Thanksgivings Past
Thanksgiving is a holiday tailor-made for those of us who enjoy gathering friends and family together to share in a feast of fun, fare and tradition. It is an occasion to pause and acknowledge our blessings, and a time to express our gratitude to those people who make our lives a better place.
My husband and I have enjoyed being lucky guests at our friends, Matt and Eleanor’s, Thanksgiving table. This perfectly choreographed day has been an occasion they plan for all year through, with no detail overlooked. The tables- beautiful, the wines and appetizers -delightful and beautifully presented, the meal – classic and perfectly prepared, and the deserts….oh my! Their time and efforts have truly been an expression of love and service.
Teaming Up In 2020
As with most things during the Pandemic, modifications had to be made. The idea of gathering in a large group for hours of feasting and fun wasn’t a good option at the time, so we modified. As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”, so we did a “THANKSGIVING TO GO”
THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW
THANKFULLY, things have returned to some sense of normalcy and this festive time of year can once again be enjoyed and shared in the company of friends and family. Here are a few of our favorite holiday recipes to get things going.
LISA AND ELEANOR'S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING RECIPES
My Favorite Soft Dinner Roll Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to about 110℉
- 2¼ tsp dry yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar divided
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the dough by whisking the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer.Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. (See NOTE below)
- Add the remaining sugar, egg, butter, salt and 1 cup flour to the yeast mixture.With a dough hook mix/beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining flour. Beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away form the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If the dough seems too wet - where kneading would be impossible, beat in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough. Dough should be soft and a little sticky, but still manageable to knead with lightly floured hands.
- You can knead the dough in the mixer by mixing the dough for an additional 2 minutes or, I prefer to knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat both sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or two 9-inch square or round baking pans. When the dough has risen to double, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, shape into a smooth ball and arrange in the prepared baking pan(s). Cover the rolls and allow to rise for another hour. Adjust the oven rack to a lower position and preheat to 350℉. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, rotating the pan halfway through baking.Remove from the oven and brush with butter and sprinkle a little flaky salt over the top, if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
Holiday Oatmeal Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3 tbsp salad oil
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp dry yeast
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Make a sponge by combining the boiling water, rolled oats, salad oil, brown sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Allow the sponge to cool to room temperature.Sprinkle yeast over warm water and allow to sit until the yeast has grown and started to foam. Add to the sponge mixture once it has cooled to room temperature.Add the flour, one cup and a time and knead into a soft dough.
- Place the dough into a buttered bowl and allow it to raise until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and raise again until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and form into rolls. Place the formed rolls on a cookie sheet, cover and allow to raise, in a draft free place until doubled in size.Bake in a 375℉ (preheated oven) for 20 minutes.Remove from oven and brush the tops of the rolls with butter while still hot. Enjoy!
Eleanor Andersen
Making Homemade Butter
About two years ago when visiting my niece in Boston, I checked out her cookbook shelf. One of the books I found was, “Food, Gift, Love”, by Maggie Battista. I bought it because it is full of great ideas for giving food as gifts. Best of all, she has lots of creative ways to present the gifts. One of the recipes I make the most is the Homemade Butter.
If you are hosting Thanksgiving it’s great to serve your fresh out of the oven rolls with this yummy butter. In the spirit of “How to Host Thanksgiving 2020”, butter could be assigned to a guest chef.
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Have A Wonderful, Safe &
Happy Thanksgiving!
