gravy...pour it ON!!

I can't believe its nearly here!! Happy Thanksgiving to all--wow, I have a lot to be grateful for this year, and one thankful thing that comes to mind is my husband's A-MAZING gravy. Did you grow up like me thinking gravy was a powdered packet and you added water? Hardly the case...have you been afraid, intimidated and clueless on making your own? There is even a running joke in my family about 'gravaste' which was attempted by my sis several years back, she kept adding more and more flour to the gravy until it became a pasty nightmare, it was nearly as thick as the mashed potatoes and totally nasty.

Well T & T readers, fret no longer, this gravy is soooo yum and if you follow ALL of the instructions carefully, I promise you will have an incredible, savory gravy for your turkey day and you will never buy a mix again!!

Gravy a la Greg

Step 1…In Turkey Pan (minus the turkey, but WITH drippings)
• Drain Fat with large spoon
• Add 4 C Chicken stock to pan drippings
• Simmer for 10 minutes- put turkey pan OVER 2 burners on your stovetop. Scrape off pan drippings from bottom of pan and stir.
(while stock is simmering…move to step 2)

Step 2…Extra Seasonings (in separate pan)
Saute (until softened, onions become translucent, etc) in 4 T butter same seasonings as used in YOUR turkey (to compliment flavors)
For example:
• ½ C Carrots
• ½ C Celery
• ½ C Onion
• 1-2 Bay Leaves
• ½ t dried thyme
• 2-3 sprigs rosemary
• 2-3 sage leaves

Step 3…Add sautéed seasonings to simmering chicken stock in turkey pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 4…Pass seasoning/chicken stock/drippings mixture through sieve into bowl, push with spoon

Step 5…Roux in turkey pan with a whisk.
• 4 T butter
• ¼ C Flour

Step 6…Add seasoning/stock liquid back into pan with roux. Whisk and bring to a boil. Add additional stock or water to desired thickness.

We have made this gravy the last few years, the flavors are so full and rich. Don't be afraid, you can make delicious gravy...and forget the calories- its the holidays, so pour it on!! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

photo credit- realsimple.com

Sara G.

Turkey Bowl.

Probably my favorite tradition ever. The turkey bowl.. no not the men's morning football game, but actual bowling. We go every Thanksgiving, always with family.. and sometimes over the years we've had family friends and friends of friends come along. We don't ever miss, I can't have Thanksgiving without a pre-dinner game of bowling. Try it this year, you just may fall in love.

5 wheat kernels

This post from the amazing Puj designer/owner Katie Richardson.


I am so thrilled to be here talking about Thanksgiving traditions. I certainly enjoy the nostalgia of homemade stuffing and pumpkin pie, but what I love most about Thanksgiving is the opportunity to reflect on my many blessings and share those thoughts and feelings with loved ones. In years past, as we gathered the family around the table, we would each take a turn vocalize 5 blessings, each represented by 5 kernels of corn placed by our plate. These tokens represent the pilgrims rations in 1623 known as the "starving time." They would sometimes go up to 5 days on these few kernels of corn. My husband and I have instituted a new tradition in our own family. The 5 kernels of corn have now been replaced with 5 kernels of wheat. This is a reminder of a time in our own family where food was quite sparse. We had turned down several job offers to pursing our dreams. Blessed with the foresight and instruction to prepare for hard times, we had been setting aside food to be stored. Soon we found ourselves in need of this food storage. Often times, the only thing we would have to eat was bread that I had made from the stored wheat kernels. This was a time in our lives that looked as though we had so little, but we knew we were being richly blessed.

A time that we never want to forget.

celebrate.

I love the holiday season. The feelings they stir up inside and the crispness that swirls through the air. I love the excuse to celebrate and give thanks for all that I have. Not that I need an excuse, but gratitude always shows up around Thanksgiving. Now that my boys are growing bigger, I want to start a new tradition. I want to sit around the fire with my sweet little family and take turns expressing our thanks. My little guys [four and almost three] are old enough to take part. I want to instill in them a lasting gratitude and what a better time to start than at Thanksgiving.

I'll go first...

I am grateful that my husband is alive.

That he was not seriously hurt in his motorcycle accident.

And that my family of four is whole.

For this I am thankful.

What are you thankful for?

xo.

molly

Savoring The Day.

Hello, friends.

Thanksgiving is a lovely holiday. A time to give thanks, reflect + enjoy being with the one's that mean the most. It's a time of tradition. Feasting. Savoring. One of my favorite days all year. And not for any one of the reasons listed, but for them all. For the children being home from school. For my dear husband spending a Thursday (a thursday!) at home. For my mother's stuffing and my mother in law's pie. For games with my competitive sisters in law and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Singularly they are special, but combined...combined they are the reason I savor the day.

Kisses,
Dandee

Best Ever Apple Pudding

*This post from reader Kylie Patterson.

Hey all! I'm very excited to share this recipe with you. This is by far my favorite dessert for Fall! This is a recipe that my Grandma used to make, and I still think of her every time I make it. It seriously tastes like Fall on a plate, it's basically an apple spice cake, with a delicious caramel sauce. So I guess you could say that it is like a caramel apple cake. It is perfect for a Fall day.

Cake Ingredients:

Add the sugar into the butter, creaming well.
Add the eggs, beat well
Peel, core, and grate the apples
Add apple immediately after grating into the creamed mixture

Add the dry ingredients, and nuts if wanted

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees

Sauce Ingredients:

Melt the butter

Add the sugar and cream

Cook at medium heat until it is all dissolved, then add vanilla and nutmeg

Done! The sauce comes together very quickly, I usually start it with about 10 minutes left on the cake.

Serve warm with the sauce on top!

Best Ever Apple Pudding

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

2 eggs

4+ cups grated apples, medium fine (it takes about 2 small or 1 medium sized apple per cup)
2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Gradually add sugar to butter, creaming well. Add eggs, beat well. Add apples immediately after grating to creamed mixture. Stir in dry ingredients. Add nuts if wanted. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 45 minutes. (Or cut half and bake in an 8x8 pan for about 30 minutes) Serve warm with sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

2 cups sugar (white or brown, I use one of each)

1 cup cream

3 tsp vanilla

dash of nutmeg

Melt the butter, add the sugar, and cook at medium heat until all is dissolved. Do NOT boil. Add vanilla and nutmeg.

ENJOY!

grandmoms stuffing.

This post from my cute friend Natalie! I love her.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Three years ago my Grandmom came to Utah for Thanksgiving with my parents.

She taught me how to make her stuffing.

I am so glad she came out that year

because she passed away a little more than a year later.

I have her handwritten recipe in a safe place

and this year I'll be making stuffing in her memory.

Turkey Stuffing

1 large loaf white bread

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 C chopped celery

1/2 C chopped onion

Poultry Seasoning, to taste

1 chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 C hot water

1 pkg Jimmy Dean bulk sausage

Crumble and brown sausage. Drain on a paper towel. Add celery and onions to pan and saute in sausage drippings. Slightly dampen bread and pull apart into large bowl or pot. Halfway through loaf sprinkle some poultry seasoning. Continue with rest of loaf. Add egg, sausage, celery and onion mixture and additional seasoning. Mix together.

Pour 1/2 to 3/4 C of chicken broth over stuffing.

Cook on low in crock pot same time as turkey. If basting turkey, add small amounts of drippings each time you baste.

If cooking turkey in a bag, add 1/8 to 1/4 C drippings to stuffing at the end.

Remove from crock pot and serve.