Happy Thanks to you and your family and friends

Ten year flashback:

Here is my sweet little Kate at age 21 months enjoying her Thanksgiving feast including potato rolls dipped in mashed potatoes.  Her face says it all: "This is good"

Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this.

Happy Kate

potato rolls

I am in California.  Ella is in Denver.  Ella is going to make these rolls solo this year because we are not together.  She has been my sous chef for several years and last year we switched and I became her sous chef.  You got this Ella!

Recipe posted 11/2008

Give Thanks

What will you be doing today? I am guessing a little turkey and cranberry sauce will be on the menu.

My day will be the same:

It started with a little iPod, Touch, Pad, Mac

then a shower and make up with a little curl in my hair

followed by some time in the kitchen at the baking center with beaters to lick

most likely some artwork

after the big meal, I'll take a walk in the cold air to balance out the day

a bedtime story

and then a long nap with a smile on my face

Last weekend my Denver girls went to Seattle to visit my beautiful granddaughters there. We celebrated an early version of Thanksgiving and had the time of our lives. The cousins loved playing with each other.....lots of giggles, "Go Fish", walking adventures and some electronic fun.

Today will be like most of the rest of you....filled with fun, family, friends and the thankfulness of being together on a day of "rest" and reflection.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

studying the iPod, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

a little nap

a little nap, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Thanksgiving secret:

Roast turkey, lots of herbs, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Roast your turkey on Wednesday night!
Why? Your bird is done
The drippings are collected and the gravy made
The carcass has been rendered down to make yummy stock for the stuffing and other side dishes
and best of all:
The roasting pan has already been put away and the kitchen is clean.
Try it!

stuffed turkey breast

stuffed turkey breast, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

This was new for me and I must say it is my OWN recipe. The second turkey was a stuffed breast....not so unusual but the stuffing and the coating was different and delicious:
Stuffing:
fresh figs (6), quartered
goat cheese (2" log), crumbled
walnuts (1/3 cup), roughly chopped
fresh sage leaves (4), finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
just mix together
Paint the inside of the breast with:
Raspberry Chipotle sauce
then:
Place the stuffing on one side of the open breast
Bundle the breast back up and tie with lots of kitchen twine
Place on a rack in a roasting pan and top with
Pancetta (1/2 pound), thinly sliced
Oven: 400 deg for about 20 minutes to crisp the pancetta then drop to"
375 deg until the internal temp of the meat reads 160 on the thermometer ..My 4.5 lb breast took 1.5 hours.
Let rest for about 15 minutes and then slice.
Gobble gobble!

Oh what fun!

Thanksgiving in Seattle, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Last weekend I went to Seattle for an early Thanksgiving: something I've done since Reina was born. We all really like to celebrate together the weekend before because #1 it isn't as crazy as the real weekend, #2 the stores are less crowded, the fares are cheaper and #3 it allows us all to do a dress rehearsal for the following Thursday.....sometimes with an alternative flare. I do love alternative flares.
But most of the visit is spent playing with my Seattle girls: Reina is 3 and her baby sister, Gabriela is 10 months. Both are absolutely adorable.
I hope all of you have as much fun, good food and love this Thanksgiving as I did.