THANKSGIVING

People are starting to ask about Thanksgiving dinners so I thought I'd better post a menu of choices and what a menu it is. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite events, especially for food. It's really easy to create a vegetarian feast as most of the offerings, besides the turkey, are basically vegetarian. 

I've frequently cooked for people the day before. If you put everything in a casserole in the fridge and simply reheat it everything goes well. Most things taste better the next day. And if you think restaurants don't do that you are mistaken. The turkey can be prepped and you can put it in the oven yourself. I provide directions and even the base for making a great gravy. Some people even like to cook along with me and get a great cooking lesson at the same time. 

In a restaurant you might get a starter or soup, a plate with Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, with one or two vegetables, and a dessert. If you are having a party in your house, skip the dessert and ask people to bring one. 

Add an hors d'oeuvre or two to help everyone settle in and wait for all your guests to arrive. Never use cheese as an appetizer as everyone gets filled up and can't eat dinner, plus cheese is for after as the enzymes help digestion. 

Food for Thought

THANKSGIVING list

                        Stuffed Mushrooms *

                        Spiced Walnuts *

                        Crudites and Dip

                                    Radish, peppers, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, 
                                      cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery, asparagus
                                      

                                    Dip:   Red pepper

                                                Artichoke Garlic

                                                Smoked Salmon Horseradish

                                                Onion Spinach  

                                                

                        Shrimp or Scallops with Bacon *

                        Shrimp on Bread Rounds with Curried Mayo

                        Coconut Shrimp

                        Crabcakes with Sauce

                        Pissaladiere (onion, anchovy, tomato on puff pastry)

                        Prosciutto with fig, salad or fruit or mozzarella

                        Fried Oysters

                        Crostini: Liver Pate

                                    Mushroom Pate

                                    Caponata

                                    Seafood

                                    Artichoke

                                    Black Olive Tapenade

                                    Roast Goat Cheese w/honey walnut

                        Corn cakes with sour cream and lox *

                        Smoked Salmon with horseradish and dill on dark bread *

                        Buckwheat Blini with crème fraiche and caviar

 Soups:

                        Pumpkin/Squash (served in a pumpkin if available) *

                        Roasted Root Vegetable

                        Corn Chowder *

                        Mushroom and Leek

                        Oyster and Ginger

                        Corn and Lobster Chowder

                         

Salads:

                        Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette

                        Fennel, Radicchio, Parmesan with Pear Vinaigrette

                        Beet and Fennel

                        Waldorf

                        Pear, Endive, dried Cranberries and Gorgonzola

Main Dishes:

Roasted Turkey or other fowl ( Capon, Goose, Pheasant, 
   Quail, Moscovy Duck, Cornish Game Hens, Squab, 
   Guinea Hen, Poussin)

Rubbed with Sage and Parsley Butter 
   or Butter and Fresh Truffles

Giblet Gravy

        

 Stuffing:

                        Sausage and Sage *

                        Sausage and Chestnut

                        Sausage and Apple

                        Chestnut

                        Sage and Chestnut *

                        Cornbread and Oyster

                        Giblet and Mushroom

                        Walnuts and Currants

                        Wild Rice and Hazelnuts *

                        Wild Rice and Dried Cherry

Vegetables:

                        Mashed Potatoes

                                    In Skins - Twice Baked *

                                    Plain Mashed

                                    Garlic Mashed

                        Sweet Squash Pudding

                        Sweet Potatoes

                                    Maple Whipped *

                                    Roasted with Ginger and Maple Syrup

                                    Candied with (marshmallows)
                       Celery Root Puree

                        Diced Roasted Vegetables

                        Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts, Bacon *

                        Corn Pudding with Roasted Garlic *

                        Succotash

                        Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Oil

                        Steamed Rutabaga with Butter

                        Green Beans with Almonds

                        Peas and Pearl Onions

                        Baked Rosemary Onions au Gratin

                        Turnip Puree with orange and nutmeg

                        Root Vegetable Puree (potato, parsnip, 
                           celery root, carrot) *

                        Braised Fennel with Parmigiano

                        Wild Rice Cakes

                        Red Cabbage with Blueberries

                        Other: Turnips, Rutabaga, Jerusalem Artichokes, 
                           Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash, Beets, Carrots, 
                           Fennel, Endive, Corn, Brussels Sprouts
                          Cranberry Sauce:

                                    Sweet Traditional

                                    With Orange Zest and Ginger

                                    With Grand Marnier

                                    With Pineapple

                                    With Red Wine

                                    Etc.

                        Gelatin Mold

 Breads:

            Sweet Loaves::

                        Maple-Pecan Cornbread

                        Pumpkin Chutney

                        Cranberry Walnut

                        Tropical Banana

                        Mocha Pecan

                        Iron Skillet Cornbread

                        Carrot Walnut

            Savory Loaves:

                        Parmigiano Herb

                        Dill and Cheese

                        Popovers

Sorbets:

                        Pear Lime

                        Pear Ginger

                        Lemon Apple

                        Persimmon

                        Pomegranate

Desserts:

                        Apple or other seasonal fruit Crisp

                        Apple Pie with Cheese Crust or Standard *

                        Apple or Pear Cake with Chocolate Disc

                        Pumpkin Pie *

                        Chocolate Cake

                        Flourless Chocolate Cake

                        Southern Sweet Potato Pie

                       

                        Whipped Cream

Here is a terrific site for Thanksgiving recipes from expert Rick Rodgers. He seems to have Thanksgiving as one of his specialties with 3 books and many classes: http://rickrodgers.com/thanksgiving.html