À la Sandy

This menu is what Thanksgiving looks like at my house…the turkey and all the fixins are cooked almost exactly the way my mom made them growing up. That means all the veggies come from a can….the green bean casserole, the candied yams….It’s the one day of the year that canned veggies taste better than fresh – to me and mine!

There were a couple years I tried to incorporate new dishes into the day’s menu, but it didn’t take. I prefer our traditional Thanksgiving Day, old-fashioned meal – the same way my mom prepared it!

Thanksgiving at the Ritz Carlson

Appetizers:

Braunschweiger paté
Roquefort Cheese Ball
Crackers

Beverages:

Mimosas or Pear Bellinis – appetizers
Wine – dinner
Coffee, espresso, assorted digestifs – after dinner

First course:

1 demitasse cup Cream of Walnut Soup (Thomas Keller’s recipe)

Dinner:

Roast turkey – stuffed with lemons, oranges, onion and garlic
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Mrs. Cubbison’s Stuffing/dressing – made with onion, celery, garlic and chopped chicken livers
Candied Yams (canned) with butter and mini-marshmallows
Green Bean Casserole (canned)
Corn Pudding – I screw it up EVERY year, but still keep trying
Jellied Cranberry sauce (canned)
Kings Hawaiian Sweet rolls

Desserts:

Pumpkin pies
Chocolate Angel pie
Boysenberry Pie
Apple Crisp

I posted a recipe a few weeks ago for my Braunschweiger Paté - a Thanksgiving appetizer table staple. The only other dish that sits alongside the paté is a homemade Roquefort Cheese Ball.

My mom always had a delicious, store-bought, “cheese ball” sitting on the coffee table on Thanksgiving Day, but a few years ago, while perusing one of my favorite cookbooks, “The Plantation Cookbook,” I ran across a recipe for a “Roquefort Cheese Ball” that I made and loved! I’ve made it every Thanksgiving since!

Hubby, on the other hand, not so much (he has that whole “hating blue cheese” issue) so he noshes on the paté.

Here’s the recipe from “The Plantation Cookbook” for a “Roquefort Cheese Ball,” rolled in chopped pecans ….if you like Roquefort – you’ll love this AND you can make it in advance and freeze, for Thanksgiving!

(the only thing I’ve changed about this recipe is the use of a food processor – the original used a hand blender – it was originally published in 1972)

Roquefort Cheese Ball

Adapted from “The Plantation Cookbook”

8 ounces Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese
8 Ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese
3 ounces Roquefort cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

Allow cheese to soften at room temperature.  Break into pieces.  Cream and thoroughly mix in your food processor with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic and 1/4 of the pecans.  Remove the mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap, form into a loose ball and chill until firm, about 1-2 hours.

When the cheese is firm, you can shape it into a ball or log.

In  a shallow dish, add the chopped parsley and remaining chopped pecans.  Roll the cheese ball (or log) to coat it.  Refrigerate until ready to serve – then take it out 30 minutes before, to allow it to soften before eating.  Cheers!