Monthly Archives: November 2012

by | November 26, 2012 · 6:08 am

Karl’s Thanksgiving Stuffing

This year we had a Thirdsgivingday feast (the third day after Thanksgiving–an Eilene-ism).  The kids were having Thanksgiving dinner with friends, so I was doing the whole Roast Turkey dinner thing as our Sunday dinner.

I don’t do much of anything special when I cook a turkey (butter, poultry seasoning and some kind of citrus in the cavity (lemon or orange, whatever I have to hand).  My dressing, on the other hand, is something I always make.   It is based on my mother’s Poultry Dressing recipe, but I have taken it a long way from there. This year I had to leave out the pecans, because Jan had used them all for her Pecan Tarts. But it is all good, this is a very flexible recipe.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Thanksgiving Dinner

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by | November 26, 2012 · 5:58 am

Karl’s Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

The kids really like mushrooms, so I am constantly trying new ways to make them.  This is one that I started making about a year ago, but it is well worth repeating. Jan does not like bacon (a childhood trauma), but you may sauté the vegetables in the grease of 1 strip of fatty bacon instead of butter. If you do this, you may also crumble up the bacon and add it to the mix.

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by | November 26, 2012 · 5:55 am

Karl’s Chive & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The chives in our garden are beginning to look a bit sad, but they inspired me to add this dish to our Thirdsgivingday feast (the third day after Thanksgiving – an Eileneism).  The kids were having Thanksgiving dinner with friends, so I was doing the Roast Turkey thing as our Sunday feast.

This dish is something to make when you are using your oven to cook a main dish. The time and cooking time will vary depending on the temperatures used the main dish. How you mash your potatoes are a personal preference, but I like to use a potato-ricer. This is a device that looks like a giant garlic press. The press forces the chunks of potato through tiny holes and produces rice thick strands of feathery potato.  Mixed with butter and cream this produces perfectly smooth fluffy mashed potatoes.

Karl’s Chive & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Karl’s Chive & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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by | November 26, 2012 · 5:52 am

Jan’s Pecan Tarts

Adapted from a Nutmeg Nanny recipe

Jan was going to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, but Myr wanted pecan pie. Jan found a recipe on line, but then pretty much ignored it in making these treats.

Jan wanted to make individual mini-pies, so she ordered pans on line.  They turned out to be much smaller and shallower than she had in mind, but she went with it.

MiniGingersnap Pies

Jan’s Pecan Tarts

She also wanted to use the crust she had created for her Jan’s Five-fold Ginger Pumpkin Pie, but she felt that it was too course for the tiny tart pans. After crushing the gingersnaps with a rolling pin as before, she then ground the course crumbs through a large sieve with the end of the rolling pin to make a fine-sifted ginger cookie meal.

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by | November 23, 2012 · 1:48 am

Karl’s Harvest Pumpkin Mini-scones

This is adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe. I, being by nature unable to follow any recipe, upped the spices and reduced the salt. Americans tend to use way too much salt most of the time.

One problem I ran into in making this treat was that the Trader Joe’s canned Organic Pumpkin I was using was very dry. This is the opposite problem I usually have with using fresh steamed pumpkin, which tends to be very watery, giving you the dilemma of getting rid of the excess fluid.  In this case I used whey to make up the moisture. I usually do not have whey lying around my kitchen, but Eilene made fresh butter to go with the meal (see the post below). Milk or cream would work as well, but I was looking for a way to use up the whey.

Mini Scones

Karl’s Mini Scones

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by | November 23, 2012 · 1:45 am

Jan’s Mojito Fruit Salad

Jan’s Mojito Fruit Salad

Jan’s Mojito Fruit Salad

Jan had an idea Thanksgiving Day morning of a mojito dressing for the fruit salad she was making. Unfortunately we were out of regular mint and we only had the spearmint that grows as a weed in our yard. We did however have mint and rum extracts in the cupboard. This is what she came up with:

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by | November 23, 2012 · 1:38 am

Eilene’s Fresh Butter

This is not really a recipe in the strictest sense or original in any way. Eilene has made this the last two years and it really is better than stick butter. This is a good task for young children who want to be part of the Thanksgiving cooking process, but that you do not want handling sharp knives.

Ingredients and Equipment

1 pint whipping cream

1 qt. jar, clean with a tight fitting lid

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by | November 19, 2012 · 4:36 am

Karl’s Turkey Rancher’s Pie

Adapted from Rachael Ray and Cook’s Illustrated Recipes.

Jan wanted turkey and I was planning to make a turkey tagine this Sunday. Myr, however, has spent the week dodging missiles in Israel, so she was a bit off Middle Eastern food. I quickly switched to making a Turkey Shepherd’s  Pie.  This led to another hitch, it is Thanksgiving week and you can buy all of the whole turkeys you want, but a package of turkey thighs was not to be found. I finally settled on smoked turkey legs as the base of my pie.

Karl's Turkey Rancher's Pie

Karl’s Turkey Rancher’s Pie

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by | November 19, 2012 · 4:22 am

Karl’s Garlic Thyme Green Beans

I am always experimenting with quick ways to spruce up plain steamed green beans. This one was a last minute flourish to go with my Karl’s Smoked Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.

Karl’s Garlic Thyme Green Beans

Karl’s Garlic Thyme Green Beans

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by | November 19, 2012 · 4:20 am

Jan’s Five-fold Ginger Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from a recipe on the Kitchn.

Jan usually makes the deserts for our Sunday meals.  She made this to go with my Shepard’s Pie and it is defiantly a keeper.  Her motto is “Never Too Much Ginger!”

Jan’s Five-fold Ginger Pumpkin Pie

Jan’s Five-fold Ginger Pumpkin Pie

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