Friendsgiving
We ate turkey, played charades, and laughed.
It was a great night.
Menu:
Apple Cider Glazed Spatchcock Turkey
Classic Mashed Potatoes
Roux Gravy
Sage Dressing
Roasted Spiced Vegetables
Cassidy’s Green Beans
Cranberry Ginger Sauce
Rolls served with Garlic and Herb Compound Butter
Spakling Cranberries
All Natural Pumpkin Pie
Recipes:
Apple Cider Glazed Butterflied Turkey 
This was my first time roasting a turkey. I decided to go for a butterflied turkey, and did the butterflying myself. I watched several youtube videos about how to do it, and eventually pulled it off, with a lot of cuss words and several pairs of uncomplying kitchen sheers. The result was a beautifully roasted turkey, and I’m so proud to have pulled it off.
Here’s a link if anyone wants to take on this project: Spatchcock Turkey
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
The good part about making mashed potatoes in the slow cooker is that you barely need to tend to them, and they will stay warm, and already in a serving dish for mealtime.
5 lbs of potatoes, washed
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 stick of salted butter
–
milk, butter, sour cream.
quarter the potatoes, and place in the slow cooker. Add the vegetable stock and butter. Cook on high for 5 hours. Add milk, butter, or sour cream once cooked and switch to warm setting until ready to serve.
Roux Gravy
There are two groups of gravy makers. One uses cornstarch, the other flour. Cornstarch makes a clear gravy, and flour/roux gravy is opaque. I used The Kitchn’s recipe, and it turned out perfectly.
(tweak: I added 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to mimic the flavor of white wine gravy. It was delicious)
Roasted Spiced Vegetables
No matter what the occasion, I can not get away from roasted vegetables. I love them too much. This is less of a recipe, and more of a dump on the tray and stick in the oven, but here’s what I used.
Spice oil: Olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic salt.
Vegetables: Carrots, onions, yams, sweet potatoes, cranberries.
Roast at 400 degrees for 40ish minutes, flipping occasionally.
Lemon Ginger Cranberry Sauce
I love cranberry sauce. I make it as soon as the leaves turn, and the wind starts blowing colder. This recipe was my second big batch this season. The key to a really good sauce is apple cider, or fresh apple juice.
I make the whole recipe in the crockpot, and it couldn’t not be any easier, or make the house smell any more delicious!
1 1/2 bags fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cup apple cider/juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 inch fresh ginger root (peeled)
juice of one lemon
Large piece of lemon rind
mix all of the ingredients into a slow cooker and set on high for 4 hours. Stir after 4 hours and check consistency, keep cooking for a thicker sauce.
101 cookbook’s recipe is perfect and made the tops of my pumpkin pies look frosted. A guest even asked if they were frozen.
All Natural Pumpkin Pie
I refuse to use canned milk, the creepy ingredients and their health effects really bother me. Luckily, I’ve found it’s easy to make pumpkin pie without it.
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/5 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 can of pumpkin pie
3/4 cup milk
Beat eggs, milk and pumpkin pie. Add sugar, spices, vanilla and stir well to incorporate.
Preheat oven to 420degrees, bake for 20 minutes, turn down heat to 350degrees and bake until knife runs clear, about 40 minutes.
Here are a few more photos of the night, have a good thanksgiving!!
