There’s no way around it: this Thanksgiving is different for a lot of us this year. Due to the economic crisis, some far-flung families can’t afford to get together. Others can’t swing the traditional feast and they’re dialing it back.
Other families have lost people over the years, whether to Covid or another cause, and there are heart-breakingly empty seats at the dinner table. Still others simply have nobody to share the day with for any of a number of reasons.
Because of this, I thought we could do a little online OP Friendsgiving. We have such a lovely community of people here from so many different backgrounds. The conversations are enlightening and ever-interesting. Why not “get together?” here?
I realize this isn’t a substitute for truly being with the people you love, but I hope it helps the day go by a little more easily, just knowing that someone out here cares about you. We’ll be keeping this post front and center on Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day.
I’m going to post a bit about our Thanksgiving and a couple of recipes to get things started, and the things I’m grateful for this year. Please take a moment in the comments to do the same if you feel so moved. And let other commenters know that they’re not alone.
Here’s what we’re eating.
Prices were high this year, so my family and I decided to do a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. I’m making all sorts of tasty Mexican dishes and a lot of it actually is coming right from my pantry. Here’s the menu:
- Piccadillo enchiladas
- Green chile and tomatillo chicken
- Rice
- Refried beans
- Fresh-made salsa
- Veggies and dip
For dessert we’re going with:
- Baked apples
- Bunuelos
- Churros
- Vanilla ice cream
It’s not the traditional turkey and stuffing and pie, but it’s sure to be delicious and greatly enjoyed. Also BONUS – nearly everything was made ahead of time and just needed to be popped into the oven.
Update: Here’s our feast:
Picadillo Enchiladas
Please remember I’m terrible at measuring and tend to cook by “feel” more than by recipe. But the instructions below should give you enough to go on. Feel free to tweak this recipe to fit your own likes and dislikes.
When I lived in Mexico, I was kind of surprised that the only canned veggies I could easily find were mixed vegetables and corn. Once I tried picadillo, I completely understood why they liked canned mixed veggies so much. A friend there brought me some picadillo stew when I had Covid and I unlocked the world of picadillo. Leftover stew or a version with just a bit of tomato sauce instead of a giant can of tomatoes and broth is used to stuff burritos, enchiladas and just as a one-dish meal.
Maria never gave me a specific recipe, but this is how she showed me to make it. It seems like a ton of work but it’s really not bad at all.
Picadillo Ingredients:
- 1-2 pounds of ground beef
- 2 cans of mixed veggies (the kind with potatoes)
- 1 can of black beans
- Finely minced garlic
- 1/2 an onion, minced
- Cumin, chili powder, salt, seasoning salt, and oregano to taste
- 1 small can of tomato sauce
Directions:
- In a large skillet, fry up your ground beef, garlic, and onion until the meat is cooked through. I prefer to get it a little bit brown because I like the texture better. When it’s almost done, season it with cumin, chili powder, and salt.
- While the meat is cooking, drain two cans of mixed veggies. I usually sit a sieve in a bowl for this.
- Remove the cooked meat mixture from your skillet and immediately put in your mixed veggies. Stir them up in the beef drippings. (I never said this was healthy, right?)
- Fry the veggies for about 10 minutes until they’re nicely browned. Season them with salt and oregano.
- When the veggies are done, stir in your meat mixture and your tomato sauce. Remove it from the heat and let it sit while you work on your enchilada sauce.
Enchilada sauce ingredients:
I always keep canned enchilada sauce in my preps. It’s a tasty and flavorful way to cook up ordinary food and add some zip to it. So, while I do know how to make it from scratch and you’re welcome to do so, this recipe uses a canned sauce.
- 1 large can of red enchilada sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1/2 cup of sour cream (if you were cooking this solely from the pantry, you could use some dry milk powder instead, but in good times the sour cream is very worthwhile)
Directions:
- You can cook this and thicken it and play around with it but I’ve found that merely stirring it up together with a whisk is quite sufficient.
- The sugar: you may be wondering why there’s sugar in this. Sometimes canned enchilada sauce is a wee bit bitter. The sugar offsets this. You can also use baking soda, apparently, but I’ve never tried that.
Making the enchiladas:
- You’ll need 1-2 bags of large flour tortillas for this dish, and I generally use a cake pan.
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Add a splash of your enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of your pan. This will prevent your enchiladas from sticking.
- Place a tortilla in the palm of your hand to form sort of a “bowl.” Scoop two serving spoons of filling into your tortilla.
- Fold the end of the tortilla up to keep your filling inside, then roll it up as tightly as you can, making it sort of like a burrito. Add it, seam side down, to your baking dish.
- Roll up all your enchiladas and stuff ’em into the pan as tightly as you can get them.
- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then cover your baking dish with foil. I like to tent the foil so it doesn’t touch the top of my enchiladas.
- Put the baking dish on a cookie sheet – it WILL bubble over and this will save you a mess in your oven.
- Pop it into the oven for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and put it back in for another 10 until the top is bubbly and slightly browned.
If you want, you can add some cheese to the top at the very end, but I promise, it’s super delicious without it.
Aden contributed a Thanksgiving poem for preppers.
Aden wrote the most beautiful poem that I have to share with you. As a prepper, it will really hit home. It’s called Comparison, The Thief of Joy. He’s so creative.
What I’m grateful for this year
This has been a personally difficult year. We’ve lost a couple of loved ones and that’s always hard. But, eventually, you get back to living and things start looking up.
I’m incredibly grateful for my family. My girls and I have such a beautiful relationship and it’s a priceless treasure. The fact that they are adults (22 and 27) and they still want to talk to their mom nearly every day just brings a glow to my heart every time I hear the phone ring.
My sweet dog Thor is nearing the end of his days, but he is loyal, loving, and a dear friend. I would have been lost without him after our other dog passed away.
I have very few friends. But the ones I do have…holy cow. They’re just incredible. They’re so supportive, so loving, and so encouraging. It seems like no matter what I’m dealing with or how “crazy” my latest idea sounds, they are there with suggestions, love, and cheerleading. They even tolerate my quirky need for solitude with unrelenting affection. They’ve got my back every step of the way. Y’all know who you are!
I have the most amazing readers in the Bloggerdom. My work is such a privilege. I know everybody says this but I really never expected to be a blogger with lots of readers. The fact that I’ve gotten to know such a wonderful, supportive, and caring community through the work that I do is a gift that constantly amazes me. I’m going into my 11th year of blogging on The OP and I feel endless gratitude that you all help me do what I love every single day. I always wanted to write, and your visits to my website make that possible. How could I get any luckier than this? You guys mean the world to me.
I know I should probably have some material things to list here, but honestly, it’s the ones I love who make the list for me.
What about you?
What’s a dish that you make every Thanksgiving without fail? Would you share the recipe with us in the comments? Is there a story behind the recipe? If so please tell us!
What are you grateful for this year? What makes your heart sing? Let’s talk about it.
And if you are struggling, tell us. Hopefully, a burden shared is a lighter burden.
That being said, we here at the OP love our readers and we’re so glad that we can provide information and entertainment to you.
What a cool idea! We’re doing a turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings so I can’t share a recipe right now but I’m coming back later to see what everyone else is doing.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
I have so much to be grateful for! I’m not sure if I’m eating steak or going out (outside seems a lot like work right now) but either way I will eat, and that’s more than many can say. I have an income and a safe place to be, which is also more than many can say. My friends are few but true and I have the love of cats. It’s been a difficult year for me as well but I still have much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
OH I live alone. My dog of 14 had lost her ability to control her waste front and rear. She would stand up but before she could get to the door, she would have her accidents and it became to much for me. Plus, she has a cyst that needed to be removed as well as bladder stones. SO being as I am older and live on my Social Security, I could not afford to get it all done and care for her. Our local humane society is a NO KILL shelter. They do not euthanize the animals. I donated her to them. They will treat her. They have a Vet and the donations of the people in my town that support the shelter will pay for the surgery and then she will be adopted out to a family or a single person that is willing to give her a good home and that is my prayer. I have a roof over my head. I own my own camper and lived in it for 11 yrs. I have sufficient food and the church even delivered me a turkey dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie today around noon. I just had it for dinner. I am happy/contented with what I have and thank GOD for it. I am humble and grateful. Thankful for a few good long-term friends and every day is special. Also, happy that Daisy has her blog here for me to read, especially the comments. Blessings to everyone here. I will be 75 in February…My mind thankfully is still 44, so that is a real blessing hahaha…
Whelp, we did Friendsgiving last week.
Seeing as how most will be having turkey and the traditional food that goes along with it, we opted for a seafood theme.
Shrimp bisque
Crab dip
Lobster Mac&Cheese
Our Canadian friend made escargots.
Wife made a corned beef bead boat dip.
Desert was a lemon pound cake and strawberry rhubarb pie.
Of course it was all very good, and waaayyyyy too much!
Next year . . . Mexican? Italian? Japanese? Irish?
Let’s hope and pray with things going now the way they are that we have life next year and any food at all to eat. Let’s hope that this year we just counted our blessings and did some good will to others. Happy Thanksgiving…
Daisy, Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your commenters! It is a beautiful day here in northeast PA. Blue sky, warm sunshine and mild temps. I am blessed with family, friends, health, employment, and I thank the Lord each and every day for that. I pray for those who are ill or in need or alone. With all the daily crap shoved in our faces, it’s easy to lose track of what’s really important. Enjoy this day, and every day.
Lakeside Joe, thanks for remembering the ones who are ALONE, that was me…I appreciate that. So many forget. My mind is young at 44 but my age is 74 and I’ll be 75 in February…I got my meal today when it was brought to me from a local church. I just ate it not long ago. Still have a slice of pumpkin pie and my neighbor made me 3 of her special recipe thanksgiving cookies, they look like a smore’s but are made with gingerbread and some yummy icing inside. Happy turkey day to you up in beautiful Pa. I love the trees up there, the countryside in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Went to Lancaster, Harrisburg, saw Hershey Park. Visited the country where the farmers live with the horses and buggies, the Amish people. Some nice country there but to cold for me in the winter. I live in the mountains of N.C. and it’s pretty here too but I don’t want to be any colder. Take care.
I also learned to make picadillo when I lived in Mexico: it was taken to Spain by the Muslims when they conquered Spain and ruled it for centuries. The version I learned used a cut-up apple, raisins, and walnuts: fruit in main dishes has always been common in Middle Eastern dishes, and delicious. Walnuts in Mexico are called nuez de Castilla, the nut of Castille, Spain. Just plain nuez is pecan. Also a cup of sliced olives and the addition if vinegar to make it sweet-sour. Ropa vieja is another frugal Mexican dish which uses vinegar, which I love, and shredded beef which resembles ragged clothing.
Happy Thanksgiving, Daisy. This is my first Thanksgiving without my parents, so it’s kind of a tough one, but I am keeping busy by preparing for a little vacation out of town. I am grateful that Mom and Dad are no longer suffering. But I have a lot of other reasons to be grateful, including my siblings and friends!
As for recipes, our standby for many years has been Celery Casserole. The recipe is from our cousin’s wife, and of course I can’t find it right now… but basically it’s similar to green bean casserole, with the substitution of blanched sliced celery, pimento and water chestnuts, and stuffing crumbs on top instead of French fried onions. It has a fresh taste that green bean casserole doesn’t have, and we all love it. (Although I never turn down green bean casserole, either.)
Happy and safe holidays to all.
Alice,
I have to admit, green bean casserole is a guilty pleasure, much to my wife’s chagrin.
She cannot stand it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
To 1st Marind Jarhead, take 2 bites for me please. I do like it a lot and my grandma made a nice bowl full of it YUMMY!
Wandakate
We were going to just have a bunch of pies – savory and sweet, but then my husband decided he wanted ham. So I put some ham steaks from the freezer in the crockpot with some canned pineapple. I have no idea what the rest of our meal will include, but I am incredibly thankful to have options.
It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Right now it’s a balmy 36 degrees with a predicted high of 46! I’ll be out shortly checking on the temperature inside the low tunnels in my garden, where I have all kinds of crops still alive and thriving.
I am so thankful for Daisy and for being a part of this wonderful community. I learn from both the writers and also from many OP and Frugalite community members who are so generous in sharing their wisdom.
I love how Thanksgiving, this celebration of gratitude, allows us to focus on what we have and truly appreciate it.
Wishing everyone a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My kids and I are about to head out and deliver meals, and then we’ll come home and have turkey ourselves. Then we’re getting together with friends to do a second dessert later in the evening. Nothing special food-wise.
I’m grateful for my friends in real life and online. I’m grateful for my house full of teenagers, even though it feels like a frat house around here most of the time 🙂
I’m grateful for having a fun community and interesting projects, and I’m grateful to have a day to focus on what’s positive in our lives, because it can get too easy to focus on all the things going wrong right now.
I hope everyone here finds some companionship for the day, in spirit if not in person, and hopefully something tasty to enjoy too!
Two things:
1. I bought a turkey breast on sale just after Thanksgiving in 2021, so that’s what we’re having, along with the other sides that we normally have. I didn’t think I was planning ahead, but sometimes things work out that way.
2. Daisy, you have way more friends than you know. Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We have been catching up with family this morning and snacking on Mom’s homemade banana bread. It is delicious!!!
(I will share her recipe when I get back home.)
Later, we will be enjoying Turkey, stuffing, gravy, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, cranberry sauce, and later a variety of homemade desserts.
I am very thankful to be with my extended family in upstate NY this Thanksgiving. Due to Covid, it had been several years since we all got together.
The kids are getting to know their cousins, aunts and uncles, and great Grandmother.
My Mother will be 90 in a few weeks. She is very happy to see everyone. ????
I am SO grateful for my health.
I am SO grateful that I have people around me who challenged me to be a better version of myself, even through difficult times.
I am SO grateful that God loves me and is constantly drawing me into a closer relationship with Himself.
And like Daisy I am SO grateful for the very dear friends I have, almost all of whom are long distance. Over the years it’s become very evident that physical distance does NOT mean the bond we share, the love and laughter between us or the grounding they offer aren’t impactful in our lives. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without them.
Having said that, today we’re spending time with dear friends close by who despite having a completely different world view from us we love are so grateful we have them.
As far as recipes go, I made my first ever pecan pie recipe yesterday (and I’m not a baker!) using pecans I’d had stored in the bottom of our freezer which we discovered during a recent inventory. I had everything on hand, although I was lazy and bought the pie crust. It was super easy and I’m sure will taste delicious.
3 lightly beaten eggs
1 cup corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup of chopped pecans
1 regular pie shell (Cover edges with foil to prevent overbrowning)
Combine first 5 ingredients and mix well. Add pecans and pour into a regular pie shell then bake at 350deg for 25 minutes, remove the foil then bake another 20-25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate within 2hrs.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. Regardless of your circumstances I hope you find innumerable things to be grateful for in your life because being grateful is good for your health.
Thank you for the recipe! Will give it a shot at Christmas 🙂
Just popping in to say happy thanksgiving to all of my friends south of the border. Up here our thanksgiving has come and gone already. But your guys idea of Black Friday has caught on up here, so thanks for this as well – I appreciate that savings and sales.
Been away from the site for a bit as it’s hunting season up here. Just spent a few days with the wife’s cousin, down at his place, hunting dear and reaffirming old friendships…..and confirming to myself that I’m too old and out of shape to drag a dear 200 yards out of the bush.
On a side note; sitting around at night after the days hunt it once more hit me that I am exactly where I need to be. I can only thank the Lord for giving me the life that he has – I am truly blessed. Every day, whether working, hunting, or prepping, I live a life that most could only dream of – so, even though it isn’t our thanksgiving up here, I am experiencing a time of truly giving thanks.
UGH.. Black Friday has infested every country. Oh for the days of shopping (with cash/check) the day after T-Day while enjoying the decorations.
Kudos to those practicing conscious consumer-ism.
I’m grateful that I had the opportunity this morning to first express thanks to God. I’m Catholic, and we had Mass this morning at 9 a.m. The church was about 85% full, so apparently we have a lot of grateful people in the parish!
We’re having turkey with all the trimmings. My wife is famous (at least here locally) for her homemade pumpkin pies. Definitely looking forward to that treat. We will be having about 10 guests beyond our immediate family – friends who don’t have others to celebrate with. These are always joyous occasions – thanks be to God.
My long ago and best memories of Thanksgiving were completely unrelated to the national retailers’ financial rescue event that we experience today. Those old DIY memories would begin a day or two before Thanksgiving when my father would take his shotgun and go hunting. Depending on what he would find he would bring home either a wild duck or a pheasant — since there were no wild turkeys in that part of the country. The bird would become the centerpiece of the feast that my mother would prepare. Since there would still be some buckshot hidden inside the pieces of meat … us kids learned to chew very SLOWLY so we would not break a tooth.
In that pre-internet era when small town libraries had very limited materials about history… I could not know then that in 1789 President George Washington had issued a proclamation declaring a national day of Thanksgiving, here:
https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-source-collections/primary-source-collections/article/thanksgiving-proclamation-of-1789/
I certainly had no way to learn that the 1621 Thanksgiving was in no way the first. With such events going back to the 1500s … that history is covered here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/11/22/thanksgivings-hidden-past-plymouth-in-1621-wasnt-close-to-being-the-first-celebration/
Today the generation where I learned about DIY banquets, birds, and buckshot is long gone … but I’ll always have those memories.
–Lewis
We are going out this year. We either do that or go to a friends home. My mom died in late September, so its going to be really hard on my dad ( married 60 plus years). Its sunny and warm here with everyone giving well wishes.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Best to everyone 🙂
I’m sorry for your loss, it must be so hard on your Dad especially. Have a wonderful time together today.
Thank you
HI, sorry to hear about your mother. Mine was 83.5 and she passed on October 15th of 2005 and I remember those last two holidays back then without here so I can share that with you b/c I have been there and done that. That was a long married and I am sure he misses her. It is good however that he has family as some of us don’t. I am not alone also after spending 33.5 yrs. He passed in May of 2011 so it’s been awhile now and took some getting used to. Blessings to you and your family. Wandakate in the mountains of North Carolina… and so nice of Daisy to put this together for all of us to VENT!!!
Thank you for sharing your picadillo enchilada recipe, Daisy!
We are preparing a modestly sized turkey (soaked overnight in brine), stuffing, gravy and relatives will bring their usual favorite dishes, potluck style as is the tradition in Hawaii. I know there will be dessert pies, potato salad, sweet potato with marshmallows and so much more.
I’m thankful for my health, my family, my newly developing faith in God (I was raised atheist), my vege garden, and my students who are the epitome of humble and grateful (and most live in poverty) and make me a better (less selfish) person.
My recipe is not a Thanksgiving one, but it is a great prepper recipe…Drunken Beans…I like it because I get cheap bags of dry pinto beans here, and this is my favorite way to use them up when I need to rotate them for a fresh bag…
https://www.simplyhappyfoodie.com/wprm_print/3209
Happy Thanksgiving, OP Community! Let us all be incredibly grateful for celebrating today (however humbly), because I think next year may be quite different yet again, and I know I want to treasure the memories of this year as much as I can!
We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here where I live, but every year since I lived in the US long ago, I celebrate it my way, with my heart and my mind being with everyone I met and became friends with.
For the past few years since I joined the TOP community, I’m even more grateful for my colleagues and the awesome people I meet here. Thanks for everything y’all.
Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, also your families and friends.
We had the usual. My MS has gotten worse, but I’m thankful that my daughter prepared most of our dinner. Brined turkey breast from Easy Paleo Dinners by Kelly Brozyna, sweet potato casserole from Vegetarian Celebrations, marshmallows added at last ten minutes, green bean casserole from the Campbell website, cranberry chutney from Vegetarian Celebrations. We usually make pumpkin pecan pie from Moosewood Desserts, or mock mincemeat pie from Tassajara Baking, but I decided to show Cecily how to make apple pie this year from the Michael Field cookbook so she’d be familiar with it. Everything was delicious, and I gave our Aussie Polly some turkey and apple pie, which she appreciated. I told her what we had to be thankful for. And she got a part-time job M-F a month ago. She has autism and it was really hard to get any kind of job for her, our society has really locked out the autistic. I had a connection with Job Point. So we’re thankful for that.
This picadillo recipe must be from the tropics. Apple, raisins, almonds, olives, and banana too! And cumin and chili powder, and tomato sauce. https://www.aglugofoil.com/2012/08/picadillo-mexican-fruity-chilli.html?m=1
Alice and Corsaire… our elderlies are also gone this year. Frankly, it’s been everything from rough, blessed, and sorrowful for the past year and a half. I haven’t been over to O.P. forum in about that long. But I have to read O.P. blog daily! This year, it’s just DH and I…….and we’ve just discovered he forgot to turn on the oven for the turkey. Ooops. Dinner delayed. Oh well. Appetizers work. Determine to have a Thankful Day even if your heart is heavy for whatever reason.
A delicious, easy dessert which I think all Latin women know by heart is flan de coco. Take a cake pan, put a cup of white sugar in it, put it on a lit burner, watch carefully as it melts, turn as needed so as not to burn. It melts and turns to caramel. In the blender, put one cup of milk, four eggs, and one can of La Lechera sweetened condensed milk. One tsp vanilla. Blend. Stir in one cup of shredded coconut. Pour into pan with the caramel. Bake at 350 until a knife comes out clean. Turn onto a plate so the caramel is on top.
We usually have Turkey. But this year we had ham. It was a lovely time with our sons and grandkids. I am so grateful for my husband, as I slept in. He let me sleep and took over the cooking. When I smelled bacon, I thought I’d woke up early. But instead I found out I had really slept and that he had made bacon to put in with the green beans. He also made pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, corn, and rolls. I made the fruit salad. Oh, he also made a homemade cranberry sauce. Boy, did I feel spoiled today! We also had lots of finger foods, pickles, olives, cheese and crackers, cookies, dried fruit, homemade spiced crabapples. My son brought pies and whipped topping as well. My other son had brownies. Just being with people you love in a cozy warm house is so nice.
Thank you Daisy!! This is a great idea!
I took a pasta salad to lunch with the extended family. Simple recipe: Cook the pasta, add whatever chopped veggies you have on hand (I did carrots, broccoli and radishes) toss with Italian dressing (or your favorite dressing). The rest of the meal was the standard turkey, dressing, potatoes and pies which I enjoyed until I was past full.
I am thankful for the kids and grand kids we have near us. It’s such a blessing to be around the boys as they grow up.
I’m blessed to have a good man, a steady job with a boss that appreciates me and a piece of land.
I also appreciate all of you! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
This was a great idea! Unfortunately I didn’t see this until the morning after.
I am grateful for so much – being able to enjoy the beautiful Montana outdoors regardless of weather, family and friends, good health, all of the great information available here, and the wonderful people who participate/read/comment.
For Thanksgiving, we had a quiet and peaceful day. Some hunting in the morning, a wild turkey breast dinner (finally I was able to make it with drying the entire thing out – a day+ of brine and a short cooking cycle in an oven bag seemed to do the trick), sour-cream cornbread, some veggies, homemade cranberry sauce and homemade cheesecake. Then a nice fire outdoors with a glass of whiskey. Zoom calls and phone calls with family who aren’t here. It couldn’t have been better.
Enjoy your day after!
I didn’t see this until today either, but I love the idea!
Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday. My family gathered yesterday, but events of the past couple of years definitely affected relationships. It was a tough day for me. But today I’m choosing joy! I’m grateful for so many things, and I’m purposefully finding beauty and happiness today. And it doesn’t hurt that I have leftover apple cake with cream cheese icing. Might have some for breakfast. ????
I also didn’t see this till now. I finished building an addition onto my sheep and dairy barn and went straight in to help my wife cooking. The bird and the soup is my part. My wife handles all the sides and stuffing. Oh, and yes, green bean casserole. ????
I’m so proud and great full for my three children and their wives and husband and my two beautiful granddaughters. I’m great full for my father, who we spent a quiet and beautiful dinner with. Most of all I give thanks to the Heavenly Father above for his perfect Son.
With all the mushroom articles lately, I thought I’d share my Hungarian mushroom soup recipe. The basic recipe has evolved over the years and I have added my own modifications to it.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced. I use half baby bellas and half white buttons.
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon dr. Braggs liquid aminos
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 cup half and half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
juice from one half of medium lemon
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid. Stir in broth, liquid aminos, smoked paprika, and dill; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Whisk half and half and flour together in a separate bowl; stir into soup until blended. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on bottom.
Add sour cream, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and ground black pepper; stir over low heat until warmed through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with small dollop of sour cream and parsley leaf. Serves 4 cups.
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
I am grateful for what I have, but I am struggling with grief over significant losses the past couple of years, which dredges up losses from years ago, and if I could just hang on until January, when all the holiday hoopla is over, I’ll be extra grateful.
Shared a lovely meal with neighbors, couldn’t hang out too long because the tears come too easily these days.
God bless all of you, and God bless and preserve His remnant, here in America and all over the world.
Happy Thanksgiving to all – to those who celebrate it and those who don’t, because I think we can all find one thing to appreciate in life. This year I was quite afraid I’d lose my father but the cause of his issues was discovered, and treated, in the wee hours of Thanksgiving Day. So I was able to talk to him on the phone and wish him and my mom the happiest of thanksgivings. He wasn’t able to eat much so they didn’t have a feast, but none of that mattered one whit. That phone call made me very happy.
Thank you Daisy for everything you do – keep the flame of survival alive, and thanks for the recipes!