Friday, November 26, 2010

a stitch in time saves nine

I know this isn't a recipe or anything but this IS a homemaking blog, and I think sewing is part of that. I hit up black friday at Joann's today where flannel was $1.29/yard instead of the normal $5.99.  Here are the match ups I bought to make receiving blankets for my peeps who are having babies soon.





And the piece de resistance...


I bought the rest of the bolt here.  almost 7 yards. Is that crazy? This fabric makes me crazy, I love it so much.

Now to get crackin'


 


Thursday, November 25, 2010

Turkey Day Menu

This year we did the "Big Meal" all by our lonesome.  Here was my menu:

Brined Roasted Turkey - Courtesy of Alton Brown
Sweet Potato casserole - courtesy of Anne Burrell
Classic Green bean casserole - recipe below
Mrs. Baird Rolls (hey, sometimes you need a shortcut)
Cornbread Dressing - Sorry, no recipe  here unless you are related. This is family stuff here. (you know, the BEST stuff)
Pumpkin Mousse Parfait - Heck yeah!
Homemade cranberry sauce - SO easy. You'll never go back to those cans again!

Here are your recipes:

Green Bean casserole: 
2 cans green beans. Mix in 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 C. milk, and 1 tsp. Tony's seasoning. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then top it with 1/2 C cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups french's fried onions. Back in the oven for 10 minutes and then EAT! I grew up on this although my husband is 31 and has never had it. Weird.

Homemade cranberry sauce:
1 12 oz. bag on fresh cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

boil for 15-ish minutes until it looks kind of like jelly. It will thicken as it cools. I made this the day before and stuck it in the fridge. This is great just on bread.

Pumpkin mousse parfait

1/4 cup dark rum (or water)
1 packet (2 tsp.) unflavored gelatin powder
1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean)
Sweetened whipped cream
8 to 10 chopped ginger cookies
Crystallized ginger, for decoration, optional
Place the rum in a heat-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to soften.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, 1 tsp. of orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set the bowl of gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear. Immediately whisk the hot gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture.
To assemble, spoon some of the pumpkin mixture into parfait glasses, add a layer of whipped cream, then some chopped cookies. Repeat, ending with a third layer of pumpkin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. To serve, top with whipped cream and extra ginger cookies and orange zest, or slivered crystallized ginger.

And can I just say, YUM! This would also be good just spread on pumpkin bread! (which I will do tomorrow)

What did you have for Thanksgiving??