Saturday, November 26, 2005

Saturday, 26 November 2005 - Leftovers

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for Thanksgiving dinner leftovers.

Yesterday, I spent nearly 7 hours cooking the meal, so I'm happy that I won't have to worry about food for a few days. This year, I baked a 23 pound turkey so we have plenty for now and lots to freeze for later.

I cook intuitively so I don't have exact recipes for my dishes. I watch Food Network for ideas and inspirations. So, I thought I'd record the basic ingredients for this year's standout side dishes. I use organic ingredients, if available.

Yams
To about 1 quart of mashed steamed garnet yams/butternut squash, add - to taste - canned crushed pineapple, cinnamon, butter, minced orange zest, and real maple syrup. Simmer on low until liquid reduces and mixture thickens. Stir in 2-3 Tbsp rum. Put in covered baking dish and place in oven to keep warm. Before serving, sprinkle top with lightly toasted sliced almonds.

Cranberry sauce (inspired by Emeril)
In a heavy saucepan, mix together 2 cups fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 2-3 Tbsp orange zest finely chopped. Simmer on med-low until thick. Stir to blend all flavors. Refrigerate. Stir before serving.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

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