It’s only been two days since Thanksgiving, and already I’ve eaten:
- sausage-sage stuffing with fried eggs and gravy, for breakfast
- noodle soup with shredded turkey and peas, for lunch
- turkey, green bean and stuffing casserole (pictured), for lunch and dinner
To think I almost opted out of this great American tradition! I was all set to sit this one out, citing a lack of emotional investment in the holiday–I’ve actively celebrated, what, two or three Turkey Days in my lifetime?–and the sheer hopelessness of pitting two mouths against fifteen pounds of bird. In the end, though, sentimentality prevailed. This was the year I entered my first voting booth, why shouldn’t it also be the year I opened my first can of Ocean Spray cranberry jelly?
And I do mean Ocean Spray. The stuff really breaks people out in classist hives, doesn’t it? I don’t know why, because I think it tastes quite good. Now, I’ve made some beautiful cranberry-orange relishes in my day, but there’s definitely a certain je ne sais quoi to the gloop that comes out of a can.
“My word, Michele, next you’ll be telling us that you got your stuffing out of a box, too.” Funny you should say that, because I’ve developed quite the Kraft Stove Top addiction over the last couple of days. Why didn’t anybody tell me this stuff was so good? You boil a cup and a half of water, throw in a bag of magic croutons, and five minutes later you have what is essentially a moist and fluffy salt lick. I want to eat this all the time. (Why do I get the feeling that this post is going to come back to haunt me, fifteen years later, when I’m being vetted for the food critic position at the New York Times? “Your resumé is most impressive, Ms. Humes, but there is the troubling matter of your documented predilection for convenience foods.”)
If you’re wondering if I cooked any of my Thanksgiving dinner myself, well, I roasted the turkey. I also mashed the potatoes, whipped up my truffled green bean casserole, and made a quart and a half of silky, full-flavored gravy the old-fashioned way.
So that there would be something bright and fresh on the table, I shaved raw Brussels sprouts very thin and tossed them in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil and pecorino romano. It makes the most delicate, complex slaw you’ve ever tasted, closer to green apples than to cabbage.
And then there was pie. Whether it’s down to the especially foul one my father made when I was ten years old, or the entire can of Libby’s pumpkin pie filling I once smeared on my teenage acne (thanks for nothing, Seventeen magazine), I have never really liked pumpkin pie. I looked around for a recipe that would take the edge off the squash, and settled on Paula Deen’s, which, from the list of ingredients, sounded more like an orange-colored cheesecake then anything else. My recipe is just like hers, only with one third of the sugar omitted, and the addition of two large handfuls of sweetened, flaked coconut. This pumpkin-coconut-cream cheese pie is really something, and I might have to take a break right now and go slice me some.
Pie happily in hand, I’d like to tell you about the leftover-repurposing of which I’ve so far been proudest. This super-casserole, so named because one of the casserole ingredients is itself a casserole, consists of shredded turkey tossed with the truffled green beans, covered with a thick layer of stuffing and pecorino cheese and baked until crisp.
What have you been doing with the remains of your feast?
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COMMENTS / 25 COMMENTS
I worked really hard this year not to make more than my group could reasonably eat, so we all got about one reheat plate the next day and that was it! I was sad but we’re going to New Orleans in three weeks and I’m already fairly padded for winter. There’s still some cake and pie in the kitchen though, and half a turducken that I have no desire to eat.Natty added this comment on November 30 2008 at 11:14 am
We would get along very well when it comes to convenience foods. I love both canned cranberries and quick stuffing. Throw in some tater tots and I’d be happy for a long time. Carbs! More carbs, I say!
i only had 3 people to feed on thursday and i cooked just enough to make them overly full and maybe one or two leftover containers. thankfully. the roommate and her sister ate the rest for lunch the next day and i don’t have to deal with turkey again til next year.Lan added this comment on November 30 2008 at 11:16 am
I’m so hungry now and there’s nothing around here for lunch. Sniff.Aimee added this comment on November 30 2008 at 11:53 am
Looks like quite the feast! Like the ’salt lick’ part. Too true.
Well, look at you taking bold and inventive strides. Not so much with the eating prepared foods bit, but with Thanksgiving. And congrats on finding yet another opportunity to bring your friend Mr. Sprouts to the table. By the way, I was thinking of you over the holidays when I spent an afternoon at a confectionery where I plunked down a considerable amount of cash to devour Woodford Reserves Bourbon Balls.WPoFD added this comment on November 30 2008 at 2:39 pm
Well done! I, too, have enjoyed the exquisite lovliness that is boxed stuffing mix. I actually prefer the generic brands, to which I add some kind of dried fruit into that water while it boils. It changes the taste just enough–then people don’t know it’s boxed. I did make homemade dressing this year, though.Amanda added this comment on November 30 2008 at 7:47 pm
As for leftovers, we’ve been doing the sandwich thing. I LOVE a sandwich made with squishy white bread, mayo, cranberry jelly (yes, from a can) and dark meat turkey. Yum! I also made some S.O.S. on a toasted leftover bun that was great!
Gourmet’s “Diary of a Foodie” had a bit on culinary trompe l’oeil in an episode earlier this year. (http://www.gourmet.com/diaryofafoodie/video/2008/02/209_trompeloeil_preview )Brent added this comment on November 30 2008 at 9:44 pm
One of the funnier bits was a dinner a food sociologist held for friends. Much of the stuff put on the table was from a box, but presented as haute, and the guests were none the wiser. Maybe perception influences taste as much as anything!
My roommate and I used to eat Stove Top all the time in college! I would mix it with some green beans (frozen, of course, since I was too poor to buy fresh) and dig in. That combination, ramen noodles and pizza probably comprised 95% of my diet senior year.aimee b added this comment on December 01 2008 at 11:06 am
As for Thanksgiving dinner, despite going to culinary school, my mother still refuses to let me touch the turkey.
Natty and me, keepin’ it real!Michele Humes added this comment on December 01 2008 at 12:43 pm
Lan, you sound less than enthused about the whole tradition. What is it that drives us to put ourselves through this every year? I’m also interested in the mysterious force that compels people to produce almost exactly the same meal a month later.
Aimee, ah yes, you had your Thanksgiving a month ago, didn’t you? Well, Kraft Stove Top is on shelves year-round!
WPoFD, me and Mr. Sprouts, we’re tight. What on earth is a Bourbon Ball? I need to know.
Amanda, what is S.O.S.? I’ve been experimenting with different word combinations and none of them make very much sense.
Brent, there’s a story in Roald Dahl’s biography that describes the man serving cheap wine in old Bordeaux bottles and having tremendous, malicious fun at his guests’ expense. Sociologically interesting, of course, but also kind of revealing of the host’s character. I don’t think he was a very nice man!
aimee b, yay! We’re junk food twins! And your mother needs to lighten upWhat is her special method? This year I roasted the hell out of mine at 450 (took a little over two hours), no brine or anything complicated, literally just salt and pepper. Pretty good, I have to say.
SOS = sh*t on a shingle. The phrase was coined in the 1930s by WWII servicemen who were frequently fed creamed chipped beef on toast. It often now refers to any creamy gravy-ish thing laden with meat/fish that you put over bread or biscuits, though the traditional corned beef gravy is the true meaning.Amanda added this comment on December 01 2008 at 3:48 pm
Is a bourbon ball like a rum ball? If so, it’s a concoction made from crushed cookies, sweetened condensed milk and BOOZE. Sometimes coconut, cocoa, and other ingredients are added, as well. Shaped into balls and coated in powdered sugar, these are a holiday treat!
A bourbon ball is a wondrous confection made famous in Kentucky. Essentially, it’s a Bon Bon, except it’s filled with nougat and bourbon and topped with a roasted pecan. It is oh-so delectable, decadent and addictive. I buy the ones made by Ruth Hunt , which are filled with Woodford Reserve (arguably among the best bourbon). Let the Alec Baldwin/SNL Schweaty Balls jokes begin.WPoFD added this comment on December 01 2008 at 5:34 pm
that looks friggin delicious.ila added this comment on December 01 2008 at 7:59 pm
we didn’t have turkey this year because nobody likes turkey in my house… but now i sort of regret it.
WPoFD, your bourbon ball sounds much better than my rum ball!Amanda added this comment on December 02 2008 at 10:12 am
I’d like to think that I have a refined palate…but the Taco Bell (2 soft, 1 crispy) I ate on Sunday on Saturday says otherwise.aimee b added this comment on December 02 2008 at 10:18 am
As for the turkey, my mom just cooks it for about 4 hours at 350. Do you baste your turkey at 450?
I’m not the biggest pumpkin pie fan either. One of my friends (with whom I spent the holiday) has found a wonderful alternative - pumpkin flan. I’m not sure which website she got it from exactly, but I know it’s topped with spicy pumpkin seeds, and tastes fabulous with a big dollop of creme fraicheD added this comment on December 02 2008 at 1:15 pm
Michele -Lan added this comment on December 02 2008 at 2:32 pm
for me, the gluttony of it all, and dry ass turkey (no matter how you slice it and douse it in gravy) gives me a tummy ache. and then to repeat in 4 weeks for xmas makes me shudder. this year i will probbably lose weight, as opposed to gaining.
awesome.
I made Paula Deen’s pumpkin pie, too, except I added nutmeg. Everyone RAVED about it. I blogged about it, if you care to see how much I love convenience foods.2-L Michelle added this comment on December 03 2008 at 3:45 pm
Okay, so I totally have been eating Stove Top for two days thanks to you!!!!!!!!!!!Natty added this comment on December 03 2008 at 4:24 pm
aimee b, I didn’t baste at all. I was following the roasting instructions of this Epicurious recipe. A turkey is so big, I’m starting to think the basting thing is just a myth started by the manufacturers of those massive eye-droppers they call “turkey basters”.Michele Humes added this comment on December 04 2008 at 4:56 pm
D, I think a “big dollop of creme fraiche” is the grown-up version of Ms. Poppins’ “spoonful of sugar”.
Lan, I’m on a pre-Christmas diet! While my boyfriend works late at the office, I make myself a nightly dinner of brussels sprouts sauteed with one rasher of bacon, with about 6 cloves of garlic and some lemon juice.
Michelle, I never thought I’d find myself cooking from Paula Deen, but I’m glad I did.
Natty, what’s your blood pressure now?
The thing about Paula Deen is that she cooks old-fashioned southern-style. Yes, her recipes are full of butter and sugar. She can’t POSSIBLY eat that way on a regular basis–but those recipes are usually very, very good. Her pineapple upside-down biscuits are TO DIE FOR. But I dislike watching her shows–makes my blood sugar spike!Amanda added this comment on December 05 2008 at 12:35 pm
Amanda, normally I refrain from jumping on the whole Food Network-hating bandwagon (my god, some people will go on for hours and hours about Bobby Flay and Sandra Lee), but there is something too performancesque about the way Paula giggles with glee before adding yet another stick of butter to something. Her tongue catches on the “r”, too, so it takes her about 30 seconds to actually say the word. The show sometimes seems like an elaborate dare. That said, the pie was delicious.Michele Humes added this comment on December 05 2008 at 12:39 pm
I am blessed, positively BLESSED, which very low blood pressure. My doctor tells me to oversalt my food and has for years. IT’S THE MOST AWESOME AFFLICTION! Except for the occasional passing out.Natty added this comment on December 05 2008 at 12:58 pm
I made my own 2009 food predictions– you’re influencing my blogging heavily these days!
Wah. I’ve never celebrated Turkey Day, ever, but this year I’ve kept hearing about other people’s feasts and I’m jealous.lalarr added this comment on December 06 2008 at 11:23 pm
Incidentally, did you know that the first time I ever had a casserole was at your place? Your mum told us, “This is tuna casserole.” I was like, What the hell does that mean?lalarr added this comment on December 06 2008 at 11:25 pm
I LOVE THAT TUNA CASSEROLE. Maybe no-one else does, I but I doMichele Humes added this comment on December 07 2008 at 1:30 pm
Mm, macaroni, tuna and cheese.lalarr added this comment on December 07 2008 at 1:34 pm
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