Thanksgiving Table 2014

This year is my first year in my new home.  After nine Thanksgivings in my old house, this is my tenth year hosting the holiday. I look forward to many more in my forever house.  

Here is what the table looks like this year.

I wanted to stick to some of the old traditions I have for my table. I like to use my gold charger plates and Goldwater.  My turkey center piece has been on every table I have had. It was a gift for my first Thanksigiving dinner hosting.  

I am also using my turkey napkins. They are gold and match my gold color scheme.

I bought new glasses for this year's dinner.  They are a bit whimsical for such a formal setting but I think they are cute and make the table fun. You cannot see it in the picture but they say "Gobble 'till you wobble".  

The two pictures above show a small gold bar underneath the glass.  It is a knife rest.  I found them when I was unpacking my new house.  They were something I inherited from my mom and I decided to use them.  Let's see if anyone knows what they are at dinner.

Butternut Squash Soup with Apples

It has been a while since I have posted.  I sold my home and bought a new one.  In between the sale and purchase, I had to rent for six months.  During that time, I was out of sorts and most of my things were in storage.  I am back and trying to get back into the swing of things.  Here is the first recipe I have created in my new kitchen.  

This recipe uses chicken stock but if you want to make it vegetarian you can use vegetable stock.  If you do not have apple cider on hand, substitute vegetable or chicken stock for it and add an extra apple or two to add more apple flavor and sweetness.  I made this recipe using ingredients from my fridge after a few trips to local farm stands.  I used a red onion because I think it is sweeter when cooked, but you can use any kind you have on hand.  In this recipe the cinnamon is optional, I did not use it but you may want to add some for an additional layer of flavor.  This recipe does not use any dairy to make the soup creamy, it is creamy enough from puréeing it.

Makes 3 pints

Ingredients:

2 TBS olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 apple, any kind, peeled, cored and diced

1 large butternut squash, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups chicken stock, homemade and organic preferred

2 cups apple cider, local preferred

1/4 tsp dried sage, or 1 fresh sage leaf, whole

1 Bay leaf

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Kosher salt

Pepper

Here's how:

Using a medium to large soup pot or Dutch oven, preheat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and apple.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Sauté the onion and apples for 10 minutes.

After ten minutes, add the squash and another pinch of salt and pepper.

Sauté the squash for 7 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for one minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cinnamon.

Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid, remove the bay leaf and sage leaf if used. Turn off the heat.

Use and immersion blender or a regular batches to purée the soup.  Do it in batches if using a blender.

Add the cinnamon now, if using, and serve.  You can freeze this for future use.

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

This is a classic summer salad.  Fresh tomatoes and basil are coming into season.  Add some fresh mozzarella and you have a light salad that is perfect for a casual weekday dinner or a fancy dinner party.  This is something that is just assembled and not cooked, perfect for a warm night.  I use all local and organic ingredients from my local farm stand and the garden.

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

3 large tomatoes, cleaned.  Do not use plum. Red, green, yellow or any color will look and taste great

1 lb fresh mozzarella

1 bunch fresh basil, cleaned

Salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Here's how:

Cut the tomatoes into slices, between a half and a quarter inch thick.

Slice the mozzarella into the same size slices.

Pick off large basil leaves. 

You should have an equal number of tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves.

On a large platter or plate, time to assemble the salad.

In three rows next to each other, layer a tomato, then a basil leaf and then a slice of cheese.  Try to make the cheese and tomatoes the same size as you layer for a better appearance.  

Continue layering as explained above until you have filled the plate or you run out of ingredients.   Any extras are a snack for you!  

Lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt and then a pinch of pepper over the top.  Cut up four or five extra basil leaves you have and sprinkle them over the to too.

Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side and sprinkle a bit of each on top right before you eat it.  This is to taste and need not be done if you do not like them.  It just adds an extra punch of flavor.

Grilled Potatoes

I know it has been a while since I last posted.  We sold our house and are living in a rental while most of our things are in storage, including my kitchen tools.  But this recipe was an easy one to make and I have all of the ingredients and tools on hand.  I used organic potatoes from the farm stand and my kitchen staples salt, pepper and oil.  Not much easier than that.  I serve these potatoes along side a grilled Ribeye Steak.  What is better than steak and potatoes on the grill?  I use a grill pan on the grill that is made for vegetables so the potatoes do not slip through the grates.  If you do not have one, cut the potatoes thicker to prevent it and cook them a few minutes longer.   These potatoes come out crisp and delicious, almost like a potato chip.  They are so good.

Serves 6 people as a side dish or 4 hungry men at my house

Ingredients:

6 medium size Yukon gold potatoes, about 2 - 2.5 lbs

3 TBS olive oil

1 TBS kosher salt

1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Here's how:

Preheat the grill with a grill pan on it on high heat.

Slice the potatoes thinly so they are almost translucent but not so that they fold over onto themselves. 

In a large bowl, place all of the ingredients and toss until the potatoes are completely coated with oil, salt and pepper.

Reduce the grill to medium high heat.  Place the potatoes in a single layer on the grill pan.  It should take two batches to do all the potatoes.

Grill on each side about 5-7 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.  Remove the potatoes fom th grill.  Place them back in the large bowl they came out of in the beginning and toss again to get them full of flavor.

Eat. Enjoy.

Italian Pasta Salad

I had the family over to celebrate my husband's birthday and we had and Italian feast - antipasto, manicotti, meatballs, sausage and garlic bread.  After we were all stuffed, there was still a lot of food left over.  The antipasto that I put together was from our favorite Italian market where I could put all the things I wanted, in the quantities I wanted, into containers to take home and put together my dish.  The recipe here is made using the things I had left over.  The things here can be added to or subtracted from based upon what you have on hand or what you like.  Olives, salami, pepperoni, Parmesan cheese or fresh mozzarella would be great in this salad. Fresh peppers and red onion would be a great addition too.  You can use other kinds of pasta as well.  Rotini, cavatapi or orzo would be good.  But if you have leftover pasta from dinner, use that.  This recipe is also good for a summer BBQ as there is no mayo to go bad and it can be served at room temperature as well as cold.  Make your own version of this salad using this recipe as a guide.  

Ingredients:

1 lb farfalle, cooked as directed on the box.  Save 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

1/4 cup roasted red peppers marinated in oil, diced

1/4 cup artichoke hearts, marinated in oil, diced

1/4 cup marinated mushrooms

8 sundried tomatoes, chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)

Reserved oil from the above veggies plus extra olive oil to make 1/4 cup

Salt

Pepper

Here's how:

Boil the water and prepare the pasta as directed on the box.  Set it aside when done and drained.  

While the pasta is cooking, chop up all the ingredients and the place them in a large bowl.

Take all the marinating oil and then add any extra to get to 1/4 cup.  Add it to the bowl.

Add the warm farfalle pasta and stir to combine.

If the pasta is too dry, add the reserved pasta water 2 TBS at a time.  I added just 2 TBS but you may like more.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put the salad in the fridge and let cool.

If you like mozzarella or other cheese, add it once the pasta is cold.

Serve.

Honey Orange Glazed Duck Breast

My meat CSA has been giving me boneless duck breasts in my share.  I wanted to come up with an easy recipe that is full of flavor.  I found some local honey at a farmer's market but the orange is not local.  But the flavor of orange and duck is so classic, I had to use it.  When the duck is done, save the duck fat for later.  Pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a heat proof glass bowl and store it in the fridge.  This recipe makes a mess on the stove from all the fat splatter, but it is worth it.

Makes 8 breasts.  

Ingredients

4 whole boneless duck breast, cut into two pieces

2 large oranges

1/4 cup honey

1/2. Tsp kosher salt

Here's how:

Remove 8 pieces of peel from the orange with a vegetable peeler.   Set it aside.

Squeeze the juice from the oranges until you get 1/2 cup.  Set it aside.

Place two large skillets on the stovetop and heat on night until screaming hot.

While that heats, cut a crisscross pattern I to the fat side of the duck breast.  Be careful not to cut into the meat, just up to it. 

Once the pans are hot, place four breasts into each, fat side down.  

Cook for 7-10 minutes, depending on how you prefer it cooked.  My family likes it cooked through, so I do 10 minutes.

Turn the breasts and cook for another 7-10 minutes.  The fat side should be golden brown.

Once cooked on both sides, remove the meat.  Place it on a plate and cover it with foil.

Pour the fat out of the pans. 

Now it is time to make the glaze. Put 2 TBS of fat back into one pan, leaving it on hight heat.

Add in the peel, orange juice, honey and salt.  

Cook on high heat until reduced to a syrup consistency, this should take about 10 minutes.

Turn off the pan.  

Put all the duck back into the pan, in batches if necessary, and coat both sides with the glaze.

Remove the duck from the pan and place on a serving dish.  Pour the remaining glaze onto the duck or pour it into a gravy boat to serve on the side.

Eat and enjoy the crispy skinned, orange flavored rich meat.