Sunday, November 16, 2008

Thanksgiving-Related Musings

HUUUUURRRRRRGGGGHHHH!

Oh. Oh, no. Guys, you're never going to believe this. Sandra Lee, who is on TV as I type, has sunk to an all-time low, from the depths of crapitude to the Level Three Nuclear-Attack-Proof Sub-Basement of Crapitude. She is making "Thanksgiving leftover empanadas." Out of pre-rolled pie crust, leftover mashed potatoes and leftover green bean casserole, seasoned with packaged taco seasoning. TACO SEASONING!

Here's my T-day menu:

Turkey. (um... duh...)
Dressing. I'm a plain bread dressing kind of gal. I like cornbread dressing (and Carrie's chicken and dressing), but the dressing of my childhood is just white bread, celery, onions, poultry seasoning, and broth.
Mashed potatoes. Simple. No herbs, no roasted garlic, just mashed potatoes, milk, butter, and cream cheese, my secret ingredient.
Homemade egg noodles.
Gravy. Gallons of it.
Rolls.
Cranberry sherbet. My mom's family recipe. It's light, tart, sweet, crystalline, refreshing... basically everything that the rest of T-day dinner is not.
Pumpkin pie
Pecan pie

Did you know that there are people who don't like Thanksgiving leftovers? Those people are NUTS. What, I ask you, is not to like about having a fridge full of the best dang food of the whole dang year that you can re-invent into all sorts of delectable treats? Turkey pot pie! Potato cakes! Turkey noodle soup! White turkey chili! Not to mention the sheer joy of cold turkey sandwiches and hot fried dressing. COME ON.

Mmmm... I can't wait until next Thursday...

8 comments:

Jacob said...

Left-over green bean casserole is one of my favorites. I'm not a huge turkey fan (more of a red meat guy), but I do enjoy it, but not so much as a left-over. We never did stuffing in my family for some reason and I've never developed a taste for it, sadly. I make up for it by putting away a few pumpkin pies like a pro.

Cabernet Leather said...

Do you have bread sauce?

Laura said...

Jacob, my brother doesn't really like turkey all that well. I LOVE it. I think it's so much richer and more flavorful than chicken! LOVE. LOVE it. And stuffing is EVIL, as Alton Brown says, but dressing is delicious. Pumpkin pie, though? It's the best thing in the world, like, ever, and I always have to remind myself that it's actually LEGAL to make one in, say, April or July, not just in November and December.

Der, I would totally tell you if we did or not, if I knew what that was.

Laura's Dad said...

You have GOT to explain what you mean by "fried dressing." As you know, it is THE quintessential reason for doing the dressing in the first place. Give the rest of the world (i.e., your blog readership) the rundown on this decadently ridiculous leftover treat. Details, young lady!

Laura said...

OK. Fried dressing:

Take cold leftover dressing and slice it into very thin (less than 1/2 inch thick) slices. Put a little oil on a griddle. Fry the dressing on both sides until crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve with gravy and lots of black pepper. Fall off your chair from culinary ecstasy. Scramble back into your chair before someone else happens by and swipes your fried dressing. Repeat.

Cabernet Leather said...

Oh bread sauce is a creamy sauce made from bread crumbs, milk, butter, onion and cloves - it goes really well with Turkey. My mum (mom) makes it at Christmas.

Laura said...

Gee thanks for translating "mum" into American. Never would have known what it meant otherwise.

Cabernet Leather said...

Sorry! I don't know why I did that.