Thanksgiving 2007

Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite times of the year. This is the third or fourth year I have made a full thanksgiving feast. Because my husband works for a food distributor, we got a free turkey. I have never cooked a 25 pound turkey before! The largest bird I have ever cooked is about 18 pounds.

Although my parents are wonderful Asian Chefs, they really are not great at the American Casseroles.
My mom can make a great turkey with a honey glaze but one year we had a pot luck thanksgiving. On this year, my cousin was in charge of cooking the bird. It was delivered in tin foil and cooked in the oven with a slather of soy sauce. I guess he was trying to make turkey jerky? And this was the start of the time when my cousin Hanh and her family stopped sharing Thanksgiving with us. Our families are too big and spread apart so it's hard to share our holidays together. Ever since then, I always make sure that I cook thanksgiving dinner. Before I move on to the recipes and what my mom and I made on Thanksgiving. I have to give praise to a few people in my life whom have left an impression on me cooking for thanksgiving. I won't be mentioning food network stars since of course, that is an obvious source of inspiration.

Aunt Lesley: When we lived in New York, my aunt Lesley would come and visit us from Michigan. I was born in Lansing, Michigan. This is where my parents ended up after leaving Vietnam. They were sponsored by a church in Lansing. I am unsure as to exactly how we know Aunt Lesley. She is a towering blond with short curly hair. Has a light and fair complexion.

My need to mention Aunt Lesley because she is the one who taught my mom how to stuff and roast a turkey. When I was little, I followed my mom everywhere. So of course I was there to watch every step of this process. I remember that I was so short then, I could barley see over the over door when they opened it. (We had an oven in our small apartment that was set in the wall about four feet off the ground. Below, there were drawers.)

And lastly, one of my favorites my aunt Lesley taught my mom is Marsh mellows on top of mashed yams or sweet potatoes.


My Mom: As we got older we moved to Texas. And as with some relationships, time spreads
and the closeness of those whom we once knew. So we don't have thanksgiving with Lesley anymore. My mom didn't cook Turkey every year. But when she did, she eventually adapted her own style of basting a turkey and it is always with honey.


Ham: though we didn't eat it this year, my mom puts pineapple ringlets in a pan and places a large cut of cooked ham on top. She roasts it in the oven for thirty minutes (depending on the size of the ham.) Yum!



Hanh: Again, Hahn opens my eyes with food. One year we had a huge thanksgiving feast at King Food restaurant (King food is now run an owned by my cousins.) Must have been were fourteen or fifteen years of age. I didn't do much cooking this year. Hahn brings to the table green been casserole and candied yams. I think what is this? It was so foreign to me. Little did I know then that these dishes are a thanksgiving staple. (Please know I don't even remember what Hahn's green bean casserole tasted like.)


Gloria: The first year I made my turkey on my own I called Gloria. My brother's x-wife's mom. She told me the secret to cooking a moist turkey is an oven bag. And I have always cooked my turkey with an oven bag. So moist! Yum!



Linda: (Adym, my husband's mom.) The first year I ate her green bean casserole.
I never knew green bean casserole could taste this good! Linda is very good at making
casseroles. Thus, she gave me a new lease on making my own version of a gourmet green bean casseroles.

****

This year I arrived at my parents house to cook at 7am. Fortunately, I don't have a picture of my mom and I cooking in our pajamas. This is the first year my mom helped my cook everything. Which was great because I hate prep work. My mom is soo good with the knife a chopping vegetables. She's just like the chefs on tv. Ta, tah, tah, tah, dah! Just that fast and she is done chopping vegetables.


Thanksgiving menu:


Turkey+ Stuffing inside turkey
Dressing
Martha Stewart's Garlic Mash potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Adapted version of candied yams from Emeril Lagassi
My version of green been casserole
Creme brulee

My bird was so juicy. We were hungry and
cut the bird before I remembered to take a picture if it.
I made up own rub 2 cups of honey, two sticks of butter, 2tsp sage, 2tsp thyme, 2 tsp parsley. You can put all the ingredients into a food processor. I did not however, I just rubbed it all over the bird and under the skin. Place it in a oven bag with a thermometer. Place the thermometer in the breast. Put it all in an oven bag and place on your roasting pan. Pour 1 can of chicken broth. When the thermometer shows the apropriate cooked temperature, your turkey is done. Please always let your turkey rest. I forgot to cover the top parts with aluminum foil. So the honey burned the turkey skin, But it was soo good.



Reheating for dinnertime: With the help of my sister June, we cut up the turkey with an electric cutter placing all the pretty pieces on a plate. Pour out the broth from the bag that was in the roasting pan. The broth probably has doubled in quantity now from the turkey juices. You don't have to use all the broth. Just enough to fill half of the pan. Re-using the same roasting pan, I put all the cut turkey pieces and put it in the pan. Then back into the oven until it is hot enough to serve. When you have reached your desired temperature, place it on a beautiful platter. *We never carve the turkey in front of guests. It is a messy and unappetizing sight.







Cranberry Sauce with Ginger and Pears

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
3 1/3 cups fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
1 tblsp fresh grated ginger
1 pear, diced



Directions:

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add cranberries, pear, ginger, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened and cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 1 week).

Stuffing/Dressing


1 pound owens maple sausage
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3 cups onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley
chopped 6 cups croutons
2 cups chicken stock(low sodium),
1tsp dried thyme spice
1 tsp pepper
Pinch of salt (to taste)


Directions:

Saute sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling sausage with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Sweat the onions and celery in the same sausage pan.

In a big pot, pour in stock, onions, and celery, sausage, along with herbs and croutons, mix to combine. The mixture should be moist, but not soggy. Add more chicken stock, if necessary. Transfer stuffing to a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the top is golden.





Green Bean Casserole


Ingredients:1 (10 3/4 oz.) can CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Mushroom Soup 3/4 cup milk 1/8 tsp. black pepper 2
2 cans of green beans
1/3 cups FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup of fresh diced mushrooms
Pinch of pepper





Directions:

1. MIX soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2 -qt. baking dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions and diced mushrooms. When mushrooms have absorbed the soup,
add in garlic powder and pepper.

2. BAKE at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot.2. STIR. Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 min. until onions are golden.



Sweet Candied Potatoes

2 cans of sweet potatoes in heavy syrup
1 tablespoon Grand Marniefor
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of cinnamon for garnish
1 tsp orange zest
pinch of orange zest for garnish
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed juice of an orange

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven.
Bake for thirty mins or until syrup bubbles over. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon and orange zest then serve.





Garlic Mash potatoes (Martha Stewart)

Serves 8
2 large heads garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 pounds all-purpose Maine potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tops 1/4-inch off garlic heads, and discard. Coat heads with olive oil, and wrap heads in aluminum foil. Bake until tender and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Carefully peel garlic cloves; set aside.
Place potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain in a colander, and pass through a potato ricer or food mill over a large bowl.
Heat butter and cream in a saucepan until butter has melted and cream is hot. Pour over riced potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir well to combine. Gently stir in the roasted garlic cloves; serve.

Creme Brulee (Alton Brown, modified)

1 quart heavy cream 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks 2 quarts hot water


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.


There was alot of other food at the table but I didn't cook any of it so I don't have the recipies for them. I hope you have enjoyed my thanksgiving feast. Until next time, eat life up- happily!