recipe box Wednesday

What perfect timing!  How many of you are cooking today in preparation for tomorrow?

My groceries are purchased and my flowers are arranged, all of the recipes I will be using have been printed out or copied (I am a very messy cook, and that way when I spill on them I just throw them away when I am done!)

Today is for baking pecan pie, and making mashed potatoes, cooking cranberry sauce, and putting together my sweet potato dish.

Do you use tried and true recipes for turkey day, or do you like to mix things up and try something new?

This year I am brining a giant turkey breast with a recipe I have used before (if you have never brined your bird TRY IT, it makes such a huge difference.  Unless, of course, you prefer dry turkey.)  I am making dressing from a recipe I found in a magazine a few years ago, Mike and Charlie are now big fans.  I picked up day old foccacia rolls and a day old baguette at Cafe Latte to use in it, along with turkey sausage for my vegetarian friend who is joining us for the meal.

My green bean dish is from Ellie Krieger, simple flavors of sauteed shallots and fresh mushrooms to go with the crunchy grreen beans.  If I was home, I would be looking forward to my mom's classic green bean casserole, but at my house I have decided we have enough caloric numbers in the meal already.

The fresh sweet potatoes will be roasted to bring out their natural goodness, then mashed with some freshly squeezed orange juice and a little maple syrup.  Again, if I was in Bemidji, we would enjoy the classic with marshmallows on top, but I like to have my own traditions when I am doing the cooking.

I like to throw in a green salad, just to balance out the heaviness of the other food.  I found one here that I am going to try, http://sdoeden.areavoices.com/2010/11/21/bright-and-light-festive-salad-for-the-puff-and-fluff-days-ahead/.  The flavors sound perfect (and I love the name) for the Thanksgiving meal.  I am also going to make my pecan pie from this website-this one sounds amazing http://sdoeden.areavoices.com/2010/11/14/a-secret-ingredient-and-a-generous-chunk-of-cream-cheese-boost-claibornes-pecan-pie-filling-right-over-the-top/ 

(I am going to skip the cream cheese in the pie, and whip up some fresh cream for the top instead).  Sue Doeden lives in Bemidji and writes for the Pioneer, she is a food goddess up there and I have found many amazing recipes on her site.  Check it out and bookmark it if you haven't seen it before. (all pictures today are from her blog.)

Cranberries will be popping later today, I love the sound they make when they cook.  I use red wine for my liquid, it adds a nice layer of flavor, and a little freshly grated orange peel.  This year I am using clementines, as that is what is in the fridge.

I let Great Harvest make the rolls and bread, I need to run and pick them up this morning before the nasty weather hits.  And make a deposit and get change for ACES for the big weekend ahead. 

We are delighted to have friends for dinner tomorrow!  I usually go through all of that work for just the three of us, this year Tracy http://www.sellabitmum.com/ and her hubby and sweet little girls will be joining us!  I am looking forward to getting the leaf out for the dining room table and planning my place settings, it is so much more fun to cook for 8 than for 3.

While I am wistful that I won't be joining my family for Thanksgiving this year (remember the fun we had last year ?http://ohfercute.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-scrapbook.html I am grateful that we won't have to travel on what sound to be hazardous roads today. And again on Sunday when we would have to come home.

Whatever your plans for the day, I wish you moist turkey, and perfect stuffing, and safe travels on your journeys!  I am so grateful to have amazing people who take the time to read about my life.