Thanksgiving Feast

What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods? I have spent every Thanksgiving with my parents, usually at their home. We always have a traditional dinner of turkey, bread dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams (with marshmallows, of course), green salad, bread, jello salad, sparkling cider, and pies--pumpkin, apple, and/or (chocolate) pecan.

I am always in charge of the 'jello salad.' While I'm actually not all that fond of traditional jello salad, our recipe is a bit more like a cold, fruity mousse. And it is delicious. I have had more requests for this recipe than anything else I have made. My family is so fond of Orange Cream Souffle, we have it for every holiday. I make the original orange version for Thanksgiving, lime for Christmas, and lemon for Easter. Raspberry is delicious for July 4th. Try it. You'll like it!

Orange Cream Souffle

6 oz pkg orange jello (or lime, lemon, raspberry...)
2 cups boiling water
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 small container of whipped topping or 2 cups whipped cream

Dissolve jello in boiling water. In separate bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar--mix until well blended. Gradually add jello, cold water, and orange juice. Chill until slightly thickened. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into serving bowl. Chill. (I always make this the day ahead of an event.)

And then there is the bread. I'm a bread addict. I can eat an entire loaf by myself. But no bread compares to Swedish Limpa, especially in the fall. It is dense, dark, rustic, and slightly sweet. It makes incredible leftover turkey sandwiches... which makes it a must on the Thanksgiving menu. I am sure there are numerous limpa recipes floating around, but here is the one I follow:

Swedish Limpa

Cook 1 medium potato. Mash and use cooking water, adding enough liquid (water or milk) to make 1 quart. Add 1 cup dark corn syrup (part molasses), 2 Tablespoons melted shortening, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon salt, juice and zest of 1 orange, 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed, 2 Tablespoons yeast (I proof the yeast first in a cup of warm water), 2-4 cups whole wheat (or rye) flour, and about 7-10 cups white flour. Knead until smooth. Let rise in greased bowl until double. Punch down and form 4-5 round loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise again until double. Bake 45 minutes-1 hour in 350 degree oven. Place on cooling rack. Cover tops with melted butter. (I just take a stick of butter and rub it over the hot bread.)

I usually freeze one or two of the loaves for our St. Lucia celebration on December 13th. More about that later...


Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast!

Thanksgiving
(Old Rhyme)

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest is all gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain.
So open wide the doorway--
Thanksgiving comes again!