November 28, 2009

• Song of the Day
  

  每種配料都有它的提味效果…即使原本再不起眼…不重用…集合起來都會是完美的味覺…缺一不可…
  不管是朋友還是情人…總有互補或相互牴觸的地方..但只要互相體諒…便能散發最美的芬芳…

  

  Last Thursday, we made dinner (almost) from scratch. The following photos represented the various shots I took while W prepared the Thanksgiving Dinner. The photos will tell the whole story….

  First, we began with the pumpkin pie. We found this precious can of pumpkin mix at the FOURTH grocery store, the first three places were all sold out!
  

  Then, the pie dough was prepared and prepped onto the pie pan, and then baked….
  

  Pumpkin Pie - The ingredients for the pie mix, all added into the mixing bowl, stirred until the texture and color were even…
  

  The stirred mixture will be poured into the crust, and then baked for 50 minutes…
  

  Cranberry sauce - Wash the fresh cranberries, and then boil in water, adding a cup of orange juice and sugar. Stir and heat until pasty.
  

  

  Mashed Potatoes - boil the chopped potatoes until soft, then add butter and milk. Mash the potatoes until the texture is smooth….
  

  We have fresh Brussels sprout, and they are still buds on the stalk…
  

  After washing, boil the sprouts for a few minutes. Also, saute the Pancetta…
  

  Mix the sprouts with the Pancetta, cook for a couple of minutes and then add chicken broth…
  

  Ingredients for turkey stuffing…
  

  Saute the chopped celery and onions….
  

  And then, mix them with croutons. Add mix with chicken stock and walnuts until the croutons are soft but not soggy. Then bake for 60 minutes at 425F…
  

  This is ready to be stuffed…
  

  We cooked Cornish hens instead of a turkey. Stuff the little hens with the stuffing mix, and then tied up with strings. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes at 425F….
  

  Cornish hens ready to eat….
  

  Dinner is ready on the table….
  

  Voilà! The finished product…
  

  Usually, I would pair the meal with a white varietal, but really want to finish this bottle of Chateau St. Jean because it had been in storage for almost ten years. The pumpkin has a good texture and goes well with the vanilla ice cream….
  

  The entire course took almost seven hours to prepare, excluding numerous trips to the grocery stores. The total cost was reasonable at approximately US$90, considering how much leftovers we had. The Brussels sprouts only cost us $3 even with such an enormous package! It was a delicious meal after all and we’d not hesitate to do it again (with a larger bird) on the next festival!

  • 8:21 pm
  • 41 Comments