Thanksgiving menu Archives - Good Food St. Louis

Actually, we had only 37 people at the farm for Thanksgiving, (but the number 40 made the meter of the title sound better :-)) We only had 4 dogs on Thanksgiving Day; 6 the night before. They were all well behaved (I just needed something to rhyme with dining in the title.) And, fortunately, for such gatherings, I have 2 ovens, though one is miscalibrated and has to be watched over

Below is a 25-slide remembrance of the day. (Slide mouse from right side to left to view)

Welcome to Dry Fork Farms
Austin and Robin put the final touches on the organic, heritage turkeys
Stuffing the birds
Robin and Andrew prepare the Garlic Cheese Grits
Addie patiently gives me instruction on making turkey cookies from Oreos and candy corn
Austin chops parsley for Carrots Persillade
Andrew puts the finishing touches on his first ever cobbler
Corn quiche and Texas-style chili was pre-Thanksgiving treat from Austin, Andrew and Jacci
A happy guy with a cherry cobbler
The beginning of homemade applesauce
Andrew turns the cooked apples into sauce.
Everyone’s in the kitchen on Thanksgiving week. Bella in kitchen
My granddog, Mochi, watches politely
My youngest granddog, Scout.
Harper and pooch
Lucy with Frankie
Russ prepares Brussel sprouts aplenty as Andrew and Deb look on approvingly.
Using a ricer makes for fluffy potatoes
It takes two to carve
With the addition of some parsley and orange slices this made an attractive platter
A Southern, buffet-style Thanksgiving
Lisa’s Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream from The NYT
Lisa, her sister, Tina, and Addie design these cookies for special occasions.
You caught me getting a second dessert
The clean up
Debra makes turkey soup from the bones
Ahh . . . the aroma alone is therapeutic
End of a full and happy day

A Covid Thanksgiving

I’ve come to a painful conclusion. In the interest of putting this plague behind us, I’m willing to wear a mask, social distance, and forgo my usual Thanksgiving. Yes, this year the Carnahan family’s holiday gathering held each November for the last 60-some years is cancelled or, at least, greatly modified.

Thanksgiving Past

Hitching up our team of Belgian draft horses was part of the Thanksgiving afternoon activities years ago. Nine people in this 1980s photo are no longer with us, nor are the animals. And the farm house burned in 2001. In foreground: Robin, Russ and Deb and their Newfoundland, Brigus; Mel and I (green sweater) on far right; Randy managing the horses; and Tom in yellow shirt. (Bonus points to any family member who can name the most people in this photo—including dog and horses.)

Keep the Meaning of Thanksgiving

In recent years, our holiday numbers have grown to 30-40 family members and friends. I only eat turkey and dressing once a year, a meal I find all the more satisfying when shared. But this Thanksgiving it looks like there will be six of us—just those in my immediate bubble.

Alternatives

I earlier told my family that I’d just send each of them a Swanson turkey dinner and plan a Zoom call later in the day. They didn’t find that idea nearly as amusing as I did.

I noticed some restaurants and food delivery services are offering Thanksgiving meals. Great idea.

Turkey wrestling on Thanksgiving morning—once upon a time.

My Current Plan

As of now, I think I’ll just stuff and cook a small turkey, since that’s the part of the meal I enjoy most. As for the sides, Melissa Clark’s New York Times recipe for Roasted Potatoes in Duck Fat caught my eye. But I’ll likely stick with mashed potatoes, so the gravy has a place to puddle. Hmm. . . I may need some cheese grits or a scalloped corn casserole. JC likes those. And a little cranberry sauce for added color and tang.

Stick to the Favorites

In the interest of the food pyramid, I suppose I should have a green vegetable. I’m not sure a souped-up green bean casserole counts. Perhaps Brussels sprouts. Russ and Deb turn out a tasty roasted version. A pumpkin, cherry, or apple pie to round out the meal would be nice. Maybe Robin will bake one for us.

Whee! I’ve got my Thanksgiving planned! That was sure a lot easier than last year. 🙂

Whatever You Do, Remember This . . .

I suspect some of your Thanksgiving plans are awkward, too. But even in harsh times, we can still be thankful for the many blessings of life and liberty. There’s an old, Baptist hymn that goes, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one.” Not a bad idea during these wearisome and Covid-depressing times”