I'm getting a late really late start on today's post. I was much busier than I probably should have been on Thanksgiving Eve Day this year. I'd done a little shopping with Jan the day we made our Taco Bell trip, and came home with large quantities of meat and veg that was on sale. Rather than wait until after Turkey Day to process my haul, I jumped right in on Wednesday.
As a result, I pressure canned five pints of lovely carrots, five pints of rutababa (from ONE vegetable), and four pints of sweet potato (also from ONE huge potato).
I also found large packages of chicken thighs for $1.99 a pound, so each four pound package was around $6. I put up five pints of thighs with Mexican seasoning, and then four more pints with water only. (One pint didn't seal, so it's in the canner with everything from the first photograph when I took this one. These are the same carrots in the first photo, too.)
Just for an idea, one pint of chicken thighs provides enough meat for two people if I make enchiladas, tacos, chicken spaghetti or a casserole. So, the final result of eight pints of chicken thighs (for approximately $12) will provide eight different meals for us - of course, adding side dishes. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty awesome!
This is our canning cupboard in the pantry as of today. We've consumed or shared things out of this prior to this photograph, too!
Top Shelf l-r: Applesauce, two jars of store bought jalapeños that will become Cowboy Candy, salsa, ketchup, Cowboy Candy, stewed tomatoes, dehydrated portabella mushrooms, canned tomatoes.
Second Shelf l-r: Zucchini relish, empty Weck jars to be used soon, canned pears, more Weck jars, assorted jams and jellies.
Third Shelf l-r: Chicken breast, Mexican flavored chicken thighs, plain chicken thighs, turkey, beef roast, and venison roast, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, sweet corn, rutabaga, and beets.
Whew! By the time I was getting close to finished with the canning, Handsome came in wondering what I had planned for dinner. We were both getting hungry! I pulled a jar of venison, and heated it with the broth, sauteed onions and sliced cheddar cheese. I boiled potatoes and mashed them, and steamed peas as a side dish. Within twenty minutes, we were sitting down to dinner while the last batch of vegetables processed in the canner.
The last thing I did before I cleaned up and closed the kitchen for the evening was a gluten-free pie crust in consideration of our daughter-in-law. I put the crust into the fridge to wait until Thanksgiving Day.
I formed the crust, mixed the pumpkin puree' with the spices, etc., and then filled the crust. I popped it into the oven to bake. While the pie baked, I made a caramel pecan mixture to top the pie as soon as it came out of the oven. I haven't done this before, so it was an experiment.
I can tell you our daughter-in-law appreciated the fact that I'd made this gluten-free. She hasn't had pie in ages because she said it's not something she purchases just for herself. She loved this pie, and it actually was a very tasty, flaky crust. I just made the same crust I always use, but substituted the GF flour cup-for-cup. We left what remained of the pie with them when we were ready to come home.
The last thing I prepared for our Thanksgiving dinner was a sweet potato gratin. This was an idea from my sister, Jan. This is made with a roux (also using GF flour), milk, asiago and parmesan cheese. I added salt, white pepper, onion and garlic powder to the cream sauce. Into the oven until everything is baked. This was also a hit, and I'll definitely make it again.
Two images from Thanksgiving Day...daughter-in-law in the kitchen with Grandson (out of frame). This was taken after dinner, and we're sitting down to pie and coffee.
Handsome with #1 Son. Who knows just what world problem they're solving at this moment? I can say, all of us were ready for naps!
Son made a beautiful beef pot roast for dinner. We brought the side dish, and there was fresh bread. It was a truly memorable meal spent with people we love very much.
As I stood in the kitchen, visiting, the usual critters moved through the yard between our son's home and the neighbors. They even stopped to check us out. This is a usual dusk ritual, according to the kids. Isn't that cool?
They went to the back yard, and then turned and went back to the front yard and across the road, where there is a vast marsh.
We finished our dessert and a little more visiting before we packed up to leave. They live about an hour from us, and we needed to get home to air and feed Tag, Bella and Carly. Trust me. By the time we got home, they were ready to get outside!
We had a perfectly wonderful celebration, and every day is a day of gratitude for us. We're so very blessed, and hope that your day was equally filled with all things family and friends.
You know we don't ever leave the house for Black Friday. We'll be doing things here at home today, and for the rest of the weekend. If you're one of the brave ones, be safe out there!
