-parsley mixture. Cook, stirring every so often, over medium heat until the onions are translucent and starting to soften, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste then add the tomatoes, farro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 6 cups water.

Simmer 30 minutes, covered, until the farro is tender but still toothsome. Stir in the chickpeas and their liquid. (At this point the soup can sit at room temperature for several hours, giving the flavors a chance to meld.)

Reheat the soup before serving if you wish to have it hot, or serve it at room temperature. Stir in the basil, a few drops olive oil in each bowl, and grate a little Parmesan over the top.

Classic Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

Select All

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

1 onion, finely chopped

5 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

2 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

16 cups 1/2 -inch stale country white bread cubes (about 1 3/4 pounds)

2 tablespoons fat from the turkey drippings (or butter)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, sage and thyme; season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.

2. Whisk the eggs and parsley in a large bowl. Add the bread and the vegetable-broth mixture and stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the turkey drippings (or dot with butter); sprinkle with the paprika.

3. Cover the dish with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, 25 to 30 more minutes.

Classic Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced tart apples , or 2 apples

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 cup grapes , halved

• ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans , roughly chopped

• ½ cup whipping cream , whipped

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Instructions

  • Add the diced apples to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Add the celery, grapes, and nuts.

  • In another bowl, whip the whipping cream until peaks form, then gently fold in the mayonnaise. Fold into the apple mixture and season with the kosher salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Chill for 1 hour or overnight. Serve by itself or on a lettuce leaf.

  Notes

  Instead of whipping cream, substitute 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. 

Goulash-the basics

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 2 lbs. ground beef, lean

• 3 tsp garlic, minced

• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce

• 2 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes

• 3 cups beef broth

• 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

• 2 tsp seasoned salt

• 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked

• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

• Instructions

  • Add olive oil to large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, bell pepper and ground beef then cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat and return pot to stove top. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

  • Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, bay leaves and dried macaroni noodles. Stir and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a light boil and stir occasionally until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

  • Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese just before serving. Enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE MASHED POTATOES

To make mashed potatoes, simply…

1. Cut the potatoes. Again, feel free to peel your potatoes or leave the skins on. (I always leave them on for the extra nutrients and flavor.)  Then cut your potatoes into evenly-sized chunks, about an inch or so thick. Then transfer them to a large stockpot full of cold water until all of the potatoes are cut and ready to go.

   • Pro tip: If you are prepping ingredients for a big meal ahead of time, the potatoes can chill in the cold water for up to 4 hours before boiling. Just add a few ice cubes to the water to be sure that it stays cold.

2. Boil the potatoes. Once all of your potatoes are cut, be sure that there is enough cold water in the pan so that the water line sits about 1 inch above the potatoes. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Then turn on high heat until the water comes to a boil. And boil the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle of a potato goes in with almost no resistance. Carefully drain out all of the water.

3. Prepare your melted butter mixture. Meanwhile, as the potatoes are boiling, heat your butter, milk and an additional 2 teaspoons of sea salt together either in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is just melted. (You want to avoid boiling the milk.)  Set aside until ready to use.

4. Pan-dry the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the hot stockpot, and then place the stockpot back on the hot burner, turning the heat down to low. Using two oven mitts, carefully hold the handles on the stockpot and shake it gently on the burner for about 1 minute to help cook off some of the remaining steam within the potatoes. Then remove the stockpot entirely from the heat.

5. Mash the potatoes.  Using your preferred kind of masher (see above), mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.

6. Stir everything together. Then pour half of the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, and fold it in with a wooden spoon or spatula until potatoes have soaked up the liquid. Repeat with the remaining butter. And then again with the cream cheese. Fold each addition in until just combined to avoid overmixing, or else you will end up with gummy potatoes.

7. Taste and season. One final time, adding in extra salt (plus black pepper, if you would like) to taste.

8. Serve warm. Then serve warm, garnished with any extra toppings that you might like, and enjoy!! ♡

Pumpkin Pie

• Homemade or bought Pie Dough (full recipe makes 2 crusts: 1 for bottom, 1 for leaf decor)

• egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

• one 15-ounce can (425g) pumpkin puree* or one small cooked pie pumpkin.

• 3 large eggs

• 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*

• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg*

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*

• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk

• Make the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, heavy cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.

• Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) Bake the pie at 375 degrees until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly—that’s ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.

• Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours before garnishing and serving.

• Serve pie with whipped cream if desired.

• Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cranberry Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients 

1 lb ground turkey

1 tbsp olive oil

2 slices of sourdough bread edges trimmed

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup lightly packed chopped parsley

3 leaves sage chopped

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp black pepper

/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 Honey Crisp apple shredded or apple of choice

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 medium onion diced

2 cloves garlic diced

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

Instructions 

• Shred apple using cheese grater or mandolin. Gently squeeze excess juice and reserve for other use or drink. Set aside. Trim the edges from the sourdough bread and cut into small 1/2 inch cubes. Add to a bowl and pour milk over. Toss to coat and allow to soak for a minutes or two.

• Gently squeeze excess milk from bread and add to a bowl with the ground turkey, herbs, spices, apple, dried cranberries and egg. Gently mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Mixture will be slightly loose and wet. Use a small 1 1/2 inch scoop or roll into 16 small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Set aside.

• In a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm.

• Pour wine into pan to deglaze pan, scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Over medium heat in the same pan sauté the onion and until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring to cook the flour. Gradually add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring to incorporate completely.

• Add the cooked meatballs back to the pan and turn to coat all over with pan sauce. Cover with lid and cook on low to heat through, a minute or two. Season with salt if needed.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450g) shallots, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick on a mandoline

• 2 cups (480ml) canola oil

• Kosher salt

• 1 1/2 pounds (675g) white button mushrooms, rinsed and spun dry in a salad spinner

• 2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons (10ml) lemon juice from 1 lemon

• 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock

• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons (30g) butter

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated on a Microplane grater

• 1/4 cup (30g) flour

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 pounds (900g) green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch segments

Directions

1. Combine shallots and oil in a wok or medium nonstick saucepan. Shallots should barely stick out above level of oil. Place over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are completely soft, about 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with 6 layers of paper towels. Continue to cook shallots, stirring constantly, until shallots are light golden brown, about 8 minutes.

3. Immediately strain through a fine-mesh strainer set in a heat-proof bowl or saucepan. Set shallot oil aside. You should have about 2 cups of fried shallots.

4. Transfer fried shallots to paper towels. Lift up one end of top paper towel and roll shallots off onto second. Blot with first towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat 4 more times, transferring shallots from one paper towel to the next, until only one paper towel remains. Season well with salt.

5. Allow shallots to cool completely, about 45 minutes. Once they've cooled, transfer to a sealed airtight container. Shallots can be made up to 1 month in advance.

6. Smash mushrooms under the bottom of a large skillet until broken into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Roughly chop into pieces approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch in size. Set aside.

7. Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, chicken stock, and heavy cream in a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium bowl.

8. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) reserved shallot oil (save remainder in an airtight container for another use) and butter to a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Heat over high heat until butter is melted and foaming subsides. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms begin to sizzle, 6 to 10 minutes.

9. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden blond, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, add stock and cream mixture.

10. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until mixture achieves a texture between pancake batter and heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

11. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Bring 1 gallon (3.8L) water and 1/4 cup (48g) kosher salt to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with 1 quart ice cubes and 2 quarts (1.9L) water.

12. Add green beans to water and boil until tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain through a colander set over the sink and immediately transfer to ice water until completely cooled. Drain green beans and set aside.

13. Combine green beans, mushroom sauce, and 1 cup fried shallots. Transfer to a 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish or a 10- by 14-inch oval baking dish. Bake until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with remaining cup fried shallots and serve.