Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo

Posted on by November 14, 2015

This Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo is a very popular recipe in my family. My brother in particular requests this one every year. The good news is that aside from being a crowd-pleaser, this hearty stew is a great way to use up any extra turkey you have hanging out post Thanksgiving feast. I always make a great big pot of this Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Gumbo, since I usually have lots of lovely turkey stock as well and it freezes nicely for some ready to serve weeknight meals. And while I typically serve it with rice, if I convinced you to make a rice stuffing like my Rice and Peas Thanksgiving Style off my Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu, you can easily serve it over that instead as another great way to use up any leftovers you may have. It’s full of lots of kinds of vegetables and loaded with flavor. And keep in mind that if you made a turkey like my Bacon Herb Paste Stuffed Turkey you want to keep an eye on the salt, because there will be plenty in the stock and the meat from all of that delicious bacon. But no matter how you make your turkey each … Continue reading →

Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish

Posted on by November 24, 2014

I love cranberry relish, and no matter my theme, it’s going to be at my Thanksgiving table in some form or the other. So when I took on a Caribbean menu, there was no doubt that I would still make a cranberry relish no matter how foreign cranberries may be to the Caribbean and that was enough to make this Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish possible. I just needed to add the right flavors and accents to make the cranberry relish fit in with some of my more traditional dishes on the menu, like the jerk turkey. I also knew that since my classic relish is raw, I would need to combine it with a sauce of some sort if I wanted to sneak in something as bold as dark rum. So here we are with a best of both worlds Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish that combines a cranberry sauce and cranberry relish. While you’re making the relish, be sure to keep tasting both sauces throughout both processes (which is, of course, a good general practice) because while I like things a little tart, you may not, and should feel justified in upping the sugar just a bit here and … Continue reading →

Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze

Posted on by November 3, 2014

Tis’ the season when Dirty Laundry Kitchen turns into Thanksgiving central starting off with this recipe for Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze. I can’t take credit for this recipe, it’s one that I use almost as written by Marcia Miesel for Food and Wine. It’s one of the Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve made more than once, and that’s saying something. I like to try new things every year, and if I come back to something, it has to be really good. I made it originally as part of my Thanksgiving 2011 menu, but it has definitely come up again since then. The Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze is an interesting dish, because the baking time is really long. The first time I made it I thought it might even be an error. I intended to change that part of the recipe for sure, but as it turned out, it’s really good. They definitely don’t seem mushy and overcooked and the dish is gorgeous, so it’s fun to include on the table. It’s a dish that should be served in the pan it’s baked in, so if you have a really beautiful oven to table pan, this is the dish to use it … Continue reading →

Dave and Elena’s Wedding Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

Posted on by May 8, 2016

Dave and Elena’s Wedding Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake is special to me because our dear friends Dave and Elena were married the weekend before my Thanksgiving party in 2012. They had a beautiful fall wedding that was decorated with pumpkins. Golds, whites, greens and turquoise pumpkins were piled high on tables, in windowsills, and around the ceremony space. After enjoying a happy and fun wedding and weekend, I received a call from the busy fools early Monday morning. “We’re coming over, and we’re bringing pumpkins!” I brought a laundry basket out to their car (how DLK, right?) and filled it to the brim with gourds and pumpkins. I proceeded to spray them gold, stack them into towers, and roast them for snacks and purées. Generous and eco-friendly; because of their thoughtfulness, their décor was used more than once, and the pumpkins were cooked and enjoyed all year long in the form of cakes and breads. Dave and Elena’s Wedding Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake was an homage to their wedding, and their offering. … Continue reading →

Tequila Cranberry Relish

Posted on by October 27, 2014

This Tequila Cranberry Relish is a variation on the cranberry relish my mom always makes. People often ask about her secret recipe, but it’s really just the recipe on the back of the ocean spray cranberry bags. 1 bag of cranberries, 1 orange, 1 cup sugar. I use less sugar, and mix a tequila sauce with the relish. It adds just a little more depth of flavor that keeps us in our Mexican theme. Whether you update yours, or go with the original, you can’t lose on this Tequila Cranberry Relish; it’s amazing. 12 ounces cranberries 3 tablespoons tequila (white) ½ cup granulated sugar zest and juice of ½ grapefruit In a small pot, combine the cranberries, tequila, sugar, zest and juice. Cook on medium high, stirring occasionally until all the berries have burst. Stir together an remove from heat. 16 ounces cranberries ¾ cup sugar ¼ grapefruit 1 orange (two ends removed) In a food processor, add grapefruit, orange and sugar and pulse a few time, until the citrus is beginning to break down. Add the cranberries. Pulse until the cranberries are well diced but still distinctive. Combine the sauces in a serving bowl. This makes ahead very well. … Continue reading →

Brussels Sprouts and Apple Slaw

Posted on by October 27, 2014

This Brussels Sprouts and Apple Slaw is a great example of traditional Thanksgiving ingredients and flavors used to update the wonderful cabbage salads that are often served with tacos. Since Brussels are in the cabbage family, they substitute in for cabbage easily, but because of their size, shape and color they create a more dramatic dish. Parboiling and shocking make them bright green. It’s simple, easy, and you can boil and slice the Brussels a day ahead. Apples should be day of to prevent browning and the lemon juice will slow the oxidation down. This Brussels Sprouts and Apple Slaw is great year round, especially with bbq and other spicy or saucy foods. 1 pound Brussels 2 honey crisp apples; cut into matchsticks ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1-2 tablespoons walnut oil 1 lemon; juiced 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Parboil the Brussels for 1 minute if they’re small and 1 ½ if they’re large. Remove to a bowl of ice water and shock them. Drain. Using a course food processor disk, slice them. Matchstick the apple slices. Put the apples in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice. … Continue reading →

Fall in Wisconsin

Posted on by October 27, 2014

This year, I had the good fortune of heading to Wisconsin for Fall Festival weekend. It was amazing to be back; I ran into old friends, visited my family, and enjoyed the glorious fall colors. We drove around the county enjoying our favorite fall roads. Fall in Wisconsin might be my very favorite Fall of all.We checked on my dad’s concord grapes. We picked out a favorite stone wall in Ephraim. We watched a maple leaf caught in the beautiful moss on a stone fountain. We foraged for bittersweet vines, wild holly, millet, milk weed pods, various berries and branches all in the name of gorgeous fall décor. Then we created a beautiful door decoration for my parent’s back door. Finally, knowing I was headed back to the city, we sought out some beautiful fake foliage for me to take back. The result was a stunning wreathe of my own with lotus flower pods, dyed artichokes, cotton, and imitation bittersweet. What a wonderful way to be welcomed home everyday, and what a wonderful way to welcome friends over for special fall events. Let’s just say, I’m ready for Thanksgiving.   … Continue reading →