Happy Belated Thanksgiving

What better time than now, 7 days after thanksgiving, to reminisce about all those delicious thanksgiving foods (and mind you I held this thanksgiving feast a day before it’s nationally accepted date in order to accommodate my birthday).  Ok, frankly I was too busy (a.k.a. lazy).  But as they say, and I agree with “they”; better late than never.

Homemade Whole Wheat Rolls

Maple braised squash

Caramelized brussels sprouts and apples.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Brownies. Because brownies are delicious.

I spent the evening with my closest friends, surrounded by a day’s worth of delicious cooking made all the better by its communal enjoyment, celebrating both my 18th birthday and arguably the most delicious holiday of the year.  A more satisfying thanksgiving, I could not have wished for.

Daring Bakers: Crostata

I wish I could go an a three paragraph long rant about how delicious this tart was, but unfortunately, I’m cutting it quite close to jumping off the roof of my house.  I’m throwing a cocktail party-themed birthday party tomorrow to celebrate my 17th birthday and I promise to share all the delicious festivities as witnessed through my new camera (which I took the last picture of the crostata with).  I would like to mention that I used local cranberries that I bought back in September from the Boston Local Food Festival and threw in the freezer until I had a great opportunity like this to use them.  I am grateful for modern technology like freezers every single day.  I also used the a blend of all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, almond meal, and barley flour for the dough.  With a smidgen of almond extract, it made for a perfect base for perfectly tart and orangy cranberry filling I used.

Anywho, if you’d like the recipe for the crostata, check out Simona’s wonderful blog, briciole.

This is the recipe for the cranberry filling:

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cranberries
• 1/4 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Then simmer, uncovered, until some berries burst and the mixture thickens a bit (about 5 minutes).
3. Take off the heat and let cool before adding to the crostata.

Giving Thanks.

Thanksgiving is a time for eating, but it is also “supposedly” a time of thanks and giving.  But the only thanks I’ve seen going on in past thanksgivings I have attended is the required “please and thank you” for passing the mashed potatoes across the table to your uncle.  And the only giving I see is that of the hostess/host planning and preparing an elaborate meal to give to the guests.  As far as I can see (and keep in mind I do wear glasses) there isn’t much thanks or giving going on, well at least not the genuine kind, just the superficial “thanks for passing me those mashed potatoes and for giving me that cranberry pecan roll.”

So, what are you actually thankful for, besides the succulent turkey leg your aunt so regretfully gave up for you to enjoy?

I know that I am thankful for my passion.  If I didn’t have my passion, I’m not sure I would know who I was.

I am thankful for my parents who have so wonderfully supported me for the past 17 years.  From me becoming dictator of the contents of the pantry and refrigerator to my outrageous birthday party demands, they have been the most supportive they can possibly be.  Thank you.

I am thankful for farmers markets and the hardworking farmers and the conscientious people who make them possible.

I am thankful that I have my entire life ahead of me to accomplish all my hopes and dreams.

I am thankful that I have hopes and dreams in the first place.

I am thankful for food.  A lot of people (925 million people are categorized as “hungry”) don’t have enough of it, and I am one of the lucky ones who does.

I am thankful for my life.  Everything about it; I am thankful for.