Thanksgiving 2016

This year we are having 18 guests. I haven't cooked for this large of a crowd in quite some time. I've chosen my recipes, modified my usual menu and shopped this morning. I have laid out my week so that I am doing some food prep each day and determining which dishes can be prepared in advance. The weather forecast is predicting that Thursday will be in the upper 70's. That means we can eat outside. So by Wednesday the tables will be set up and set. For quick and easy reference, I have placed the links to my Thanksgiving recipes here. I hope you find something here that gives you ideas for your holiday meal.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Brine http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/turkey-brine.html
Pumpkin Puree http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/fresh-pumpking-puree.html
Pumpkin Pie http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/pumpkin-pie.html
Cranberry Conserve http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/cranberry-conserve.html
Stuffing http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-stuffing.html
Sweet Potato Souffle http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/sweet-potato-souffle.html
Green Bean Casserole http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-better-green-bean-casserole.html
Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup http://girlsgotaeat.blogspot.com/2015/10/roasted-butternut-squash-and-pear-soup.html

Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cake

For years I made pumpkin pies from scratch. The day after Halloween, I would cut up the jack-o-lanterns and roast the pieces in the oven. Then I would remove the flesh from the shell and puree in my food processor. The results were always delicious. But after all of that work I would have only 2 pies to show for it. There just had to be another option and here it is. Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cake has all the pumpkin pie taste one could ask for without all the work. This cake makes its own caramel sauce to spoon over each serving.

Serves 10-12

1 1/2 cups flour + 5 tbsp flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk
6 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 vanilla
1 1/2 cup hot water
3/4 cup caramel sauce

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 chopped pecans

To prepare in advance, assemble entire cobbler minus the caramel, hot water and brown sugar, pecan topping. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Just before baking , top with the sugar and pecans.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, melted butter and vanilla. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and spices. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk to create a thick batter. Pour it into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with an off-set spatula. Mix the pecans and brown sugar together, set aside. Drizzle the caramel sauce over batter and pour the hot water over all. DO NOT MIX into the batter. Sprinkle the pecan/sugar mixture over all. Place on a foil covered sheet pan in case it bubbles over. Bake 40 minutes or until the center is set. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream to serve.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

My husband loves apple pie. He often requests it of me. However, pies take a great deal of time to produce and you only get 8 servings for all of that effort. Thus began my quest for an easy dessert that delivers all the taste of an apple pie without all of the work. I think I have found the perfect compromise. Apple Pie Bread Pudding is comforting and delicious. It has the right amount of spice with a generous portion of fresh apples. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a traditional apple pie experience.

Serves 8

1 12-14 oz loaf of brioche
2 pounds honey-crisp apples
1 stick butter divided in half
3 tbsp flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 tsp vanilla
vanilla ice cream for serving

1 day before preparing the bread pudding, cut the bread into cubes and spread them out onto a baking sheet. Leave it out to get stale.

Apple Filling
Peel, core and dice the apples
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt half of the butter. Add flour and brown sugar, whisk well. Add the apples, spices, cider. Stir and cover.Cook over medium heat until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally. Put the apple mixture in a strainer. Strain out and reserve the liquid. Allow the apples to cool.

Assembly
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray
Spread the stale brioche on the bottom of the dish. Spoon the apples over the top of the bread evenly.
Melt the remaining stick of butter.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla and melted butter. Pour this custard mixture over the bread and apples. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the plastic from the bread pudding and place in the oven. Bake 35-40 minutes. If the center feels firm when pressed, the pudding is done.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Cranberry Orange Trifle

This is an easy make-ahead dessert that will work for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can easily adjust the ingredient amounts to serve 4-6 or make it as it is and serve 10-12. If you are short on time, use a store bought angel food cake instead of making your own. However, if you have never made an angel food cake from scratch, doing so is well worth the effort. I promise it is easy to do.

Serves 10-12
Make this cake 2-3 days before your meal. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside until the big day.
Angel Food Cake
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 room temperature egg whites
1/3 cup warm water
zest of 1 large orange
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor spin the sugar for 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the cake flour and salt, set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix the egg whites, orange zest, cream of tartar and warm water until stiff peaks form. This may take up to 5 minutes. Turn off the mixer and switch to a balloon whisk. Pour a third of the flour mixture over egg whites and gently fold in. Continue with the remaining 2/3's of the mixture until all is combined. Using a spatula, gently scoop the mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake 35 minutes. Check for doneness by gently inserting a skewer in the center of cake. The cake is done if the skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan. I do this using a wine bottle. Cool upside down in this manner for at least 1 hour. Using a butter knife, gently run the knife around the edge of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Do this with the middle as well. Wrap well with plastic wrap and store until ready to assemble the trifle.

Trifle
1 Angel food cake, cut into cubes
1 tsp orange zest
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 bags-12 oz each of fresh cranberries
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 bar cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy cream

The cranberry compote can be make 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to assemble the trifle.
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups sugar, ginger,zest, orange juice and water. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat. Cook until the berries burst 8-10 minutes.Let the compote cool completely or store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the cream filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on high until combined. Place the heavy cream in a clean bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
In a 3 quart glass bowl, arrange 1/3 of the cake cubes on the bottom of the bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the compote onto the cake and spread to the sides of the bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the cream mixture over the compote and spread to the edges. Repeat the process 2 more times. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.