Category: Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

11/15/2016

This has been a month of dinner parties. Three men in our family have birthdays in November; my husband, son-in-law Dave, and yes... the landmark 1st year of French Bulldog, Bisous.
We celebrated those birthdays last night with Pumpkin Cheesecake drizzled with Salted Caramel Sauce. I don't think anyone would be disappointed if I made this dessert again for our Thanksgiving dinner next week. The great thing about cheesecake... it can be baked a day or two ahead, making it one less item competing for space occupied by the turkey and stuffing in my oven. My pumpkin pies are always baked the day of.
And earlier this month I was is Ohio visiting my sister, Susan. While there, I cooked for a dinner party she hosted prior to the opening of a holiday show at the Taft Museum in Cincinnati. (The show can be seen through January 8.) This is the third year where the Taft has displayed part of Susan's museum-quality, antique toy collection from the Erzgebirge region of Germany. Out-of-town guests at the dinner party were new friends who have accompanied Susan on the tours she leads twice a year to Germany -- a must for any serious collector!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

adapted recipe from Chocolate with Grace

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe here)
• Whipped heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 8 1/2 to 9-inch springform pan. Press a square of foil over the bottom of the pan (to protect the oven floor from any leakage) and bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325˚F. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Break the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the eggs to the mixture and mix briefly, just until well combined. Do not over mix. Pour on top of the graham cracker crust.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to rest inside the oven for an additional 1 1/2 hours before opening the oven door. The long cooling time should minimize cracks in the cheesecake. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Serve with the Salted Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream.

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Thoughts about a Pie

11/27/2015

2 Comments

     There were seven of us for Thanksgiving dinner. I could have easily gotten by with one pumpkin pie for dessert, but I made two. So glad...
     This recipe makes the best pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. I've been baking this pie since 1999, when it first appeared in Gourmet magazine. Last year I made one pumpkin pie for seven of us and there were no leftovers. I will NEVER let that happen again.

The kitchen above, when it was still somewhat calm. That changed, of course...

• Gourmet, November 1999 PUMPKIN PIE

PASTRY DOUGH:
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes
2. Pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with the rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated.
3. Gently squeeze a small handful; it should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn't, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated (keep testing). (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
4. Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
+ Dough can be chilled up to 1 day.

FILLING:
• 15-ounce can canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Whipped heavy cream, for finishing
• Finely diced candied ginger, for finishing

PREPARATION;
1. Make pastry dough as directed. Roll out dough into a 14-inch round on a lightly floured surface (I always roll my pastry dough between waxed paper and plastic wrap); fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge decoratively. Chill 30 minutes
2. PREHEAT OVEN to 375˚F.
3. Line pastry shell with foil and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake in middle of oven for 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil and bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool on a rack. Whisk together pumpkin, cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, spices, and salt; pour into shell.
4. Bake pie in middle of oven, approximately 50 minutes, or until filling is set but center still trembles slightly. (Filling will continue to set as pie cools.) Transfer to rack and cool completely.
5. Serve with whipped and sweetened heavy cream and decorate with candied ginger.

+ To prevent overbaking custard, you should start checking the pie's doneness at 45 minutes, as ovens vary.

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Quinoa Salad with Kale and Red Grapes

11/20/2015

1 Comment

I just made this Quinoa Salad with Kale and Red Grapes ( I still have kale in my garden! ) and I think it could possibly be a contender for one of the sides on my Thanksgiving table. My plans are starting to come together. Our neighbors, that are joining us for dinner this year, are making the turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Yes... it makes it very easy for me. I will fill in with everything else. But I am still undecided on dessert. Of course there will be a pumpkin pie. There has to be a pumpkin pie. But I plan on making a second pie/tart and every suggestion I've thrown out to family members has been vetoed. Maybe I'll stop asking... Maybe I'll make two pumpkin pies.

• inspired by a recipe in Experience Life magazine
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, divided
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3 cups stemmed kale, center rib removed and finely juilienned
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 cups halved red seedless grapes
• 3/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl of cool water, and whisk for two minutes, then drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve. Over medium heat, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a medium-size pot. Add quinoa and stir for one minute to dry and toast briefly. Add the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, ,cumin, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a large bowl.. Add the kale and press on it for a short time with the back of a wooden spoon. Doing this breaks down its fibers, making it easier to chew and digest. Add the quinoa, lemon zest, grapes, and walnuts; toss gently. Serve at room temperature.

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Pumpkin Mousse Tart with Chocolate Wafer Crust

11/17/2013

3 Comments

I've had this recipe for Pumpkin Mousse Tart tucked away for many years; every time I'd run across it I would think... I have got to make this (but never did). My husband loves pumpkin. This time of year he will purchase all things pumpkin -- coffee, smoothies, and frozen yogurt to name a few. So with his birthday falling two weeks before Thanksgiving, I thought it the perfect time to finally make this tart and pass along the recipe.
This is a dessert that actually benefits from being refrigerated for a day or two before serving which I, unfortunately, did not do. The consistency, flavor, and firmness of the wafer crust are at their peak after a long chill. Bake the tart one to two days before Thanksgiving and you are all set for a delicious holiday dessert!

• Chocolate wafer crust (recipe follows)
• 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 16 ounce can pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons milk or light cream
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon finely-shredded orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 heaping tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons rum, optional
• thin slices of candied ginger for decoration

1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs all at once; beat on low speed just until combined. Do not over beat. Gently stir in the pumpkin, milk or cream, rum, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, allspice, orange peel, and lemon juice.
2. PREHEAT OVEN to 375˚F. Slowly pour the pumpkin filling into the chocolate wafer tart shell. Loosely cover the edge of the crust with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. The center should be slightly soft when tested. It will firm as it cools. Transfer the tart to a wire rack and cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
3. Before serving, combine the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and rum in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat until soft peaks form. Serve the tart with whipped cream and slices of candied ginger, if desired.

CHOCOLATE WAFER CRUST (adapted recipe from Hungry Rabbit)
• 36 chocolate wafers (about 3 cups)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chocolate wafers, sugar, and cinnamon. Pulse until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.
3. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and 1 1/2-inches up the sides of either a 9 1/2-inch ring mold, pie plate, or springform pan.
4. Bake the crust on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

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A Tart Worth Repeating... over & over

11/8/2013

4 Comments

Every fall my husband tries to get back to the family farm in southwest Iowa to help with the harvest. And when he goes, I give him a list of wants.

Always topping the list is bittersweet. I have a wreath I made several years ago from bittersweet that grows wild on the farm and every year since I plug it with additional fresh bittersweet. When he hasn't been able to make it down to the farm in the fall, I've grudgingly purchased bittersweet at local floral shops to replenish the wreath. It's quite the pricey poisonous and invasive vine!

In addition to the bittersweet I also received buckets full of acidy-green hedge balls to fill urns on my front stoop, plus bags full of black walnuts (any volunteers to help crack shells and pick out the nutmeat? I didn't think so... ). But maybe the best gift from the farm was the Golden Delicious apples my husband brought back; big, beautiful, and sweet! I immediately got to work making tarts; turning to my favorite Almond Cream Apple Tart recipe (French, of course).

I have come to believe that ground almonds added to anything makes that anything taste better. I love almonds and this French Apple Tart is full of almonds in the form of almond cream, also called frangipane. Make your own ground almonds for this recipe by processing slivered almonds. Or if you have access to a Trader Joe's, the grocery store chain has 16-ounce bags of almond meal for $4.99 -- an excellent price!

If you are like me and include an apple dessert in your Thanksgiving menu, consider this tart. Along with pumpkin pies, I usually bake an apple tart or My Mother's Apple Crisp (recipe HERE) for one of our Thanksgiving desserts. Originally, I made this Almond Cream (or Frangipane) Apple Tart as one large tart. The two tarts I made this week were smaller, baked in 7-inch rings.

adapted recipe by Ewen Lemoigne and Pierre Jancou

NOTE: Following the original recipe, the tarts in this post were baked at 400˚F. That gave these tarts a rustic, baked-in-a-woodburning-oven look. In the recipe below, I give an oven temperature of 375˚F -- see the final results for a tart baked at that temperature HERE.

• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• Baked pastry shell (recipe below)
• 3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, halved, cored and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. In a mini processor, pulse 3/4 cup of the almonds until finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl. Pulse the remaining 1/4 cup of almonds, until coarsely chopped. Transfer to the bowl, add the granulated sugar, flour and the salt and toss gently to combine.
2. In another bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the 4 tablespoons of butter until creamy. Add the almond mixture and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the rum.
3. Spread the almond filling in the baked pastry shell. Arrange the apple slices on top in concentric circles. Brush the apple slices with the melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
4. Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is set and the apples are browned and tender. (Start watching the tart closely after 35 minutes.) Transfer the tart to a rack to cool slightly. Remove the ring and serve the tart warm or at room temperature.

Tart Crust Recipe:

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small piece
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water and pulse just until the dough holds together when pinched; if necessary, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ice water. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, 1 hour.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Push a rolling pin over the top to trim any overhang. Prick the bottom in several places with a fork.
3. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes, until the shell is lightly colored around the edge. Remove the foil and weights and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. Let cool before filling.

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Garlicky Smashed Potatoes

1/21/2011

8 Comments

     I can't say that I make these garlic smashed potatoes often. When I am making mashed potatoes for our dinner, I usually peel russet potatoes that I boil and finish off in my KitchenAid mixer using the paddle attachment, adding butter or olive oil, and warmed milk or buttermilk. The ingredients mostly depend on my mood. Under more special circumstances, like our recent Thanksgiving dinner, I will make these garlic-infused smashed potatoes… Always!
     These Garlic Smashed Potatoes are truly an indulgence. From the unsalted butter, to the garlic, and the fresh, heavy cream, all of the ingredients combine to deliver the ultimate comfort food side-dish. These mashed potatoes can elevate the humblest of meals into food worthy of a dinner party. These mashed potatoes would make my ramekins of Baked Eggs with Mashed Potatoes and Ham taste even more fabulous!

                                … Garlic Mashed Potatoes …
                        from The Olives Table by Todd English

Serves 4
• 2 pounds new potatoes, unpeeled, cut into large dice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Mash with a potato masher or fork.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is just golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook until it has reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic cream, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and mix well. If necessary, reheat over low heat. Serve immediately.
3. Use any leftovers for my Baked Eggs with Mashed Potatoes and Ham.

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The way I make GREEN BEANS

11/24/2010

2 Comments

Did you just wake up this morning like I did, and think... yikes! Thanksgiving is tomorrow! So many things I could have and should have done yesterday, but I left them for today -- cubing the bread for the stuffing, rolling the pumpkin pie pastry, brining the turkey, setting the table... Needless to say, this will be a busy day.
If you're looking for an easy and delicious way to make green beans (or broccoli), do as I do... Bring salted water to a boil in a large sauté pan. Add the green beans and cook at a gentle boil for 4 to 5 minutes; time depends on the size of the beans. I prefer my beans more tender than crisp. Drain the beans and wrap in a dish towel. The beans can now be held for several hours at room temperature. If you want to get a jump on things, take the green beans, still wrapped in the dish towel, and slide into a zip-lock bag and refrigerate overnight. Pull out of the refrigerator about an hour before needed, and right before you're ready to serve, heat some very good olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the beans and cook over medium heat. I like mine seared a little bit. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Devour immediately. YUM!

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LEFTOVERS--stuffing hash with poached eggs

12/2/2008

5 Comments

   Up until about twelve years ago we traveled every Thanksgiving to spend it with family out-of-state. Once we decided we would start our own traditions by celebrating the holiday at home, I pulled this recipe from Bon Appetit magazine and have been making it every year since then. An article last week on the website Serious Eats suggested using leftover stuffing as hash with poached eggs. That's exactly what I did and I liked it enough to consider it a contender for my upcoming New Years Day brunch. To approximately 8 cups of leftover stuffing, I added additional chicken broth to moisten and two beaten eggs. I melted butter in a large sauté pan and pan-fried the stuffing over medium-high heat. Once I had a nice crusty bottom, I turned the stuffing to brown on the other side. Topped with a poached egg, it was a delicious light supper.

                SAUSAGE, APPLE and DRIED CHERRY STUFFING
                        adapted from Bon Appetit

• 12 cups good quality bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 6 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 cups diced celery
• 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 1 cup dried sour cherries (add additional if you love them as much as I do)
• 4 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary
• 2/3 cup chopped, fresh Italian parsley
• 3 eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups (approximately) canned, low-salt chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Divide bread cubes between two large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. COOL completely.
2. Sauté sausage over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Pour off any drippings. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to skillet; sauté until leeks soften. Mix in dried cherries and rosemary. Add mixture to sausage, then mix in bread and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (This can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into stuffing to moisten. Spoon into a buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake at 350˚ F for about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden on top, about 15 minutes longer.

5 Comments

A LOVELY THANKSGIVING

11/29/2008

4 Comments

We celebrated a lovely Thanksgiving this past Thursday. It has truly become my favorite holiday. Being in my kitchen for several days cooking for this meal gives me great satisfaction. And this Thanksgiving we were joined by our favorite neighbors, which made it all the more special.

This year I brined the turkey for the first time, and I will do it again next year. It was, in my opinion, the best turkey I ever made. We had Parker House Rolls...

and Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Homemade Marshmallows. For those of you who turn up your nose to sweet potatoes with marshmallows, try these! It is the most talked about and most anticipated dish on my holiday table. It is the leftover that disappears from the refrigerator before anything else. And every year I put it under the broiler at the last minute while I'm madly dashing around... and forget about it. It still tasted delicious.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

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