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Successes/disasters for Thanksgiving meal? Ours went well, and
- Thread starter dawnnys
- Start date
patbastrop
Well-known member
First sit down meal at the new place. Successful! A couple of hiccups..
I keep forgetting what I have replaced and what I have not replaced. So I had 3 pie fillings and 2 pie pans. The Dutch Apple from ATK went into a quiche pan and was spectacular - the best apple pie I have ever made! (Trader Joe's crust). Pumpkin and cherry were good too.
We used Alton Brown's mayo/herb method for the brined turkey and it was lovely. I didn't stuff him, but made the dressing the night before. Stuffing and mash went into the oven to be rewarmed while the broccoli and brussels sprouts were roasting. Forgot about them and managed to char the dressing. Funny how my kids just love charred dressing! HA. Polite kids.
The best part was my 31/2 year old granddaughter. We had all settled in our places at the table with our plates full. She looked around as someone said something about the first Thanksgiving at this table. She piped up, "I am thankful that the water didn't come in our house roof!" (They live in Manhattan and have the top floor of a 6 floor building)
Our 17 year old cat survived the affections of the two little ones. He is curled up in front of the fire as I type, enjoying his regained peace and quiet.
I keep forgetting what I have replaced and what I have not replaced. So I had 3 pie fillings and 2 pie pans. The Dutch Apple from ATK went into a quiche pan and was spectacular - the best apple pie I have ever made! (Trader Joe's crust). Pumpkin and cherry were good too.
We used Alton Brown's mayo/herb method for the brined turkey and it was lovely. I didn't stuff him, but made the dressing the night before. Stuffing and mash went into the oven to be rewarmed while the broccoli and brussels sprouts were roasting. Forgot about them and managed to char the dressing. Funny how my kids just love charred dressing! HA. Polite kids.
The best part was my 31/2 year old granddaughter. We had all settled in our places at the table with our plates full. She looked around as someone said something about the first Thanksgiving at this table. She piped up, "I am thankful that the water didn't come in our house roof!" (They live in Manhattan and have the top floor of a 6 floor building)
Our 17 year old cat survived the affections of the two little ones. He is curled up in front of the fire as I type, enjoying his regained peace and quiet.
mariadnoca
Moderator
Well, I did salvage the pie after setting the oven on fire
As I mentioned above it was a if it could go wrong it did TG prep day.
Blind baked crust first tried to slide down into the pie plate in a lump, had to push it back up and hold it in place with a wad of foil. Later it started to burn on the edges, under bake in the center, and shrank. (Recipe had missing info on oven rack placement and added to butter pie plate which I'd never done before. So I'm totally blaming the recipe, lol.)
Decided to not use my apple peeler/corer/slicer, because how long could it take to just do 12 apples by hand? Newsflash: longer than you think and have you forgotten your hands aren't as young as they used to be? Apparently so. Three apples later...where is that slicer/peeler contraption? Where is the wrench to remove the slicer part. Ok, peeled, now chop, chop, chop some more...where is that slicer thing I took off? Why doesn't this work? Crap I reinstalled the slicer backwards. Fine fuuugittaboutit. Chop some more. Try to chop off pinkie finger. Dull knife tip to the rescue, no blood!
Well since pie crust shank on the ppie, making sure to have plenty is a good thing on the apple, right? Wrong. It puffed and melted over the edge dripping on to the element and lighting on fire...more than once. Tongs. I love my tongs. This was my mantra as I ran around the house opening windows after tossing hunks of flaming pie dough in the sink.
All that heat loss caused the oven to try and ramp back up to heat, which started to burn more of the edges (the ones not already black from the flames). Foil only helped so much, and btw foil pieces around edges try their best to fall off when looked upon for any reason, and if you touch one, the others shudder in fear abandoning the pie completely. Just thought you'd like to know.
So the pie starting getting done on the outside earlier than the inside. Finally it had to come out, before I wanted it to, before the edge turned completely black. By this time I was also late. So I grabbed my kitchen shears and cut around the edge of the pie. Clipping off all dark sections while trying not to burn my fingers, creating a mess of epic proportions, tossed it into a towel lined box, closed windows, took a last look around the smoke layered house, almost forgot to turn off the oven, but did (yay), and took off for TG at my SIL's. Thank goodness the pie was mostly done in the center. A few pieces crisper than I'd like, but folks were none the wiser. Plus, I brought ice cream, the hider of a multitude of sins.
I swear, I have actually baked before. Never in my life, including when I was five or something, have I had this much trouble all at one time. Sheesh!
As I mentioned above it was a if it could go wrong it did TG prep day.
Blind baked crust first tried to slide down into the pie plate in a lump, had to push it back up and hold it in place with a wad of foil. Later it started to burn on the edges, under bake in the center, and shrank. (Recipe had missing info on oven rack placement and added to butter pie plate which I'd never done before. So I'm totally blaming the recipe, lol.)
Decided to not use my apple peeler/corer/slicer, because how long could it take to just do 12 apples by hand? Newsflash: longer than you think and have you forgotten your hands aren't as young as they used to be? Apparently so. Three apples later...where is that slicer/peeler contraption? Where is the wrench to remove the slicer part. Ok, peeled, now chop, chop, chop some more...where is that slicer thing I took off? Why doesn't this work? Crap I reinstalled the slicer backwards. Fine fuuugittaboutit. Chop some more. Try to chop off pinkie finger. Dull knife tip to the rescue, no blood!
Well since pie crust shank on the ppie, making sure to have plenty is a good thing on the apple, right? Wrong. It puffed and melted over the edge dripping on to the element and lighting on fire...more than once. Tongs. I love my tongs. This was my mantra as I ran around the house opening windows after tossing hunks of flaming pie dough in the sink.
All that heat loss caused the oven to try and ramp back up to heat, which started to burn more of the edges (the ones not already black from the flames). Foil only helped so much, and btw foil pieces around edges try their best to fall off when looked upon for any reason, and if you touch one, the others shudder in fear abandoning the pie completely. Just thought you'd like to know.
So the pie starting getting done on the outside earlier than the inside. Finally it had to come out, before I wanted it to, before the edge turned completely black. By this time I was also late. So I grabbed my kitchen shears and cut around the edge of the pie. Clipping off all dark sections while trying not to burn my fingers, creating a mess of epic proportions, tossed it into a towel lined box, closed windows, took a last look around the smoke layered house, almost forgot to turn off the oven, but did (yay), and took off for TG at my SIL's. Thank goodness the pie was mostly done in the center. A few pieces crisper than I'd like, but folks were none the wiser. Plus, I brought ice cream, the hider of a multitude of sins.
I swear, I have actually baked before. Never in my life, including when I was five or something, have I had this much trouble all at one time. Sheesh!
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
I made dinner but no one was hungry, my stepdad was just diagnosed with Alzheimer's
He's been having weird hallucinations for the last 3 weeks and the Friday before Thanksgiving week the diagnosis of Alzheimer's was confirmed. I wasn't going to go up for Thanksgiving because I don't have a lot of time off after my medical leave for The Cankle, but I decided at the last minute to rent a car and go. I am so glad I did.
His condition is just so bad, he remembered and forgot it was me throughout the 5 days I was there. He gets lost in the house, forgot everything about the past except now and again he'll remember, or say he does. He forgets who my mom is, he sees people that aren't there and is getting scared and paranoid. It breaks my heart. My mom is just so exhausted and shocked, in denial and upset, she was like a zombie but giving her all to looking after him with such kindness and gentleness - it truly defines to me the meaning of love.
Despite my injuries I zipped through the house and cleaned everything, did dishes, cleaned and bleach washed the fridge, did laundry, tidied up where I could. The last 3 weeks for my mom everything just stopped, but it wasn't bad. I organized the dinner for Thanksgiving and cooked them 3 meals a day and made planned leftovers. She had been buying stouffers and marie calendar frozen entrees for meals, not great for either of them. At least she has been taking her diabetes medication but the diabetes-smart food plan disappeared. Ken has been craving sweets like you wouldn't believe and at 91 no one wants to limit him in any way, as long as he eats good food at meal time.
I just don't know what to say. I'm trying to get her set up with respite care and a housekeeper but it's hard for me to set up appointments from home, and she oftentimes can't speak on the phone, it bothers him when she does. I hope this gets sorted out soon.
Now I'm not sure if I can go up there for Christmas because of my job but I really feel like it is the last time for me to visit when he knows who I am. It was so poignant, we all went shopping together before Thanksgiving and he really wanted to visit the Sees Candy stand that is set up this time of year. He game mom and me a box of candy that night to thank us for being there for him and still loving him despite how he's feeling these days. He said he wished he never married my mom because of all the trouble he has been. ((weep)) He didn't remember she can't eat candy and I can't eat most of Sees because of my allergies. I'm going to cherish this box of candy.
So sorry to vent here.... With my sister's mental illness, my mom being so overwhelmed and my stepdad's condition I feel like I have lost my family.
He's been having weird hallucinations for the last 3 weeks and the Friday before Thanksgiving week the diagnosis of Alzheimer's was confirmed. I wasn't going to go up for Thanksgiving because I don't have a lot of time off after my medical leave for The Cankle, but I decided at the last minute to rent a car and go. I am so glad I did.
His condition is just so bad, he remembered and forgot it was me throughout the 5 days I was there. He gets lost in the house, forgot everything about the past except now and again he'll remember, or say he does. He forgets who my mom is, he sees people that aren't there and is getting scared and paranoid. It breaks my heart. My mom is just so exhausted and shocked, in denial and upset, she was like a zombie but giving her all to looking after him with such kindness and gentleness - it truly defines to me the meaning of love.
Despite my injuries I zipped through the house and cleaned everything, did dishes, cleaned and bleach washed the fridge, did laundry, tidied up where I could. The last 3 weeks for my mom everything just stopped, but it wasn't bad. I organized the dinner for Thanksgiving and cooked them 3 meals a day and made planned leftovers. She had been buying stouffers and marie calendar frozen entrees for meals, not great for either of them. At least she has been taking her diabetes medication but the diabetes-smart food plan disappeared. Ken has been craving sweets like you wouldn't believe and at 91 no one wants to limit him in any way, as long as he eats good food at meal time.
I just don't know what to say. I'm trying to get her set up with respite care and a housekeeper but it's hard for me to set up appointments from home, and she oftentimes can't speak on the phone, it bothers him when she does. I hope this gets sorted out soon.
Now I'm not sure if I can go up there for Christmas because of my job but I really feel like it is the last time for me to visit when he knows who I am. It was so poignant, we all went shopping together before Thanksgiving and he really wanted to visit the Sees Candy stand that is set up this time of year. He game mom and me a box of candy that night to thank us for being there for him and still loving him despite how he's feeling these days. He said he wished he never married my mom because of all the trouble he has been. ((weep)) He didn't remember she can't eat candy and I can't eat most of Sees because of my allergies. I'm going to cherish this box of candy.
So sorry to vent here.... With my sister's mental illness, my mom being so overwhelmed and my stepdad's condition I feel like I have lost my family.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Thank you all, I needed those hugs.
Heather, if you're free Dec 7 or 8, you are hereby invited to a tea as my guest...
It's in Elk Grove which I know is a ways for you to go, but my sis and I are coordinating the food for 400 ladies and it will be magnificent! Send me a PM if you're interested - you need a break!
It's in Elk Grove which I know is a ways for you to go, but my sis and I are coordinating the food for 400 ladies and it will be magnificent! Send me a PM if you're interested - you need a break!
marc-in-seattle
Well-known member
Peking Turkey
We had 22 people over for dinner this year and did the most ambitious menu I've ever attempted alone. I ended up being thrilled with all of it, but two things really stood out.
One was the Peking Turkey we made. I just got back from some time away learning to make Sichuan food, so our guests were expecting some Chinese fare along with the traditional stuff. They got that, and to keep with the theme, one of the turkeys we did was Peking Duck style, served with steamed buns, hoisin and cucumber. It was spectacular! I've attached the recipe link below.
The other, which is ALWAYS a favorite, was Steve2's Pumpkin Praline Torte. People would punch me in the neck if this one ever fell off the menu. As always, Steve....you added the HO to our holiday.
Marc
http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/bbq-peking-turkey/
We had 22 people over for dinner this year and did the most ambitious menu I've ever attempted alone. I ended up being thrilled with all of it, but two things really stood out.
One was the Peking Turkey we made. I just got back from some time away learning to make Sichuan food, so our guests were expecting some Chinese fare along with the traditional stuff. They got that, and to keep with the theme, one of the turkeys we did was Peking Duck style, served with steamed buns, hoisin and cucumber. It was spectacular! I've attached the recipe link below.
The other, which is ALWAYS a favorite, was Steve2's Pumpkin Praline Torte. People would punch me in the neck if this one ever fell off the menu. As always, Steve....you added the HO to our holiday.
Marc
http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/bbq-peking-turkey/
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Thanks cheezz, I really appreciate the invitation but I have a day job, and I can't get up to elk Grove
can't rent another car this month. Sounds like an amazing event, I wish you the best of luck and I really appreciate your thinking of me.
can't rent another car this month. Sounds like an amazing event, I wish you the best of luck and I really appreciate your thinking of me.