Ah Thanksgiving…it is a time to give thanks for all that is special to us.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first “Thanksgiving” was 1621 with the Plymouth colonist and Wampanoag Indians, however it was not the first for the Native Americans celebrated “Harvest Festivals” ceremonial dances, and other celebrations giving thanks to the spirits for bountiful crops and wild game for centuries before Europeans arrived in North America.
Some food they may have eaten …It ain’t your Mom’s Thanksgiving!
Venison, Eel, Clams, Lobster, Wild Goose, Duck, Crane, Swan, Eagles, Turkey
Pumpkin (not pie) peas, beans, winter squash, wild onions, Dried Indian Maize
Cranberries, blueberries, concord grapes, Nuts, such as walnut, Acorns, Chestnuts
Even though the “First Thanksgiving” was 1621; it wasn’t declared as a National day of Thanksgiving until Abraham Lincoln, more than 200 hundred years later. However it wasn’t made an Official National Holiday until Congress finally made it one in 1941.
The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days. I have had some hangovers like that!
Ben Franklin wanted to make a Turkey the national bird of the United States (yeah, that would have been crappy) But Thomas Jefferson opposed him (thank goodness). It is then said that Franklin dubbed the Turkey “TOM” just to piss him off!
The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was in 1924 in NYC; the Macy employees launched the parade featuring animals from Central Park Zoo. Today, some 3 million people attend the annual parade and another 44 million watch it on television. Parade fact: Snoopy has appeared more times than any another balloon and made his 6th appearance as the Flying Ace in 2006
In 1934 the Detroit Lions played on Thanksgiving Day for the first time ever! They hosted the Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit stadium, in front of 26,000 fans. NBC radio broadcast the game on 94 stations across the country. The Lions have played every Thanksgiving (except between 1939 and 1944); in 1956, fans watched the game on television for the first time.
I love Thanksgiving and even though I live in a country where is it not celebrated I still prepare a Thanksgiving meal every year…even if it is not TURKEY, who said we had to eat turkey on Thanksgiving anyway? I know for years Thanksgiving was always that holiday where everyone went all out with the food. Turkey and a Ham, 6 to 7 sides, that could have included…stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie ,pecan pie, apple pie…anyway you get the picture…it was always WAY too much food.
Well why not cut it down? Really do you need ALL THAT…It is super simple to make an elegant Holiday meal that will satisfy everyone. Not only will YOU be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving instead of being in the kitchen for 3 days cooking and cleaning, you will save some BIG BUCKS and right now in this questionable economy who doesn’t want to save a bit?
Here is a sample menu.
Ham with a brown bourbon glaze
Baked sweet potatoes with honey butter
Garlic Almond Green Beans
Rolls
Pumpkin parfait
Ham with a brown bourbon glaze
1 Ham
½ C brown sugar
1 C Bourbon
1 tsp whatthisheresauce
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp butter
Hams are all pretty much pre-cooked all you have to do is heat and serve. Some hams do come with their own glazing sauce; if you want to use it use it.
Unwrap the ham and so what I call chriscross along what will become the crackling.
In a sauce pan over med heat, add bourbon, sugar, whatthisheresauve, ground cloves, and butter until it come to a slight boil, this sauce will not be thick. With a brush, glaze the ham and make sure you get all the crosses, keep glazing throughout the re-heating process.
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Honey Butter
4 large baked potatoes (you have more people get more potatoes
½ C butter (yes, real butter) room temp
1/3 C honey
1tbsp brown sugar
Wash the potatoes well, do not wrap in anything. Baked the potatoes at 350 for at least 1 hour, make sure they are fork tender.
While they are baking, whip the butter, brown sugar and honey together, once well incorporated place in plastic wrap and wrap up like a log, place back in refrigerator, when ready the long can be cut into rounds and placed on top of the hot potatoes.
Garlic Almond Green Beans
1lb green beans, washed and trimmed
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 C, chopped and cleaned leaks
¼ C toasted slivered almonds
2 tbsp olive oil, separated
1 tsp lemon juice
In a large skillet sauté the leeks in 1 tbsp of olive oil for about 7 minutes over med to high heat, now add the green beans and garlic and toss with the remaining olive oil and sauté for another 5 to 6 minutes, now add the almonds and lemon juice and place in preheated over (350) for 10 minutes, give a nice toss when removing from oven serve.
Pumpkin Parfait
2 c vanilla pudding
1/2 c 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 C toasted chopped pecans
Whipped cream
Mix the pudding, pumpkin and pies spice in a bowl.
Get some pretty glasses (they do not have to match) and fill glass ½ way with pumpkin mixture, sprinkle some pecans, more pumpkin, more whipped cream top with more pecans…yes, it really is that easy
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