The Day After

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day festivities. We had a great time. We had delicious food, great friends who are really family, and lots of laughs and lots of fun. Everyone around the table stated what they were thankful for, and not surprising at all, the most popular answer, even with the kids, was family and friends. Thanksgiving is all about love and being thankful for who and what we have been blessed with.

I was busy cooking, so I didn’t take a lot of pictures, but I did manage to take a few.

The meal focused around the “star” of the day, the turkey. This year we did something a little different. We brined it over night, like always, and then Larry smoked it. It was good, but my favorite way is still the old fashioned way, slow cooking it in the oven.

Gabe and his girls, Cora, Nahila, and Tehvia, 3 of my “nieces”.

We had all the traditional Thanksgiving foods, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, roasted vegetables, gravy, and herbed popovers. These were my contributions. Gabe made a big pan of mac ‘n cheese and Lauren brought some homemade cranberry chutney, cranberry brie puffs and a delicious Lemoncello cake for dessert. We placed the cake next to the pumpkin and pecan pies and the pomegranate molasses cookies I made. (Well I made the cookies. The pies I bought).

Mike and Lauren.

Thank you Mike, Lauren, Gabe, Cora, Nahila, Tehvia and especially Larry, for making this a very special Thanksgiving once again. Love you all and I am so thankful for all of you.

I brined the turkey in an apple cider brine this year. It was yet another new twist to a timeless classic.

Apple Cider Brine for Turkey

2/3 cup Kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

6 whole cloves

1 tsp black peppercorns, cracked

2 tsp whole allspice berries, crushed, or ground allspice

1 TBSP fresh ginger

2 bay leaves

6 cups apple cider

2 cups hot water

4 cups ice cold water

1 large navel range, cut into wedges

Mix the salt, sugar, apple cider, hot water and spices together in a large saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat then add the ice cold water and the orange wedges. Bring to room temperature then pour over the turkey in a large baking bag and chill in the refrigerator over night. When you are ready to cook the turkey, discard the brine and season. And cook your turkey how you choose.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. We all have so much to be thankful for everyday. ‘Til next time.