Thanksgiving Can Be Fun! Plan, Prepare and Enjoy!
Well, as they say on NPR’s Car Talk, it’s happened again. Although hopefully we haven’t wasted another perfectly good year as we “waste that perfectly good hour” with Click and Clack each week, a year has passed nonetheless and we find ourselves hurtling headlong into Thanksgiving. The good news is that the weather is spot-on perfect and we will almost certainly celebrate the feast on a beautiful day with a table full of good friends. The bad news? None, really, except that preparing for a crowd can be stressful if you don’t have a game plan. Here are a few tips for a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Firstly, keep it relatively simple. People take comfort in having old favorites on Thanksgiving, so this is not the time to get too experimental. That being said, you can still put your stamp on the meal with some simple twists. Add fresh ginger to the cranberry sauce, say, or spice up the turkey with Middle Eastern flavors or Cuban mojo criollo. Just add little touches that are not too challenging for the timid or that throw the meal off balance.
Secondly, prepare ahead. This is one time I actually make some written notes to keep me on schedule. Remember that many things are just fine served at room temperature. Get your basic prep work done in the morning while you sip a Milk Punch and watch the Macy’s parade.
Lastly, don’t ever lose sight of the real goal here. People just want to have fun. The more you appear stressed, the less likely they are to relax and enjoy. As Julia Child always said, never apologize. If something turns out to be less than perfect, carry on as if all is well. No one is going to starve and remember that you are a much harsher critic of your food than anyone else. Just make sure that the wine is abundant and everything will turn out just fine!
Make these simple roasted root vegetables as one of your sides for a little hint of fall in the tropics.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine about a pound each of thin baby carrots, small parsnips, and baby turnips (all washed, peeled and trimmed) in a large bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Transfer to a large roasting pan and roast until tender and well browned, about 20-30 minutes. Turn the vegetables every few minutes so that they cook evenly. (The recipe can be done to this point early in the day. Set aside and finish just before serving).
Just before serving, transfer the roasting pan to the stovetop over medium high heat. Add ½ cup Madiera and ¼ cup chicken stock and cook, turning the vegetables until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with sprigs of fresh sage and rosemary and serve immediately.
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