As we continue plodding our way through this pandemic, it’s obvious the holidays are going to be weird. Many of us are re-examining our usual Thanksgiving traditions and transitioning to something smaller, different, more distant this year.

At first this need to transition made me sad. I could only think about the things I would miss. But then I decided to look around at all that was good in my life and embrace it with the true meaning of the holiday - gratitude. I am alive and well, so are my loved ones so far. I want to keep it that way.

I am aware of what it means to take any position these days - there are always going to be those who spring to argue another view point and that’s OK. That’s being human. But given the resurgence of cases and the many things we still don’t know about the virus, I would rather miss someone’s physical presence this Thanksgiving than possibly be the reason they are missing from our lives next year.

So now I’m not sad. I will use the time I would have spent cooking for a crowd and frantically cleaning my house to instead write a long letter to my grandmother - something she can hold since we can’t hold each other. I will give my child my undivided attention and help him cook his side-dishes. We will call aunts and uncles and wish them well any perhaps have longer to chat than we would have sitting around a crowded table. Alone and lonely don’t have to mean the same thing.

That said, many friends and customers have contacted us in the last few days to ask questions about holiday cooking. So many of us are used to the turkey being the domain of an older, wiser family member and have no idea where to start when it comes to cooking one. So I thought I would share our favorite turkey recipe here on the blog, so anyone can access it. We did not raise turkeys this year but have local farmer friends who still have some available. If you still want a turkey, please contact me ASAP and I can put you in touch with them.

I also wanted to share some ideas for turkey alternatives - there is no absolute rule that one must eat some large, weird-looking bird on Thanksgiving. Our family will probably enjoy a small beef roast or cook a chicken that was lovingly raised by a friend. So if the thought of turkey and all the fixins’ overwhelms you or makes you sad because it’s too reminiscent of normal years, I say it’s OK to cook something else entirely. :)

Lastly, Silas wanted to share one of the recipes he’s excited to make next week - something fun and hands-on to either get the kiddos in the kitchen with you or else bring out your inner child. Or maybe a bit of both.

I just looked out the window and the sky is throwing snow onto the ground. It’s time for me to head outside and be sure all our creatures are tucked in as well as possible for the cold night ahead. Thank you for being here - you matter to us. If you find being alone does make you feel lonely this holiday season, feel free to give a call if you want to chat. Who knows, we may even take you with us to do chores and let you talk to the cows.

~Kelly

Herb Roasted Turkey with Giblet Gravy

We have always loved this recipe from Shannon Hayes’ The Grassfed Gourmet. It’s a fair amount of work but we tell ourselves not everything needs to be quick and easy. The results are well worth the effort.

Turkeys come in all shapes and sizes so it’s not possible to give precise cooking times. The only sure way to have a properly cooked turkey is to use an internal meat thermometer. The chart at the bottom of this post gives approximate cooking times to help you determine when the bird should go into the oven, but due to the variation in fat and size, there is no substitute for a good meat thermometer. The estimated times given are for un-stuffed birds. If you plan to stuff your turkey, add at least 30 minutes to the cooking time. Make sure that your stuffing reaches 165 degrees F before you remove it from the bird.

For the giblet broth:

2 tablespoons olive oil
turkey giblets, including the neck, gizzard, heart, and liver (or whichever of those are available)
1 medium carrot, scraped and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped.
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth (or turkey broth if you have it)
1 tablespoon dried thyme, or 3 tablespoons fresh
2 teaspoons dried parsley, or 2 tablespoons fresh, finely minced

Start your turkey by making the giblet broth one day ahead if possible. If not, remove the giblets, and make the broth while roasting the turkey as directed below.

Heat olive oil in a small soup pot. Rinse the giblets, and saute in the oil until they are lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes (this can be done in batches if necessary). Add the carrot and saute 1 minute longer. Add the onion, and saute until translucent. Reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, thyme, parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer for 30 minutes longer.

Strain the broth, making sure to reserve the giblets. When they are cool enough to handle, remove any gristle, then dice the heart, gizzard, and liver; pull off the neck meat. Refrigerate all these bits of meat separately from the broth until you are ready to use them.

For the herb butter:

1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons minced oregano
1 tablespoon minced rosemary or 1/2 tablespoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon dried lavender (optional)
1/4 pound ( 1 stick) softened butter, or 1 cup olive oil

Combine all in the food processor and combine until smooth. You can stir them together in large bowl if no food processor is available.

For the turkey:

1 turkey
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, scraped and coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme if available (or 1 tablespoon dried)
2 sprigs fresh sage (or 1 tablespoon dried)
2 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano ( or 1 tablespoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Be sure turkey is dry - pat with paper towels if needed. Place the oven rack in the lowest position and rub 1/4 of the herb butter under the turkey skin at the breast. Rub the remainder all over the bird - on the back, breast, thighs.

Set the turkey on a well oiled rack in a large roasting pan. Toss half of the chopped onions, carrots, and celery into the cavity of the bird. Add half the herbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Scatter the remaining vegetables and herbs in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Pour 1 cup water over the vegetables (not over the turkey). Roast the turkey for the estimated amount of time on the chart, basting every hour (you can use a ladle or large spoon to pour juices back over turkey if you do not have a baster).

Early in the roasting, before you have pan juices, use the remaining three tablespoons melted butter to baste the bird. If the vegetables in the pan look dehydrated, periodically add another 1/2 cup water until the turkey starts releasing pan juices.

Halfway through the estimated cooking time, pour the reserved giblet broth into the bottom of the pan. Continue roasting, basting regularly with the pan juices, until the thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees F.

Remove the bird from the oven. Transfer it to a warm platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest for about 30 minutes while you make the gravy.

For the gravy:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine (optional - can use 1 cup warm water with a splash of lemon juice for acidity instead)
salt and black pepper to taste

Pour the pan juices into a large measuring cup or bowl. Strain and set aside vegetables and herbs. (compost them, save for soup, or you can feed it to the kitchen lurkers if you want…lol)

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until it turns a deep caramel color. Pour in all but 1 cup of the pan juices. Keep stirring the mixture until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the gravy for about 5 minutes, until it is slightly thickened. Be sure to stir the mixture frequently.

Set the roasting pan over two stove burners. Add the wine to the pan, and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Add the gravy and continue cooking until the sauce is reduced by almost 1/3, approximately 5 minutes. Add the remaining broth and chopped giblets and return the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Adjust the seasoning for salt and pepper. Serve gravy along side the carved turkey.

Each pound of turkey will feed approximately one person. Leftovers are always good. :)

Garlicky Roast Beef

We love this roast beef recipe from Pure Beef by Lynne Curry. It works beautifully on almost any type of beef roast so one can choose the more economical cuts and still have a really nice meal. It makes wonderfully easy gravy to go with the deliciously simple Yorkshire Puddings.

For the Roast: Makes approx 8 servings with leftovers

12 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) boneless beef roast - top round, sirloin tip, ribeye, tenderloin, top loin all work very well

Up to 24 hours in advance, smash the peeled garlic cloves with the salt and pepper into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor (can also use the flat side of a large knife if needed, just be careful).

Rub the garlic paste all over the roast and put it on a rack in a metal roasting pan. If the beef roast you selected has a fatty side, place that side up. Refrigerate it until 1 hour before roasting.

Preheat the over to 300 degrees F. Read Yorkshire Pudding portion of recipe to be sure you have everything ready to go once the roast is removed from oven so it doesn’t rest too long before serving and become overly cool.

Roast until an internal-read thermometer reads 115 degrees F (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours). Remove the roast if you like it very rare, or check the temperature every 10 minutes and remove it as soon as the center of the roast reaches 120F for rare or 125F for medium rare. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes to reach its final serving temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 425F once you’ve removed the roast, to prepare the oven for baking the Yorkshire Puddings.

For the Gravy:

3 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all purpose flour

Remove the roasting rack and pour the milk into the roasting pan. Bring pan to a boil on the stove top over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned garlic bits. Use a fork to mash the butter and flour together in a small bowl until they are well blended. Whisk the butter mixture into the simmering liquids and cook until it thickens to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Taste the gravy for salt and pepper, pour it into a small saucepan, keep warm over low heat.

Slice the roast into 1/4 inch thick slices with a sharp knife and serve with the hot gravy.

For the Yorkshire Puddings: makes approximately 12 servings

1 cup (4.5 oz) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk (you could use the extra white with the beaten egg needed for the cheesy roll recipe below)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted beef tallow, ghee, or butter

Whisk the flour, salt, eggs, yolk, and milk together in a medium mixing bowl, beating vigorously to make a perfectly smooth batter. Pour the batter into a 2 cup or larger measuring cup with a spout and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Once oven is heated to 425F, pour 1/2 teaspoon of the tallow/ghee/butter into each cup of a 12 cup muffin tin and put it in the oven to heat for 2 to 3 minutes. When you can hear the fat sizzling, take it out of the oven and carefully pour in the batter, distributing it evenly to fill each cup about halfway. Put the muffin tin in the oven and keep the oven door sealed so that they rise in the intense heat. Bake the puddings until they are puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cheesy Bread Rolls by Silas

These bread rolls are simple and fun to make. The melted cheese on top of each roll adds a lot of flavor to the bread. You can eat the rolls plain or fill them with whatever you like.

2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx same temp as human body - if you stick your finger in the water it should just feel slightly warm and comfortable)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten

Pour 1/2 cup warm water into small bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and sugar and stir until dissolved. Let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Put both types of flour and salt into a large bowl and use a large spoon to mix well. Use your hand to make a well (a big dip) in the center. Put the yeast and most of the remaining water into the well and gently mix together to form a soft dough. Stir in the extra water if it’s too dry.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead firmly using the heel of your hand, folding the dough over as you go. Knead for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and shiny. Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with dish towel. Let rise in warm place for 11/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.

Ask an adult to preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Punch down the risen dough by punching it down with your knuckles.

Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces. Dust your hands with a little flour and shape the dough into rolls (balls). Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp dish towel and let sit for 10 minutes.

Brush the rolls with the beaten egg and press some shredded cheese on top of each roll. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until risen and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving with dinner or filling with whatever makes you happy!