Thanksgiving Greetings!

So Thanksgiving is only a couple of days away! Can you believe how fast the time flies? While your family is hustling and bustling, we’d like to take a few moments to just take a look at the holiday itself . . . and maybe even offer some delightful recipes for your feast.

 

Thanksgiving is one of those iconic American holidays, one where we travel to spend time with family, where we give thanks and celebrate the bounties in life, and where we feast. It’s around this time that our children spend their last day before the holiday learning about Pilgrims and Indians, and making colorful hand-traced paper turkeys. We all know the legendary beginnings of the Thanksgiving celebration as surely as we know our own birthdays. But let’s go over the history a little bit as we peer past the Macy’s parade, and the cornucopias of leaves and pumpkins.

 

Thanksgiving, as we all know, began with the Pilgrims as they celebrated their first harvest in the early 1600’s. But, unlike our modern version of the event, their Thanksgiving lasted 3 days! Can you imagine cooking for that long? Still, this little event fast became a tradition, and during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress made a habit of appointing several thanksgiving days a year. But the holiday we know today didn’t come about until the Civil War, when President Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day. He chose the final Thursday in November, as the year was drawing to a close.

 

So why is Thanksgiving not on the last Thursday of the month this year? Well, you can thank good old F.D.R. for the change. In 1939, Roosevelt decided to push back the holiday – as that year also had five Thursdays in Thanksgiving, and he wanted a longer holiday spending season. This decision didn’t necessarily go over well, especially when Roosevelt tried his act again the next year – pushing Thanksgiving even farther back, to the third Thursday. Half of the states decided to go against his executive order, while Texas – unable to decide between the traditional date and the new one – took both days as a national holiday (two weeks in a row!)

 

Growing tired of the dispute over which day to celebrate (or maybe simply unwilling to cook huge feasts twice in one month), Congress switched Thanksgiving back to the last Thursday of the month. And then promptly changed their mind and declared Thanksgiving to be on the fourth Thursday of November. Thankfully, it wasn’t changed again.

 

So, now that Thanksgiving is right around the bend, we’re all no doubt looking forward (or not) to the arduous yet rewarding task of preparing Thanksgiving Day dinner. The following are some ideas and recipes that you might find useful for your Turkey Day.

 

 

Bacon-Stuffed Turkey

So what if, no matter what you do, your turkey just doesn’t come out right? What if it’s always dry, despite the fact that you have a basting timer set for every ten minutes? Well, a good solution is to stuff your turkey. With bacon. I know, you might be thinking, “I’ve already got the stuffing, the veggies, the dressing, etc.!” But really, you should consider this tasty twist. It may not be the healthiest variation, but if you’re looking for a fantastic taste (and are already devoted to an after-holidays cleanse), this is the way to go. Plus it’s simple.

 

So, just prepare your turkey like normal, and stuff some bacon in the cavity (uncooked; it will crisp up in the oven). Make sure to poke some holes in the turkey to help further moisturize your bird (this helps the juices that you baste with to really sink in). And then stick your turkey in the oven and wait.

 

 

Berry-Sauce Pork Loin

If you’re looking for a holiday alternative to your normal turkey option (or a backup plan), this is the perfect thing!

 

Ingredients:

Pork Tenderloin

Red wine

Cranberries

Blueberries

Blackberries

Cherries

Minced garlic

Onion Powder

Italian herbs

 

First thing, you’ll want to prepare that Pork Tenderloin. Place it in an oven-safe dish and add a ¼ cup of water. Make holes all over the top of the tenderloin (as many as you can without mincing the meat). Rub the garlic, onion powder, and Italian herbs onto the tenderloin. Pour a liberal amount of red wine (it can be cheap!) over the loin. You’ll want the liquid to go halfway up the side of the meat. Leave to marinate.

 

Pour berries into a small pot (as many as you’d like), add a splash of wine, and enough water to cover all of the berries. Bring the berries to a boil and stir for five minutes. Take the berries down to a simmer. Allow to simmer until berries are soft, stirring occasionally. Take the concoction off heat and let stand for fifteen minutes. Pour over your pork loin and cook at 400 degrees until done.

 

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

 

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup dark corn syrup

1 cup evaporated milk

1 ½ cups chopped pecans

2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup hazelnut liqueur

¼ cup pecan halves

 

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2.     Prepare dough for one 9 inch pie. Refrigerate until ready to bake

3.     Blend together butter, sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt, corn syrup and evaporate milk. Pour filling into crust and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

4.     Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean. Set aside to cool

5.     Beat together whipping cream, sugar, and liqueur until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and pecan halves.

 

Recipe obtained from allrecipes.com

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Pecan-Pie-2/Detail.aspx

 

Enota Mountain Retreat

1000 Hwy 180,  Hiawassee GA 30546

(706) 896- 9966      email: enota@enota.com

official web site:  www.enota.com