Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I am just getting to write my recipes down. I had posted in the beginning of the month, but the post landed below the post about the state fair (technology...)
This year, we gathered at Joshua's parents' home with his brother, Matt, and wife, Brittany; Brittany's brother and kids; Aunt Marilyn, and Grandpa Owen. We all contributed different dishes, but I forgot to photograph those, so you just have to look at mine.
I discovered a well-stocked grocery store in Mill Creek called Central Market. There are only a few locations for this store, and Kassi, my coworker, got me hooked on this one. They have a multi-aisle Asian Food section, including a sushi bar, a wine and sparkling drinks section, a large bulk bin section, and a large self-serve deli that even has Indian items. They even sell Paneer cheese, which is an Indian cheese that is cooked into a spinach dish. They also have a demonstration kitchen in the center of the market, near the fish and meat counters, and they were featuring holiday recipes, including gluten-free pies, gluten-free gravy, and gluten-free wild rice stuffing. Naturally, I picked up all of those recipes.
So this year, I used the Central Market recipes to inspire my creations. I have been getting adjusted to my mini-stove (really, I think it's 4 inches skinnier than "normal" stoves), and I bought a smaller sized Pampered Chef Stoneware Bar Pan (Thanks Diana!) that fits perfectly in the oven.
I volunteered to make the dressing/stuffing because Joshua is gluten-free, and it gives me the opportunity to experiment with different recipes. When we lived in Texas, I was introduced to cornbread dressing by the Longhorn Dining Facility's kitchen staff, and I haven't looked back. But I have changed it every year. It's quite easy to make a gluten-free cornbread using Pamela's Baking Mix (sold in bulk at Manna Mills, a natural food store off N. 220th). The recipe can be found on Pamela's website (www.pamelasproducts.com). I essentially make a sweet cornbread two days in advance and cut it into 1/2 inch squares and pile it on a baking sheet and leave it in my oven to dry out. Then I put the dressing together in the morning on Thursday. It came together quickly, because I had done my shopping and chopping (hey that rhymes!) earlier and spaced it out over several days for less than an hour per day, usually alongside something I was cutting for dinner anyway. You'll notice that there is chicken sausage in the dressing to give it a meatier flavor, but it can be omitted.
Cornbread Dressing
2 tablespoons butter
4 stalks of celery (1 cup), chopped finely
1 medium yellow onion (1 1/2 cup), diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 pound chicken sausage, browned and diced
1/2 cup sauteed mushroom pieces
1 tablespoon dried sage, rubbed or ground
8 cups day-old cornbread cubes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 granny smith apple, diced finely
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 9x13 inch baking pans (or use 1 oven-safe slow-cooker pot and one baking pan). Saute the celery, onion, carrots, sausage, and mushrooms in the butter over medium high heat in an extra large pot. Stir and continue sauteeing until onions are translucent and slightly sweet. Stir in the cornbread cubes. Combine the eggs, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Pour over dressing. Stir in pecans and apple. Divide evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees). Moisten with additional chicken stock, if needed.
On Black Friday, I had the chance to go downtown (which is 5 blocks from us) and watch the Downtown Parade. I also wandered into Nordstrom and a few other stores; there were only a few people scooping up the great deals (see pictures of streaming people). Sadly, Joshua had to work and missed the shopping. After his work, we went to the Westlake Center and watched the tree lighting, Macy's star lighting and fireworks. The Men's Chorale, Women's Chorale, and Girl's Chorale performed some pieces, and two other groups - Straight No Chasers and the cast from White Christmas - performed some signature songs as well. Then we had Jacalyn and Brandon over for dinner. Such fun. And, to answer your question, we had Spaghetti Bolognese, not turkey.
One thing that I find to be an especially Northwestern habit is the consumption of coffee. I definitely enjoy my coffee as often as I can, and I find there's a constant thought repeating in my head, whispering, "You feel like a Pumpkin Spice Latte." The cravings are almost daily.
Whenever I'm walking around downtown I count the paper coffee cups around. I would bet that every 5th person I walk past is carrying a latter, and it's almost always Starbucks. I also read with interest the articles written about finding the best coffee in town. There are dozens and dozens of "good" coffee shops, not including the ones whose coffee didn't get rated. We're not even scratching the surface of the numbers of different, independent coffee shops around.
The parade was no different; coffee business did well that day. I noticed this family man bringing much-needed necessities to his family at the parade. After the parade finished, I noticed that the trash bins also had a dose of coffee (cups) to keep them warm on the cold but sunny and dry winter day. I promise you, this picture is exactly how the trash bin looked.
Happy Thanksgiving friends! Looking forward to a great Christmas holiday season!
