Let me explain a few things first. For almost my entire life I have been what I’ll term a “Thanksgiving Pedestrian”. What I mean is I’ve rarely had to make anything for Thanksgiving. Even when I was married because we didn’t have kids we were the transient couple going to wherever Thanksgiving was being held and – more importantly – prepared. Sure, we’d bring pies, but my ex worked as a pastry chef for a time, so like I was going to be contributing to that?
One year in grad school we hosted a few friends for a Thanksgiving of roasted chicken, Stove Top, carrots, and (of course) pies. Oh, and one of the other grad student’s truly terrible homemade mead *shudder*.
On my own, I’ve been invited to Thanksgivings with my family, and with my friends, but I haven’t had an opportunity to prepare more than a sourdough-bowl spinach dip (though I make a mean spinach dip, let me tell you!).
This year, however, Fern and I are making Thanksgiving with her mom and aunt, and it’s on like Turkey Kong (tis the season, after all…). Fern’s mom was more than happy to divvy up the cooking responsibilities, and this year I’m more than happy to take on some projects.
This, dear reader, is what I’m bringing:
- (Mostly) Nana’s Green Bean Casserole
- Vampire-Unfriendly Mashed Potatoes
- My First™ Thanksgiving Macaroni and Cheese
- Turkey! Turkey! Turkey!
- The Greatest Pumpkin Pie Ever
You’d better bet there will be full blog posts and recipes for all these, but I’ll give you a quick rundown ahead of time.
(Mostly) Nana’s Green Bean Casserole: I know this can be polarizing, but for me and my family it’s tradition. I’m hopping it up a little, but not straying far from the French’s fried onion-topped classic.
Vampire-Unfriendly Mashed Potatoes: Keeping this one simple with Yukon golds and garlic. Simple. And they’ll undoubtedly be delicious. Oh! And I celebrated festivities by getting myself a new potato masher! Hey, this is a big deal!
My First™ Thanksgiving Macaroni and Cheese: I’ve never had Macaroni and Cheese at Thanksgiving, but Fern and her family have always had it in the same way my family has always had Nana’s Green Bean Casserole. So, is it wise to give a traditional family holiday staple to the New Guy? We’ll see. The recipe I’ve put together looks like a winner (full disclosure: I haven’t tested it yet! Eek!), so here we go – sink or swim… in amazing macaroni and cheese!
Turkey! Turkey! Turkey! While we’re going to cook the bird at Fern’s, I’m responsible for the prep, and for that I’m counting on my brother Jay’s tried-and-true maple bourbon brine to do the heavy lifting and a traditional homemade spice rub to take it the rest of the way. The rub, I’ll admit, is untested, but I’ll give a preview of the spices used: equal parts Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Dallas Cowboys football, and tryptophan-induced naps (stay tuned for the real thing).
Finally, The Greatest Pumpkin Pie Ever: Okay, I’m going to level with you on this one: I have no idea whether this is the greatest pumpkin pie ever, but Fern insists that sweet potato pie (which she is making) is superior to pumpkin pie, and that kind of thing just can’t stand. So, I’ve put together what on paper sure looks to be a winner – a generously-spiced filling with a gingersnap crust and a dollop of homemade bourbon whipped cream. Again, greatest ever? We’ll see. But I’m confident it’ll take down even the finest sweet potato pie. Let’s get ready to rumble! *ding ding*
Like I said, stay tuned – posts, pictures, and recipes to follow. And I wish all of you a safe and fantastic Thanksgiving!
