Thanksgiving Vacay

We have reached the age where our children have taken over the reins of hosting the Thanksgiving feast. (It actually happened a few years ago, I just hadn’t really remarked on it.) It’s great. The past few years we’ve joined our Glasgow daughter and enjoyed non-traditional meals. Gwendolyne is a great hunter, and so we’ve enjoyed duck and venison (Dennis had cow-meat). Other guests have provided other dishes. I’m remembering flan as well as biscuits made using cottage cheese, as well as fresh bread.

The year we travelled to Plano, Ill., which is near Chicago. We were treated to a stay in the B&B our daughter and her husband bought there, the Homestead 1854. The business is on the National Register of Historic Buildings, has six bedrooms to rent, and also serves as an intimate wedding venue for up to 125 guests. The main building was built in, you guessed it, 1854. Obviously, it’s been modernized. If you’re ever out that way and need a place to stay overnight, look them up. (Unsolicited ad for their business.)

While our daughter opted to order most of the Thanksgiving meal from Whole Foods, she did use my caramel apple pie and pie crust recipes to make two pies. She also made a butter cake using a Paula Deen recipe (which follows). Whole Foods makes a fine turkey, as well as mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and green beans with onion. They didn’t, however, make the classic green bean casserole. Dawn whipped that dish up at the request of their daughter, Lynn. (There wasn’t any of that left after the meal, so obviously we all enjoy that old standby. I did notice lots of the WF green beans left, though.)

Dawn’s mother-in-law provided an excellent dish of sweet potatoes, studded with pecans. (It wasn’t loaded with marshmallows, so not the classic recipe.) Beth also made dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, and a Jello dish for the granddaughter we share. We enjoyed miniature pigs in a blanket as well as two cheese logs with crackers as appetizers. Pumpkin pies with two cans of Whoosh (whipped cream) satisfied those who think it isn’t Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.

Here’s the promised cake recipe. Dawn fussed that you can no longer purchase an 18 1/4 oz cake mix, so you’ll need to purchase two cake mixes and use a food scale if you want your cake to be exactly as Paula Deen planned. Her daughter happily took the excess mix, but I didn’t ask what she planned to do with it. I will say this cake pairs very well with unsugared fresh raspberries.

Paula Deen’s

Gooey Butter Cake

1 (18 1/4 oz) package yellow cake mix

1 egg

16 Tbl melted, DIVIDED butter

1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine mix, egg, and 8 Tbl butter. Mix well with electric mixer. Pat mixture into a lightly greased 13x9” baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat cheese until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and remaining butter. Beat together.

Add powdered sugar, mixing well. Spread over cake batter. Bake 40-50 minutes. Make sure to not overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

I’ve also just made a batch of cranberry sauce that has no added sugar. It does have maple syrup, though. I like to add cranberry sauce to my white turkey meat. I’ll also enjoy some as is, as well as with the chicken breast that will be on my plate tomorrow. I added the orange zest and a cinnamon stick to my pan. I mashed the unpopped berries with the side of the spatula. It was about as satisfying as popping bubble wrap. It smelled wonderful in the kitchen while it simmered.

Sugar-free

Cranberry Sauce

12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 C freshly squeezed orange juice (1 large orange)

1/4 C maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Optional ingredients: 1/2 tsp orange zest, cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, chopped pecans, blueberries

Add all to a heavy, medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce heat. Simmer 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and most of the berries have popped. Mash, if desired. Cool completely. Keeps up to 1 week in the fridge. (You can use ready-made orange juice. If using frozen berries, add 2 minutes to the cooking time.)

We enjoyed the flowers on one of my many amaryllis bulbs before Thanksgiving. That same bulb is currently sending up another bloom stalk. I have never had a bulb be that prolific. Usually, they’ll go month between blooms. Two other amaryllis bulbs are also sending up flower stalks. I don’t believe I’ve ever had three blooming at the same time before. And the puny Christmas cactus I bought in Florida in April is blooming, with three more buds showing color. Having flowering plants in the house while the snow is blowing outside makes me happy.