Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Are you preparing for Thanksgiving?

March of the West Marin Wild Turkeys, 2011

What will be on your Thanksgiving table this year? I'd love to know what you're up to today. I'm about to begin shopping. Yes, It is probably way too late, but just think of all of the excitement that will be buzzing around the farmers market, grocery store, and wine shop. I am making my lists and listening to Bob Dylan's Desire album. The song Black Diamond Bay is playing and I'm in a very good mood.

Wish me luck out there.

Dinner:
turkey breast (bone-in - hope I can find one...)*
gravy (toasting my flour this year)
stuffing (inspired by Mom's cornbread stuffing)
cranberry chutney (inspired by Nicole's recipe)
brussels sprouts (roasted w/ pancetta)
carrots (roasted)
pie (sweet potato - inspired by Joy the Baker's recipe - I'm going to try her no-roll pie crust too)
ice cream (vanilla)
whipping cream (a 2nd pie topping option?)
wine (red)

Shopping:
turkey breast - bone-in*
chicken stock - at least 6 cups
celery
onions x 2
apples x 2
cranberries - 4 cups (1 lb.)
ginger - fresh
raisins (seedless) - 1 cup
carrots - nice bunch
brussels sprouts
pancetta - just one thick slice
sweet potatoes x 2
cream cheese
evaporated milk - two 5 oz cans (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)
eggs - 6pk.
ice cream - vanilla
whipping cream (maybe?)
wine - red

Did I mention this is dinner for two? Plus leftovers, of course.

updates:

12:35pm
Back from Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (special holiday market hours today). *Turkey legs at Golden Gate Meat Co. looked better than breast. Bought two giant legs, and a thick slice of their pancetta.
Also, found a beautiful Weck Globe Jar at Heath Ceramics for our chutney.

5:02pm

I did buy the whipping cream. Done.

24 comments:

  1. that's my kind of feast! excused thanksgiving over here but in the back of my mind is the knowledge that I need to plan for christmas. sounds like a happy thanksgiving is in store - enjoy!

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  2. I wish you luck out there! Though sometimes it's good to give in to the crowd and just enjoy. Have fun, and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours... X

    (I think it's time for you to move to Marin ;^)

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  3. Those leftovers should keep you going for quite some time! Sweet potato pie for breakfast? I think yes.

    I picked up our turkey from the co-op yesterday. I roasted up a pumpkin last night, which will provide enough filling for pie, quick bread, and maybe a flan. We'll mash white potatoes with goat milk and organic palm oil for my cow-dairy-allergic daughter to enjoy, and roast a diced-up yam with chunks of onions, coated with grapeseed oil and maple syrup. Well, that's not the whole menu, but enough. The kids have only recently fledged, so it will be a treat to have them both here for the day.

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  4. We'll be eating at Roberto's parents house tomorrow. We're to bring the rice balls for starters and then we'll move on to cheese ravioli with a red sauce. Followed by roast chicken (parts) with potatoes (no doubt), salad, and quite possibly a side of something green like broccoli or rapini. There will be bread and wine, of course. Espresso with pumpkin pie from the corner deli. I was thinking of making a batch of chocolate chip cookies, too. I can't remember the last time I ate turkey for Thanksgiving...Have you seen this:http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/my-life-as-a-turkey/full-episode/7378/

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  5. Denise: sounds like a very nice duo. We are having it at our house (after I run my first half marathon, early morning). Turkey/gravy/stuffing, caramelized shallots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato and ginger souffle', and 2 pies. It's family plus a friend. Happy T-day!

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  6. Good luck with the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  7. Oh I love this post and all your details here. So nice to picture you preparing this meal. We are having a cozy dinner at home tomorrow- my friends will cook the turkey! We have a long list of sides and sweets and breads to make-
    Yours sounds delicious!

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  8. Your details are delightful and delicious, but there's no similar preparations at my home because I'm convalescing in bed with the flu. We're postponing the turkey for another day and eating pot roast and a store-bought pie instead.

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  9. What a lovely reminder to slow down and enjoy the process. We're just getting past a rough few weeks of first-year preschool colds and are keeping it simple and cozy. Hadley helped me brine her first turkey today, then ate many of the apples we were preparing for our agave sweetened apple pie and nibbled on prosciutto for our prosciutto wrapped bosc pears. Cousin Mark and Heidi and baby Izz are coming to share in the day.. we'll toast you with our favorite The Prisoner red wine. Happy Thanksgiving! xo Roxane

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  10. oh that sounds perfect! lots of luck with the recipe! no thanksgiving for me - would love to celebrate it once though! enjoyyy!

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  11. Your menu sounds delicious. And the shopping for the items -- delightful. I believe I want some of those beautiful and functional Heath jars. My menu is very traditional --turkey and an aromatic sausage sage stuffing which should be called sausage thyme stuffing because I have a thing for thyme. We always include a pasta and red sauce. One grandmother always made homemade cavatelli and the other used her old crank pasta maker to make spaghetti. I'm making cavatelli this year. Of course there are smashed potatoes and a sweet potato puree. And I'm happy to say I don't fret over the gravy nearly as much as my dear mother, but there does seem to be something missing without it. So I will pretend to fret over its thickness, temperature and taste.

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  12. Love the way you've shared your menu and shopping list. It sounds wonderful and I'm sure you cooked a wonderful meal! It's important to have plenty to eat on these big occasions. I don't celebrate Thanksgiving but enjoy reading about others' experiences.

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  13. Enjoy!

    We don't celebrate Thanks giving over here so we are having regular dinner night. Oven baked salmon with veggies. Our kind of healthy fast food.

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  14. I hope you had a lovely time! We're in Michigan this year to visit my grandmother (we're on Middle Sand Lake just now!) and we're celebrating on Saturday. Maya is nearly-toddling and my mother is up late with me: she's knitting and I'm reading poetry submissions for Midway Journal, where I am assistant poetry editor (and sending some out, and I'm hoping I am not sending bad juju into the world by rejecting submissions and hoping mine get accepted at the same time!). xo

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  15. It sounds sweet the long weekend of yours. Even here it is just a usual Sunday, I do wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

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  16. Oh! Maybe not that usual Sunday! As now I have a beautiful fir tree to look at on my balcony, which was brought all the way from the forests of my childhood.

    Happy Sunday!

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  17. I hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful one. We had a perfectly perfect day here in Nashville. Happy Late November abroad.

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  18. Sounds so delicious! I love seeing other people's shopping lists, they are like little poems in their own right I think. Hope you had a spectacular day cooking and feasting :)

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  19. Sounds wonderful - I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend.

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  20. What a feast! It's late I know but there were a few things that stood out I feel worth mentioning...free-ranging local turkey which was delicious...pear/cranberry crisp...from scratch green bean casserole (beans from our garden that had been frozen)...home-made rolls...the best pumpkin pie I've tried (I almost did Joy of Baking but at the last minute switched to Smitten Kitchen's Silky Smooth which contained a mixture of pumpkins and yams...oh my).

    I bought whipped cream too. sigh.

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  21. kate, Now for Christmas...

    Janis, I don't know if you know that we lived in West Marin for a year in 2008. I miss a lot about that time...

    Sharon, I'm still eating the cranberries on sandwiches. Tough to believe I have not yet tired of them. They are just so good. I love the sound of yam, onion, and maple syrup.

    Tracy, Roberto's parent's house does seem like the place to be. I can't recall if I know this answer already... Do they celebrate The Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas? No, I haven't seen My Life as a Turkey. Should I watch it?

    Michele, We did, we did.

    Amelia, I read your post today. What a feast! And after a half marathon. You are amazing.

    Sofia, All went very well. Thanks!

    Jaime, I saw your feast! I remember that beautiful cherry almond crostata.

    Okay...I must make dinner now. Back later.

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  22. Rachael, Bummer. I hope you are feeling better.

    Roxane, Hello! What a wonderful celebration. Cheers.

    Thank you, Anne.

    melissa, I hope you fretted just the right amount, and enjoyed that cavatelli.

    Emily Vanessa, The cranberry chutney lasted the longest. It was wonderful, I just made so much. Surprisingly, I never tired of it. I think I'll make it again for Christmas.

    Anne Marie, Excellent fast food!

    Molly, Back at Middle Sand Lake. I know how special this place is for you. Regarding the submissions, you cannot accept them all. I'm sure you are just fine in the bad juju department. I hope Maya is happily toddling around.

    Anna Emilia, A beautiful fir, exciting!

    teresa, Happy to know your day was perfectly perfect.

    Danielle, I like seeing other people's lists too, both shopping and to-do.

    Annie, Thanks!

    alexandria, It was a lot of fun.

    Rachel, Pie with pumpkins and yams - delicious!

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