Thanksgiving Recap

This shouldn't come as a surprise - Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love cooking for large crowds and getting together with friends and family for this day of feasting.

We spent this Thanksgiving with Selin's family and had an amazing time. There was plenty of cooking, eating and drinking for all!

On the menu:

Baked Camembert and Caramelized Onions

1 wheel camembert

1 sheet puff pastry

1 large onion, sliced and caramelized

2 chives

flour

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out puff pastry on a foil lined baking sheet. Place camembert in the center of the puff pastry and top with onions. Gather opposite corners of the puff pastry and pinch at the top. Tie chive around top.

Bake until golden.

Slice into the crispy crust and unleash the delicious goo inside!

Great w/some crackers or, if you're really into cheese/are starving, on its own. The bolder camembert made this more flavorful than a standard brie en croute. Just saying.

The appetizer kept us full as we continued working on the rest of dinner...

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese

Brussels Sprout Hash with Caramelized Shallots

Roasted Root Vegetables

3 parsnips, sliced

4 carrots, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1 bulb fennel, sliced

1 japanese sweet potato, peeled & sliced

olive oil

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, spread out on foil lined baking sheet.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.

We tossed in some of the fennel tops for flavor/fragrance since the bulb was tiny. No biggie.

Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing (adapted from Gourmet)

1 (3/4- to 1-pound) round Italian loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes (8 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 medium onions, chopped

4 large celery ribs, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp rosemary, minced

1/2 tsp sage, minced

1 tsp thyme, minced

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup heavy cream, divided

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 oz)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Spread bread out on a baking sheet and bake until just dried out, about 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook half of sausage (mixing hot and sweet), stirring and breaking it into small pieces, until golden brown.

Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and repeat with remaining sausage.

Pour off fat from skillet. Heat butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden. Add vegetables and bread to sausage.

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup cream, chicken broth, cheese, and parsley, then stir into stuffing and cool completely, then drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup cream. Cover stuffing and chill.

Preheat oven to 425 and bake stuffing, covered tightly with foil, until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is golden and crisp, about 20 minutes more.

I've made this stuffing for the past couple of years and it's always a crowd pleaser. This year, I cut the bread a little bigger than usual and baked it a little longer without foil. The result: a crispier stuffing...yum!

Also present, but not pictured: Mashed Potatoes, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Turkey (duh), Circassian Chicken, Scallion Rice, and PIES!

Delicious thanksgiving!

How did you spend your turkey day?