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??

Squash Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Chard

Why don’t I make risotto more often??  Overall it’s a simple one pot dish that comes out tasting like something you would get at a fabulous restaurant.

Especially when you throw in a handful of wild mushrooms, and some naturally sweet squash puree

I’ve had this delicata squash sitting on my counter for easily over a month now and just haven’t known what I wanted to do with it.

Then last weekend I decided to pick up some Arborio rice from TJ’s, and already had the chicken broth in my pantry

I scanned my cookbooks, and then the internet and decided to use this Cooking Light recipe as my inspiration as it incorporated squash as well as radicchio which I would sub for a green leafy vegetable.

The next special addition to the risotto came in the form of some wild mushrooms Brian and I picked out at Whole Foods.  We walked in and they had a big display of different mushroom varieties, many of which I had never heard of…including these:   

These are Cauliflower Mushrooms…ok I lied.  I think the signs may not have been clear as to which mushrooms they were because I just goggled “Cauliflower Mushrooms” and they do NOT look like these!  Hmmmm….

Anyone know what these are??  I think if I heard the name I could remember if I saw it at the Whole Food’s display?

Shallots, Chard, and the mushrooms…

Winter Squash Risotto
with Wild Mushrooms and Chard
inspired by Cooking Light

• 1 large shallot (approx ½ cup chopped)
• ½ cup chopped wild mushrooms of your choice
• 1 bunch Rainbow Chard (or other greens), remove most of center rib
• 2T olive oil
• 1 ¼ cup Arborio Rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 cups Chicken Broth (may use under 4 cups)
• 1 delicata squash
• 1 tsp butter
• ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400

Cut squash lengthwise, remove seeds and pulp, and place skin side down in a baking pan with about ½” water on the bottom. Brush squash with about 2tsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt + pepper. Roast for 40-45 min until flesh is tender. Once cooled, scoop out flesh and puree in a food processor (I had to add a little water to get it to puree)

Tear each chard leaf into 3-4 pieces (like big salad size pieces)

In a medium saucepan heat chicken stock on your stove on med-low to keep the stock warm while making the risotto.  You don’t want it boiling though, just warm.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in large heavy pot.  Add chard and sauté until wilted.  Remove chard to a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Back in the pot, add the remaining olive oil.

Then add shallots, mushrooms, and dry rice

Sauté for about 5 min, then add 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until wine is absorbed.

Then add warm chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time.  I usually just use a full ladle’s worth, maybe a little more each time instead of trying to measure out the stock.  The important thing is to add the stock in increments.  KEEP STIRING!!  That’s the most important thing! 

Each time you add stock, stir stir stir until the rice has absorbed it.  All this stirring is what makes the risotto creamy, and what makes it “risotto” and not just yummy rice.

I used almost all the stock, there was only about 1/4-1/2 cup left in the pot by the time it was done.  This process took about 20-25 min. 

When you’re getting towards the end of your broth, add in the squash puree…keep stirring!

This is also one of those dishes that you need to keep tasting until you know it’s done.  You want the grains of rice to be firm, ‘al dente’, but not crunchy.  To me, it’s done when it’s just past the crunchy stage.  

When you deem your risotto “done”, add back in the sautéed chard, butter, and the grated parmesan cheese…mmmm.

This is also when you would add salt and pepper to taste.  I didn’t think it needed anything, but perhaps if you used vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth you might want some salt.

Serve with a little more cheese sprinkled on top :) 

This was amazing.  

Brian and I were both raving about it as we ate it.  Must make again, and must explore more risotto varieties! 

All the flavors blended really well, no one ingredient stood out over the others. The mushrooms were subtle but definitely noticed and added a great flavor to this!  The squash added more of a creaminess and hint of sweetness.

What are your favorite risottos???