So Thanksgiving is over, I’m still digesting what ultimately was one of the best thanksgiving meals i’ve ever had, yet i’m eating some leftover pie as I write this (come on, I can’t just throw it away). Maybe next year i’ll make just enough so there are no leftovers…but come on, what fun is that? 
I went down to my parents house for the holiday weekend and my Mom and I were in charge of preparing the feast for the fam. I did some prep work before I headed down and made two pie crusts and homemade chicken stock day of cooking would be much easier. There is nothing I love more than waking up on thanksgiving morning and watching the Macy’s parade, and after a few cups of coffee and watching Snoopy float through Herald Square I was ready to put on my apron and get to cookin!
Timing is everything when it comes to cooking a big meal, and thankfully my Mom and I have had lots of practice so I felt very comfortable that we would get it all done with time to spare. We like to get the dishes out of the way that can be refridgerated and heated before dinner time. My homemade apple pie, Mom’s potatoes and stuffing were first on the list and all came out perfectly, so we knew it was going to be a good meal. We did things a bit different this year with the turkey and made a Turkey Breast Roulade instead of the whole bird. Verdict? AWESOME! It was so much easier than messing with the turkey and even easier to eat. It was all white meat with Cranberry and Apple Sausage Stuffing rolled inside, to give a perfect bite of both with each slice. I think my Dad put it best when he said “we are never cooking a whole turkey again!”
It would take me forever to post all the recipes we made, plus some of these are well guarded family recipes i can’t just give away ..so instead, I will take you on a visual journey of our feast.
Interested in any of these dishes? Shoot me an email at tokeeffe@funfearlessfoodie.com and i’ll let you in
Mashed Potato Casserole
Mom is a pro at potatoes and these are so rich, creamy, and delicious its hard not to eat them before dinner time.
Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
What would thanksgiving be without sweet potatoes? We don’t add marshmallows or a ton of sugar to ours, instead its light with a bit of brown sugar and butter, topped with crunchy pecans.
Cranberry, Apple & Sausage Stuffing
This stuffing recipe is sort of a hybrid between a Gourmet classic and the stuffing recipe Ina Garten calls for in her Turkey Roulade (see below). Call it whatever you want, I call it delicious. It’s one of those savory dishes that has the perfect balance of sweetness so it makes you feel all warm and happy inside. The cranberries are first soaked in brandy which gives them a nice rich flavor.
Mild and hot sausage cooks with the apples, cranberries, pine nuts, and rosemary to create a savory mixture before added to bread crumbs, chicken stock and egg.
Classic Apple Pie
I don’t like to toot my own horn about many things, but I have to say this apple pie was fantastic! It’s the first time i’ve ever made a two crust pie and I really kind of made up the filling recipe as I went. I don’t like a whole lot going on in my apple pie except apples, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon, so I kept it simple and thanks to the incredible crust, this pie was a winner!
Amazing Green Beans with Shallots and Bacon
I got this recipe from my favorite cooking teacher Marci Arthur at Truffles and Trifles in College Park. We made this dish in her class and as soon as I tasted it I knew it would find a place at my Thanksgiving table. Green beans are boiled, then cooked in bacon fat that has been simmering with shallots, garlic, and tomatoes. Top it off with bacon bits at the end and you have a decadent and cholesterol free (*wink*wink) dish.
Roasted Turkey Roulade
As I’ve been blabbing about for weeks now, this Turkey Roulade really is the way to go. Thank you so very much to the Barefoot Contessa for inspiring me to make this. The stuffing did a great job of keeping the turkey moist and with only 2 hours of cooking, this was the highlight of our feast!
Cranberry Pear Chutney
My Mom makes this chutney every holiday and granny smith apples and pear make for the perfect blend of sweet and sour.
Family!
What good would all this food do if there were no people to eat it! Here is a snapshot of my beautiful family
Tara O'Keeffe