Thankful Thoughts and Thanksgiving Treats

Posted on Oct 29, 2020 in DELICIOUS, FEATURES

By Alisa Murray –

This holiday starts the busy season for all of us, and this year is a special one. It is a year to be remembered for everything we lost and found. Many of us lost our loved ones, lost our businesses and lost all sense of control. Some of us came close to losing our minds! Some of us reflected and took stock of what was missing and found that much of what we thought we needed we never really did.

As we all come together virtually for special times with those we love or prepare for our families a magnificent feast in person, this year I am getting creative from my usual fare of baked turkey and homemade dressing.  That green bean casserole recipe has been overplayed as my family leaned into home isolation with requests of Thanksgiving food in the middle of a hot summer in an attempt to feel all warm and cozy during this quarantine. So, I have changed things up a bit and plan to surprise them with something fresh – something new – and get this season ending of 2020 on its albeit crippled leg off to a festive start! Here’s what’s cooking in the Sweet Life Kitchen this holiday season!

Thanksgiving 2020 Selections

  • Smothered & Suffocating Turkey Balls with Garlic Butter
  • Wildly Jazzed Up Pilaf with Cranberries and Herbs
  • Delectable Duchess Potatoes
  • Simply Divine Turkey Gravy
  • Texas Corn Pudding
  • “Slap your Mama” Broccoli & Gruyère Casserole
  • The Dizzy Fizzy Spicy Rum Punch
  • Chocolate Torte and Apple Crisp Pie
.

The Dizzy Fizzy

What you’ll need:

  • • 1 cup of Pumpkin Puree
  • • 5 cups of Fresh Apple Cider

(You should be able to find fresh apple cider at your local farmer’s market.)

  • 2 cups of Non-Pasteurized Fresh Orange Juice
  • 1.5 cups of Spiced Rum (Recommended: Chairman’s St. Lucia Rum)
  • 2 bottles of Chilled Champagne
  • A collection of your choosing of the following: Star Anise Crisp Sliced Apples and Oranges Plums or Cranberries

For the topping:

  • 2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 tablespoon of Homemade Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

What You’ll Do:

  • Combine in a bowl the puree along with cider, rum, juice and dissolve the pumpkin puree.
  • Add into the bowl the champagne and the assortment of fruits and spice.
  • Whisk the cream, vanilla and cinnamon until cream has formed.
  • Pour into glasses, top with cream and enjoy!

For complete recipes and tutorials on all of these dishes and more, go to Alisa Murray on YouTube.