2020

 Crazy Year. Happy Thanksgiving! 

See that baby in the back? My previous post on my modified chili where I commented I had 3 weeks to momdom, this kid decided to show up the next day. That threw me for a loop. Toss in a pandemic and now I'm just trying to salvage the rest of my sanity. She cute tho. 

Thanksgiving this year was fairly modest due to the circumstances and overall, not too bad. As usual, I need to write a review of and notes for next year, but where would I remember too look? Here, of course. 

Pumpkin Pie - I made it from scratch this year. The pie crust shrank, but I think it was because I both overworked the dough and added more water to it since I made it a few days prior, froze it than thawed it in the fridge. Same day pie crust tastes better and I'll have to remember to allow excess dough to hang over the edges of the pie pan. I made it with coconut oil instead of butter because baby girl has CMPA and...she didn't even eat any pie. 

  - sometimes homemade pie crust ain't worth the trouble

Butternut Squash - Love it. This could be the entire meal for me. Squash and a beer? Yeah.

Stuffing - I've lately been erring on the side of caution because of that one year that the flavor of my mushroom stuffing was the best, but it was so soggy, it almost had the texture of dough. This was a little more crunchy - also, I couldn't acquire a challah loaf for the bread. I also put it in the over WITHOUT tenting it first and it ended up kinda crunchy. The husband preferred the mouth feel but I prefer a slightly softer, but not soggy stuffing.  

  -bake with tent first 20-25 mins, remove the tent last 5 mins. Use bone broth again.

Roasted cauliflower with dates and garlic - this is always good and easy. I just need to make sure I have whole dates on hand rather than assume I do. Had to use the husbands cereal dates and they're covered in flour. It still came out pretty good. 

Roasted Game Hens - I should've brined these mofos. Roasting a bird over potatoes is actually pretty freaking awesome, the potatoes came out great while the carrots, parsnips, and onions were more prone to burning...due to increased sugars? Being cooked in a deep, dark cake pan with all sorts of fats dripping on them? I don't know. I definitely want to try again.

Mushroom gravy - damn. This was awesome. I could subsist on a Thanksgiving of butternut squash, beer, and a cup of mushroom gravy - done. I need to do this again. 

  - separated drippings and fat with my fat separator, sautéed mushrooms in the fat portion, added flour and cooked like a roux for a bit, then added drippings followed by bone broth. Good stuff.