Happy Thanksgiving!





This harvest celebration is one of my favorite holidays, as loved ones gather together to feast and honor the Earth and her bounty.





It takes a bit of planning to pull off a big holiday meal. Monday I finished shopping, Tuesday was a day of cleaning and food prep, and Wednesday was a day of baking ( I made all the desserts). When Thursday arrived I only needed to roast the turkey, bake the rolls, and make the vegetable dishes.





I like to include a freshly baked bread or rolls for special occasions. Baking bread fills the house with a wonderful comforting aroma adding to the festive ambiance as it lifts mood and inspires feelings of wellness.


This has become my new favorite roll recipe. They have a rich and butter flavor and a brioche-like texture. You can mix it together the night before and after the first rise, cover the dish with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator over night for a slow second rise. Take the disk out of the cold in the morning and let it set to come to room temperature.


Soft Buttery Dinner Rolls

You will need:

1 cup warm milk

2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast

1 Tablespoons sugar

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Measure flour into mixing bowl and stir in salt. Make a well in the center and pour in yeast mixture. Add egg and butter and stir a bit of the flour over the top then let it rest for about five minutes.

Mix together to incorporate. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface and knead until dough turns elastic. Oil the mixing bowl before setting dough back in it. Cover and set aside to rise. If your kitchen is cold, set the covered bowl on a heating pad to warm the yeast.

When dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a work surface. Cut it into 16 equal pieces, roll to form balls, and place in a well-oiled baking dish. Cover and set aside for second rise.

When rolls have swollen, bake at 350 for 30 minutes.






This amazing recipe from Food52 (Genius Desserts: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Bake) is my new favorite cake.





And this lovey garden pumpkin baked into a

wonderful pumpkin pie.

you will need:

1 unbaked pie crust

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

scant 2 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup half and half

preheat oven to 425. Line a pie pan with the piecrust. In a mixing bowl, mix together ingredients until smooth. Pour into pie crust and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 50 more minutes. Pie is read when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.





Today I made a delicious soup from the leftover turkey.