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Cooking Friends » General Discussion » Holidays and Celebrations » Thanksgiving, 2023

Thanksgiving, 2023

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1Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Thanksgiving, 2023 Tue Nov 21, 2023 5:22 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

I'm not sure if it will be HE and me or HE, me & Jim......

Jim had planned to go to his daughter's to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family in the Fort Myers area ~ but his car died and it's questionable whether it will be repaired in time for him to go on Wednesday.  So, we're his 'back-up' holiday dinner.

I have a chicken to roast (it will have the 'look' of Thanksgiving, just not a turkey that I'm not a fan of).

I'm going to make mashed potatoes & gravy, fresh green bean casserole, dressing, our family Jello Cabbage Pineapple salad and pumpkin pie.

Oh, and I got some dinner rolls at Fresh Market because I'm not making bread for two.....

IF Jim is here for the meal there will be asparagus and he'll get a tossed salad with my homemade salad dressing he likes so much.

2Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Wed Nov 22, 2023 5:54 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

My family favorite Orange Jello with cabbage, carrots & pineapple is done and in the refrigerator. I remember the year I decided to pass on it.......HE actually got up during the meal to go to the refrigerator, assuming I forgot to put it on the table.....and HE was SO disappointed. So, now it's made for the holiday meals without fail.

I made my mashed potatoes ~ split it between one small casserole dish to reheat in the oven tomorrow and a 16 oz. deli container stashed in the freezer for another time. As long as I'm going to the time of making them I might as well make enough to save for another meal.

Oh, gee ~ I just remembered I need to start my dressing....I like to add the softened vegetables & butter to the dry cubed Pepperidge Farms dried out stuffing. It's all seasoned the way we like it so all I have to do is add my vegetables (I like lots of celery) and then tomorrow I'll add some homemade stock and an egg before it goes into the oven.

And, just so I don't have to work all morning tomorrow, I got my pies done. It's Grandma's recipe and it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving for me if I didn't have it.


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_22_20



Thanksgiving, 2023 11_22_21

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3Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 1:21 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

It's kind of nice to have Thanksgiving for just the two of us. No cleaning & dusting....no cloth napkins to iron....no special glasses or dishes to organize & rinse the dust off......LOL

I got my mushroom cream sauce started for my green bean casserole. I chop the stems and a couple of the mushrooms & saute them with a minced shallot. When lightly browned I add half & half and let it simmer until the cream tastes like mushrooms. Then it gets strained and the cream cooled down. I'll brown the sliced mushrooms, add a bit of chopped thyme and a tiny bit of flour to stabilize the cream sauce, add the cooled mushroom cream and probably a bit more half & half and mix it all in with my blanched green beans. We're so fortunate to have home grown green beans for Thanksgiving!

Then I got my compound herb butter made to slip under the skin of my chicken. I used parsley, chives, tarragon & thyme as well as some s&p. I formed it into a thin layer on plastic wrap and it's stashed in the freezer. I thought it might be easier to get arranged under the skin of the bird if it's hard. We'll see......

Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_19


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_20[/ur


[url=https://servimg.com/view/19413182/3415]Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_21

4Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 2:38 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

My chicken is prepped and back in the refrigerator for an hour or so. I'll let it come closer to room temperature just before I put it in the oven.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to put onion & lemon (got LOTS of lemons on the tree) in the cavity so I texted my daughter. She said sometimes she uses apple.....and that sounded good to me so that's what's stuffed inside. It's always nice to have someone to brainstorm with!

The frozen compound butter was SO much easier to slip under the skin (after loosening the area with my fingers). I gotta remember that for next time. Softened butter got slathered on the outside to hold the s&p in place.

I always feel bad for my bird when I get done because it looks like I'm holding it in bondage!


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_22



5Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:13 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

So I now have everything prepared for the oven. The mashed potatoes I made yesterday and the dressing that was in the refrigerator are now sitting out to come closer to room temperature. The green bean casserole (home grown beans, homemade cream of mushroom, slivered almonds & French fried onions) is going back into the refrigerator for a while because it's still a bit warm. After it starts to bubble in the oven I'll add the last topping of the French's Fried Onions.

The chicken is in the oven and will be able to sit on top of the stove to have carry-over cooking while the sides cook.

I even have my two dinner rolls at the ready and my Jello Salad is ready to be cut and placed on a lettuce leaf. And I even have a dish out for HIS cranberry sauce ~ I'm NOT forgetting it this year!

I have the chicken 'innards' cooked and ready to add to HIS gravy. Mine will be without the added bits of chicken-y goodness.


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_23

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6Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 6:50 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

My chicken is done ~ temperature a tad higher that I expected but I'd rather it be too much and not too little! (Yes, I like my poultry well done.....)

I put it on a platter by the oven discharge....tented it.....it'll rest until the sides are hot and I'm ready to cut it up.

My gravy is made. I'll add some to HIS innards/stock and we'll both be happy campers.

Does anyone else still use their Tupperware Gravy Shaker? I saw it in the cabinet today and thought.....just what I need! Only thing is, I now must shake it over the sink. It leaks a little.....

LOL


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Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_25


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_26

7Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 7:49 pm

cookingirl

cookingirl

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

It was just me and Geoffrey today. I got to use my new Ninja 12 in 1 oven. My oven stove is horrible.
I made chicken thighs in a whole fresh cranberry type chutney... had green beans, Basmati Rice, with a sprig of fresh thyme in it, and some low sodium stove top stuffing. Pumpkin pie for dessert. It came out really good...

Thanksgiving, 2023 Img_1710

Unfortunately, the air frying of green beans resulted in Green bean jerky.. Oh well.. win one lose one...

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8Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 7:59 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

That's a holiday meal for sure! Great to hear from you!

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9Thanksgiving, 2023 Empty Re: Thanksgiving, 2023 Thu Nov 23, 2023 8:00 pm

bethk

bethk
Admin

My final pictures......Thanksgiving, 2023

Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_27


My dinner plate ~ I couldn't finish it all...... (( sigh ))


Thanksgiving, 2023 11_23_28

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