Thanksgiving 1

On Saturday M and I left for Iowa for one week with family and friends.  On Sunday we had Thanksgiving with M's side of the family.  The festivities started with blueberry pancakes (which were delightful), and a nice strong cup of coffee and cream (this is really the way to start your vacation off on the right foot).  The rest of the day was spent in the kitchen.  M's mom got up early and put the turkey in, but there were still several sides that needed to be completed.

We had the following for Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, mash potatoes, squash with carmelized onions and sour cream, crab salad (Ukrainian dish),  Oyster stuffing, stuffing, green bean casserole, and bread. Everything was splendid down to the last detail.

My contribution was the stuffing.  I LOVE stuffing, and here is a simple recipe for awesome stuffing.  I have to give some credit to my mom she gave me a similar recipe (one she developed) to the one I am posting, but I have tweaked it to add in a few more ingrediants that I prefer. The most important part of this recipe is the bread.  It is important to choose a loaf of whole grain bread - it has the most flavor.

Step One

1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
3 sticks of celery (roughly chopped)
1 t salt
1 t cracked pepper
1/2 c butter

Combine the aforementioned ingrediants in a medium skillet over medium heat and let simmer until onions and celery are soft.

Step Two
1 loaf whole grain bread (cut into cubes)
2 eggs
1 T Parsley
1T Thyme
1 T Basil
1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds

In a large bowel, combine the mixture from step 1 and the ingredients in step 2.  Once combined add a ladle of turkey stock or chicken broth.  Keep adding the broth until the bread is moist (not so wet that the bread is falling apart).

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the mixture in the center and cover with tin foil. Cook the mixture for an 1 hour on 350 degrees.

Other than the food, the company was also delightful.  Half-way through the afternoon M got an idea to take a traditional Thanksgiving photo.  We all gathered around the table and M's mom held the turkey.

 I have to say the picture turned out really well :)

All and all it was a great Thanksgiving.  Stay tuned for more on Thanksgiving 2.