Update on Thanksgiving Recipes

A few days ago, I posted about these pumpkin cakes for Thanksgiving. Since we're having a potluck at church on Sunday, I decided to try them both. Here are the results: I definitely recommend the pumpkin gooey cake. It's got great flavor and texture. If you like a super moist, very dense pumpkin bread, then you'll also enjoy the pumpkin spice cake. 

Makeover Pumpkin Gooey Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate pumpkin pie, and don't usually like pumpkin flavored things, but this pumpkin gooey cake is delicious. It's baked just until the middle sets a bit, or the edges brown, and then you're done. It has a buttery, almost custard-like pumpkin layer, but it's not dense. It's light and fluffy, even though it's soft. The cream cheese is a nice counterpoint to the pumpkin flavor. Also, make sure to use cinnamon AND nutmeg. 

 

Things I did differently from the recipe: 

• store was out of reduced fat cream cheese, so I used regular
• regular butter instead of 1/2 fat butter
• 2 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar seems plenty (remember that the 2nd cake layer is also sweet)
• I didn't have yellow cake mix, so I used carrot cake mix. The spices in it went well with the pumpkin layer!
• 3 whole eggs instead of 2 whole + 2 egg whites
• If you're using an aluminum pan, reduce oven temp to 325 degrees F

Pumpkin Spice Cake

I thought that I would enjoy this pumpkin spice cake more than the pumpkin gooey cake, but compared to the other cake, it's a bit underwhelming. The flavor is good...there's a nice balance of cocoa, cinnamon, and nutmeg. However, when I cut into the cake, it was super dense. Chocolate chips provide texture variation compared to the density of the cake, though I think the addition of walnuts would have helped more.

Things I did differently from the recipe:

• instead of 1 1/2 cups sugar, add 1 c. white sugar + 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 whole eggs instead of 2 eggs + 2 egg whites
• omitted allspice and cloves (don't have it!), added more cinnamon and sugar
• omit 1/2 cup raisins
• added 1/2 cup chocolate chips instead of 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (be sure to coat chips in flour so they don't sink in the batter)
• substituted 1/2 buttermilk with 1/2 sour milk
• substituted 1/3 cup water with 1/3 cup sour milk

 Reading the reviews of the recipe, it seems that I'm not the only one whose cake was dense. So maybe it's supposed to be that way? It could be under-baked, but I'm afraid of how brown the outside might look had I baked it longer. Anyway, it has wonderful flavor, but I wouldn't call it a cake. It might make more sense to call it a dense pumpkin bread...But what's worse? Super dense or super dry cake?

Happy Thanksgiving!

New Thanksgiving Recipe

Hello everyone! You may remember from my series of posts last year that Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. I basically make the same thing every year, but I do have a few new recipes that I'll be trying out.

Photo source: Taste of Home

Makeover Pumpkin Gooey Cake by Taste of Home may not seem as healthy as advertised. However, check out Paula Deen's version which uses a BOX OF POWDERED SUGAR, and you'll see the improvements of the Taste of Home recipe.

Photo source: Taste of Home

This Pumpkin Spice Cake has the addition of cocoa and chocolate chips. So it appeals to those (like me) who want Fall flavor of pumpkin and spices, but outside of a pumpkin pie. Also, I just bought a beautiful Nordicware Bundt cake pan from Goodwill, and want to use it!

Chau's Thanksgiving Turkey, 2010

That's the turkey that I made last year using a brining method. For those who prefer smaller portioned chicken for their meal, I recommend the following recipe. It was sent to me by my sister Kim. I've copied and pasted her recipe so that I don't leave out any ingredients. It certainly sounds interesting...

THANKSGIVING CHICKEN RECIPE:

Here is a chicken recipe that also includes the use of
popcorn as a stuffing -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I
thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure
how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out.
Give this a try.

4 - 5 lb. Chicken
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's Low Fat
   is good here)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken well with
melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing
and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward
the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds.....


When the chicken's ass blows the oven door open and the
chicken flies across the room and lands on the table,
it's done and ready to eat.

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

Thanksgiving posts you might enjoy:
Preparing for Thanksgiving
More Turkey Talk
Sweet Talk
One More Thing About Dessert...

Post dedicated to Greg

Thanks to Greg for sharing this with me. Let's discuss how motherloving disgusting this is...

Photo by Amy Wisniewski for Chow.com

This cake contains: ground turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, marshmallows, and cranberry sauce. WTF. I don't like food touching. I've gotten much better at "being ok" with some things touching on my plate, but the KFC Famous Bowl still grosses me out. This just takes it way overboard for me. Sorry. I. Just. Can't.

One more thing about dessert...

Watergate Salad Photo: Taste of Home

What is watergate salad? The picture doesn't really help, does it? I encountered it for the first time in Virginia when I was 15 years old. My sister and I went to our first "southern bbq," and watergate was on the dessert table. Curious, we checked it out...It was fluffy, like Cool Whip, but with chunks of fruit and marshallows...and it was green. Watergate salad may look/sound interesting, but it's actually delightful. We like it because it's not too sweet, and it's fast to make. The first time I ever made it for a family gathering, my cousin became obsessed with it. After getting the recipe, she made a batch for herself, and ate the whole dang tub. What an amazing feat.

I'm not sure if they eat watergate salad in the Pac NW. I've only seen it served in southeast US, but I don't actively look for watergate salad when I'm traveling, either. It's nice to have this as a light dessert. Refrigerating it for 2 hours will also make it a bit more refreshing during the hot summers months. It will be on our Thanksgiving dessert menu, and I hope you'll try it too.

There are many different variations on watergate, but here is ours:
1 tub of whipped topping (I use the reduced fat version)
1 package of instant pudding, pistachio flavor
2 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 can of crushed pineapple, drained
1 sm. can of mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions: Mix everything together really well. Eat. Enjoy.

Sweet Talk

Oh, Natalie Dee.

There are plenty of pumpkin pie recipes out there, so I won't be sharing one. Truthfully? I can't stand pumpkin pie. I know. It's a beloved and classic pie, and most people change their positive opinions of me once they hear that I don't enjoy it. You don't know shame until you've lost a friend over pumpkin pie. I think it's the texture I don't like, but can't really be sure. I like custards, and pumpkin pie is just a big round custard, isn't it???

Pumpkin swirl brownies

If there are any readers out there who share my dislike for pumpkin pie, this is my reconciliation dessert. Pumpkin swirl brownies are great because: 1. It has seasonal flavor of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 2. It has chocolate. 3. It's not pumpkin pie. According to my friend Jonathan, these are great because "you can only eat so many brownies." The pumpkin adds a balance to the deep chocolate flavor and dense texture. Use any brownie mix you want. (I subbed a small portion of the oil for the brownies with pumpkin puree. It didn't change the texture/flavor at all, but added nutrients and reduced some of the fat.)

MMMM

I love carrot cake, because...well, because it's DELICIOUS. This Joy of Baking recipe is pretty standard, but I feel like carrot cake is under-appreciated, and wanted to share the love.

Pecan Tarts

I made these last Christmas. Pecan pies are one of my all time favorites, and these tarts are perfect. With a cream cheese crust, and a filling that's not so sweet it overwhelms the pecan flavor, I just didn't have the heart to even try to make this into a lower fat recipe. (I keep telling myself that they're smaller portions, so it's ok that they're full fat.) These are absolutely fabulous, and let's be honest, mini-pies are cute.
*Edit: Do those look like poop pies to anyone else?*

I hope you'll try some of these desserts for your post-nap Thanksgiving treat!

More turkey talk

Champagne Basted Turkey Photo: Taste of Home

 

 

How gorgeous is that??? When I first saw the recipe for champagne basted turkey in the November 2010 issue of Taste of Home, I was thrilled. It seemed so fancy, yet so do-able for any kind of cook. I want to try this recipe, but fear that I'd end up drinking all the champagne, rather than cooking with it. I can really imagine it--in my champagne induced state, I'll forget to actually baste the turkey. I really hope that someone out there does use this recipe, and tell me how it goes. 

Sausage Snack Wraps Photo: Pillsbury

Every time I'm home for the holidays, my nieces, nephews, and older brother ask for these. Pillsbury calls them sausage snack wraps, but in our home, they're known as "pigs in a blanket." Easy is an important adjective on such a big cooking day, because the less time you need to focus on appetizers and sides, the more you can focus on the main courses and desserts. I'm telling you, these babies are easy and tasty.

Corn and Bacon Chowder Photo: Oxymoor House

This recipe from Cooking Light requires few ingredients, and comes together beautifully. Assuming that you already have most of these ingredients on hand for your other T-giving dishes, this would be an easy, fast, and delightful addition to your menu. 

Guys...I really love Thanksgiving. Can you tell???

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Halloween are way too commercial, and 2 out of 3 of those holidays involve dressing up in order to: 1. get a boyfriend/girlfriend 2. get laid. Thanksgiving, though, is about being thankful for what you have, and about food. Those are my favorite things, y'all.

The main meal:

Alton Brown's recipe for brining and roasting is fan-freaking-tastic. (Food Network's photo)

I've used Alton's method many times, and it consistently produces a beautifully browned, moist, and flavorful turkey. Every. Time. This recipe converts a turkey carcass into a vessel of warmth, comfort, and deliciousness. Though it is a bit time consuming to brine a turkey, the results are well worth the effort, and actual cooking time is reduced (which is great for when you have other sides/breads/desserts you may need the oven for on Thursday).


Cornbread Sausage Stuffing. My oldest sister Kim made it last Christmas, and it was out of this world.


Oat bread rolls. This is a great bread recipe. It always comes out light and fluffy, and oat adds nuttiness, iron, and fiber.


Giblet gravy with egg. I believe this type of gravy is a southern thing. I know what you're thinking...It sounds gross, but it tastes like little fairies carried happiness and joy and magic straight to your taste buds. I learned this recipe from my oldest sister, who learned it from her southern mother-in-law. Even though we're Vietnamese, my sister married a good ole country boy, and we've enjoyed this recipe in our family ever since. Why eggs, you ask? Why not? Don't you like the taste of happiness and joy and magic???

Mashed cauliflower (Food Network's photo)

A lot of people on the internet will tell you that pureed or mashed cauliflower will have the same taste/texture as mashed potatoes, but they are LYING. It's similar, yes, but not the same. Still, I really appreciate that it's a healthier alternative, and whenever I've made this dish in the past, I mixed it with a bit of garlic mashed potatoes. Doing that gave it more of the texture and flavor that I enjoy in regular mashed potatoes, but with added vitamins and fiber (46% DV of Vitamin C!!!), and can cut calories by 25%. Suggestion: If you're trying to cut fat/calories, do not add a huge dab of butter onto your serving, the way that Food Network did in that photo. More nutrition facts here.




To be honest, I started planning for this year's big meal in August. I have a pile recipes ripped out of Sunset, Taste of Home, and Better Homes and Gardens magazines, and bookmarks on my browser that lead to recipes that I thought might be good for when T-giving finally rolls around. Now that the time is almost near, I feel like my menu is still lacking. There are only 3.5 of us, so there really will be plenty of food, but I feel like I'm missing an important staple that everyone should have on T-giving. We won't be having green bean casserole (even though I LOVE it!), because my sister doesn't think it's that great...Maybe a broccoli casserole? Mac and Cheese? Lumpia??? Any suggestions?




Next post...Thanksgiving desserts!!!