We've been eating a lot of turkey and pumpkin this week. I made my first ever turkey dinner on Monday for Thanksgiving. It was fun and a little crazy towards the end when everything needed attention at once. We finished preparing everything together, Jared made a great gravy and carved the bird. I have still never carved a bird. I know, shocking, isn't it? That was the bit my Mom did at home and I just never needed to do it then and I still haven't done since I've been married.
We had roast turkey, stuffing (lots of it), cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, basil tossed carrots and gravy. Our glasses were filled with sparkling raspberry juice and we savored every bite. Kilmeny got to have sweet potatoes for the first time and quite enjoyed them. We had pumpkin chiffon pie with our tea after the dishes were the done and the baby was sleeping. It was wonderful to sit and savor the different flavors and textures, talk about different holiday traditions and memories and create some of our own.
I love the fact that we got our pumpkin from the local market and I cooked it up and mashed it for our pie. I also have a full ice cube tray of mashed pumpkin for Kilmeny and a couple bags of pumpkin puree in the freezer. We got the turkey from our local grocery store. It wasn't even pretending to be raised naturally but this is where we are this year. Next year, I'm hoping for a farm-raised turkey from one of my brothers.
I also love the fact that I've hardly had to cook this week since we had leftovers in the fridge and I made a big pot of turkey soup from the turkey carcass. I know, doesn't that just sound so, bloodthirsty? But all the recipes refer to it as that so it must be the right name.
And now we are slightly tired of turkey. So I'm throwing the rest of the meat and the bones in the freezer to be brought out on another day.
What would you make with leftover turkey and all that pumpkin? Is there anything you can make with leftover stuffing?
And since I'm in a curious state of mind, do you top your sweet potatoes with marshmallows or nuts? =)
And since I'm in a curious state of mind, do you top your sweet potatoes with marshmallows or nuts? =)
all photos by Jared =)
I remember the second year I did a turkey for thanksgiving, just before Ava Grace was born and of course I was full of nesting energy so I cooked those turkey leftovers five ways from Sunday and filled our little freezer for when the baby arrived. All kinds of turkey strata and noodle bakes and soup soup soup.
ReplyDeleteWith all that frozen pumpkin and sweet potato, I would make muffins. I have a mean recipe for pumpkin muffins and this year for the first time I started throwing sweet potatoes in. Delish.
so delish that I just bought a bunch more sweet potato to freeze so I can make these muffins all year round.
I'll post the recipe on my blog this weekend.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the table setting. I remember Jared once commenting on a facebook photo about how you have a way of making things beautiful, so true! And what a gift!
Beautiful table! It looks so warm and welcoming. :-) I like both marshmallows and nuts on my sweet potatoes. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe table looks beautiful and abundant, just like a Thanksgiving table should look. The food looks scrumptious, and sounds even better than that!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way when I do a Thanksgiving or Christmas...or Easter!...dinner. It's fun and enjoyable and then there's this CrAzY rush at the end where you could use at least five extra arms and two more sets of eyes. Hehe.
With leftover turkey, I like to make "Tastes Like Thanksgiving Casserole" (on the Taste of Home website) which also uses leftover stuffing AND mashed potatoes.
You have a flair for bringing about beauty. :)
Thanks ladies!
ReplyDelete@Ashley, I'll look forward to the recipe!
@Krista, so do we. We decided to start a new tradition with both. =)
@Ashley, I'll look up the recipe and your tables are always such an inspiration to me. =)
Hooray! You put those yummy pictures up! Now I want to have Thanksgiving dinner all over again...sigh... lovely job Breanne. :) You made me hungry! - Love ya - Liz
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