November 20 - Thanksgiving
The Carefree Gourmet - by Joyce McCombs

Everyone knows the Thanksgiving rules, and get ready because it’s just two weeks away! Turkey is always the star of the show. Stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy are a must. Cranberries will appear in one form or another, followed closely by sweet potatoes, rolls, and canned green bean casserole with French fried onions on top. Corn is usually on the menu as somewhat inaccurate tribute to our Pilgrim ancestors. Jello, with canned fruit suspended inside is a tribute to my own ancestors, who couldn’t get through a major holiday without it. Appetizers, leafy greens, and soup are sometimes invited to the party, but are often left on the sidelines during this annual carbohydrate fest. Oh, and don’t forget the pie. Pumpkin, pecan, cherry and lemon meringue top the list of favorite Thanksgiving desserts. Nobody will request fat free sorbet, trust me.

Yes, we who cook know all the rules and on the fourth Thursday of November we bake and baste and mash with a happy heart for the people we love, knowing full well that an hour after dinner everyone will be slinking toward the couch to pretend to watch football. In just minutes, some will be listing to starboard and snoring softly. Later, they will deny even closing their eyes for a second - they were certainly not napping, no sir!

None of these things are bad; none are things I want to change, either. But I will admit that after so many years of tradition, I’m on the prowl for something different to do with leftover turkey. I’m looking for new ways to use pumpkin, and eagerly seeking interesting cranberry revelations. If there’s a few less slumber inducing carbs in the mix, that’s a bonus. I found some good ideas this week - see what you think.

Perfect Pumpkin Cream
No need to drag out the ice cream freezer - this works fine in any container that’s freezer friendly. You’ll want to make this the night before so it’s ready to go after the big feed. If using prepared pumpkin pie mix, leave out the spices listed below. Good with gingersnaps.
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, light cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until very smooth. Whip cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold in pumpkin mixture with rubber spatula. Freeze in covered container overnight.

Turkey Hustle
This goes together very fast and uses up a lot of leftover turkey, so if you’re not inspired to make soup this year, and all the big slices of bird have gone for sandwiches, this might fit the bill.
Preheat oven to 325 and spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Combine:
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
Spread in baking dish. For topping, combine:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
Spread over turkey mixture and bake 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Gobbler’s Pate
Use a food processor for a perfectly smooth spread that’s great on crackers, celery or toasted cocktail sandwich bread. If you use plain roasted turkey, use the dark meat and try adding a drop of liquid smoke flavoring.
1 cup finely ground smoked turkey
One 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Combine turkey, cream cheese, mayo and pepper and mix well. Shape into ball (or press into plastic wrap lined bowl) and chill for several hours or overnight. Before serving, roll in pecan and parsley mixture and let stand 20 minutes at room temperature to soften.

Savory Sage Dressing
I am awfully fond of my cornbread and sausage dressing, which I’ve blabbed about before in the annual Thanksgiving CG, but if I’m ever inspired to try something else, this will probably be it. If you like dressing made outside the bird, but the oven is full, here’s a good solution. Be sure to refrigerate the leftovers promptly.
1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup butter
4 eggs
1 can mushroom soup
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 - 3 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 loaves of good bread, cubed
1 can chicken broth

Sauté the celery and onion together in the butter for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat. Mix eggs, soup, baking powder, sage pepper and bread in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in chicken broth, onion and celery and stir until bread is coated. Mixture will be very moist. Lightly oil the crock pot, set heat to high. Pour in dressing and cook on high for one hour, then turn heat to low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir often to prevent sticking.

Cranberry Whirl
You’ll need a ring mold or a bundt pan for this luscious pink fluff. Try using a paper towel to lightly wipe the inside with vegetable oil.
Combine in large bowl until well blended and no streaks remain:
One 16 ounce carton whipped topping
One 16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce
One 15 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
Fold in:
3 bananas, sliced
1 cup chopped walnuts
Pour into mold and freeze overnight. Thaw about 20 minutes before unmolding onto serving plate.

Cranberry Chutney
This makes 2 pints - one to keep and one to give away. A nice, spicy addition to the inevitable sandwich fest and also good as an appetizer or snack on crackers spread with cream cheese.
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup unpeeled, chopped, tart green apple
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup water
Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will burst and apple pieces should soften, but not loose their shape. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature in pan. Mixture will thicken upon cooling. Ladle into pint jars and store covered in refrigerator.

Hot Buttered Cranberry Punch
This makes about ten cups and will keep nicely in a thermos if you want to tote it out to the ice house or on the snow machine trail. Pump up the spices if you like, especially the cloves, but watch out for the nutmeg, which can overwhelm everything else and become bitter. Fun to stir with those long cinnamon sticks, if you can find them!
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart cranberry juice
1 quart pineapple juice
Butter
Combine sugar, water, spices and salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in juices. Heat punch until steaming but not boiling. Serve hot, and top each mug with about 1/2 teaspoon butter.

I’ll be taking a break next time, so expect a guest Gourmet in this spot for the pre-Thanksgiving issue. In December I’m looking forward to sharing the story of a local entrepreneur and her incredible “rise” to fame with her wonderful hearth baked sourdough breads. Happy early Thanksgiving!

  

Index to Carefree Gourmet Articles

Sourdough Sensations June 29, 2007

Kitty Treats June 29, 2007

Dog Treats April 20, 2007

Sandwich Plan March 23, 2007

Carefree Wacky Ingredients March 8, 2007

Homestead Hearth January 25, 2007

Carefree Cooking 101 January 11, 2007

Holiday Punch December 23, 2006

Holiday Treats December 12, 2006

Thanksgiving II November 20, 2006

Standby Favorites October 16, 2006

Cabbage October 11, 2006

Apples September 22, 2006

Kids Cook July 6, 2006

Wacky Tips June 8, 2006

Graduation May 11, 2006

African Cuisine April 13, 2006

A Bit of Irish March 23, 2006

Crazy for Carrots March 9, 2006

February Vacation February 23, 2006

Easy Budget January 12, 2006

Christmas Treats December 22, 2005

Sweet Surprises December 8, 2005

Turkey Times  November 22, 2005

Grand Champions - Part 2 - October 13, 2005

Janet Boyer September 22, 2005

Grand Champions September 5, 2005

Blueberries  August 12, 2005

Halibut and Zukes July 28, 2005

Orange Juice July 14, 2005

Happy Birthday June 30, 2005

Honey June 9, 2005

Picnic Dishes May 26, 2005

Celebration Salads May 12, 2005

Kraft Foods April 21, 2005

Shrimp April 7, 2005

Carry on Airline snacks March 25, 2005

Sandwiches March 10, 2005

Back from Vacation February 24, 2005

Super Bowl Snack Attack  January 14, 2005

Ginger Snaps December 29, 2004

Christmas Memories - December 12, 2004

Thanksgiving November 23, 2004

Glen and Meat  October 29, 2004

Blueberry Pie Champion  September 30, 2004

Fair Winners  September 2, 2004

Glen's Knives June 11, 2004

Aunt Aggie Tells All... May 13, 2004

Crazy About Catsup April 29, 2004

Carefree Clearance Special April 8, 2004

Seattle Adventure March 26, 2004

Vegas, part 2 March 12, 2004

Vegas Wind February 12, 2004

Casserole Bonanza January 11, 2004

No Fuss Dishes  December 19, 2003

Fake and Bake Christmas  December 11, 2003