Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 was a modest time, but really nice. We made a (relatively) simple meal, complete with traditional and not-so-traditional dishes. Everything was delicious! Our menu was:

• turkey chili
• celery root and apple remoulade
• roasted root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, garlic)
• roasted brussels sprouts
• pumpkin pie with whipped cream (sweetened with maple syrup)

The turkey chili was made with organic, free-range turkey from our CSA  – I used a pound of ground turkey and a half pound of turkey sausage. I’ll share the recipe very soon – it was a huge hit here at home. The root vegetables all came from the CSA, too, including the celery root.

I was introduced to celery root remoulade about 8 years ago, when I tasted it at an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner. I remember not being able to get enough of it, it was so delicious! It’s basically raw celery root cut into matchsticks, and it is sauced with a mixture of sour cream, mustard, lemon, and vinegar. I think it’s wonderful and it does well with the addition of diced Empire apple.

I roast brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt. I roast the root vegetables in olive oil, thyme, and salt. Both pans cooked at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Both dishes were delicious – I love how everything caramelizes and turns sweet and salty.

I forgot to cook the kale I had planned! D’oh. Tomorrow.

Finally, the pie was tasty. The crust was not, but I’m really not good at making pie crust (I just need more practice). I think I added too much water to the dough. Anyway, what was really excellent about the pie was the filling. I used butternut squashes I grew this summer, and added thickened cream, pastured eggs, and a little bit of brown sugar. Cinnamon, too. I think next time, I’ll just make the custard and cook it in ramekins.

Apart from the food, we enjoyed a little Malbec from Argentina, named Maipe. We bought it at a new wine shop in the neighborhood, Astoria Park Wine & Spirits. Very affordable, around $10, and delicious. Such a nice treat.

We put together a container of food and my boyfriend delivered it over to a guy we see all the time begging on a neighboring avenue. He really appreciated the meal.

It was nice to catch some of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, too. And Miracle on 34th Street was on TV! I love that movie.

One less fun thing that happened is that my computer freaked out a bit. The battery wouldn’t hold a charge, and at one point the computer restarted itself! The fan wouldn’t turn off, either. Not good. Thankfully, I was able to make an appointment with the 5th Ave Apple Store Genius Bar, and they got me hooked up with a new adaptor; mine was totally dead, frayed and broken near the head of the part that attaches to the computer. Thank goodness for easy fixes!

I’ve also been drawn to thinking about creativity, and how to delve deeper into it to explore my own creativity more. I’ve come across some resources, and I’ll share those soon, too.

And I want to say how grateful I am to each of you for visiting, reading, and commenting here on Harmonious Belly. I am truly grateful for your care and attention to this little space on the web! Thank you.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!