Quick Thanksgiving Newsletter
Contains Recipes!
In response to my open thread about most and least liked Thanksgiving dishes, I thought a few Thanksgiving recipes could be in order. A lot of you seem to not like the classic Sweet Potato Casserole. For those outside the US, this is what it looks like:
(recipe here)
I prefer this more savory version from Martha Stewart
And of course each year I force my friends and family to eat my Cranberry Jell-o Salad, which can be found on my much-neglected food blog Would Eat
Cranberry Jell-O Salad
1 bag fresh cranberries
Sugar to taste (1/2 c. to 1 cup)
I 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 11 oz. can of mandarin oranges
1 package raspberry or cranberry flavored Jello (cranberry Jello is hard to find)
In a medium pot or large saucepan boil enough water to cover the cranberries (3-4 cups) with 1/2c. – 1 cup of sugar until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries and cook until cranberries begin to split open. Drain cranberries and set aside. Drain canned pineapple and reserve juice. Prepare Jello by package instructions replacing around ½ the water with reserved pineapple juice.
Pour 1/3 of Jell-O mixture into a Jell-O mold (a loaf pan also works) and arrange 1/3 the cranberries, pineapple, and oranges in the mold. Let set in the fridge for 5-10 minutes while the remaining Jell-O mixture stays warm on the stove. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and as much fruit as you like. Refrigerate for at least four hours but can be made 2 days ahead of time.
In case anyone wants to make an expensive fruit pie, I also have a Boysenberry pie on that site as well (includes step-by-step photos!)), but re-posted below for convenience. (Pro-tip: you can use blackberries and few people will notice)
Boysenberry Pie
Makes 1-9inch pie | oven temp: 350°F pre-heated; then 450°F
4 – 5 cups Boysenberries, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. corn starch
¼ cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 double pie crust, rolled out (I use the Crisco pie crust recipe and it works great every time. Double the single crust recipe to give you more dough to work with to make rolling out easier)
2 tbsp. butter, for dotting
Rinse, drain and dry the berries well
In a small bowl combine sugar, corn starch, flour and cinnamon
In a large bowl, toss lemon juice with berries
Sprinkle sugar and flour mixture over berries and stir to coat
Press one of the rolled out pie crusts into a 9 in. pie tin, being careful not to stretch the dough out
Spoon filling into pie tin lined with pie crust (you should have A LOT of filling. If it seems like you have too much filling then you have done it right. If you only fill the pie with berries up to the edge of the pie tin you will end up with something resembling a berry fritata, and who wants that).
Dot top of filling with butter before placing top crust on. Then tuck the pie crust under and crimp the edges in your favorite style so the minimum amount of filling spills out. Make sure to cut vents in the top of your crust. You can do this before putting it on the pie or after using a butter knife.
Bake in a 350°F oven for about an hour, or until filling it bubbling, and turn up temperature to 450°F for the last 10 minutes.
I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving! I will be back soon with more Tales From Babyland, but here is a lovely photo of the baby and Santa. Yes, that is a bowtie. He isn’t wearing shoes because I couldn’t find any big enough for his feet that weren’t actual shoes that cost real money.
P.S. I think it’s bullshit there is a watermark on our Santa photos considering the outrageous price we paid.