thanksgiving

Thanks a million, Internets.

November 30, 2014 by Edlyn

Why aren’t there French fries – lots and lots of French fries at the Thanksgiving table?

I wondered this as I prepared the tenderloin for consumption on Thursday. I was unsure of what I was attempting, as I usually am with cooking whole parts of meat (there’s a fine line between rare and well-done, that I magically NEVER cross. I don’t know how, which is why I never blog about it. Also I love vegetables more). It involved cutting the tenderloin using fancy-ass butcher techniques I have never done myself. I imagined it in my head and cut what was a chunk of meat into a flat slab of meat. I was very impressed. If there’s one thing I can pretend to be thankful for, it’s for not screwing up very expensive food.

This weekend went by too fast. I spent most of it being indescribably homesick (almost crying, except not) and missing my friends, all 6 of them. One of my favourites, Saurabh, got married over the weekend too. He is – and I’ve always thought this even before I was too dumb to know what it meant – great marriage material. He’s adorable, chivalrous, accommodating to a fault and annoying, which doesn’t really matter if you think about the first three things I said. I love him and to miss his wedding (even if the auspicious hour was well past midnight) really made me sad. Aditi, you’re a lucky girl but since I know Saurabh more than I know you, I’d say he’s much, much luckier. Welcome to the jungle. There’s another thing I’m thankful for – friends that are as close as family. Just not in kilometers. Sigh.

As a person who thinks about injustices of the world more than she should, I am trying to channel it all into something productive. Life can get somewhat lonely without the people you’ve lived with your whole life and small sad thoughts can get more importance than they really should. While I am drawing more, more (always will), I am also working on becoming a pie expert. Just like running, pie is meditative, I’ve learnt. I just want to do both these things everyday and be happy. I tried a pie recipe from Joy‘s new book, Homemade Decadence on Wednesday and holy shit ImsurprisedIdidnteatitallatonce. I’m going to share it with you in the hope that you’ll consider adding her pie/cake/breakfast wisdom to your life. This is the first cookbook I’ve bought and I’m not regretting a second of it.

This salad, with some dressing mods that I made (for lack of pantry items), is seriously a dream (thanks Lindsey, for nudging me that way). When you eat it for all three meals and snackies, you know. I’d like to make it again. And again. And again*.

What I’m trying to hint at right here is that no, we didn’t win the food drop jackpot but that’s the way I like it – simple and normal. Next year, I’ll be happy with biryani and raita. Now there’s an idea for Sunday. I think I have to watch The Mindy Project now. I’ve already seen last week’s episode but it’s Mindy sooooo BYE.

*That means forever.

Quick cranberry pear jam

November 23, 2014 by Edlyn

I’m saying it now and letting it go down in my Internet history. I don’t like Thanksgiving. I promise to never edit this post – unless it involves the recipe – and to stand firm on my measly beliefs. I call them measly because I know I’m the only one that cares about them.

The first Thanksgiving I ever spent in this country will only be remembered because it was my first. The food was good too (deep fried Turkey = so much win!) but most of it is a blur. My first Thanksgiving as a resident living with my husband was a disaster. I never knew what I was doing for a second. I never thought to prep in advance and ended up getting so frustrated with myself that I turned into a giant jerk. It was terrible. I choose to forget. Last year was a slight improvement. My mother-in-law was visiting and apart from cooking the turkey legs, I had everything ready (thank you Bon Appetit Thanksgiving app. Seriously). Still, I wasn’t feeling it. It was too boring, then hard, then easy. There must be something wrong with me, right?

Last week I spoke to Matt about writing down some alternate ideas for Thanksgiving recipes. Kind of like making Thanksgiving staples into breakfast. He agreed, said I should do it and then asked me why I was telling him the same things again. Maybe because I was thinking about it twice?

I still. couldn’t. do. it.

I’m sorry, America. I’m not any less thankful than the rest of you. In fact, I say it too much. I also make pies for fun and cook big meals almost every Sunday. I’m happy that we have the ability to do these things – write blogs, use good ingredients and thrive.

This year we’ll be painting rooms in the new place. The process has already begun and I’m saying yes to having yet another elaborate (and cozy) meal, watching Hulu and drinking fancy wine like adults. Then maybe we’ll go back to painting because I’ll be done with the kitchen by then.

Give me Halloween, America. I can do chocolate.

Quick cranberry-pear jam

I remember looking at cranberry jelly coming out of can and then I decided to make my own and turn it into a jam instead. There’s a difference, I’m sure. You can make this a week ahead and still have leftovers for when the turkey comes along. I ate it on a sandwich and then on pancakes 1 and 2. I’m sure it would go great with your holiday spread as well.

Ingredients

4 cups firm D’Anjou pears, diced
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup turbinado sugar
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon

Add all your ingredients into a medium saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir everything around and let the sugar dissolve into the fruit. This should take about 5 minutes. The mixture will start to boil and at this point, you might hear popping sounds coming from the cranberries. Let it boil for about 2 minutes and then turn down the heat to a slow simmer.

Put a lid on the saucepan and let it cook down, letting the fruit thicken as it cooks. Make sure the fruit is always at a slow simmer and give it a big stir every 5 minutes or so. The jam will start off in a fluid state and will thicken drastically in about 17-20 minutes. Keep and eye out for when it turns to a jammy texture and take it off the heat immediately. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and remove the rosemary stem from the jam (the leaves should have fallen off while cooking).

Spoon the jam into jars and let it cool slightly before refrigerating. Jam should keep for no more than 10 days.

We are family

November 29, 2012 by Edlyn

(Recipe followed to a T — minus a tart shell — from Smitten Kitchen. CLLLLIICK ME)

I must say, Awesomepants and my first Thanksgiving alone was a disaster. This dessert was delicious. Next time we will cook a lot less and by that I mean order pizza. No shame at all.