Thankful~A Thanksgiving Recap

How is it that it has already been a whole week since Thanksgiving Day? As I get older and my kids get older, the Holidays seem to go by so much faster than they used to! Maybe it is because there is so much more to do for them when you have kids. Even though we were insanely busy, we had a wonderful 4 day holiday this year. It was filled with visits from family and dear friends-both in person and on Skype. It is definitely one we will always remember.

This year, for the first time, we got to see ALL of our nephews and our niece for Thanksgiving. We have 4 nephews ranging in age from 2-13, and one niece who is graduating from high school this year. My girls absolutely ADORE their oldest cousins! We don't get to see them often because we live so far apart. But this year we have gotten to see them 3 times already, and that is definitely something my husband and I are so very thankful for. Our oldest nephew actually spent 4 days here at our house because his girlfriend happens to be my best friend's oldest daughter(long story). So she also spent most of the week with us, which we loved. She is an awesome kid.

Our other 3 nephews are from my side of the family, and they are so stinkin' cute! All of my girls get along so well with them, so when they were together this time, it was so much fun to watch them together. The two oldest are especially close and spent hours playing Hexbugs and cars and Legos. My daughter did learn how to belch like a boy last week, but I can live with that.;-)

For Thanksgiving Day, Cat wanted to do a food art project she had gotten the instructions for in her Cooking Club at school. It was a turkey made out of fruit and cheese (yeah I know... cheese. But I didn't even touch the cheese- I left that to my husband! And it was on the kids' table so nowhere near me!)
The kids seemed to have a good time putting "Gobble Gobble" together. He didn't look exactly like the picture, but that's ok:-) They had fun and that's all that matters!


I tried to find something other than cheese to use, and we thought about Cantaloupe but it's out of season, and with the recent recalls and health issues I am not about to buy precut grocery store melon to eat. (Ours comes from our CSA).

Friday we had the brilliant idea to go to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens. (If you've never been- Busch Gardens is an amusement park and their theme is Europe. It's broken down into countries: they have England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, and New France AKA Canada. For Christmas they decorate the entire park with lights, add special shows and Christmas food, and have special events. It really is a great time!
We thought that since most people would be tired from Black Friday shopping the park wouldn't be that busy. Boy were we wrong! It was a ZOO!! In fact, it was so busy that by 5pm that had to close the gates because they were at capacity. We were already in the park by that point. Mom wanted a picture of all 6 grand kids with Santa (and BG has the best Santa around!). We waited in line for 45 minutes, with SIX kids under age 8. By about halfway through I pulled out the Goldfish crackers and dispensed them one by one to each child. That kept them busy, entertained, and fed. For as cramped as we were, the kids did awesome! Santa was very patient, the kids all cooperated, and we managed to get a great picture of all them.


And then just mine:


Saturday the plan was to drive down to the Outer Banks to take our oldest nephew back to his parents, who were spending Thanksgiving at their beach house. We always love going down to the Outer Banks, even if it's just for the day. Since the weather was amazing that day we made sure we spent a little time down near the water.

My idea of Heaven on Earth.



Even though it was cold, we had to get our feet wet! It wasn't that cold actually.


I am so very Thankful for my family.

Before dinner we went up to Jockey's Ridge to see some kites lit up with Christmas lights. Jockey's Ridge is a huge sand dune in the middle of the Outer Banks and is a great place for flying kites or to just get amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Sound.






We also had fun playing in the sand:-)

After our adventures we had a delicious meal made by our brother-in-law who is a professional chef. I love when he cooks for us, because he teaches me something new every time we get together. This time we had Duxelle Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and it was amazing. I can't wait to make it! And of course now I have some tips from a professional on how to make duxelle the correct way. We also discuss ways to make gourmet dishes dairy free. And any time I have questions I can call him and ask. Spending time with him is making me seriously consider going to culinary school once my girls are a bit older. Or at least taking some cooking classes. We'll see...

It was a busy whirlwind of a weekend that went by entirely too fast. But we have some great memories, and my girls will always remember this year.

This year, and every year, I have so much to be Thankful for.

Now on to Christmas...

Two Last Minute Holiday Meal Compliments

At this point most of us are scrambling to get our Thanksgiving menu set and most of our food prepared and ready for tomorrow. I myself have been extremely busy in the kitchen today, but I am taking a short break to share these two last minute ideas with you: Vegan Raspberry Butter and Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish. One is brand new, one is a family tradition.

Vegan Raspberry Butter:
I first saw this last week on Pinterest thanks to DairyFreeBetty. I thought that it was a great idea, and decided it would go very well with dinner tomorrow night. Lots of people buy specialty butters or dairy products to compliment their meals, but those of us with dairy allergies are usually left out. Not this time! This uses Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread so anyone can enjoy it!

Ingredients:
1 tub Earth Balance Vegan Whipped Buttery Spread, at room temp.
3/4 cup fresh raspberries.



Directions:
After bringing your buttery spread to room temperature, put it in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer, but you could use a hand mixer too).
Beat until it is softened.


Add your raspberries


Beat on LOW speed just until they are mixed in and slightly broken up. You don't want to mix them too much- the butter should still look pretty.

Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on your counter, and a sheet of plastic wrap on top of that. Spoon your butter mixture onto the plastic wrap. Work it back and forth until it forms a log shape. Wrap in the plastic wrap, and then again in the aluminum foil.






Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.



It is SO good! Not too sweet, but just adds a little extra flavor. It is going to be great on my roll tomorrow night at dinner. I am keeping mine in the freezer until dinner tomorrow.

Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish:
My mom has been making this relish for as long as I can remember. We have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, since it is delicious with both ham and turkey. My husband likes to eat it on rolls too.

Ingredients:
1 small orange- quartered but not peeled
1/2 package fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar



Directions:
Put the cranberries and orange pieces with rinds on in your food processor. Chop them until they are finely ground. Add sugar to taste- if you like it sweet, add the full quarter cup, for a more tart flavor add less. Put in a covered bowl and let chill for a few hours before serving. This also freezes extremely well, so you can save some for Christmas too.


Of course you don't have to save these for a Holiday meal. Both of these are good anytime of year!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

**The Vegan Raspberry Butter is found on Earth's Best's website.

Green Bean Casserole~In Time For Thanksgiving

I included this recipe in another post last winter, but since Thanksgiving is coming up, I wanted to share it again as it's own post for those that are looking for a Dairy Free version of this holiday favorite.

*You can make this Vegan by using vegetable bouillon instead of chicken.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE:
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups soy milk
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 carrot, diced
any of the following you want to add:
basil
garlic
marjoram
oregano
pepper
sage
salt
thyme
3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
2 or 3 tablespoons cold water
2 cans French cut green beans
1 can fried onion ( I prefer the Trader Joes brand, but I have also found that a Garlic Pepper flavored kind works great too)

Method:
1. In a saucepan, heat the soy milk and veggie bouillon.
2. Stir until bouillon cube disintegrates.Be careful to not scald the milk.


3. In a separate skillet heat 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil.
4. Add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots; saute until the onions are translucent.



5.Add the herbs and spices-basil, garlic, marjoram, oregano, pepper, sage, salt, and thyme.
6. Make a thickener by combining the flour and cold water, mixing well.
7.Pour into the milk-bouillon mixture. Stir well and often, because this will coagulate quickly once heated.
8. Combine the green beans, sauteed veggies, and half the fried onions. Then add the milk mixture, mixing well. Top with fried onions.
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the French fried onions begin to brown.



Makes: 4 to 6 servings

My husband has said this version is actually better than the traditional one using canned soup. I have to agree. I love that there are more veggies in it, not just green beans.
Happy Thanksgiving!

My Dairy Free Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving is only a couple short weeks away, and most us of are already planning either our menu or where we are going to spend the day. For those of us with food intolerances or allergies, this can turn into a rather difficult challenge. Most holiday food, especially for gatherings, has a lot of dairy in it that is both hidden and obvious. If you are playing hostess for the day, trying to decide what to serve non dairy-free people can be tough, especially if they are used to eating all things with cream, milk, butter, and cheese.

This year we are going to be spending the day with my parents. It's no secret that Thanksgiving is my Mom's holiday in our family. She hosts Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, I get Christmas Day. It works out very well. Ever since I was a kid she always made the dinner, and it was/is always absolutely delicious. My favorite smell (other than the smell of my babies) is walking into her house on Thanksgiving Day. It takes me back to my childhood every time.

~Thanksgiving a few years ago~


There have been a few years in my adulthood that we haven't spent Thanksgiving with my parents, but not many. Usually the years they go to visit my brother and his family we spend the day with my in-laws, and I host at our house. But even the few years we have been on our own, I have stuck with her traditional menu. Last year we hosted friends of ours from South Africa who had never celebrated Thanksgiving. They brought a few of their traditional foods to share, such as Bobotie and a Trifle. We watched the Macy's parade, made Shirley Temples for the girls, drank mimosas, and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. This year they have taken our holiday back to South Africa with them and are sharing the day with friends of theirs who also used to live in the States.

~Last year's Thanksgiving~



Mom and I have come up with our traditional Thanksgiving menu this week so we can get our shopping done early. My oldest has also picked out the centerpiece she wants to make.

What we have to look forward to:
*denotes what I am bringing

Appetizers
~Veggies and a dairy free sour cream dip*. (this dip is a tradition in our family- Mom has been making it for years, and luckily I have figured out a way to make it dairy free. I will share the super simple recipe in a later post)
~Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Dip*
~Mini Crab Cakes*
~Mimosas

Dinner:
~Fresh- not frozen- Turkey: simply oven roasted, not stuffed (takes longer and dries out the breast meat)
~Mom's homemade Stuffing. So simple, yet SO GOOD.
~Mashed Potatoes
~Peas
~Mashed Butternut Squash with Cinnamon and Nutmeg*
~Roasted Acorn Squash (Recipe will be posted after Thanksgiving)
~Green Bean Casserole*
~Candied Yams
~Sweet Potato Cornbread*
~Mom's Homemade Cranberry Orange Relish (recipe will be posted)
~Dinner Rolls
~Stuffed Celery Plate*
~Pickle and Olive Platter

Dessert:
~Apple Pie
~Sweet Potato Pie*
~Pumpkin Pie*
~Pumpkin cupcakes

Of course we will also have wine with dinner, coffee or tea with dessert.

That's a lot of food and we are definitely going to have leftovers! Luckily it will be cooked between 2 kitchens. Seems like a lot of work, but between Mom, Dad, David, and myself we get it all done very efficiently. This year my oldest is also very excited to get to help make dinner. Last year she got to help make dessert.




So there you have it- our Dairy Free Thanksgiving. Just because you are Dairy Free does not mean you have to miss out on a good meal. And it does not mean you need to spend hours slaving over a meal of fancy or strange dishes that dairy loving people may not like. You can have a simple, elegant, comforting, delicious meal and no one will ever even know you cook without dairy. Sometimes simple is better.

What is on your Dairy Free Thanksgiving table this year?

Happy Cooking this Thanksgiving!!

Just in Time for Thanksgiving- Sweet Potato Pie

This year our Fall CSA gave us fresh sweet potatoes. My family doesn't eat a lot of sweet potatoes- in fact my husband is not a fan of them at all. He does, however, love a good, homemade sweet potato pie. I decided to try my hand at it, especially since Thanksgiving is coming up. It was so easy and delicious! My 4year old loved it, and I actually had to make another one to send in to her preschool for their Thanksgiving Feast.

Ingredients:
1 lb of sweet potatoes
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pie crust




Directions:
1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for about 50 minutes, or until fork tender. Cool sweet potato by running cold water over them. Peel skin off.
2. While sweet potatoes are cooking, place pie crust in 9 inch pie plate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3.Cut sweet potato into chunks and put in bowl. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer, but you can use a hand held also. Add softened butter and mix until smooth. One at a time add in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth and lumps are gone. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Don't worry if the pie puffs up, it will sink back down as it cools.

Fresh out of the oven:



Time for dessert!



Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!