Taking Sides

Many Thanksgivings are often determined by the work done Thanksgiving eve.  Kristen was hard at work the night before, as usual. Last year was the first year we celebrated by ourselves.  The end result was more food than two people could possibly eat in a month.  It was delicious, but too much.  This year we were fortunate enough to be invited to celebrate with friends who, like us, are expatriates of the Midwest.  Our duty was to take sides.

While she was busy making sides, I was busy watching a young know-nothing from Reseda take on the venomous Cobra Kai. I was reminded of the special bond between a student and his sensei, not so different than what happens when Kristen and I are in the kitchen.  I feel like she is teaching me like Mr. Miyagi.  She demonstrates the same amount of patience when I, like the cocky young LaRusso, pop in to screw up the harmony in the kitchen.   Only now did I realize that the motion of scrubbing pans is conditioning me to stir pots.  Hopefully I’ll soon be able to catch a fly with chopsticks.

Miyagi says this about taking sides, “Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later get squish just like grape.”

It began with yeast rolls.  According to Kristen, I’m a carboholic.  If that’s the case, then these rolls by themselves are what will knock me off the wagon every time.  The beginning of the process is like mad science.  First, she has to warm two cups of water, her primordial preparations. I study her process and see that she is using the thermometer to divine life’s temperature. When the time is right, she dumps in the yeast and I half expect to see crystals or sea monkeys start to grow.

She adds the yeast to the bowl of baking stuffs and lets it RIIIIISSE.

After it rises, she punches and chops it into submission.

Knock me off the wagon

The next dish is another contributor to my carbo-condition: mashed potatoes. But, these potatoes are not boxed or bought.  She skins and brings them to a boil.  She entrusts me to watch them until they are fork tender.  I meditate on them and practice my kata.  I discover that the secret is the roasted garlic.  She adds the garlic after the initial mash and pounds them until it is a pot of fluffy potato garlic clouds.

The last concoction is one that has become a staple in our tradition: mulled cider.  It consists of a mixture of cinnamon, clove, and apple juice with an added kick of Sailor Jerry’s Rum.  I’m not an apple juice or cider fan, but this tastes like autumn and crane kicks the chill of winter out of you.  I know that the preparations are almost ready when I get the first intoxicating whiffs of  cinnamon, cloves, and rummy citrus.  One sip and anyone could muster the strength to easily chop through six pieces of stacked ice.  I’ll post a video if I try it.

I can only hope that I was a good student this week and will move up in the ranks soon enough.  After all, I do it for the GLORY OF LOVE.

Honey Yeast Rolls

Ingredients:

2¼ tsp. instant yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115˚ F)
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp. canola oil
1¼ tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour
Vegetable cooking spray
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. honey

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water.  Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well.  Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass.  Switch to the dough hook and, with the mixer on low speed, incorporate the remaining 1 cup of flour.  Continue kneading on low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 30 seconds.  Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.  Punch the dough down and divide into 10-12 equal size pieces.  Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place into a round, lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round baking dish, spacing evenly.  Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush the tops of the rolls with the mixture.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are baked through.  Let cool slightly before serving.

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

First see how to roast garlic.

Ingredients:

5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes, Peeled And Rinsed
3 heads To 5 Heads Roasted Garlic
1-½ stick Regular Salted Butter (3/4 Cup)
8 ounces, weight Softened Cream Cheese
½ cups Or So Half-and-half (Or Heavy Cream, If You're Feeling Naughty)
Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:

Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces and cook in boiling water until fork-tender. Drain water and return to pot, and mash potatoes over low heat until lots of the steam has escaped.

Next, mash in softened butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and salt to taste. Dump in three to five heads of roasted garlic cloves; stir together, then check seasoning. Be sure to salt adequately.

Add some fresh ground black pepper, and serve with one or two roasted garlic cloves on top. Serve with steak and expect to be worshipped and kissed for at least 38 hours.

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

4 quarts apple juice or cider
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
24 whole cloves
16 whole allspice
8 2-inch cinnamon sticks
2 whole nutmegs, cracked
1 to 2 cups golden rum
Lemon peel and/or other garnish of your choosing

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine apple juice or cider, brown sugar, whole cloves, whole allspice, cinnamon sticks, and nutmegs.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, then refrigerate several hours.

To serve: strain into punch bowl. Stir in 1 to 2 cups golden rum, according to taste. Garnish with thin strips of lemon peel. Note: mulled rum punch can be reheated after straining and adding rum if you wish to serve it hot.

Makes 24 (6 ounce) glasses.

Adapted from Yumsugar.com