Thanksgiving 2014

The holidays have come and gone, allowing time to document the memories we made. Cooking, baking and much MERRY MAKING have been the family's theme for the past month and a half. I am pleased to say that almost every single effort in the kitchen turned out well and EVERY moment shared together was pure joy!

Almond Paste Brioche Buns  

I have enjoyed watching Julia Child videos while riding my bike trainer these cold, dark evenings. During one of these sessions I was inspired to make Brioche. This recipe included a basic Brioche dough and a homemade Almond Paste. It was assembled like traditional cinnamon rolls, but on an individual basis and then baked in special Pannetone wrappers. 

Thanksgiving Centerpiece & a $15 Candy Bar!

Homemade dinner rolls, pies, cookies and breads were made for Thanksgiving days with family, leaving very little time for sophisticated table decorations. Always a fan of simplicity, a centerpiece was created using pears and the most expensive candy bar I have ever bought. I thought the Zingerman's Original was a little pricey at $5.00 a bar, but feeling the holiday spirit I bought it anyway.Younger eyes soon discovered the actual price was $15.00. Oh my - each $1bite was well savored!

Thanksgiving Dinner - YUM!

Daniel was able to join us for the entire week of Thanksgiving, while Trevor, Sarah and Asia got to Ames Wednesday evening after a hard day at work. Once we were all together we finalized plans for the big meal the next day. Each of us chose a recipe to be in charge of resulting in a delicious and stress-free Thanksgiving dinner. A dry rub was applied to the 14 pound turkey with good effect (requiring less effort than brining). 

Cornbread baked the day before the holiday was used to make Chorizo, Cherry and 
Pecan Stuffing. (Bon Appetit, 11/14, p. 106)

Close-up of Meal

One of our favorite vegetables, Brussels Sprouts, was turned into a delectable side dish when combined with bacon and candied cranberries. (Evernote/Thanksgiving)

A new recipe, Caramelized Butternut Squash Wedges with Sage Pesto, might have been the best dish of the meal and will surely be repeated in future years.(Evernote/Thanksgiving)

Basic Roasted Cauliflower rounded out
a colorful plate with Homemade Dinner 
Rolls on the side.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

But what is Thanksgiving Dinner without dessert? Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream was churned Thanksgiving morning, resulting in a most memorable bowl of goodness. The buttermilk gave the ice cream a delightful zing and half of a freshly baked pumpkin pie churned into the ice cream at the last minute resulted in unexpected mouthfuls of bliss. (Evernote/Thanksgiving) 

Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

• Yield: Serves 12 (serving size: 3/4 cup)
• Hands-on: 20 Minutes
• Total: 3 Hours, 50 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half

• 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 12 ounces leftover pumpkin pie (about [1/2] 9-inch pie), chilled and cut into small slices

Preparation

1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until mixture is pale.
2. Combine half-and-half, evaporated milk, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk; return milk-egg mixture to pan. Cook over medium-low heat 6 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a rubber spatula, stirring constantly with spatula. Strain through a sieve into a large bowl set over a larger ice-filled bowl. Let stand until cool, stirring occasionally. Add buttermilk, stirring with a whisk. Pour into an airtight container; cover and chill 30 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Add pie just before removing ice cream and while machine is still churning. Remove ice cream to an airtight container; freeze 3 hours or until firm.

Afternoon Entertainment - Still life

Our Renditions

Trevor graciously gave Sarah and me drawing and watercolor lessons while he was home. A quick still life was set up on 
the dining room table and instruction began. 

Trevor proved to be a kind and patient teacher, both characteristics Sarah and I greatly appreciated. The fruit was hard enough to draw and paint, but Sarah and I became a bit frustrated at our attempt to draw/paint a partially eaten cinnamon roll.





Trevor insists daily practice is important in mastering these techniques. It is time to get serious about drawing and painting. Baby steps!                                                                        

Topped with Wine Braised Apples and Vanilla Sabayon

The activity we love most when spending time together is working in the kitchen. Julia Child inspired another joint project, a Custard-filled Brioche topped with Wine Braised Apples garnished with a dollop of Sabayon. It turned out beautifully and tasted delicious - quite French, indeed!

Holiday Breakfast: Oats, Cinnamon Roll & Bee Pollen

Just so no one thinks we eat rich food all day long I post a picture of our "balanced" breakfast enjoyed most mornings together. Yes, there are a couple of cinnamon roll nibbles in the foreground, but please notice a nice bowl of porridge topped with peanut butter, bananas, yogurt and bee pollen (for good measure). A carefully brewed cup of coffee gave us a lively step the rest of the day!