Thanksgiving 2020

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Thanksgiving was scaled back this year due to the pandemic. We often head out to visit Pete & family for the holiday but that was not to be this year. When we've been in town for the holiday over the last few years we've gone out to eat. Also, due to the fact Covid-19 cases are surging again we decided not to have Mom over. We did, however, run a care package to her after we finished our dinner today. 

The day melted away seemingly quite quickly due food prep here and there throughout. There was time in between for the scaled back Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. . .

...and a Bloody Mary. . .

...and the coloring of the turkey in the Star Tribune. 

We ate at 3:15. Dinner was awesome and we watched a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. 

After we ate we got Athena taken care of and then ran a care package over to Mom. She met us at the entry to her building with her mask on and seemed pretty excited to be getting delivery on Thanksgiving. She texted me that she was impressed with the amount of food. She also texted how delicious she though it was. Pictured above are Mom and I during a pre-pandemic Thanksgiving. I believe the photo was taken at Jax in 2015. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - The Turkey Rests

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Temperature taken. It's supposed to be 165. The thermometer in the photo is still registering. 

Athena took it all in with a great deal of interest. 

Thanksgiving 2020 -Turkey's Out

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Dale had put the turkey in the oven at noon and it came out at 2:00. As it rested he got the Brussels sprouts ready and took care of boiling off and mincing the giblets. 

We think the giblets are the liver, heart, and something else, not sure what. 

The were boiled for 45 minutes at the 4.5 setting on our stove. 

Dale basted the turkey with white wine this year. Usually we use red. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - Stuffing

Thursday, November 26, 2020

We usually do Stove Top for our stuffing. Kowalski's was out so I decided on a different option. 

I used Pepperidge Farm's Sage & Onion cubed stuffing and followed the directions on the back of the package. It really wasn't too much more difficult than Stove Top. The basic recipe calls for simply adding onion (I used green) and celery (two stalks worked fine). I used the stove top method. 

One suggested option was to add apple. I used Granny Smith. I did this in the last 20 minutes before we planned on serving everything up although I chopped the celery, green onion, and apple in advance. It all turned out great. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - Fruit Salad

Thursday, November 26, 2020

For the fruit salad I used two 15.25 oz. cans of Dole tropical fruit cocktail, drained. 

I used a small carton of whipping cream and combined it all together. 

It turned out great. Maybe next time I'll add some grapes and bananas like Grandma Alice did. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - Sweet Potato Casserole

Thursday, November 26, 2020

I used Princella canned sweet potatoes for the sweet potato casserole and referred to their website for a recipe. 

I halved the recipe but accidentally put two eggs in instead of one. I thought I had vanilla but didn't so I used falernum instead. I combined steps 2 and 3 and didn't use pecans. Next time I need to drain the canned sweet potatoes just a little more. It wasn't all that noticeable, but still. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - Turkey Prep

Thursday, November 26, 2020

This year's turkey was completely unfrozen. It sat in the sink only briefly before Dale rinsed it off. 

My job was to dry it off. 

 

I think I did a fine job. 

We had it transferred to it's baking pan by 10:30 a.m. Dale says it should set out until about noon. 

We threw the neck out but are holding on to the giblets for the gravy. Dale boiled these on medium low (4.0 on our stove) for 45 minutes.

Athena knows something's up. 

Thanksgiving Day 2020 - Cranberries

Thursday, November 26, 2020

We got the cranberries started first. 

12 oz. cranberries

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Dale put the sugar and water in a sauce pan and dissolved the sugar by stirring it over medium heat (5.0 on our stove). He then added the cranberries and stirred them occasionally once they started popping, keeping them at medium. He took them off the heat after 10-15 minutes. 

Pumpkin Pie

Sunday, October 18, 2020

We had leftover pumpkin pie from yesterday. We also had some leftover whipped cream. It lost much of its firmness sitting in the fridge overnight which is why is looks so runny. However, it tasted just as good. 

The Golden Hour - Beef Stroganoff (Or Maybe Not)

Saturday, October 17, 2020

MEA weekend. Dale and I were supposed to go to Madeline Island but decided not to. Mostly because Dale's workload this past week was much higher than expected but also somewhat due to the wind advisories for tonight and tomorrow night. We didn't want to risk the possibility of not getting off the Island. 

The plan for the night was a big dinner with cocktails; a real Golden Hour. 

We stopped by South Lyndale Liquors to pick up some wine for Dale but also some rum, falernum, curaçao, and orgeat for my polynesian cocktail. 

T The plan was to have beef stroganoff in the crock-pot tonight. I was so excited. We picked up everything we need to prepare it at Kowalski's. We also picked up pumpkin pie for dessert. Can't wait for ALL of it!

After shopping it was time for a cigar in the yard.  

Athena joined me while Dale took a lengthy walk. 

We had planned on making beef stroganoff tonight in the crock pot. I intended to start the assembly process  at around 4:00 p.m. so we could let the crock pot do its thing and then eat around 7:00. After his walk, around 3 p.m., Dale double checked the recipe and informed me that it was an 8+ hour cook. Boy, did I feel bad because that meant we wouldn't have time to make beef stroganoff tonight. Dale was understanding and offered to run back to the store and get some chicken thighs, broccoli, and a bun as I was still working on my cigar. It's been so long since we've made this particular beef stroganoff recipe that I must have gotten the prep time confused with a turkey noodle hot dish crock pot recipe I make much more frequently which only has a 3 hour total prep/cook time. In the last couple of years Dale's really taken to make his modified version Julia Child's beef bourginoine which gets the meat super tender. 

When I was done with my stogie Dale and I came inside for cocktails. I made my standard tiki cocktail which includes light rum, dark rum, curaçao, falernum, orgeat, and club soda. I used the tiki mug I got for free from the liquor store for buying a bottle of Plantation rum. I love this mug. It fits perfectly in my hand and feels good to hold.

We also had some appetizers - Triscuits  and Swiss cheese. Not real high falutin' but nummy none the less. 

Music was Vegas Baby Too from the Ultra-Lounge series. 

Dinner prep was easy enough. Dale got the thighs and vegetables ready and I got the bun buttered and in the oven at the appropriate time. 

It all turned out great. 

Movie for the night was Murder at the Gallop. We've been on a Margaret Rutherford/Miss Marple bender lately. We watched Murder, She Said last week and Murder Ahoy a week or so before that. 

Pumpkin pie for dessert. Dale and I have a Target run planned for tomorrow and he insists we're going to get an electric mixer for making whipped cream. Considering we've used a hand-held one for 27 years I have to say I whole heartedly agree with him. 

 

Fall Golden Hour Kickoff 2020

Sunday, September 27, 2020

I've been working lots of extra hours on weekends this school year due to Covid-19 and the distance learning it has necessitated. Today was an 8-hour day. Wrapped it all up by 4:00 and was able to relax in the back yard with a cigar. 

Athena needing a little attention. Dale is social distancing from me not because of Covid but because of the cigar. It’s feeling very fall outside but perfectly comfortable with a mid-weight jacket. 

Hit with a little bit of rain which forced us to the garage. It only lasted about 5 minutes and then cleared up pretty quickly. 

   

We made a chicken pot pie with gravy from the Kowalski's deli for dinner. 

     

Watched Murder, She Said starring the incomparable Margaret Rutherford. This was a movie Dale brought to the relationship. It was already an old favorite of his when we met and I remember watching it with him in our first apartment together on Fremont Avenue way back in 1993. We rented it on VHS tape (remember those?) from a video store (remember those?) and it's since become a favorite of mine as well. I'd say we watch it at least every other year. It's become what I like to call a comfort movie.

   

In the early 2000s I found a box set of all 4 Margaret Rutherford/Agatha Christie movies on DVD and picked it up for Dale for Christmas. He was tickled.

   

Pumpkin pie for dessert. From Kowalski's. I think this was the first pumpkin pie of the season. 

   

     Wonderful evening in with a perfectly contented dog.