B'Twixt and B'Tween

Scrumptious Sunday: Thanksgiving Leftovers

We all know the preparations, grocery shopping and cooking that go into one glorious feast day: Thanksgiving.  And most of us do a little planning for the bonus days: turkey sandwiches, warmed over full dinners and nibbling straight from the refrigerator.  This year, in addition to turkey, I have a very large leftover uncooked white potato and about a pound of fresh green beans. Here are a few of the planned-overs we enjoy at our house:

Turkey Enchiladas

We enjoyed this meal on Friday evening.  Big T still doesn't do meals with sauces, so he made his new specialty:  quesadillas.  He seems to enjoy being somewhat self-sufficient and we enjoy helping at the gas range.  Here is the recipe that Husband and I enjoyed:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.; spray a 9x13 baking pan (or, in our case, one 8-inch square pan plus a foil pan for the freezer -- we have the second pan in reserve for a later date) with cooking spray; set aside while you make the sauce.

Sauce: In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs. vegetable oil, then saute 1 large onion, chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I eyeballed the amount from a refrigerated jar of minced garlic). Stir in 1 C. chicken broth, 2 Tbs. chocolate chips (yes, this is the secret ingredient; I like semi-sweet for this recipe), 1 Tbs. ground ancho chiles (found in the spice section of the grocery store), 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1, 28-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes with juice.  Heat to boiling, then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Enchiladas:  While the sauce is cooking, mix 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked turkey, 1 Cup sour cream, 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2, 4.5 ounce cans chopped green chiles (undrained).  Place about 1/2 cup of the mixture on each of 8 flour tortillas and roll; place seam-side down in the baking pan.

Pour sauce over all and top with 1 Cup shredded cheese (you can continue with the Cheddar or use pepper jack; I had pizza blend in my refrigerator and it was good).  Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking, and cover the pan snugly.  Bake for about half an hour, or until all is hot and bubbly.

Turkey Minestrone Soup

Today, I've got the soup pot on.  The little bits of stuffing that cling to the inside of the turkey carcass add a bit of herby-goodness, and I'll use the leftover white potato and fresh green beans. We'll enjoy it this evening with the leftover sourdough French and whole wheat bread that didn't go into the stuffing.  This recipe is from Byerly's:

1 meaty turkey carcass

1/4 Cup chicken base or 1 chicken bullion cube

1 bay leaf

10 Cups water

2 - 14.5 ounce cans stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 - 15.5 ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

1 - 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained (optional; I leave these out)

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 Cups)

1 large onion, chopped (2 Cups)

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbs. dried basil, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt (optional; I'll leave it out)

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 C. broken dry spaghetti

1 - 9 oz. package frozen Italian green beans (I'll clean about the equivalent amount of fresh beans instead)

Combine the turkey carcass, chicken base, bay leaf in a Dutch oven or stockpot and cover with water (up to 10 Cups).  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for an hour.  Remove the turkey carcass from the broth; cool.  Strain the broth; return to Dutch oven.  Remove turkey from bones, discard bones.  Chop turkey; return to broth.  Stir in tomatoes, beans, potatoes, onion, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Stir in spaghetti and green beans; continue cooking until potatoes and pasta are tender (about 10 minutes).

Turkey Jambalaya

Because we still have turkey (in the freezer by now), we'll have this for dinner later in the week:

1 C. sliced celery

1/4 C. sliced green onions

1/2 medium green pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp. garlic powder (I will likely substitute minced garlic)

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 - 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 - 14.5 ounce can chicken broth

1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste

About 2 Cups chopped, leftover turkey

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, heat and add celery, onions and green pepper.  Cook until tender. Stir in thyme, garlic and cayenne pepper.  Gradually add stewed tomatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in tomato paste and turkey.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve over cooked rice.

I am Grateful For: Birthmothers

NaBloPoMo Day 29

As we prepare for a trip to Big T's birth country, and I get ready to wrap up my month of gratitude postings, how could I neglect to say how grateful I am for Big T's birthmother? A woman halfway around the world who found herself in circumstances that would make it difficult to raise a child, and so made a plan for him to find a family through adoption. We are learning a bit more about her, but that will be Big T's story to share if and when he is ready.  For now, we are preparing to share with her photos of Big T and the people who have been most important in his life: his grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends.  And Husband and me. Photos that show a big smile, dimples and plenty of black hair. That show him growing and learning. All things and experiences she has missed.  Many times I have thought of her, wondering where and how she is, and what she thinks about Big T.  Wishing that she could share the milestones and the ordinary moments that make him a funny, smart and precious boy. A son. Our son -- hers, mine and Husband's.

The Big Holiday Switcheroo

At this time yesterday, our house was decorated with a large turkey tureen, pumpkin candles, leaf-patterned dishes and a fall wreath above the fireplace.  The turkey was being carved and the house smelled great.

Twenty-four hours later, Husband is driving to his parents' with a care package of Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, maple sweet potatoes, cauliflower/broccoli/pea salad, a small bag of mixed nuts and a slice of pecan pie plus a slice of pumpkin pie; don't ask about the gravy -- my Mother says she turned it to wallpaper paste, although it was quite tasty).  Husband's father was sick for the past few days, and so his parents did not come for dinner yesterday.

Me? I'm enjoying a turkey sandwich and decorating the Christmas tree.  Yup, the fall decorations are stowed til next year. The Christmas placemats are out and we'll begin using the Christmas dishes today. The mini village may not be assembled for a few days, but it is the day after Thanksgiving and we are doing the old switcheroo.  After all, Big T's Sunday School program is only a week away!

Turkey Juggling

Come quick! Look! Mom's juggling the turkey!

Okay, it's really not that exciting. Nor is it exactly a family friendly form of entertainment, given the "words" that sometimes escape my mouth.

See, I'm all about the food safety.  So I scour my extra-large kitchen sink really well before even beginning the Thanksgiving preparations.  The frozen bird (still wrapped) goes into a cold water bath in this extremely clean sink.  Then it gets dried off and placed in the refrigerator overnight, and the sink gets scoured again. In the morning, I scour the sink until I worry that the porcelain will wear off, and yet I still don't want the thawed, unwrapped and rinsed bird to touch the sink while I carefully stuff both cavities.  Which is why I generally have Husband standing by as a second "juggler," ready to take the weight of the bird while I rest my arms.  In fact, he's the one who named this act/dance as "Turkey Juggling."  The first step is this very entertaining day.

Until.  I had a stroke of genius this morning.  Turns out one of my cooling racks for baking fits exactly into the bottom of my very large sink. Ha! Scour the sink, insert the dishwasher-able cooling rack and place the rinsed bird on the rack to stuff.  It was such a cinch that Husband was excused from the kitchen while I stuffed the turkey and called back to hold the cooking bag wide while I placed the bird inside.  And it cut 15 minutes off the prep time! No tired arms! Hooray!

Just enough time to draft this post before I tackle the bacon and blanch the green beans, prepare the potatoes to be cooked and mashed, slice the maple-glazed sweet potatoes and get ready for company.  Tastes good, less swearing.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

Preparations began in earnest yesterday, on T-Day Minus 2:

Step 1: I sneak out.To the grocery store.  Realizing that I had worked until after 9 p.m. the night before, and had conference calls scheduled right through lunch, I decided to make a quick half-hour run to the grocery store for the last-minute items -- right after the school bus left.  Byerly's, our local luxury grocer, is very quiet at that time of morning, and I cruise right through.  No Jonathan or Winesap apples to be found, but the produce guy takes time to recommend a new variety -- Jazz -- that is tart and substantial enough to work for the stuffing.  He even cuts me a small sample!

Step 2: Boys arrive noisily. Big T and his overnight pal arrive home from school while I am on a Very Important Conference Call.  They grab snacks from the refrigerator snack drawer and disappear into basement video game heaven.  Loud dog barking ensues.  Thank goodness for the telephone mute button.

Step 3: We miss an appointment.  Very Important Conference Call runs an hour past its planned time.  I look up at the clock to realize that Big T's haircut appointment is right now.  I call to see if they can wait 15 minutes for us to arrive -- nope.  But they do have an opening in an hour.  I agree and we make it. 

Step 4: Make your own dinner. Or rather, Mom (me) makes pizza crust and the boys top them with sauce and cheese for personal size pies.  Husband and I doctor a gourmet variety roasted veggie pizza with pepperoni and pop all into the oven.  Yum.

Step 5: Start cooking. Bake the cornbread and whole wheat bread for the stuffing (recipe calls for three bread varieties!). Make a note to buy more whole grain flour, bread flour, and cooking salt.  Grind enough sea salt to get by for now.  Plan to cheat by using purchased French bread. Thaw the sage-scented sausage, also for the stuffing.

Step 6: Welcome additional sleepover guest. Big T and pal return from a visit to neighbor boy with said boy in tow.  Add a third sleeping bag and let them settle in with popcorn and movies.  Settle in myself with Husband, to watch the last Tivo'd episode of Lipstick Jungle before calling it a night.

Up for today: T-Day Minus 1

• Wake boys in time to get Big T to his dental appointment this morning; deliver two sleepover guests to their homes.
• Complete the workday.
• Begin thawing the turkey in a cold water bath.
• Prepare the stuffing, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Add all leaves to the dining room table, iron tablecloth, retrieve and dust china, inspect silver. Set the table and put out serving dishes. Do we have candles?
• Send Husband to buy wine and beer.
• Vacuum the entire main floor of our house.

Isn't this fun?

I Am Grateful For: Big T's School

NaBloPoMo Day 25

We really feel lucky to have such an excellent community school.  Big T goes to a Spanish immersion school, where all subjects except gym, music and English are taught in Spanish.  Perhaps because this is an option, so parents have made the choice to send their kids to this school, the parents are fairly involved.  The teachers are native Spanish speakers, and are assisted by Amities -- young adults who want to gain experience working in American schools.  Together, they oversee many creative after-school activities, like Big T's Spanish folkdance troupe. (If you live in the western Minneapolis suburbs and would like to see a very professional group of grade 2 - 5 dancers, click here for performance information!)  Much like his early daycare and preschool experiences, the teachers at Big T's school seem to care about the kids as individuals. Even in the face of continued public school budget cuts, Big T's school offers new experiences that stretch his horizons.

I Am Grateful For: Heat

NaBloPoMo Day 24

Pretty basic, isn't it?  As old as fire itself... yet I find myself "cranking up" the thermostat above 66 degrees when the sun goes behind a cloud and turning on the baseboard heat in my office so that my fingers warm enough to work the keyboard.

Seriously, what were the Pilgrims thinking, throwing an outdoor party in late November?

Oh yeah, those pictures of happy pilgrims in woolen wear sitting at picnic tables are likely the figment of later imagination.  And the annual celebration now falls on a somewhat arbitrarily set date.  Still, the harvest generally happens in a less-than-balmy time. As for me and my family, we'll be sitting comfortably indoors, enjoying an oven-warmed meal in the great indoors.

And yet... I am grateful for my snow-less (knock on wood), green (yet dormant) grass, ice-less roads, cozy quilts at night and warm socks for daytime.  I am grateful for modern heat that allows me to sit so comfortably at work and to enjoy during leisure hours.  So what outdoor temps are in the 20s each morning? My home furnace and outdoor mittens, jackets and boots allow me to enjoy it all.

Scrumptious Sunday: Thanksgiving Trimmings

In the first few months after Husband and I re-met, his parents decided to visit relatives in St. Louis for Thanksgiving.  Since I was hosting my family that day, it became the natural time to introduce him to my parents and siblings.  He was especially patient with my night-before chores, helping me to put leaves in the dining room table and watching as I ironed the tablecloth, helping me set the table and sniffing appreciatively as I prepared the stuffing and placed it in the refrigerator overnight.  He returned the next morning to the smells of dinner in the oven, ready for a day with my family.

He says he married me for this stuffing. The spine on my original Silver Palate cookbook has sprung, opening automatically to Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing with Apples. You will still find me preparing it on Thanksgiving Wednesday evenings, ready to stuff the bird early Thursday morning. The savory mix begins with baking corn bread and whole wheat bread, then combining them with white French bread, apples, sausages, lots of fresh parsley, pecans and seasonings.  It has become the must-have at our Thanksgiving table.

The oven will be filled with a roaster filled with the stuffed turkey, and later I will add a casserole dish of extra stuffing plus a pan of these sweet potatoes:

Maple Praline Sweet Potatoes

1 small Reynolds oven bag (10x16-inch)

4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/3 C. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 C. butter

2 Tbs. maple syrup

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 C. pecan pieces (optional; we like 'em!)

Shake a spoonful of flour into the cooking bag to coat the inside.  Place the prepared bag in a 9x13-inch pan. Layer sliced sweet potatoes, pieces of the butter, spoonfuls of the brown sugar (from the 1/3 C. total) and drizzle all with maple syrup.  Sprinkle nutmeg over the top.  Add pecan pieces if desired.  Close the oven bag with the nylon tie and cut slits in the top of the bag. Place the pan with bag of seasoned sweet potatoes into the oven and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes.  Makes four to six servings.

I'm trying a new green bean dish this year:  it will be either Sweet and Sour Green Beans from the 2007 Southern Living annual recipe book, or simple sauteed green beans and mushrooms from the new Food Network magazine.  If you are coming to my house, let me know which you'd like!

My mother in law has offered to bring a new cranberry salad recipe from Rachel Ray. We also will have a tray of sliced, canned, jellied cranberry sauce, in honor of my Stepfather.  It's not Thanksgiving for him without it.

I will put my mother to work mashing potatoes and my mother in law will stir gravy. We'll fill in with rolls and relishes.

And Brother #2's pies.  He will finish a late night at work on Wednesday and then come home to bake the most beautiful pies you have ever seen.  Seriously, they are straight from the pages of a magazine -- complete with delicate pastry leaves or other careful garnishes. We all look forward to a pumpkin pie for the traditionalists plus another variety.  This year I was given my choice, and I picked this:

Chocolate Pecan Pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 C. corn syrup

1/2 C. sugar

1/3 C. melted butter

2 Tbs. Amaretto or Praline liqueur

1 C. pecans

1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 pie crust

Mix all ingredients; pour into pie shell and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes.

That's what you'll find on our table this Thursday.  What's on yours?

I Am Grateful For: Date Nights

Husband and I are about to leave for the movies... and then dinner wherever the fancy strikes us... and maybe to pick up bagels and flavored cream cheese for tomorrow's breakfast.  Just like before we were parents.

We're the lucky recipients of a free night, because Big T is staying overnight at a friend's house.  Some months it seems like we are the hosts for weeks on end, with other tweeners overnight, over for dinner, over before and/or after supper... because Big T is such a social being.

Other times, we're free to have a date night because Big T has been invited elsewhere.  It is surely one of the upside experiences of having Big T old enough for some independence, and social enough to enjoy it!