Turkey Talk: Friendsgiving 2011

A couple of weeks ago I realized my friends and I have been getting together for our own pre-Thanksgiving dinner for 10 YEARS!!  This was our 10th annual Friendsgiving…or as we like to call it “House Thanksgiving”…previously known as “Apartment Thanksgiving”, but then I bought a house :)

I’m thrilled that we’ve kept this tradition going since junior year of college!!  (also makes me feel kinda old)
Most of my classic recipes are on the blog already, so I’ll just give you the run-down and let you know what I changed up for 2011 and what I’m already thinking for 2012!

The standards:
Turkey…but of course.  I don’t really know why but I always feel the need to get a 20+ lb turkey, regardless of my guest list.  I mean I love leftovers, but it’s just getting a little ridiculous. 

I was planning for 14 people (only 12 made it), and I bought a 21.6lb free range bird :)  Next year I am going to save some $$ and some cooking time and keep it more on the 16lb range I’m thinking.


Stuffing: Don’t expect me to ever try out a new recipe.  I love my grandmother’s recipe more than anything and my friends seem to feel the same….why mess with perfection right?  Plus I always make a HUGE batch and we barely have any leftovers.  

Mashed Potatoes:  Nothing too ground breaking here…potatoes, milk, butter, salt, pepper, and a little fresh chopped rosemary.

Green Beans: I still prefer the pancetta/sage recipe to the standard green bean casserole.  I do like the casserole but just don’t feel the need for another heavy creamy dish.

Carrots: What can I say?  I need the cooking water from these to add to the gravy :) 
Squash:  I think I’m going to take a break from the soufflé next year.  I don’t know why, but mine just never turn out as good as I’d hope.  I even took it up a notch this year and took and idea from my aunt to cook the soufflé in baked sugar pumpkins!!  Fabulous idea, lovely presentation, but my soufflé was just NOT setting up…almost 2 hours in the oven and still not ready?!  Who knows. 

(cut the tops of 3 sugar pumpkins and scraped out the inside real good)

(rubbed inside and outside with olive oil and sprinkled inside with salt, pepper, and brown sugar)

(baked at 350 for 30min…prepped and baked these the day before)
I think next year I’m going to switch it up.  I love squash, and wouldn’t mind a less-heavy recipe next year.  
Gravy:  Classic.  Drippings from the turkey, some chicken bullion, and the carrot cooking water.  Bring to boil, add flour/water mixture and simmer until thickened. 
Cranberry sauce: I always have homemade and the jelly-kind in the can.  People always have their favorite…I grew up only liking the canned kind, but now I love both!


Dessert!  This is where I have my fun each year.
I made 3 desserts:

• The Milky Way Tart
• Ina’s French Apple Tart
• Butterscotch pudding cups

I mentioned I was thinking about making the Milky Way Tart because it was a hit at the last party I brought it too, and it still was a crowd favorite!
Apparently I was on a tart kick!  No pies were made this year (by me anyways), but I think I like this apple tart even better than apple pie!  It’s simple, delicious, and has an impressive presentation.
Also could be made ahead of time :)

This tart dough was very different than the dough for the Milky Way Tart, but equally delectable…actually I might like this dough better.

Rolled and trimmed to a 10”x14” rectangle

Arrange the apples, sprinkle with sugar (and a little cinnamon), then dot with butter.

Once finished, you brush with an apricot jam glaze.

So pretty!

The crust is still crisp and flaky today too.
The Butterscotch Pudding cups comes from my favorite butterscotch pie that my grandmother makes!  Just instead of a pie, I put the filling into little mason jars.
Then right before dessert, I whipped up the meringue and torched it with my kitchen torch (always looking for a reason to use my torch)

These were super cute, I want to make more things in mini-mason jars!
  (just realized I don’t have the exact recipe on the blog so I’ll fix that)
Other desserts (by others)

Pumpkin pie!

Mini pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Both were amazing.
Other notable deliciousness…CHEESE!
Don’t you love when you ask someone to bring something and you just KNOW it’s going to be good…even a cheese platter!?  I do!!  I take my cheese seriously ;)
Even I didn’t expect these masterpieces…

Seriously??  2 HUGE platters of amazing cheese, meats, grapes, dried figs, pate, flowers(!), rosemary Marcona almonds…EVERYTHING!

Oh lets not forget the baked brie, chocolate covered strawberries, and little fall shaped pieces of marzipan.

I’m also very thankful we have the leftovers of the cheese in the fridge :)
The final thing I LOVE about House-Thanksgiving is my tablescape!  Ok so it wasn’t my best work this year but I got distracted when I had some early arriving guests…
Will just call it simple.

Little pears are an easy, colorful, and edible decoration!   Also a roll of $9 burlap from Lowes makes a nice rustic table runner.

And mason jars + coffee beans+candles

(broke out the "fancy" apron)

  Phew!  That was quite the post! 
Have you hosted a Thanksgiving dinner??  Any particular recipe that you can’t live without on Thanksgiving??
Also looking for good appetizer ideas to bring to my aunts on Thursday??

Wine Country Potato Leek Soup

I’m baaaaack!

(the squirrels made a snack of our old rotted pumpkin while we were away)

Actually I got back Friday morning after a red eye from San Francisco, but we’ve had a lot of do once we got home, and I even had a blogger trip to Portsmouth yesterday!

The past couple months Emily, Megan, Daisy and I have been talking about planning a day trip up to Portsmouth since we all love it there so much!  We finally picked a date, and gathered a group of 10 Boston-area bloggers for a fun and food filled day!

Elina, Elizabeth, Megan, Meghan, Daisy, Michelle, Bianca, Emily, Jen, and I met up at Redhook Brewery for some lunch and beer!

I’ve been here many times, especially during college and right after college, as I went to UNH which is close by.  Even had my 21st b-day dinner here! 

I was a little tourist-ed out after my trip, and since it wasn’t a new city to me I wasn’t taking as many pictures but I’m sure the other ladies will have some great recaps!  I was just excited to see all the girls :)

I know I have so much to share from my trip!!  So I think I’ll start with a recipe.

One of the highlights of the trip was the Sunday we left San Francisco and drove north to northern Sonoma county for The Wine Road’s Food and Wine affair!  I would never have known about this event if it wasn’t for some great advice from Meghan! 

This event went on Saturday and Sunday (Nov 5 & 6), and basically a ton of the wineries in the area would be serving a food pairing with one or some of their wines, and with your wristband you could visit as many as you’d like during the weekend.  We only did Sunday, but we managed to hit quite a few and tasted some AWESOME food.  The wine was good to ;) 

Don’t worry we had our fair share of amazing wine this past week, but I think both Brian and I were more focused on the food this particular day.

The best part is that with your ticket you receive a gorgeous cookbook with all the recipes that were served at all the wineries!

(source)

There are SO many recipes that I can’t wait to make and share with you guys!!

I wasted no time either, as I just made one for dinner tonight!

We had this soup at our very first stop of the day that Sunday, at Sheldon.  It was amazing.  I ate my sample and finished Brian’s :)

I picked up my ingredients Friday when we got home, and re-created this delicious soup tonight.

Luckily I also picked up some of this while in San Francisco…

Now you don’t need the truffle oil per se, but it adds so much and just takes this simple soup to the next level!

I’m so glad I am able to share recipes from this cookbook on the blog.  I did however make a couple very minor adjustments so I will give the recipe I made.

Potato Leek Soup with truffle oil
adapted from chef Dylan Sheldon in the “Tasting Along the Wine Road” cookbook

  Serves 4-6

• 3 medium leeks, washed and minced (only the white and first inch of the light green parts)
• 1 med onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2T unsalted butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 med/large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and diced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground fennel (optional, I couldn’t find this ingredient so I smashed up some fennel seeds)
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• white truffle oil

1. In a large heavy bottom stock pot over med-low heat, melt the butter with the onions, garlic, leeks, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.  Leave the sprigs of herbs whole as you will remove them later.  Sauté on med-low/low for about 5 min until the vegetables are soft.
2. Add potatoes, broth, and wine.  Turn up heat to med-high and bring to a simmer.  Cover, and simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 min. 
3. Remove bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary.  Then puree the soup with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender then puree until smooth and creamy. Personally I HATE transferring soups, so I always use my handheld immersion blender…get one, they are not expensive!!
4. Serve in bowls and garnish with a few drops (or more!!) of white truffle oil, and a cheesy toast…

Cheesy toast: melt some freshly grated gruyere (or your favorite aged sharp cheese) on a thin slice of baguette and toast in the oven or toaster oven. 

Creamy, comforting and makes for a great meal.  We were filled up with 1 bowl of soup and two cheesy toasts!