Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s not going to be what any of us imagined. But that’s ok and what we need to do right now. We’ll make it up for it next year!
To be honest though, for a variety of reasons our Thanksgivings have always been small, ranging from 3-9 people each year. So this isn’t really that different, at least number-wise. Every year friends would ask who’s cooking this year, I always say me. The whole meal. And you know what, it’s been awesome. But I do love to cook so maybe I’m biased. We’ve created family Thanksgiving traditions that’ll live on through my kids and made this one of our favorite days of the year. So don’t be nervous, you can do it!!!
This year, there’ll just be three of us. Our other two kids, our moms and the rest of our family all live out of state. I’m hoping they can find a way to enjoy the day, each in their own away. But it’s definitely hard when you’re alone.
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What’s some of our traditions?
One of the things about not having guests is that you get to settle in, be comfortable, and go at your own pace. You are in completely in charge of the day’s schedule. Be creative–sleep in, watch that football game and eat at 5, stay in pajamas until noon, eat on tv trays, create an intimate setting at the dining room table. Make it your kind of day. Here’s the highlights of our Thanksgiving this year.
- We’ll start the day with brunch centered around a delicious Kale, Chive and Goat Cheese quiche (jump to recipe). This year, I’ll have homemade sourdough banana bread and Waseda Farms Bacon on the menu as well.
- In recent years, I’ve planned a signature holiday cocktail. One of the benefits of having adult children 😉. This year is going to be a Calvados Apple Cider Cocktail (jump to recipe).
- During the early football game, we’ll have some tasty, light snacks to munch on while the turkey is cooking.
- Then late afternoon, we’ll enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving spread. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable, rolls, cranberry sauce, and apple and pumpkin pie are on the menu. I usually make a 14-16 lb turkey no matter the number so I can get enough stuffing in the bird and guarantee leftovers. The leftovers never go to waste that’s for sure!
- At the table, we started a new tradition a few years ago after my dad passed away suddenly. We light a candle to remind us of these who can’t be with us this year, for whatever reason. It’s a special moment when we light the Love candle, and even more so this year with so many in our family spread far and wide.
What’s going to be new this year?
- We’ll be a little smaller than normal.
- Shopping has been a little different. As the covid rates have gone up in recent weeks, I am making full use of curbside pickup and can personally vouch for Whole Foods, Target, Williams Sonoma (my source for chestnuts for the stuffing), and in our area, Jewel and Mariano’s grocery stores. I submit my order online and pick it up later in the day. They’ve really worked out the kinks since earlier in the spring
- A group of my friends have put together a contact free, Thanksgiving Share-a-Dish. We all have picked one of our Thanksgiving favorites and will deliver a portion to everyone else’s homes on Wednesday. While for me making the whole meal is nothing new, I can see how this year’s meal prep could be daunting and unexciting when you’re used to guests bringing a dish to share. I’m super excited to try some of my friend’s favorites that have never made it onto my menu. You can only cook so much food for 3-5 people to eat. What am I sharing? My Leek, Apricot and Chestnut Stuffing (jump to recipe).
- We’ll be spending time with family this year throughout the day through video streaming. Hopefully the internet doesn’t crash, but it’ll be nice for everyone to be able to spend some time together watching football, having snacks, or even joining us at the table.
- I’m also planning to set up some fun games to play with family of all ages across all the miles. I’m thinking of Bingo, Trivia and a football pool.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving however you are celebrating this year,
Stephi
Recipes mentioned above
Kale, Chive and Goat Cheese Recipe
Kale, Chive and Goat Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 10 oz. fresh kale, large stems and veins removed, washed, chop coarsely
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2-3 Tbs. finely snipped chives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup semi-dry finely crumbled goat cheese
- 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Cheese
- 1 ready made pie crust (I use one Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust)
Instructions
Crust Preparation
- Place pie crust into a 10 inch porcelian quiche dish, or 11 in metal tart pan.
- Prick bottom of crust with fork, cover with foil, and freeze for 30 min-overnight
- Preheat oven to 425°F, remove foil and add dried beans or pie weights to crust to prevent puffing while baking. Bake 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Quiche Preparation
- Heat the oven to 375°F
- In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the kale and cook until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, and heavy cream with a whisk. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and whisk until thoroughly blended.
- Add the finely crumbled goat cheese, chives, thyme, and Parmigiano. Set aside.
- Put the kale in a kitchen towel and squeeze out all the moisture; you should have a ball measuring about 2/3 cup. Mince the kale and add it to the egg mixture. Blend well.
- If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, put it on a baking sheet while cooking. Porcelain dish can go directly into the oven. Pour the kale and goat cheese mixture into the prepared shell, being careful that it doesn’t overflow. Bake until the filling is nicely puffed and browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can add sauteed mushrooms or bacon, or sub the kale with spinach.
This recipe is modified from Fine Cooking
Leek, Apricot and Chestnut Stuffing
Leek, Apricot and Chestnut Stuffing
A delicious savory and sweet turkey stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 loaves french bread, cubed and air dried (do at least 3 days prior)
- 2T olive oil
- 6T butter
- 4 stalks celery-sliced
- 2 med leeks-cleaned and thinly sliced
- ½ lb mushrooms-sliced
- 2 med cloves garlic-minced
- 16 oz chestnuts-coarsley chopped
- ½ c dried apricots-coarsly chopped
- ½ c fresh parsley
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-16 oz can low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Over medium heat, melt oil and 2T butter in large skillet.
- Add celery, leeks and mushrooms, sauté 10-15 minutes.
- Add garlic-saute 1 minute
- Remove from heat, stir in chestnuts, apricots, seasonings and chicken broth.
- Add savory mixture to dried bread cubes and stir well
- Stuff turkey
- Extra: Put remaining in a medium buttered casserole dish.
- Dot with remaining 4T butter; cover with foil
- Bake 325°F for 20-30 min;; remove foil and raise temperature to 375° for 10 min. (Add a little more broth if it seems a little dry)
Notes
I pop in the oven near the end of the turkey cooking time and then raise the temperature when the turkey comes out to rest.
If your oven isn't large enough for both pans, raise oven to 350° when the turkey comes out and cook stuffing for 20-30 min covered, remove foil and cook for additional 10 min.
Be sure to use appropriate safe food handling procedures when stuffing the turkey, so as to not contaminate the stuffing that is going into the cassarole dish.
***french bread needs to be cubed and air dried for at least 3 days.
Calvados Apple Cider Cocktail
Calvados Apple Cider Cocktail
Ingredients
- 4 oz apple cider
- 2 oz Calvados
- 2 oz brandy
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 4 thin apple slices
- ice as needed
Instructions
- Fill a large cocktail shaker half full with ice.
- Add the apple cider, Calvados, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup.
- Cover with the lid and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
- Strain into 2 highball glasses filled with ice. Garnish each glass with 2 of the apple slices and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Notes
adapted from Williams-Sonoma's "Holiday Entertaining"
So glad to see you’re still a Bills fan! Go Bills! Thinking of trying the goat cheese pie – substituting spinach for kale as John will not eat kale.
Happy Thanksgiving to your family!
Always a Bills Fan! And what a treat to have them play on Thanksgiving last year. You can definitely substitute spinach ing the quiche, I’ve done it both ways depending what I have. Spinach takes less time to wilt, only a few minutes in the boiling water. I hope you enjoy it, one of our favorites.
Happy Thanksgiving to your family too!