Today we top off our week with some fun tid-bits. The first week we looked at Thanksgiving Appetizers, because we were just starting out. Last week we dove into the Main Meal, because we had been getting into the meat and potatoes of the study! This week is like the cherry on top as we celebrate being Made New in Christ... what is sweeter than dessert?!
By the way, before I get started, just wanted to let you know I posted in Menu Monday this week about setting up a holiday Menu. Next week's Menu Monday will dive even deeper on the topic. Check them out if you are interested!
Onto our delicious desserts...
Perfect Pie Crust
I'm not going to bore you with ANOTHER pumpkin pie recipe. There are tons.
I do the standard. I can share everyone's favorite pie crust recipe
though. Something which stands out among all the others and begs people
to ask how you did it... while you simply smile and assure them in their unbelief that it was so easy your 2 year old could figure it out!
2 cups flour (I use regular white or all purpose)
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup lard or shortening
7 Tbsp cold water
Wooden (or other) spoon
pastry blender or a large fork
rolling pin
additional flour for dusting surface to roll on
Medium-large metal or glass bowl
I use a large metal bowl because I am messy and my mix will get EVERYWHERE if I don't! In your bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the lard/shortening until mixture resembles crumbs. Add water and stir with spoon. Set spoon aside and use hands to lightly kneed in the remaining crumbs in the bowl (this does not need to be a technical kneed... just simply making sure all ingredients are combined)
Divide dough in half. Form dough halves into a disk. From here you can either wrap in wax paper and Ziploc to store in the fridge or freezer for use... or... roll disks according to needed crust for pie recipes. For extra flavor you can put a quick dash of nutmeg into the flour mixture before cutting in the lard OR a small splash of vanilla into the water before adding it in. This recipe is pretty forgiving, so don't stress! Even when I need a single crust I will make a two-crust batch and freeze the extra. (Consequently, this is the same recipe I use in Pot Pie!)
*Pie Crust baking tips
- When possible, pre-bake pie crust about 5 minutes, it helps avoid soggy bottoms!
- To avoid burnt pie crust edges, tear off thin strips of foil (1-2" wide) and cover the pie crust edges before baking.
Cranberry Apple Pie
While we are on the subject of pie, I have to share a phenomenal recipe I found online at the Family Fun website a few years ago. I'm glad I printed it then because I can't find it's duplicate now! I have, of course, made a few modifications to fit us. Just in case you are snubbing your nose at "cranberry" in the title, I also have to confess that I do NOT rush to the cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving buffet... ever. However, I have found that I love whole cranberries in Cranberry Bread, Festive Cranberry Pineapple Salad (which appeared in every other magazine I got back in the early 2000s) and Cranberry Scones... along with this recipe. It is reminiscent of a rhubarb pie but not as tart, much softer on the pallet.
What you need:
PIE
1 Pie crust
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, chopped to desired pie size (I make approx 1"x1/8" slices)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (whole berries like you get in produce section)
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 Tbsp cold butter (I use margarine)
Preheat oven to 400. Roll out pie crust and place in your pie pan so it comes to the lip of the pie pan. You can do a decorative edge if you like.
Combine all pie ingredients and pour into crust filled pie pan.. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients of the crumb topping and cut in the butter using a large fork or pastry blender (I usually do this in the same bowl I used for the pie fillings).
Remove pie from oven, reduce temperature to 375 and sprinkle the crumb topping over top. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until top is golden and the juice seem to be thickening and bubbling around edges.
The pie is best when it has sat for a couple hours before serving. You might want to make 2.... it will go fast!
Turkey Cookies
Back in the early 2000s I was addicted to homemaking and family magazines. I think Kraft was trying to boost marketing and put out a FREE magazine every few months with awesome recipes which were quick, budget friendly, and easy to follow. One recipe we latched onto was called Chocolate Holiday Bears and turned out to be a substitute for Gingerbread boys... I can't have gingerbread, I think I am allergic... seriously (I'm weird like that). I saw the cute bears and instead thought "Turkeys!" The rest is history! We make these every year now, share them with friends and neighbors and I even make extra dough for the freezer so I am ready for Gingerbread boys at Christmas! I only regret I don't have a finished product picture to show you.
What you need:
3/4 cup butter, softened (I use margarine)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 pkg (4 serving size) chocolate dry instant pudding mix
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For decorating:
3 sq Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate (I use chocolate chips when I don't have it)
Decorations such as small candies, sprinkles, candy corn, coconut, slivered almonds, etc. (we tried marshmallows one year but they got hard and weren't very good)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat butter, sugar, pudding mix and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Combine remaining dry ingredients and gradually add to the wet ingredients. Form into a disk and refrigerate for up to an hour.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters. We use turkeys, leaves, acorns and sometimes even pumpkins when little ones are in charge! Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until slightly firm. When done, remove from pan and cool on rack.
Melt chocolate in microwave dish or double broiler (Micro on medium for 2 min). Spread chocolate over desired area of cookie and add decorations or serve plane. We usually spread the chocolate on the "feathers" at the back end of our turkeys, the "tops" of our acorns or over the entirety of our leaves. I like to use a toothpick to trace the 'veins' of the leaves in the chocolate, giving them a more three-dimensional look.
This recipe will make quite a bit as you roll, combine scraps, and re-roll. Don't double unless you expect to share with a lot of people or freeze half the dough for Christmastime.
*****
Our craft this week was inspired by an old, long-ago, public school project my oldest (now 21) did in early elementary. We have done it every year now as a family for as long as I can remember and no matter how old my kids get, they still look forward to it... as do hubby and I!
Turkey in Disguise
(also known as SAVE THE TURKEYS!)
What you need:
Imagination!!
Turkey template (below) printed on card stock
Whatever arts and crafts odds and ends you have on hand
Construction paper
Glue (school glue for bigger objects, glue stick for paper-to-paper)
Tape
Imagination (did I mention that yet?)
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| (click on image to access printable PDF of template) |
ANYTHING goes with this project, as you will see below. The idea is to help the turkey put on a disguise so he won't be recognized and, therefore, eaten at Thanksgiving! One year, I cut a wagon wheel out of construction paper and glued it on mine, hubby used an old iPad cover and turned his into an iPad. Brenden once made his a trash can using construction paper for the can and actual wrappers and "garbage" glued on! The sky is the limit....
(last year's disguises)
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| Brenden disguised his turkey as Dustfinger having been inspired by reading Inkheart at the time. |
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| Ashley was reading (and then watching) Left Behind (with Kirk Cameron). Surely no one will cook good ole Buck?! |
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| Brooke was thoroughly inspired after just attending her first live concert and meeting Brandon Heath. No turning back on this one! (one hand holds a ticket, the other a pen for signing with - he had signed her ticket for her) |
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| Hubby has quite the eye for detail (and disguise) as well. His theory: if you think it's skunk surely you won't hunt it for Thanksgiving dinner!! |
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| Just in case anyone wondered, I had to make it clear: NO turkeys here, try looking elsewhere!! |
Usually we display our disguised foul on a door in a central area of the house. One year I set up an entire scape along an elongated bulletin board we had in the hallway to our central bathroom. (one of the turkeys was dressed as Santa that year and one was a bush!!) I don't recommend hanging on the window if you live in colder climates. The moister that gathers on windows may ruin the paper.
Have elementary age kiddos?
Check out this book. It is a great supplement to this activity AND one of our all time faves. We used to read it every Thanksgiving Eve (click on image to find it at Amazon)...
Speaking of Thanksgiving books, have you seen this one? It ties with 'Twas the Night as a family favorite. The pictures are captivating and the story puts a whole new spin on a classic song sung by children through the ages at this time of year. (click on image to find it at Amazon)...
What your family favorite dessert and activities for Thanksgiving?
Blessing,
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