Thanksgiving Desserts 2014

Posted on November 28, 2014 by chatty

Pumpkin Pie!!!!

I made a pumpkin pie because I always do. It’s my thing: pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce. Seriously, you can’t find an easier job (unless your job is to have your wife make the easy pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce.)

This year’s pumpkin pie was the easy one that was essentially the recipe you find on the side of the can, with the most difficult part being making the crust. There’s always this weird part in the process where I suddenly panic that the pie pan/crust is too large for the amount of filling, then I throw it in the anyway and somehow it always works out. I wish my AllRecipes app could let me leave a note to myself for next year that says, “chill out, it’ll all work out” but it doesn’t. So, memo to self to ask the app makers to create a memo section.

The kid and I did this first one together, and by 4 p.m. on Wednesday the pie was already cooling, and I felt like doing something more. The kid had been talking about carrot cake for quite some time so I decided, what the heck, I really want to bring something else. The kid did not feel like helping this time.

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This carrot cake is courtesy of AllRecipes (my go-to for these types of things), with a few substitutions. I replaced a 1/2 cup of oil with applesauce. I used a combination of plain greek (2%) yogurt and skim milk/lemon juice as a sub for buttermilk (none at the store, which maybe is what you get for going there on the night before the big day). And left out the coconut flakes due to preference (everyone else’s, I suspected). Also, maybe 1/4 cup of raisins instead of the cup in the recipe. Mainly because of what we had in the house.

It was yum. I used Chef John’s cream cheese frosting, which I couldn’t get quite smooth,but was great nonetheless. In fact, the kid, upon receiving her piece of cake, licked the frosting off, including the middle layer, and left the cake be. She gave it a sideways thumb (unlike the thumbs up she gave that pumpkin pie). I suppose the only reason why it wasn’t a thumbs down was that cream cheese frosting.

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Lastly, the husband’s aunt brought a beautiful pie courtesy of Lisa DuPar catering. Pecan, with a spiced whipped cream. Amazing. I may or may not have gotten up at 5:45 a.m. today to cut myself a slice because I didn’t have any at dinner last night, on account of how full I was yesterday.

A few random food pics of sweet things from yesterday:

My snack before heading over to “Papa and Gaga’s” … Added to the list of pumpkin stuff I tried, and liked. Prior to the eating workout I went for a run. 4 miles = 400 calories = justification for a second slice of dessert

I don’t drink soda much anymore. But it’s hard to pass up a glass of Martinelli’s.

The two-layer cake was surprisingly successful. How do I repeat this every time?

Busy kitchen

PLUS, the Seahawks won! WOOT. Truly thankful, indeed.

Man, I looove Thanksgiving

Posted on November 28, 2013 by chatty

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Yesterday was devoted to baking. Today was about friends and family. It started with what has become the annual “More Pie Please” thanksgiving morning workout. Back at the boathouse, which is looking good these days. After the warm up, there was a 5×5 lifting portion where I did Push-ups and Bulgarian Split Squats. Next was the following:

The “length” was pushing the the prowler sled the length of the boathouse with 50# loaded on it. The prowler, always a part of this thanksgiving workout. The 10-1 means 10-9-8-7 etc. a classic Thanksgiving special, if you ask me.

At home to keep the kiddo busy we practiced a little baseball with the kids bat & ball set she got her dad for his birthday (yes, you read that right). After that, we did some races up and down the block. Let me just say, for a nearly five year old, this kid can run. I hope I did enough exercise to justify the overindulgence I planned to partake in.

Finally… Time to head for the the husband’s fam for the great gorge that never get old, year after year.

Have I ever tried persimmon? Well now I have.

First helping. Of all things, I forgot to take a pic of dessert, and it was plated so nicely, with fresh whipped cream and everything. There’s always a leftovers pic.

I’m not going to lie. A little part of me is grateful to not have to clean up after such a fantastic feast.

This year, I find myself thankful that I’m in a position to have a day like today, spent with friends and family. That I have co-workers that make it bearable on the hard days, and make it a joy on the good days. That my friends and family are healthy, getting healthier, that my daughter has an amazing school that cares for her, that friends, old and new are creating a great support system. My parents and sibling are far in distance but not far from my thoughts. And now the gushy part is done with. Happy.

scenes from thanksgiving 2011

Posted on November 25, 2011 by chatty

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 26, 2009 by chatty

Thank you, friends and family for being so friendly and family-ish.

And, thank you, Internet, for existing so I can tell the world how much my family and friends rock.

Happy Turkey.

Happy. Turkey.

Gobble, gobbled

Posted on November 28, 2008 by chatty

Another Thanksgiving come and gone! I asked the husband if he wanted to watch any Christmas movies today. He says we need to allow Thanksgiving to have its time in the limelight. I said it did … yesterday. He insists it needs the full weekend. So, no Rudolph or Frosty just yet. But, I bet before I return to work on Monday we will have our awesome fake Christmas tree out of storage. Happy Egg Nog.

Thanksgiving was at the in-laws last night. The lighting wasn’t very good in the dining room, so I apologize that the pics are sorta dismal. The highlights: a brined turkey. Incredibly juicy! The husband carved and was amazed at how pieces of turkey just fell out. Green bean casserole! What a great tradition. Stuffing! With water chestnuts and chicken liver. Yum. Oh so good.

thanksgiving plate

juiciest. turkey. ever.

green bean casserole

stuffing

Did I mention, the mother-in-law surprised us with a delicious chocolate pecan pie? Yum. The husband really loved it. I was glad we got to take some home.

chocolate pecan pie via chattycha on flickr

MILs Chocolate Pecan Pie

And, I brought along the Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake (the 2008 version)

I used a mix of reduced fat cream cheese and whole cream cheese, and for the topping I also combined low-fat sour cream with regular sour cream. If I can remember, for next year, I may do like the MIL, and try a new recipe. I’m not really a cheesecake eater, and this tends to be the only time of the year I will eat (let along bake) cheesecake. So, I’ll have to decide if I’m willing to give that up!

BTW, the cheesecake recipe is courtesy of Gourmet Magazine, on Epicurious.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 27, 2008 by chatty

I’m very thankful for my family & friends. And that someone else is cooking Thanksgiving dinner. And that this pregnancy has been very uneventful. What are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving. What a turkey!

Posted on November 22, 2007 by chatty

Thanksgiving. Like the big leagues. If I intend to take photos of my dinner for you, well this was my big night. My moment to shine. My Super Bowl. It’s Thanksgiving, after all.

I unfortunately did not bring my A game.

I envisioned getting wonderful shots of dishes before we dug into them. Instead I got distracted with, you know, conversation, and failed to bring my camera out on time.

So, I did what I could. There isn’t a great shot of the stuffing, except for what you see on my plate. I also feel like I didn’t give the acorn squash justice, but I’d have to say they tasted much better than they looked. The secret of the great-tasting acorn squash (I bet butter is one of the secrets, actually), is present in the photo. Bacon.

I also missed out on a shooting a sublime salad that preceded the dinner. Spinach, mandarin orange, almond slivers, cranberries, with a rich, but not overpowering, dressing. A great potato dish: thin slices, layered, then baked. Nice and light and I didn’t eat enough of them so I’m glad we got to take some home for leftovers. Creamed spinach was new, as was the caramel cake for dessert.

You might have guessed from previous entries in this blog that maybe I don’t cook, or like to cook, or want to cook (and, if you had a husband that did all of that, would you). It’s quite the contrary. Actually, I like to bake mostly. So it’s with great pleasure that I can present to you these photos of something I’ve created. Me. All by my lonesome. I was assigned two tasks for dinner: the bourbon pumpkin cheesecake (a repeat from last year) and the cranberry sauce (something I’ve brought every year for a while now). The cheesecake is courtesy of Epicurious.com. The cranberry sauce is a standard Ocean Spray recipe, with some orange zest and nutmeg thrown in. Incredibly easy to make.