Saturday, November 18, 2006
Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner at Home
We are going to be in Singapore over Thanksgiving and thus won't be having Thanksgiving dinner this year. So, for that reason and since we hadn't had a dinner pary in a while, we decided to have a bunch of people over for a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving. Giao maintains that Thanksgiving food is bad, and if it weren't, people would eat it more often. And, Alexis actually thinks he's right about some parts (the pumpkin pie, the mashed potatos, the stuffing), so we included other dishes as well.
Hummus
This is the best hummus recipe of all time. It is packed with garlic.
Cheddar and Chive Scones
These savory scones are awesome, and they only take about 1o minutes to put together and 2o minutes to bake.
A Thanksgiving Feast
Recipes below.
Mashed Potatos
-3 lbs red potatos, boiled until fork tender
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Mash the boiled potatos (skin still on) and then add the cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Sauce
-1 package cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe, courtesy of someone she once knew...
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is more decadent than plain pecan pie and always a crowd pleaser.
Pie Crust
This is the standar crust that Alexis uses for everything from quiche to tarts to pies. It is very easy and freezes well.
-1 cup flour
-1 stick butter, cold and chopped into pieces
-enough water to form a dough
Integrate the butter into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form the dough into a ball. In the summer you may need no water, in the winter you need the most. Press the dough into a pie pan or freeze for 10 minutes and then roll out the dough. Pre-bake on 400 for about 10 minutes before adding any pie filling.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
Neither of us like pumpkin pie, but it is a Thanksgiving classic, so we made it. It turns out other people don't really like pumpkin pie all that much either.
Apple Pie
Apple pie is Giao's favorite dessert, and Alexis finally baked one he liked. Unfortunately this time she didn't like it because it was not sour enough, which was precisely the reason Giao didn't like the previous attempts.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
We had leftover pumpkin from the pie and leftover cranberries from the cranberry sauce, we Alexis made a quick-bread that was very tasty.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and bake on 375 until a toothpick comes out clean in a greased and floured bundt pan for approx 30-40 mins.
Black Bean Dip
Alexis had never made this before-it looked disgusting, but tasted pretty good.
Alexis had never made this before-it looked disgusting, but tasted pretty good.
-3 cans black beans, drained
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2 limes
-salt to taste
-2 bell peppers, minced
-3 jalapenos, minced
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 onion, minced
-2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil and lime juice to make a smooth paste. Mix in all of the other ingredients.
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2 limes
-salt to taste
-2 bell peppers, minced
-3 jalapenos, minced
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 onion, minced
-2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil and lime juice to make a smooth paste. Mix in all of the other ingredients.
Hummus
This is the best hummus recipe of all time. It is packed with garlic.
-1 can garbonzo beans, drained
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2-3 lemons
-6-8 cloves garlic
-1/4 cup tahini
-salt to taste
Puree all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
-1/2 cup olive oil
-juice of 2-3 lemons
-6-8 cloves garlic
-1/4 cup tahini
-salt to taste
Puree all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
Cheddar and Chive Scones
These savory scones are awesome, and they only take about 1o minutes to put together and 2o minutes to bake.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
A Thanksgiving Feast
Recipes below.
Miso Rubbed Roast Turkey
-1 stick butter
-1/4 cup miso
-1 turkey
Combine miso and butter thoroughly and rub both under and over the skin of the turkey. Roast on 350 until the internal temperature of the bird is 165. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Roasted Vegetables
-3 large turnips, cubed
-30 pearl onions, peeled
-8 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
-1 head garlic, cloves peeled
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 can chicken broth
Season the veggies and place them under the bird with the can of chicken stock. When bird is done, drain the excess drippings and broth and reserve for gravy.
Gravy
-pan drippings
-1 handful flour
-salt and pepper to taste
Pour the pan drippings and perhaps a bit of chicken broth in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add a bit of flour at a time until the desired thickness has been reached. Remember that as the gravy cools it will get thicker. Season.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-2 onions, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh thyme leaves
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Cheesy Cauliflour Puree
-1 stick butter
-1/4 cup miso
-1 turkey
Combine miso and butter thoroughly and rub both under and over the skin of the turkey. Roast on 350 until the internal temperature of the bird is 165. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Roasted Vegetables
-3 large turnips, cubed
-30 pearl onions, peeled
-8 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
-1 head garlic, cloves peeled
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 can chicken broth
Season the veggies and place them under the bird with the can of chicken stock. When bird is done, drain the excess drippings and broth and reserve for gravy.
Gravy
-pan drippings
-1 handful flour
-salt and pepper to taste
Pour the pan drippings and perhaps a bit of chicken broth in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add a bit of flour at a time until the desired thickness has been reached. Remember that as the gravy cools it will get thicker. Season.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-2 onions, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh thyme leaves
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Cheesy Cauliflour Puree
Mashed Potatos
-3 lbs red potatos, boiled until fork tender
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Mash the boiled potatos (skin still on) and then add the cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Sauce
-1 package cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe, courtesy of someone she once knew...
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is more decadent than plain pecan pie and always a crowd pleaser.
Pie Crust
This is the standar crust that Alexis uses for everything from quiche to tarts to pies. It is very easy and freezes well.
-1 cup flour
-1 stick butter, cold and chopped into pieces
-enough water to form a dough
Integrate the butter into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form the dough into a ball. In the summer you may need no water, in the winter you need the most. Press the dough into a pie pan or freeze for 10 minutes and then roll out the dough. Pre-bake on 400 for about 10 minutes before adding any pie filling.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
Neither of us like pumpkin pie, but it is a Thanksgiving classic, so we made it. It turns out other people don't really like pumpkin pie all that much either.
-1 recipe pie crust
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
Apple Pie
Apple pie is Giao's favorite dessert, and Alexis finally baked one he liked. Unfortunately this time she didn't like it because it was not sour enough, which was precisely the reason Giao didn't like the previous attempts.
-2 recipes pie crust
-5 apples, peeled and sliced
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 tb cinnamon
-1 pinch salt
Sprinkle the salt, sugar and cinnamon over the apples and toss. Pour the apples into a partially bakes pie shell. Roll out the other pie crust and place it on top of the apples. Pinch around the edges to seal. Poke the top with a fork to let out the steam. Brush the top crust with egg wash. Bake on 375 for 1 hour, or until the apples are bubbly and the crust is browned.
-5 apples, peeled and sliced
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 tb cinnamon
-1 pinch salt
Sprinkle the salt, sugar and cinnamon over the apples and toss. Pour the apples into a partially bakes pie shell. Roll out the other pie crust and place it on top of the apples. Pinch around the edges to seal. Poke the top with a fork to let out the steam. Brush the top crust with egg wash. Bake on 375 for 1 hour, or until the apples are bubbly and the crust is browned.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
We had leftover pumpkin from the pie and leftover cranberries from the cranberry sauce, we Alexis made a quick-bread that was very tasty.
-1 cup pumpkin puree
-2 cups flour
-1 cup cranberries, chopped
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup molasses
-1/2 ts salt
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 ts baking powder
-1 ts ginger
-1 ts nutmeg
-2 cups flour
-1 cup cranberries, chopped
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup molasses
-1/2 ts salt
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 ts baking powder
-1 ts ginger
-1 ts nutmeg
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and bake on 375 until a toothpick comes out clean in a greased and floured bundt pan for approx 30-40 mins.
Labels: brussel sprouts, dessert recipes, dinner recipes, homemade, soup, turkey
# posted by Giao and Alexis @ 5:23 PM 
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