Monday, November 19, 2012

My Trouble With Recipes and Other Stuff

The holidays are upon us and that means I am searching for recipes to bring some variety to our holiday meals.
I have plenty of recipes, it is just that I like to place a surprise or two on the table at the holidays.
So, I go through my cookbooks, I search online and I read blogs, I check out shows on the Cooking Channel and the Food Network and (yes, don't judge!), I prowl around Martha Stewarts website.

Here's my problem with recipes:
S-O-O-O-O-O many of the ones I find these days include instructions such as "pulse for 30 seconds in food processor" or "use dough hooks with stand mixer".
I don't have a food processor OR a stand mixer!
Then the measurements. Look, I don't do well with those, lol! I think I have a measuring cup....somewhere. Ditto on the measuring spoons.
I use canning jars to measure a lot, and my hands a lot of the time, too. So, I can usually *ballpark* it.
And why, oh why, would anyone come up with a recipe that has mostly normal, you-can-find-at-the-store-every-day ingredients and then toss in something like "add 3 grams of tears from a bereaved meer-cat" or some other equally exotic ingredient that you can't find anywhere except at the exotic grocer down the block from the recipe creators home!
Come on  guys, we are average folks out here!
At least give me a reasonable substitution I can use!

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The humongous Bourbon turkey we had died of a respiratory infection and I am having to treat ALL the turkeys for it.
Therefore, we have had to buy a turkey for the Thanksgiving table. I won't eat a turkey with these antibiotics in it's system. Fortunately, we know others in the area that raise turkeys, so we are assured of getting a turkey that has been organically raised.
My big deal on the table for Thanksgiving is NOT the turkey...I am pretty good at turning out a decent turkey.
My big deal is the stuffing/dressing.
I LOVE STUFFING!
It is so delicious, yet so darn easy to make!
Cubed up bread (wheat, white, rye or corn...all good!), spices and herbs and maybe a few add ins...like celery, sausage, walnuts or pecans or almonds, all sorts of good things can be tossed into your stuffing/dressing!
So, I am coming up with some new stuffing ideas this year...maybe some hazelnuts added in? Dates?
Dunno, but I know I'll get creative with it!
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What dish do you get the most creative with during the holidays? Or...what's your favorite holiday dish?

3 comments:

  1. I so relate to the recipe dilemma, I don't have those appliances either. I don't even have an electric hand mixer so I'm really doing things the old-fashioned way. As far as creativity goes I do that all the other days of the year, I am real traditional for Thanksgiving. Except this year I'm leaving my husband and boys to fend for themselves while I go to be with our daughter in CA for her graduation from language school in the Air Force. The guys inform me they are going to fix steak and potatoes. Fine with me. Your stuffing sounds so yummy, that's one of my favorite dishes on holidays. Have a wonderful day and keep up the good work.

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  2. I cook the traditional Thanksgiving meal turkey, stuffing, mashed potatos, fresh sweet potatoes with marshmellows,gravy, green beans with mushrooms and onions, cranberry orange sauce, homemade rolls, pumpkin pie, cherry or apple pie and coffee.
    Nothing special. The part I love the most, when I can put my feet up and relax and let someone else do the dishes, lol

    My old boss in DC used to make a sausage stuffing with cornbread, it was truly delicious. I don't have the recipe to share, sorry.

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  3. Go read my post today. I am a food writer you know.

    ReplyDelete

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