The Thanksgiving Manifesto 2009

As usual (this time of year) here at Full Circle Ranch Ma and Pa are gearin' up to do  the Turkey Trot. Big plans are already brewing  for the Thanksgiving Holiday. There's nothing we LOVE better than building traditions into these covenant homecomings and this season is proving to be extra special with the whole gang assembling-- including our latest new family--Henry and Anna Knecht. During the holidays I put together a manifesto (subject to approval) for each particular season, assigning a break down of tasks, food and activities! I thought ya'all might enjoy taking a peak at this year's, although it isn't yet finalized. (Please check back to this post for updates/changes.)

Thanksgiving Manifesto 2009

THURSDAY

The Menu

(asterisk denotes information and/or recipe below)

*****

Appetizers  Variety of Luscious Northwest Cheeses-Caitlin

Main entree *Roast Organic Turkey-Marmie & Papa 

Sides Pennsylvania Dutch Filling-Marmie

Brussel Sprouts w/ Toasted Hazelnut Butter-Christi

*Mashed Potatoes--Mounds of Mashed Potatoes-Marmie

*Creamy Baked Leeks w/ Garlic,Thyme and Parmigiano-Hurleys

Yams-Robertsons

*John Cope's Baked Corn-Marmie

Salads  Claudette's Cranberry Apple Relish-Christi

*Roasted Baby Beet and Orange Salad w/ Champagne Vinaigrette-Marmie

Desserts  *Grandmother Engle's Pumpkin pie

*Custard Tart w/ Wine Poached Cranberries, Old fashioned Apple Pie w/ Crumb Topping, *Caramel Pecan Pie-Anna

Beverages  assortment of our finest Northwest Wines,

*Irish Car Bombs-Matt B., pop/juices, Panna bottled waters-Matt, Marmie 

The Table

namecards Caitlin

centerpiece-Christi

tablesetting-Meredith

*(stencils for children to color on brown butcher paper tablecloth)

The Activities

Feasting

Special reading-Anna

Special entertainment-Back by popular demand:

House-buzzing and fly-by, compliments of those great folks at Tundra Tires! http://www.akbushwheel.com/ (Maybe we can get them to land in the field this year!)

Silhouettes-photography Nathaniel, Jordan, all cut out their silhouettes

Games  Settlers of Catan-Zac and Cait bring extension

Cranium

 Special children's activities-Marmie, Hurley girls

Butter making for Wee Ones

all you need is cream, container with lid and

wee ones with wiggles and jiggles to shake, rattle and roll...butter!

Various children appropriate games

Spades

FRIDAY

breakfast Zac and Cait

lunch  Left overs, everyone for himself!

dinner Terminal Gravity

activities Girls hit Joseph for Black Friday shopping

Video adults- "The Brain in Love"

children-New Wallace and Grommit "Shawn the Sheep"

Games-more of the same!

Saturday

breakfast  Henry and Anna

lunch  Left over, everyone for himself!

dinner  *Dutch Oven Flatbread Pizzas,

pepperoni, sausage, sage and goat cheese,

veggie, plain (each family assembles their own)

Sunday

breakfast Darrell and Christi's home

Everyone off to Church

lunch To be announced

Pack up and say goodbye 'til Christmas!

*****

Recipes and Other Useful Information

Roasted Baby Beet and Orange Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette (serves 6)recipe from the girl and the fig36-40 baby beets

¼ C olive oil
½ C Champagne Vinaigrette
(recipe follows)
3 oranges, segments only (grapefruit works too)
3 fresh tarragon sprigs, leaves only
½ pound watercress, well washed, leaves only (arugala could be substituted)
¼ c fresh Italian parsley, leaves only
salt and pepper
¼ pound hard cheese, such as dry Gouda or Parmesan, thinkly shaved
zes of 1 lemon, grated
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the beets in a roasting pan ad toss with the olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 1 ½ hours Let cool. Peel off the skins and cut the beets into quarters or halves, depending on th size of the beets.
In a large bowl, toss the beets with the vinaigrette, oranges, herbs, and watercress and season with salt and pepper. Serve in a large bowl and garnish with the shaved cheese and lemon zest.
Creamy baked leeks with garlic, thyme, and Parmigiano (serves 8) from Fine cooking
1 t butter
8 medium-large leeks
2 t lightly chopped fresh thyme
1 c heavy cream
2 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
½ c finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the bottom of a shallow 10 x 15 rectangular baking dish with the butter. Sprinkle ¼ t salt over the bottom of the pan. Cut the dark-green portion and all but about 1 inch of the light green off the top of the leeks. Peel away any tough or damaged outer leaves. Trim the ends by cutting the roots but leaving a bit of the base intact to hold the leek together. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Gently wash each half under running water, fanning open the layers to rinse as thoroughly as possible. Pat the leeks dry and then arrange them cut side down in the baking dish. They should all fit snugly, but if they are crowded, turn a few on their sides. Sprinkle the thyme and ¼ t salt over the leeks.
Heat the cream and garlic in a small saucepan over high heat. As soon as the cream comes to a rolling boil (watch carefully and don’t let it boil over), remove the pan the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour the cream and garlic evenly over the leeks. Cover the leeks with a piece of parchment cut to fit inside the pan. Bake the leeks until the thickest ends are tender all the way through when pierced with a paring knife and the cream is almost entirely reduce, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle the leeks with the Parmigiano and salt to taste. Bake just until the cheese melts, and additional 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to serving platter.
Custard tart with wine-poached cranberries
For the crust
7 T chilled butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces more for the pan
¾ C flour
1/3 C toasted silvered almonds
¼ C sugar
½ t salt
1 large egg yolk, chilled
For the filling:
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
½ C sugar
3 T fresh lime juice
3 T dry white wine, preferably Sauvignon Blanc
½ C heavy cream
For the topping:
½ C dry white wine-Sauvignon Blanc
2 T honey
2 T sugar
1 T fresh lime juice
2 ½ C cranberries (maybe a little more to cover tart)
Make the crust:  Butter a 4 x 13 in rectangular fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (may use round). Combine flour, almonds, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until almonds are finely chopped. Add the butter and pulse until the mix resembles coarse meal, about 15 seconds. Add the egg youlk and process until moist clumps form. With lightly floured hands, press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.  Position rack in the center of oven and put rimmed baking sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 357*. Bake the crust on the heated baking sheet until light golden on the bottom and golden-brown on the edges about 14 minutes. Cool completely.
Make Filling:
In a medium pan, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, likme juice and white wine until well blended. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mix bois ad thickens about 3 minutes. Transfer the filling to a medium bowl and let cool until warm. Whisk the cream into the filling and pour the mix into the baked tart shell. Bake at 355 until the filling begins to slightly puff and bubble around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temp.
Make the Topping:
In a medium pan boil the wine, honey, sugar, and lime juice over the medium heat until the mix reduces to a thick syrup and begins to darken slightly 4-5 minutes—about ¼ C. Reduce heat to low, add cranberries and poach gently over low heat until tender or starting to burst skins. Continue boiling til liquid is syrupy about a minute. Randomly place cranberries on top of tart, pressing slightly into the filling. Brush glaze over tart. Let cool cmpltely at room temp for at least 4 hours before serving.


Mother Engle’s Pumpkin Pie
2 eggs, beaten
 1/4 t ginger
1/2 C white sugar
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 C brown sugar
 1 C pumpkin
2 T flour
1 C milk
1 t cinnamon
 1/2 C cream or evaporated milk
3/4 t salt 1 unbaked 9” pie shell
Blend all ingredients together, in blender, in order given. Pour into the pie shell. Bake at 400* for 15 min, then 375* for 35 minutes or until set. Top with freshly made whip cream.

Baked Corn Supreme
Grind contents of John Cope’s dried corn package in a blender or food processor. Add 4 cups cold milk, ½ C heavy cream 3 ½ T melted butter, 2 t salt, 3 T sugar, and 4 well beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly and pour into buttered baking dish. Bake at 375* for 60 minutes
Irish Car Bombs
Can of Guiness and 1 shot of Bailley's Irish Cream. Pour Guiness in a glass and carefully drop shot glass and all into beer.  Drink all at once!

To order dried corn: http://www.zingermans.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!