This will be the first year in a long time that I will not be hosting the Thanksgiving dinner at my home. When my children were little and we all lived in Connecticut, my mother was the queen of this holiday. Then Christmas Eve would be at my home with Christmas Day left for the respective in-laws. I'm not fond of Christmas Day. I would rather have the family dinner on Christmas Eve, traditionally late as is the custom in Spain and most Latin countries, and sleep late, go to church and afterwards go to the movies with the kids. It was a tradition for many years while they still lived at home.
Now that my "children" are older and one of them has children of his own, things get complicated. My daughter in law has her family in Atlanta and my mother is too fragile these days to travel back and forth. Last year my daughter and I spent Thanksgiving by ourselves because of last minute illnesses and cancellations in the family and did what we have always wanted to do...Thanksgiving in our pajamas! Yes, and I cooked a full meal for us with all the trimmings, except I made Cornish Hens.
This year we are spending Thanksgiving at my brother's, something we have never done: but Lindaraxa will be cooking the dinner, something she is often called upon to do now that she has a cooking blog.
This is one holiday where usually, except for the stuffing , the menu stays the same; but this year I will accomodate the hosts and their family and will cook what they want. I have three favorite stuffing recipes that I rotate, one with pears, the other with apples and, of course, a corn stuffing. This is the big predicament every year...which stuffing; but I settled it early on this time by deciding to make the easiest. So, here are the candidates for this year's Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving 2010
Roast Turkey With Madeira Sauce
If you want a peak at last year's menu, click here. The stars of the show are always the same, the chocolate bourbon pecan pie and the stuffings! The pie was last year's most popular recipe on this blog by a mile.
Lindaraxa to the rescue! We are hosting a beloved niece to Thanksgiving this year, and Reggie was casting about for the perfect stuffing recipe. He thought he was off the hook, since he assumed we were going to a restaurant for the Big Meal, as there are only three of us this year. But no, all the ones in the country that he called to book a table are closed that day! So, it's the turkey with the trimmings here at Darlington House. We've ordered a tiny organic bird--ten to twelve pounds--and a pie, but the rest is on Reggie's shoulders. I look forward to making your stuffing recipe as I know it will be delicious, and it will give me pleasure because it will make me think of you. I'm also planning on making Mark Bittman's brussel sprouts with figs and bacon, as seen on his video demonstration on the NY Times website. xox, Reggie
ReplyDeleteYou will love the brussel sprouts. My daughter suggested it this year but my sister in law had her heart set on the bean casserole. My favorite for this meal is the creamed onions but I'm only the cook! Make the cranberry sauce...it's easy and it lasts forever. Good with roasted chicken down the road!
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