Our Thanksgiving Menu

Starters:  We have a tall narrow buffet on a long wall in our living room.  This year I plan to clear this and use it for beginning appetizers and hot Spiced Cider which I plan to keep warm on a large tray in a crock pot with cups saucers and a ladle.  Along side this will be assorted crackers and the blue cheese ball, and  small tray of assorted raw vegetables, pickles, olives, and dip.  A dish of peanuts and a dish with a few buckeyes will round it off.

The main meal:  I usually serve two meats at Thanksgiving, both ham and a turkey breast.  This is followed with mashed potatoes and turkey gravy,  dressing,  homemade noodles,  sweet potatoes with marshmallows,  wild rice and sausage casserole,  green bean casserole,  cranberries,  hot rolls and butter.

Dessert:  Pumpkin Delight,  Butter Cake with chocolate frosting with sweetened Fruit Salad of mixed berries.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Crab Ball

This crab ball is really festive in a dark green dish with lemon wedges!!

This is a really pretty crab and cheese ball at the Holidays because it is covered with a red seafood sauce and when you put it in a green dish it is really festive. The origin of this is unclear to me. I have always made it and no body in my family ever did before me and it has never been written down that I know of except by me for someone who liked it. It must have been told to me long ago or something I had tasted and made my version of in my youth.

Anyway it is easy and good and usually goes quickly although it keeps well and can look good the second day by just adding additional sauce where the original tasters dug into it!!

I stick the crab ball in the freezer to firm it up while I do the sauce.

Crab ball ingredients:
2, 8 oz. pkg. Philly Cream Cheese
1 can of crab drained and picked through to remove any cartilage
dash of hot sauce
1 t. lemon jest
juice of 1/2 lemon

Lay out 2 sections, each about 15 "long of plastic wrap side by side overlapping about 2 inches forming a seal. You will place the crab ball in the center once you have it formed. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and using your clean hands mix well and form into a ball. Place the cheese ball in the center of the plastic wrap and bring the sides up around it to wrap it well. Refrigerate until serving time.

Sauce:
1 1/2 C. ketchup
1/4 C. prepared horseradish ( more or less to taste)
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of hot sauce

Mix together the sauce. At serving time center the ball on a serving dish large enough or a shallow bowl with enough of a lip that the sauce can flow over it but not over run the dish. Garnish with a few lemon wedges if desired and serve with Triscut, Wheat Thins, and Sociable crackers or others of your liking.

Pumpkin Delight

I had not made this before but my best friend Diane says it is wonderful and has become a family tradition at their house.  She makes it the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving as it is a good do ahead recipe and actually is better if made a few days ahead and allowed to meld a bit.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

The Crust:

24 Graham crackers crushed = 2 C. crumbs
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
Mix above ingredients together and press into a 9 x 13" pan

First filling:

2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1, softened 8 oz. package Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Combine above ingredients and pour over the crust bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Second layer:
Using a saucepan combine:

2 C. pumpkin
3 egg yolks (reserve the whites)
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1/2 t. salt
1 T. cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
Heat stirring over medium high heat until the mixture thickens and remove from the heat.  Meanwhile  dissolve 1 large or 2 small envelopes of plain unflavored gelatin in 1/2 C. of cold water.  When it has thickened stir it into the pumpkin and set it aside to cool.

When cool proceed by beating the 3 egg whites with 1/4 C. sugar until firm.

Fold the egg whites into the cooled pumpkin and spread over the cream cheese filling.  Refrigerate until firm.

Frost with whipped topping, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.  In effect we have a 4 ribbon desert layered with complimentary flavors.  I am looking fore=ward to cutting these into squares Thursday and placing them in low stemmed desert dishes I use on special occasions.