All that remains of Thanksgiving 2015 are the memories and photos of a wonderful day spent celebrating with our sons, their fiancees and my brother from Chicago who was with us this year.
Even the leftovers have disappeared, and space can be found in the fridge and freezer once again.
Our Thanksgiving buffet photos are reminiscent of the ones I have posted these past several years with few exceptions.
This is the one time of the year everyone demands the same delicious stuffing, mashed potatoes, caramelized yellow sweet potatoes, homemade gravy, cranberry mold, and cranberry sauce which has become our family’s tradition.
I ventured out on a limb this year and substituted green beans with pancetta for the usual glazed Brussel sprouts, and added some orange juice, orange zest and a cinnamon stick when making my cranberry sauce.
At the request of my LA son’s fiancé I made a batch of corn muffins. I followed Ina Garten’s recipe, and they were a big hit. Watch the video here..
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/corn-muffins-recipe.html
The appetizers we nibbled on along with champagne cocktails a couple hours before sitting down to the feast have become pretty much standard and expected as well, the exception this year being a lovely cheese platter designed by our local Fromagerie Sophie shop around the corner.
And of course it would not be Thanksgiving without my toasted pumpkin seeds.
For dessert I found a new recipe for pumpkin pie I wanted to try. It is from King Arthur’s Flour. It is a rich and spicy pie that slices well and has a bright pumpkin flavor.
The best part is the filling is mixed a day in advance to give the spices a chance to blend…one more thing you can do ahead.
The instructions advise you to remove the pie from the oven while the center is still wobbly; it will set while cooling. Overcooking causes the filling to crack.
Also on the dessert buffet was the Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie.
And for an added treat my brother ordered a special cake to be delivered the day before Thanksgiving…It is the Smith Island Cake, which happens to be the state dessert of Maryland…who knew?
It turns out it is one really delicious cake, and quite fitting for us since we lived in the great state of Maryland for 25 years!
Our son and his fiancé who live in San Francisco provided a lovely bottle of wine to go with the meal as well a this dessert wine above especially selected to accompany that salted caramel apple pie!
Later that evening we enjoyed some special candies my other son and his fiancé brought from a unique candy shop in LA.
A sweet ending to a sweet day, and one that reminds me how very much we have to be thankful for every day.