Preparing for Thanksgiving

Most of you are busy preparing for Thanksgiving, either traveling or cooking or both.  I'm cooking first then traveling (again). 

I started the morning with a cup of coffee on the river though and watched this beauty (I thinks it is a heron) stroll across the river's edge.

Then the Thanksgiving cooking began. We all gather at my dad's place annually (on the other side of the state) and bring family favorite traditions.  So here are mine, in a "ready for transport" state for final assembly tomorrow. 

I make Tourtière (meat pie) and Stuffed Pumpkin.  Both have the same meat filling which is a combination of ground beef, pork and turkey, cooked with some onions, spiced with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, salt and pepper, and a little breadcrumbs.  Some of the mixture is put into a pie crust and baked like a pie. 

Some of the mixture is baked in a pumpkin (with the lid on) and cooked in a crockpot or in the oven on low overnight.

The long, slow baking caused all the flavors to mingle and is an absolutely delicious side dish.  A family favorite.

Then there is my mother's cranberry relish (I took on the role of preparing it after she passed on).  Another family favorite...chopped cranberries (use a food chopper/processor), mixed with mandarin oranges, some orange juice concentrate (not mixed with water) and then a little more orange juice, sugar (not a lot, but enough to sweeten slightly, you want to maintain the cranberry tang) and a splash of Grand Marnier. 

Then there is mashed rutabaga, and these are from our Log Cabin garden!  Not everyone's favorite, but for a few of us, Thanksgiving would not be the same without it!

And yes, I roast the pumpkin seeds...

Now we have everything packed up and are heading out, excited to seeing the family!  And you know it, I have my Christmas CD's with me...woo hoo for Christmas music.

Safe travels everyone, and may you enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise