It’s almost here! Whatever you are doing for Thanksgiving, I hope you will have a wonderful time and will make time to truly be thankful for all of your blessings.
Here are a few tips from A Southern Life for Thanksgiving:
1. Make as much as you can ahead of time. It will save you a lot of time on the big day. Use that time to enjoy your friends and family. If you are on your own on Thanksgiving – treat yourself to something special!
2. Set a beautiful table. It takes little effort and is a delight to the eyes. Don’t know how? Here are the basics:
For a basic setting with a knife, a fork and a spoon: The knife and spoon go on the right side of the plate. The knife is next to the plate with the blade facing the plate. The spoon is to the right of the knife. The fork goes to the left of the plate and the napkin to the left of the fork. The glass goes on the right side of the plate at the top, near the tip of the knife.
All those other forks and plates and glasses, etc. Come back Wednesday night for more on that. Oh, and by the way, the plate and utensils should be about an inch from the edge of the table. You don’t need a ruler, just use your thumb! Measure the distance from the tip of your thumb to the thumb knuckle. That is usually about an inch and it is a ruler you always have with you!
3. Light some candles. Instant ambiance!
4. Take time to savor the moment and see your blessings. I’ll never forget Thanksgiving 1992. My father was very ill with cancer. I remember on the Friday after Thanksgiving, we were all in my parents living room. We had a football game on TV (Oklahoma vs. Nebraska) and a fire in the fireplace.
I remember watching my dad. He was looking around the room. His gaze lingered on each person in the room as we watched the game or visited or played a game. With each gaze, he would smile as if recalling a good memory. I remember at the time thinking that he was “memorizing” everyone in the room. He died early the next morning.
What I learned from that: Look around at your family and friends. Remember the good things and savor them.
Today’s Lagniappe: Andouille Bread Pudding
This recipe is from one of my Emeril Lagasse cookbooks and can also be found at emerils.com. I have made this for Thanksgiving in the past and it is a big hit. Something different for your holiday menu. Andouille is a spicy smoked pork sausage.
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound andouille sausage, chopped
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups milk
- 8 ounces grated white Cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions (green part only)
- 8 cups 1-inch cubes white bread
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with the butter.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Combine the eggs, cream, and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend well. Fold in the sausage mixture, cheese, and green onions. Add the bread cubes, pushing them into the sausage mixture.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
It’s a three-for Tuesday! Join these great blogs for more recipes and great ideas.
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
Leave a Reply