Thanksgiving- Past and Present

The first Thanksgiving I remember is when we lived on an Iowa farm. I was 5 or 6 years old.  I had played in the yard all summer with Cookie, my cat and Tom, our turkey.  Tom had the run of the place.  He was gentle and friendly and so handsome with his big feathery tail. Dad had named him Tom.  





We always had big dinners but this Thanksgiving was special.  Both my Uncle Dean and my Aunt Alice were on active duty (he in the Pacific and she in East Germany) and had been given leave to come home for the holiday. I had no idea that the main course was my playmate- TOM!  Part of my confusion came from the fact that weather had turned cold and I now played inside.  The next Spring Tom seemed to have returned.  A similar bird- still named Tom was again my playmate.  

This year Thanksgiving will be in Mammoth Lakes.  We will barbecue our turkey (this one will come from Vons).  

Here are a few recipes we will have:  The dressing will be made from Lemon Rosemary Bread from our local gourmet store- Bleu.  

Rosemary Dressing  

2 loaves Lemon Rosemary Bread - broken into bite-sized pieces and dried well in advanced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary- pulled off the stem

1 sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

Chicken broth (Kitchen Basics Original)

Place dried bread cubes and rosemary in a large crock.  Add rosemary, onion, and celery.  

Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the bread mixture.  Cook, stirring about 5 minutes.  

Add eggs and seasoning and toss again.  Add chicken broth to taste as dressing comes together.  

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.  Butter a baking dish (15 X 9 X 2) .  Add prepared dressing.  Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down; bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer.  

Second Place Apple Pie

I entered a pie contest years ago because the first prize was a Cuisinart food processor.  I couldn't afford to buy one and really wanted to win first prize.  Third prize was a year's supply of apples and with 3 sons at home at the time, I thought that would come in handy.  Second prize was an entourage of kitchen linens.  I won second prize.  It turned out to be an apron and a kitchen towel.  

Crust:                                                                                  

2 cups all-purpose flour                        

1 teaspoon salt                                                          

3/4 cup shortening                                             

5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
5 cups peeled, sliced apples
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon Calvados (apple brandy)

 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small dice

Glaze:
1 egg yolk, thinned with 1 teaspoon water
Sugar for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl.  With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles corn meal.  Sprinkle on ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending with a fork after each.  Gather dough into 2 balls with your hands.  Roll each ball into a 10-inch circle.  Place 1 circle into a 9-inch pie pan.  Using a 1-inch apple shaped cookie cutter, cut apple shapes out of the top crust.  

Mix apples with sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Place in shell.  Mix heavy cream and Calvados.  Pour over the apples.  Dot with butter.  Cover with top crust.  Brush with glaze.  Sprinkle a few grains of sugar over all.  Bake at 375 degrees 40-45 minutes.  

May be served with sauce and ice cream:

To make sauce, combine 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons Calvados, and a pinch of cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat.  Heat to almost boiling.  Serve with pie.  

Happy Thanksgiving