Canadian Thanksgiving 2013

Whew!
After all that,
we had a wonderful Canadian Thanksgiving meal!

I got to use my new dishes from the
rummage sale.

Menu:
Gravy made with chicken stock and wondra flour.
I turned around for 1 quick second and the gravy was
puffing above the rim of the pan,
I caught it just in time...

Butternut squash soup
with a garnish of pistachio and sage.
I used my soup tureen and
my friend helped bring the soup to the table.
She ladled the first of the soup in the bowls,
just enough that the bottom of the bowl was covered
and so by example showed me how
I can serve a soup as a small beginning portion
to a lovely Thanksgiving Meal.

Roast Chicken
with butter and garlic under the skin,
onion, thyme and garlic stuffed inside
with butter rubbed on outside of skin,
salt and pepper.
These were done the day before and then roasted starting about
5 pm the day of the dinner at 400 F,
as per my 1997 joy of cooking.
Done for about 1.5 hours and then set on
warming in the oven.

Roasted Beets and Carrots.
Done with orange juice and such things at
475 F.  These could of been better
and making them in advance of the chicken
made it more difficult.
They were not bad, the carrots were just a tad
be-raggled.
The stuffing was good,
but I think I would add even more
seasonings next time.

Roses Mr. Husband bought on way home.
Mashed Yukon Gold,
Artisan Bread,
Buttermilk Corn Bread.
Two butters on the table,
1 Gravy.
Next time having two gravy boats on the table will
make it easier so not passing one heavily ladened one.

My Canadian Flag tray and card from a friend! 

I love my new bowls.

We had apple cider,
hard apple cider plain and pumpkin spice.
Cranberry sauce in two bowls with
long spoons.
Recipe so easy ~ on back of cranberry bag:
1 bag cranberries,
two cups water, two cups sugar,
boil for 10 minutes.
Cooled and stored in fridge over night and then set out
a while to bring it back to room temperature. 

It was a lovely time of dining,
fellowship, beauty, wonderful conversation...

I was so proud of the soup.
I think next time I will puree it just a bit longer,
so that it is more smooth.
It was wonderful however. 

The lattice on the apple pie was appreciated.

 

I had to lighten this picture a lot
to have it show up.
Mr. Husband had got me the frozen premade
crusts as I was running out of time
and I ended up balling two of the crusts up and making one
crust in it.  Used another pie crust balled and re-rolled
for the lattice.
I was surprised to hear one of our guests say
it was the best pie crust he's ever had.
I say it is to Mr. Husband's credit.
The apple pie recipe had vanilla in it
but no cinnamon.
Once I realized that, I immediately rectified it and added
generous sprinklings of cinnamon,
as I can't imagine an apple pie without it!
I also ignored the book's recommendation to make
the pie the same day as I it would not work at all with my
Monday cooking schedule.
I made it Sunday evening late at night,
left it out on the counter to cool,
and by late Monday afternoon I put it in the toaster oven
to warm at about 200 F.
The toaster oven does not get that warm and
was prefect for warming the pie.
Mr. Husband topped everyone's pie with French Vanilla Ice Cream.
*
We had three pots of tea:
Original Good Earth for Mr. Husband,
a Orange Spice Green in another, a decaf Earl Grey for myself.
A pot of dark coffee for three guests;
sugar, organic milk, half and half and heavy cream.
I loved being able to offer my guests their choice of tea or coffee.
*
A touching moment for me personally was when
one of our guests sang
O Canada
for me.
*
I found myself being aware of my dear Romanian friends
who had so many dinner parties with me over our
years in Ottawa;
now both they and I are not in Ottawa
but somehow it was almost as if they were there with me
that night...
*
I am grateful for my new friends and
that Mr. Husband and I can have
meals like this one with others in our home.
*
I had all the lampadas lit
and during the day that I was doing all last cooking,
setting the table, etc.,
I was listening to various things...
~Rachmaninoff's vespers
~A recorded life of St. Mary of Egypt
~A CD by Anonymous 4
*
It was a good and peaceful day.
The comments I got on my previous post
about the 2013 Thanksgiving meal saga
were really all uplifting to me.
Thank you.
*
I am slowly making my way as a new wife
of just over 1 year and all of your prayers,
words of wisdom and encouragement,
not to mention cooking and life advice
are all such blessing to me!
*
I thank God for such a wonderful day,
my Mr. Husband, friends near and far
and a wonderful Thanksgiving meal to share.