I took these three days off prior to Thanksgiving (1) I needed some vacation and (2) as dad is still in recovery mode from his quad-bypass in late August, I needed the time to travel to parents’ home to help mom move furniture, clean china and set up tables for the annual gathering of family for feasting and celebrating tomorrow.
In that spirit, I will share with you one of the recipes for an additional dessert I will be bringing to the gathering outside of the traditional pumpkin pies. This year, with weather predicted to be in the low 80’s (it’s Southern California, sue me) I’m going to make refreshingly tart Lemon Bars to go along with the traditional pies. You’ll find the recipe over the jump.
Please feel free in the thread to add your own tips, recipes, memories or family traditions. Any links you have I will attempt to add here to the post in updates.
Thanksgiving is sometimes forgotten between Halloween and Christmas. It is still an honored holiday in my family; not least of which because Americans have become a little jaded and the whole concept of gratitude has become tarnished and under-attended.
Lemon Bars
Crust:
2 cups (8.5 ounces) flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, cubed
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or mix by hand in a large blow the flour, powdered sugar and butter until they come together to form a dough.
Press the dough into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake the crust until golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Reduce oven temp to 300 degress to bake the bars.
Filling:
8 eggs
3 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups lemon juice
1/2 cup (2.1 ounces) flour
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice and flour. Pour the filling into the prepared crust
Place dish into the center of the oven and bake at 300 degrees until the custard is set (about 40 minutes). Cool to room temp, then dust with a light coating of powdered sugar before serving.
Note: the first time I made these I chilled them in the refrigerator in order to serve them the next day. I had a devil of a time cutting through the chilled crust without destroying the first square. You may either want to precut the roomtemp bars before refrigeration or allow it to come up to room temp to cut before serving.
and take my word for it, these are very rich bars. Small servings (i.e. 3×3) are quite adequate!
Enjoy!
Comment by dream on 11/25 @ 3:01 am #
Thank you for your sharing.ghd straighteners
Comment by Salt Lick on 11/25 @ 4:15 am #
I’ve got no recipes, only warm memories of pecan and sweet potato pies and football on the TV and the women folk preparing all the food in the kitchen.
I give thanks to Darleen and crew for whipping up posts for blog sustenance. I give thanks that I was born in and have lived in the greatest country on earth, a thanks made genuine by having lived and traveled throughout the world, much of it the Third World.
I offer the following grace I say when we’ve had large numbers of Progs and unbelievers in our house for Thanksgiving. Emerson’s imprimatur makes them thankful for how cultured they are.
Thanksgiving
By Ralph Waldo Emerson
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
[We give thanks.]
Comment by Cowboy on 11/25 @ 5:17 am #
I give thanks for the stories.
For me, Thanksgiving is about food and family, of course. But also, it is a time to come together to tell our stories–funny stories like when I almost blew up the neighborhood with a turkey fryer (three fire trucks…impressive!), bittersweet stories of those who are with us this year only in spirit, and the proud stories of how far we’ve come in the generations around the table.
Comment by Silver Whistle on 11/25 @ 5:27 am #
I wish I was with my family at Thanksgiving.
Anyhoo, my recipe for a nice starter for your feast – pheasant paté. First, shoot yourself a brace of pheasants. Remove and save livers, remove breasts. Make stock with carcasses.
2 pheasant breasts, cubed
2 pheasant livers, cubed
3 tablespoons shallots
knob of butter
slice of bread
vin santo or sweet sherry
tablespoon capers
small sour gherkin
small cup pheasant or chicken stock
egg yolk
seasoning
Sweat the chopped shallots in the butter. Add cubed meat, cook until pink. Add good measure of vin santo and reduce until almost almost gone. Put bread, capers, gherkin and egg yolk in blender, pulse until fine. Add cooked meat, pulse until smooth, and stock little by little until moist. Return to pan, and warm through. Serve on fried bread or toast.
Happy holidays
Comment by B Moe on 11/25 @ 5:49 am #
We are going to try a turkey gumbo this year. Will let you know how it turns out.
Comment by Joe on 11/25 @ 6:31 am #
I recommend bringing a bottle of Wild Turkey.
Comment by Joe on 11/25 @ 6:34 am #
The wife is doing pies. She makes an awesome vodka crust (it is not vodka flavored, the vodka just evaporates faster and prevents gluten from forming so the crust is flakier). You just substitute cold vodka for cold water in the crust recipe. And do not use Crisco, either butter, lard, or a bit of both.
Comment by McGehee on 11/25 @ 7:16 am #
Take one hot dog.
Place on a microwaveable paper plate (the stiffened kind, to keep the juices from getting it soggy).
Place in microwave.
Cook until it looks like it’s trying to come back to life.
Place on hot dog bun or single slice of white bread.
Apply condiments.
Eat.
Keep tasting it all day.
Comment by Bob Reed on 11/25 @ 7:35 am #
Nice Darleen…I loves me some lemon dolces!
Happy thanksgiving to all, as my wife, MIL, and I will be leaving for Maryland’s eastern shore soon to visit my parents I may not be around too much for the next few days. I know that it’s been a rough year for some folks, but remember to give thanks for all you do have; your health, your family, your wits, and all the other graces you’ve been blessed with. Count your blessings; and try to be a blessing to others, just as others will touch your life who’ll be a blessing to you.
May God bless each one of you and all your families, may He protects us all in our travels, and may He continue to bless our nation…
Comment by Lazarus Long on 11/25 @ 8:00 am #
Here’s our annual Christmas Day brunch:
Baked Eggs
1 Dozen eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
3 slices bread
1 Tsp dry mustard
1 lb. Bacon
1 cup cheese
Fry bacon
Butter bottom of a baking dish
Break up bread and place on bottom of baking dish
Crumble bacon over bread
Cut up cheese and place in dish
Scramble eggs, milk salt and dry mustard, and pour into baking dish,.
Refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.
Hints:
You can ignore the salt in most cases, the bacon is usually salty enough
When baking, place the baking dish in a shallow pan with some water in it. This helps prevent burning.
The bacon can be replaced with a pound of bulk sausage, broken up and cooked.
Cheese: chedder works, as does Velveeta.
Comment by JD on 11/25 @ 8:09 am #
Our Thanksgiving is being spent sliding down the side of a mountain. No broken bones is what I am praying for ;-).
Cowboy – You have to earn that kind of attention. Welll done!
Comment by Lazarus Long on 11/25 @ 8:22 am #
One of may favorite, and most popular dishes:
Pollo alla Bolognese
Ingredients:
4 individual chicken breasts, skinned and boned
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Flour
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil (I’ve been using EVOO)
8 thin slices prosciutto (2×4 inch slices)
8 thin slices imported Fontina or Bel Paese cheese (2×4 inch slices)
4 teaspoons freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chicken stock, fresh or canned
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a very sharp knife, carefully slice each chicken breast horizonally to make 8 thin slices. Lay them an inch or so apart and place them on a long strip of wax paper. Cover with another strip of wax paper. Pound the chicken slices lightly with the flat side of a cleaver to flatten them somewhat. Strip off the paper and season each with salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Dip each in flour and shake off the excess. In a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken to a light golden brown in the hot fat, 3 or 4 slices at a time for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook them.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a shallow buttered baking dish large enough to hold them comfortably. Place a slice of prosciutto and then a slice of cheese on each one. Sprinkle them with grated cheese and dribble the chicken stock over them. Bake uncovered in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
The chicken breasts can be prepared well ahead. The final assembly is very quck and easy and can be completed within an hour before putting in the oven.
I sometimes use imported ham in place of the slices of prosciutto. Make sure that the deli slices it THIN.
And for the cheese, there are several brands of shredded 5 cheese Italian mix in the dairy case.
Comment by Carin on 11/25 @ 8:25 am #
You know, the funniest thing – I’m making that chicken/proscuitto dish TONIGHT. Gotta go find the Fontina. Living in the sticks makes such things a bit more of a challenge.
Comment by Lost My Cookies on 11/25 @ 8:31 am #
Sugar Cream Pie at the cookies house we call it ’snot pie’- never had it or heard of it until I moved to Indiana, takes no time to make it and it is fantastic. Caution will kill diabetics and those with advanced heart disease…and presbyoptics too, damn squinters.
Ingredients
* 1 prepared 8 inch pastry shell, baked and cooled
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In the top of a double boiler, combine butter, sugar, 1/2 cup whole milk, cream. Heat until butter is melted and mixture is simmering, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup whole milk and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth, then slowly pour into hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Simmer mixture until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into baked pastry shell and sprinkle with ground nutmeg.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Comment by sdferr on 11/25 @ 9:25 am #
One food tradition our family held to at Thanksgiving was Monkey Bread. This being teh intartubes, please find the recipe under the link. Melt plenty of extra butter for the doughball coating stage at assembly, which should find your parcels of dough fairly swimming in the stuff. Only other recommendation is if you’re serving more than 8 people, make two.
Comment by DarthRove on 11/25 @ 9:54 am #
Here are two of my favorite family recipes: Scalloped Potatoes and Hamloaf
Scalloped Potatoes:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 medium potatoes, sliced thin (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch)
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I use 1/2 cup)
1 bunch chives, chopped
Grease a 9×13 baking dish, preheat oven to 350. In a saucepan, combine butter, whipping cream, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic over medium heat until bubbles form on the edge. Do not boil! Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
In baking dish, layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 sauce, and 1/2 cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbling. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives.
————-
Hamloaf
:Glaze
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp dry mustard
:Hamloaf
1.5 lbs ground ham
1.5 lbs ground pork
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk
Hamloaf: Mix all ingredients well. Place in a 9×13 baking dish and form into a loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.
Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. When hot throughout, pour over the hamloaf. Spoon over hamloaf periodically during cooking.
———–
These are guaranteed diet-killers, so BEWARE!!!
Comment by Snowcone's Asshole on 11/25 @ 1:51 pm #
As usual, I get nothing but shit.
Comment by happyfeet on 11/25 @ 2:03 pm #
ham loaf is America
Comment by Jeffersonian on 11/25 @ 4:45 pm #
Rather than post the link to the smoked turkey recipe I’m doing, I’ll just link it. I did this as an experiment a few years back, after which my wife said, “You’re doing this from now on.” So I do.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 11/25 @ 7:37 pm #
I’m going to have to try my duck gumbo recipe with a smoked turkey (instead of the normal smoked chicken), and see how it works.
Pingback by Thanksgiving open thread [Darleen Click] on 11/26 @ 10:09 am #
[...] continue where we left off for recipes, rites and memories, here’s an open thread to expand on the day’s [...]
Comment by TmjUtah on 11/26 @ 11:21 am #
Team Jones is doing ten pounds of bone-in picnic pork roast.
Peel and cut four apples into rings (red delicious this year).
Sea salt and coarse ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh pressed cider
tbsp extra virgin olive oil
tbsp BRUTAL oak aged balsamic vinegar
tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
teaspoon soy sauce
dash tabasco
1/3 cup dried ground onion (we forgot to buy a fresh sweet onion)
tbsp garlic powder (you can use cloves of garlic, but powder seems to work better in the slow cooker)
dash paprika
dash ginger
two scruples parsley flakes (gives contrast to dried chopped onions/forms nice coating on meat)
Some recipes call for putting in two bay leaves and removing them after some time interval. The last two times I tried this, I left them in too long and was not impressed with the result.
To cook:
Get all your ingredients located. Locate the meat thermometer. Go down to your daughter’s room and steal back your heavy gauge extension cord so you can put the six quart crock pot on the end of the long kitchen bar.
Sear the meat in a dutch oven. You want it smoking hot with just enough oil to coat the bottom of the oven. The roast will shed enough fat to do the rest of the job. Have your big honking fork and heavy mitts on hand (so to speak) BEFORE dropping the meat in.
Mix the wet and dry spices and set aside.
Turn on the crock pot – set for “High” tempature for 3 hours.
Place 3/4 of the apples in the bottom of the pot.
Take the seared roast out of the dutch oven and place on a cookie sheet or platter. Rub pepper and salt to taste (less salt is always better – look at all the other spices already in the broth). I fork the heck out of the meat, and cut a shallow slit in the top as well, to allow the spices to penetrate. Fat side up with pork, always.
Place meat on top of apples, skin/fat side up. Place remaining apples on sides/top of meat.
Pour spice broth over meat, cover, and cook on “high” for 2-3 hours, then reduce to low heat for about 3-4 additional hours, until a meat thermometer pushed to center of roast reads 150f. According to some recipes you may remove from heat now and let stand, and then serve when temp reaches 160f. We usually leave the roast in until the temp actually registers 160f.
Make sure to argue with your spouse about whether or not to reduce the fat that will accumulate in the pot; every body needs a Thanksgiving tradition, you know.
Serves four adults with generous leftovers for sammiches.
JD and anybody else – if you are in the area, please note that we are shooting on Saturday and you are welcome to attend if you have time. Contact info at the link.
Comment by Gunderson Evered on 11/27 @ 12:35 pm #
Hello everybody, it is Thanksgiving Day! I’m happy with my extra day off, and I am planning to make something fun that’ll probably involve a bike ride and seeing something new in Raritan I haven’t seen yet.
You write something new at Thanksgiving?