Monthly Cooking Thread, Thanksgiving Edition, November 2019

[Jamestown1630]

I originally began this cooking thread because – during my many years as a ‘lurker’ here before signing up – I greatly enjoyed the annual Thanksgiving cooking threads that I would see. (Somewhere on my hard drive, I’m sure I have many Freeper recipes that were posted over the years before I officially arrived on the scene.)

Now, the holiday season is getting into gear, and Thanksgiving is on the near horizon once again. Please share with us your family favorites, traditions, and your memories of this very American of holidays.

We’ve noted many times before that people really don’t like Thanksgiving to ‘change’ - we enjoy, and enjoy looking forward to, the traditional family specialties that we have always relished on that day. But I encountered a potato recipe that some of you might find interesting as a slight change-up to your annual fare - (and who said you can have only one kind of potato dish, anyway?)

Here, Chef John of Food Wishes, presents his rendition of Potatoes Romanoff:

https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2019/10/potatoes-romanoff-this-didnt-stay-in.html

My husband and I were thrilled with the first wet-brined turkey that we made many years ago – but that was before we discovered dry-brining. We have used the Russ Parsons method for several years now, and it results in the best turkeys that we’ve roasted.

Here is the Parsons Method (also known as 'The Judy Bird'):

https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/recipe-russ-parsons-dry-brined-turkey-a-k-a-the-judy-bird

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I recently lost a very stubborn 15 pounds that always seem to creep up on me over time, by following a very low-carb diet. One of my favorite dishes for Thanksgiving is the ubiquitous Green Bean Casserole, and we found this recipe from 'Dot2Trot' for a low-carb version. Haven’t tried it yet, but it looks more promising than a lot of others we have seen. (As of the last time she posted the numbers, Dot had lost 145 pounds on the low-carb diet, and her website and YouTube channel have a lot of really good recipes):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP_lTI7Ji2I

(The painting at the start of this post is entitled ‘Home for Thanksgiving', and was painted by Anna Mary Robertson - “Grandma’ - Moses):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Moses

-JT

[ChildOfThe60s]

Our daughter lived in Korea for a time and brought back her love of their food. She doesn’t care for the traditional TG meal, so we do some Korean dishes like...

Bibimbap
Japchae
Bulgogi
My home made kimchee

[Jamestown1630]

Please post your Kimchee recipe.

Many years ago I made friends with a Korean immigrant family - the Oma made the best Kimchee and Bulgogi.

I also like something I used to get from a little hole-in-the-wall in DC - Mandu Guk - made by a little Grandmother. Dumplings swimming with all kinds of mushrooms and little stick-things that I never identified, in a fabulous broth.

I can’t smell Bori Cha, without being taken back to those days, like Proust with his madeleines.

[Jim W N]

Ya know, that would be nice, but I and others in my office have a 2.5 hour commute every day. I work in a District Attorney’s office - couple of nice guys there but everyone scurries home after work and no one has time to connect later. Weekends are like domestic chores and recovery time.

I don’t mind. I’m learning that the right kind of friends are faithful and loyal. Not always easy to find either the time and those kinds of people. In the meantime, Jesus is my best friend.

:)

[ameribbean expat]

Be interested to know your progress and results.

[Jamestown1630]

You must have a friend at Church, who doesn’t have anyone to spend the Holiday with....?

[Qiviut]

Over the last year and a half, I have lost over 50 lbs on Keto/LCHF, which brought me back from the brink of T2D. Thanksgiving is my very favorite time of year and I love to cook - last Thanksgiving was the first one after changing my lifestyle to low carb.

It’s been a great journey finding new, low carb ways to cook and recipes I can eat and that other people enjoy. I’ve also gotten good at modifying recipes. The surprisingly BIG hit last Thanksgiving was a Brussels sprout casserole - I personally love them, but had no idea so many in the family also like Brussels sprouts. I was glad folks ate it, but I was just a wee tad disappointed that I had only a couple of spoonfuls of leftover casserole!.

Here is a link to the original recipe:
http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/11/brussels-sprouts-with-smoked-bacon.html

Here is the recipe with the changes I made:

Ingredients:

2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half [fresh was not available, so I used three 12 oz bags of frozen. Followed microwave instructions on bag – left off a minute so they wouldn’t be mush when further cooked in casserole)
4 ounces bacon (4-5 strips), cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons flour – NO FLOUR USED
1 cup milk – SUBSTITUTED 1 CUP OF HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated USED ½ CUP PARM IN TOPPING; SUBSTITUTED ½ CUP CHEDDAR (surprisingly good!) OR OTHER CHEESE OF CHOICE IN SAUCE (Gouda, which melts well, would also be great)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs NO BREAD CRUMBS USED

Directions:
Followed directions in original recipe for putting this together, adjusting for changes noted above.
Baking time - I had to go a lot longer than 15-20 minutes ... I think my casseroles have needed at least 30, maybe 40 minutes “until it is bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top”

Topping used on casserole (Kristie Sullivan - uses on ‘maccaroni’ & cheese):
1/2 cup pork rind crumbs (bought a bag & crushed them)
2 T butter, melted
1/2 cup parmesan reggiano, grated

Mix all together (coarse sand texture) and spread on casserole

Additional notes:
I have an 8 x 11 pyrex pan that was the perfect size.
Mix mustard into heavy cream with stick blender to get it really smooth - may need up to another half cup of cream to have enough sauce.
Parmesan in the sauce was terrible – just does not melt well. Cheddar was great & something like Gouda which melts well would be good.
All spices/seasonings were good - grainy mustard really adds to dish

[ChildOfThe60s]

I will try to this weekend. It’s stored on a different PC which isn’t on now.

I’ll reply again to post it.

[SkyDancer]

Eeek! No nutmeg. Nope nope nope.

[NorthstarMom]

http://littlespicejar.com/roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes-slow-cooker/

I used this recipe last year and everyone loved the potatoes, even my mother in law ;). I roasted the garlic the day before and it all was so easy.

[Qiviut]

Since you mentioned green bean casserole, here is a version with a Keto makeover (just saw it yesterday, so I haven’t tried it yet):

https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-green-bean-casserole/

The “All Day I Dream About Food” is loaded with Keto-friendly recipes, including desserts. Personally, I am not much into desserts these day, just do not have the “taste” for them any more. Last year, I did make No-bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites which are low carb, grain & gluten free. I do love cheesecake & these were delicious (plus easy to pack up & take to the family gathering)!

https://beautyandthefoodie.com/no-bake-pumpkin-cheesecake-bites

[Jim W N]

Yeah, I guess church hasn’t worked for we lately. In VA we had a great Care Group. Made friends with a great guy there, but honestly the Care Group turned into a Lonely Hearts Group with all the single ladies. In the meantime, I moved to AZ where not much was going on there. (Joseph Prince is my long-distance pastor.)

Few churches embrace the true Gospel of the Grace of Christ. You know, I really think the Lord has allowed this time for me right now. I think I’m learning how to let Jesus be my Best Friend. It’s pretty cool actually.

Part of it for me is I’m a recovering co-dependent - learning that you can have friends but, as RLS said, “not to capitulation”. You’re OK - don’t-need-others-to-validate-you kind of stuff.

We’ll see where we go from here...

I guess for now it’s TJ’s and Costco Turkey Dinners. Could do a lot worse...

[Jamestown1630]

I’m going to share this with my husband. He lost 65 lbs a few years ago, when he was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and is very committed to this way of eating and grateful for the benefits. T

hanks very much, and best wishes to you!

[Jamestown1630]

LOL!

You don’t even put it in a souffle or quiche? It adds a lot to some egg dishes...

[Jamestown1630]

Well, you seem to understand something that I’ve also discovered - I think a lot of people make a big mistake in thinking that somebody else is going to make them ‘whole’ or ‘happy’.

You have to learn to be yourself, and be ENOUGH on your own, before you can really give anything to somebody else. It’s nobody’s job to make you happy - that’s YOUR job.

But, once you manage that, you are ready for that ‘someone else’ - ready to love them for exactly what they are, instead of what they can DO for you, or what you might WISH they would be.

And at that point, you’re ready; but you have to be open to it - and not keep telling yourself that it’s ‘not possible’.

Best wishes to you on your journey!

[Jim W N]

Thank you. You seem to understand some of this stuff.

I trust the Lord about all this stuff.

Who knows where it will take me.

Right now, I’m in New Mexico, about as far from folks and personality types that I like to hang around with. Feels a bit like Moses on the backside of the desert. New Mexico really IS the backside of the desert.

It’s all kind of funny. In the meantime, God is teaching me the greatest life lesson I think there is: entering into His rest- letting him take the reigns of my life. Whew. Not easy, but as the oxymoron says in Hebrews, “Labor to enter into rest.” If I let Him have his way, I’ll have the best life and friends I could imagine - especially after leaving co-dependency.

[Jamestown1630]

You can’t go wrong by trusting in, and releasing everything to, the Lord.

Best Wishes!

[Qiviut]

Best wishes to your husband!

[Jamestown1630]

I will tell him. He backslided over the past year, but now has lost it all again :-)

[Jim W N]

Thank you. Nice talking with you.

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve seen the ‘All Day’ site, and they do have lots of good recipes.