Thanksgiving Day Family Pictures 2015

Here are some Thanksgiving Pictures.

Happy holidays!

Westside Pavilion: The Lull Before Thanksgiving Day

It's a week before Thanksgiving!

Here's what the Westside Pavilion looks like now, before the mad Christmas rush. On Black Friday the place will be hopping with shoppers looking for bargains.

Read also
Pictures Thanksgiving 2014
Roast Leg of Lamb for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day - A Time to Catch Our Breath
Diet Strategies for the Holidays

Tags: holidays, Thanksgiving, shopping, family

This is all for now,
Cecilia

Menu, Thanksgiving Dinner

We had our pre-Thanksgiving dinner last night. It is not low-cal. Menu follows:

MENU BRAINARD DINNER, NOVEMBER 23, 2008

Relish Dish – Green Onions, Stuffed Olives, Hot Chili Pepper, Celery Sticks

Main Dish – Turkey with mashed potatoes AND gravy
Ham
Green bean Casserole
Corn bread with honey butter

Dessert – Pecan pie with or without whipped cream
Homemade fruit cake

Drinks - Champagne, Sparkling Cider, Beer, Coke, tea
After Dinner drinks – Chambord, Limoncello

ROASTING BONELESS LEG OF LAMB FOR THANKSGIVING

My sister-in-law Kim is making the turkey; I've got 2 legs of lamb (boneless) roasting. They each weigh approx. 4.65 lbs. I bought these at Costco last week and froze them; they're from Australia (and suddenly I have a vision of two 3-legged sheep hobbling about in Australia).

I took them out of the freezer last night - rock solid. I left them on the kitchen sink and by the morning they were thawed. I planned on roasting at 325 degrees for around 2 1/2 hours - less, if it looks done. The meat continues to cook, you see, after you pull it out.

I cut off the wrapper but left the stretchy string that holds the meat together so each roast holds its shape. I crushed an entire garlic with around 20 cloves. I inserted garlic through the stretchy string to the inside parts of the roast. I rubbed some salt on the roast - not too much because salt is drying. Then I rubbed black pepper as well. I cut some fresh rosemary sprigs and rubbed the meat with rosemary. I scrunched this rosemary and inserted inside the meat. I placed the two roasts on a roasting pan.

I used to have a thermometer, which never worked. I don't have one. So I'm keeping track of time - in around 2 hours, I'll check the meat. I'm going to pull this out when pink.

The string will be cut and discarded. The rosemary sprig will also be discarded; but I have fresh ones to use as decoration around the serving platter. The meat will be cut and served with mint jelly and all the other Thanksgiving trimmings: mashed potatoes, gravy, etc.

The garlic tones down the gamey quality of lamb, and so does the sweet mint jelly. The rosemary also cuts the gaminess and throws off a lovely scent.

Once the meat is removed from the enamel pan, I will use the pan drippings for the gravy. But first, if the drippings are very fatty, I will pour off the excess fat, being careful not to pour away the brown drippings, which is the good stuff. I will place the pan over low heat, pour in Shirah or whatever red wine is around - around a cup? - and then I will mix some Mochiko rice flour in a cup of water, stir until mixed. I will pour this mixture into the drippings with wine, and stir, scrape, until the gravy thickens. If needed I'll add salt and pepper to the gravy.

I didn't do it this time, but one can include with the meat, some potatoes so that the whole thing roasts together - the meat and pan-fried potatoes.

Lamb meat is dark with a rich, heavy flavor which goes well with red wine.

Bon A Petit!

from Chef Cecilia