GeekOrchard

Well, it’s what I’m thinking currently. As always, it’s my kitchen and I reserve the right to change my mind and the menu as it suits me.

and it being Thanksgiving I’ll be roasting a bird, using my mom’s stuffing recipe (like I said- you can never have enough starches, apparently, just ask Robin), and a gravy recipe from Cook’s with a little added common sense (this is not America’s test kitchen- it’s mine )

That’s as far as I’ve gotten. I think that since I have pecans intended as the sweet potato dish topping, and there’s toasted almonds intended for the green bean or aspargus, I’ll forgo the Pecan pie unless someone brings it. And we’ll have to have pumpkin something… wonder if Robin is up for doing another pie, otherwise I’m doing something esoteric like a Pumpkin Chiffon Trifle. That linked recipe had me right up until the “Jar walnut or pecan dessert”.

In the mean time I need to make a cream of mushroom soup soon, and I’ve got a yen to do more squash and roast a chicken soon. We’ll see what we can fit into the schedule.

Oddly enough, or right on cue, my final issue of Cooks Illustrated arrived with the snail mail. So I tossed my preliminary findings between it’s pages and laid it in a conspicuous in the living room so I could ruminate on the following ideas so far….

Let’s start with the starters…
I think I should have light appetizers out when everyone arrives, maybe a chevre goat cheese with an olive tapenade with french baguette or maybe a sourdough batard. And Lizzie wants to bring a veggie plate or maybe a salad, either would be nice.

This year, (the year of the new kitchen) I’d like to make a nice spread, but I’d like to avoid to gluttony, so I probably won’t add anything other than an impulse cheese or two (I can’t resist good cheeses…I’m thinking of Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt.Tam brie, yum!)

Currently it’s about fall, the harvest, and what to cook. I find myself enthralled by all the options that come to mind, and a little preoccupied with the finalists that will make it onto the Thanksgiving menu. I’ve started the research, and the idle noodling around on the ‘net looking for recipes with that certain “je ne se quois” (I like to say that because my husband hates it, and considers it a really dumb way to say it has an “I don’t know what” quality ), and I’m going to post them, and my entire menu here.

That’s not the only goal… I figured I could also include generic posts like “Robin made an apple pie with the last of our orchard apples last night. He even did the lattice work for the top crust. I was impressed, that’s the first time he’s baked since we’ve been together. A neighbor teased that he was getting in touch with his metrosexual side, but he’s certain his haircut protects him from that sort of thing. Turns out he made enough filling for two more pies. Those will come in handy for upcoming halloween parties this weekend.