Thanksgiving Jitters Pt.1 – Cook with Passion, Eat Slow, Celebrate with Love

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We are on a Thanksgiving countdown! My family and friends coming over on Thursday for Thanksgiving, excited to be together and looking forward to turkey and all that comes with it. I know everybody has their thanksgiving recipes ready and on their blogs, I don’t yet. I have been late and slow. I’ve wanted to write about it but I’ve been going back and forth with it, with mixed feelings of whether to make the turkey or not.

Worst of all I just got an email with a request to adopt a turkey http://www.adoptaturkey.org/. It’s an organization, a farm sanctuary that promotes compassion for animals. They are right which really puts me off with the Thanksgiving celebration. I am thinking we are all happy eating and celebrating with other families at their home but it’s hard to think it’s really just the saddest day for all the turkeys!

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I have been celebrating for over 21 years, since I first came to USA in the very early 90s. It has become a family tradition to cook together and eat together. I wasn’t sure if my family and I were ready to break the tradition of the turkey and do it without. Even with all those mixed feelings I decided to do it again like any other year. I researched and became very aware of where my turkey came from and bought a kosher, organic turkey. And now I just have to feel confident and at peace, set a moment aside for the turkey, and put all my thoughts together, get into a good vibe, write the menu and start cooking!

The Thanksgiving menu:

Let’s start with the dessert, I am going to make an apple tart and pumpkin flan.

Hors d’ oeuvres will be brie cheese with fig marmalade and macadamia nuts, roasted garlic with rosemary and Sra Ines olive oil and fennel tortas.

Salad will be fennel with apple and caramelized walnuts, mixed greens with oranges, pecans and cranberries.
Side dishes, potato galette, sweet potato puree with a dash of ginger. I hate the idea of marshmallows with sweet potatoes! Brussels sprouts with orange peel, glazed pearl onions with raisins and almonds, baby carrots with mustard seeds and honey. I like the presentation of a big plate with a variety of baby vegetables prepared each in a different way.

Corn bread and mini dill scones for breads.

Cranberry sauce, of course.

Turkey stuffing with chestnuts, apples, celery, onion and rosemary country bread.

And for the turkey, I’ll be seasoning it simply with sage, rosemary, garlic and thyme.

My friends are bringing corn pudding, more veggies and another dessert.

Let’s see how the menu will actually end up like though. No mater what, cook with passion, eat slow and celebrate with love… I know we all have things to be thankful for, I sure have. Meanwhile I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

See what happened next at Thanksgiving Part 2.



11 Comments

  1. Wonderful menu,,,,what a feast,,,you must be proud and also your helpers, good job all the family,! It’s a beautiful tradition to celebrate Thanksgiving in such special and creative way,,,,Fore sure it was a success and everybody loved it,,The food for sure was DELICIOUS, congratulations Lola!

  2. Comer es una celebración en familia y amigos eso es mágico,hermosa cena me encantan las bruselas y su acompañamiento,abrazos hugs,hugs.

  3. Thank you!
    wishing you all the best and a happy holiday.
    xoxo

  4. Lola…your quote…words to live by always! Your menu sounds wonderful and I hope you enjoyed every minute savory with those you love!

  5. Your menu sound very tasty! Pictures are very beautiful and I loved your honesty in this post! Thanks for sharing, and have a fantastic Holiday season!

  6. sounds like you have a great menu!

  7. Lola, your menu sounds incredible!!! Gorgeous photos…and I love the Brussels sprouts studded with cranberries…gorgeous! Have a fabulous holiday~

  8. I’m in England for Thanksgiving this year, and we’ve decided to skip the turkey! I think it’s much easier to get away with since I’m cooking for Brits :)

  9. Your menu sounds delicious and your table/buffet is beautiful! Stunning pictures – as always! Happy Thanksgiving!

  10. Your menu sounds great. Hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!

  11. ..heart warming post, and those photos are just so pretty!

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