Posts Tagged ‘thanksgiving’

As I type this, I keep hearing “The Final Countdown” by Europe in my head, which thanks to Arrested Development, plays mentally whenever something epic is happening in my life.

Thanksgiving is like the Superbowl of any home cook. We lay it all on the line. We  usually cook for more than we’re used to. A wider array of palates. Kids are involved. Adults are involved. You have to write timelines. Utilize every inch of kitchen space. Work together.  It’s like a marathon of cooking and I go at it headfirst.

This Thanksgiving was the same, yet different. The past few years I’ve been responsible for the turkey and a few sides, collaborating and cooking with my mom. But this time around my sister DeAnna and I (the cooks of the family) took the reins, cooking for our family, plus her in-laws, at her house. We divvied up dishes and responsibilities, and I took on the stuffing because frankly, I could just have that for Thanksgiving and be happy.

I’ve had this recipe saved for over 2 years, just waiting for the chance to make it. I love and adore my mom’s stuffing, but it’s very traditional and I’ve been dying to make something a little different. I knew this could be it – just a slight twist on the classic flavors with a few interesting additions. You’ve got bread and celery and stock, but you’ve also got leeks (my addition), bacon, and cashews. When I saw this on Smitten Kitchen I loved it for it’s onion-receptacle (which I ended up nixing for its fussiness), but really wanted to pursue it for its flavor profiles. And thankfully, I did. The cashews add such an awesome salty, layered flavor and texture, and seriously, leeks and bacon have never been bad before, and they’re definitely not bad here.

I also included the recipe for pink fluff, a Jones family tradition we have both on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s like white trash Bavarian Strawberry Cream with Jell-O and Cool Whip instead of gelatin and cream – a recipe from my mom’s step-dad we all indulge in every year.

So Happy Thanksgiving to all, enjoy the (enormous) amount of photos below and the holiday!