THANKSGIVING 2011

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RHUBARB APPLE CRANBERRY PIE

This pie is one of my family's favorites!  It combines the wonderful colors of Autumn with the slightly sweet and slightly tart taste of all these favorite fall fruits.  This pie is a fantastic finale to a hearty Autumn dinner of comfort foods, family, friends, and fun. It is served warm and topped with whipped cream, ice cream, or my Dad's favorite, a big hunk of sharp cheddar cheese.  Yummy!


Here's how to make it.


Start with a bunch of fresh rhubarb; wash it thoroughly and slice into 1" rounds.  If you can't find 

fresh, you can substitute 1 bag frozen rhubarb, defrosted and squeezed dry. Be sure to squeeze it to get rid of some of the water or your pie will be soupy...not yummy!  Now toss the rhubarb with:

 -6 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

 -½ bag of dried cranberries – plain, not flavored

Spread your fruit evenly in the bottom of your pie plate that already has your bottom crust in place.

Now mix the following:

 -½ cup of brown sugar

 -½ cup of white sugar

 -¼ tsp. cinnamon

 -1/8 tsp. allspice

 -1/8 tsp. nutmeg

 -pinch of salt

Sprinkle this mixture evenly all over the fruit.  Next, dot the top of the pie filling with several dabs of butter.  You may also want to add a small sprinkle of lemon juice.  Be careful though, rhubarb is already quite tart.

Now add your top crust.  I like to decorate mine by cutting out small leaf and acorn shapes.  Brush the crust with heavy cream or a beaten egg.  This will make the pie crust golden and gleaming.

Bake it in the oven at about 400 degrees.  Watch it carefully to make sure the edges don't get too brown.  If they seem to be getting too dark, cover the edge with aluminum foil.

Serve warm if possible, but it is also good served at room temperature.

AUTUMN COMES TO FOX HOLLOW

Another free photo slideshow by Smilebox

I want to use this blog to share holiday traditions with all of you. I have family and friends from New York to New Mexico. The holidays always put me in the mood to celebrate. I cook a big turkey and we all sit around the table together talking, laughing, and eating too much!

Each family probably has its own way to celebrate Thanksgiving. I want to hear about yours. I hope that all of you will write about your family's traditions, menus, recipes, and stories. This will be a great way to feel connected, even though we don't sit around the same table.


Here is an idea of what we normally have on the table at my house.

MENU
Roast turkey with stuffing and gravy
Mashed potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Roasted butternut squash
Mashed rutabaga (turnip)
Brussel sprouts or lima beans
Sweet potato muffins
Apple pie and pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Tell me about your menu. What foods does your family count on as part of the Thanksgiving Feast? My family watches football after dinner. What does your family do on Thanksgiving day?
The slideshow above shows some pictures of the table at my house. All the plates are empty just waiting for us to fill them up with turkey and all the other holiday foods we eat. Yummo!