Scary Recipes: Vol I Green Bean Casserole

While poking around on Pinterest, this horrifying vision appeared. Not just the horrible,no-good, very bad, awful, disgusting Green Bean Casserole that so many people inflict upon the innocent during the month of November. Oh NO.
That's not awful ENOUGH. Instead there has been invented: Green Bean Casserole Pie.

I still remember the awful day when I first sampled this atrocity. It was after we had moved to the the East Coast from California, (land of Fresh Vegetables.). It was at a work Potluck. I swore then that I would never eat it again, and I have kept my vow.
What Thanksgiving side dish do you hate the most?

Mini Pecan Pie Trifles

Even though I tell less experienced cooks to never use a recipe for guests that they haven't tried out before, I myself do it all of the time. I am a Ninja Warrior when it comes to trying new things. Fearless and stealthy. My sister wanted Pumpkin Pie Trifle for Thanksgiving. "but I made that last year!", I cried. She claimed that it was her favorite. "How about Pecan Pie Trifle?" , she countered. I wondered, is that even a thing? It turns out that it was a thing.. I love the internet - not only is it a thing, but generous cooks have shown their work so that we can all be inspired. There were Pecan Pie Trifle Shooters (excellent idea) and giant standard trifles. And then I had an Epiphany - Mini Pecan Pie Trifle in those mini jam jars. YES

How I made Mini Pecan Pie Mini Trifles
Step 1 - send Mr. Hunting Creek to Variety Store to obtain teeny jam jars.
Step 2-wash jars. Admire their extreme cuteness. Set tops aside.
Step 3. Figure out how to make mini Pecan Pie Trifles. Some of my fellow cooks suggested cutting up an existing pecan pie. If I were making a standard size trifle that would work, but I wanted everything on a smaller scale. I decided to make pecan pie cookie bars, stealing the recipe right out of Betty Crocker.. I added a tablespoon of rum.
Those worked perfectly - not too thick, and I could cut them up into small pieces, but still tasting like pecan pie. (You will have more cookie bars than you need, but no one ever complains about extra cookies at Christmas. Don't chop all of them up. I chopped about half., with plenty of tastes..I mean, testing bites.)
Step 4. what about the creamy part? This is entirely up to the chef. You could make a traditional pastry cream. Or maybe vanilla pudding.. I wanted something fancier than that - I decided on a Tiramisu filling = which is the easiest thing in the world - mascarpone cheese with whipped cream, to which I added vanilla, rum and sugar- it was delicious. I had to make myself stop testing.
Step 5 - embellishing - what would make this special? I debated different options - chocolate? Caramel? Fruit? I decided on a caramel sauce - also super easy to make or buy. You can do either. I went the easy route and used Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel sauce, which I happened to have on hand due to its extreme deliciousness, (and my extreme laziness about large vats of molten sugar)
Step 6 - assembly. Cut up the Pecan Pie Bars into little chunks. Mine were about half an inch. You can get all OCD about this, like some cooks I know, or you can be slapdash like me - no one is going to be able to tell! Sprinkle some of these in the bottom of each mini jar. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Stop licking your fingers, you'll get sick. Then a scoop of the mascarpone cream. I used my tablespoon cookie scoop so I would not get cream all over everything and it worked perfectly. I then smoothed the cream to the edges to cover the cookie squares, (I used my mini spatula) and then sprinkled more cookie squares on top, then drizzled more caramel sauce on top of that.If you warm up the caramel sauce in the microwave a little bit, it is easier to drizzle.
Perfection! I texted the picture to my sister.(Kind of like sending food porn, yes?) She loved them.
On Thanksgiving, everyone liked how cute and small they were - just enough for a serving.
I left the jars at my sister's house, telling her that she needs to think up a mini dessert for Christmas.
I need to send Mr. Hunting Creek back for more little jars. I have some ideas of my own.

Undergoing Renovations

Unbeknownst to me, Mr. Hunting Creek had planned to strip the wallpaper in the office/current sewing zone. This has entailed a great deal of domestic upheaval. During these times, when absolutely everything is messy, covered with tarps or otherwise in a different place, one reminds oneself that one is blessed to have a spouse that will strip wallpaper on a holiday weekend. That one should thank one's lucky stars that he likes to paint and decorate. I'll be so happy when it's done. I'll then be able to show pictures of my new studio.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I feel like we should be undergoing a butter-cream detox. I realized when I was making the desserts (my task this year) that I had used one entire pound of butter making three desserts. American Thanksgiving is definitely for people who are preparing for a long, butter-deprived winter.
We received rave reviews for the Crack Pie, the Pumpkin-Gingerbread Trifle and the caramel and Rum Cream Deep Dish Apple Pie(my own creation). When I found the Crack Pie recipe, these words immediately made me decide to make it: Anyone who has taken a bite of this Milk Bar best seller immediately knows the reason for the sassy name. Once you start eating this rich, salty-sweet pie with its oat cookie crust, you won't be able to stop.
That certainly pushed all of my dessert buttons. You will need a glass of milk or cup of coffee to go with it.
I had to have mine for breakfast on Friday because I was too full of Thanksgiving dinner to eat dessert. And it was very super delicious.
Of course, all this butter and sugar give us the energy we need for the holiday endurance Triathlon that is the Holiday Season.
Happy shopping!

Green Bean Dystopia

We won't be having green bean casserole on Thursday. As a matter of fact, we will NEVER have green bean casserole in this house, by this cook, EVER. Green beans are a nice enough vegetable, but they are not traditional to my family's Thanksgiving, or Mr. Hunting Creek's. His family always had a nice broccoli casserole made with cream and sherry and parmesan and slivered almonds (no cans of soup involved); mine always had whatever my dad felt like making, (he never ever made Green Bean Casserole).
We never encountered this dish (abomination is not too strong a word) when we grew up in California. Californians are fortunate to have abundant fresh vegetables all year round.
It was only after we moved to Virginia that it made itself known. Our first year here, we were invited to Thanksgiving at the home of Mr. Hunting Creek's new boss. He was worried that we didn't know anyone and had no family nearby. We had never had Thanksgiving at a non-family member's home. It was here that we discovered that some people think that Green Bean Casserole is a food. We were troupers; we ate it. After we got home, Mr. Hunting Creek and I agreed to never let that dish darken our table again.
It was with shock and horror that I read this morning that about 30% of American families serve it for Thanksgiving.(Others hate it too!) With news like that, it is surely the harbinger of the End Times. People! Cook some broccoli, for Pete's sake! Or some fresh brussels sprouts. Or some nice creamed spinach. We'll be having roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta and roasted chipotle sweet potatoes. The cream of mushroom soup will be where it belongs...in a Tuna Casserole, on some other table, some other night.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Art date

It was a rainy gloomy weekend here, and our houseguests have gone home.
Mr Hunting Creek wanted to have Thanksgiving this weekend, since the house is so clean and perfect. I told him I was having an attack of inspiration deficit disorder, so he took me to the bookstore to get the newest Threads and Quilting Arts Stitch magazines. I'm a person who likes to wander around the bookstore. It is always fun to see all the new books and magazines. I think we were the only ones there. We got a parking spot right in front - that never happens! Then we went to the Crate and Barrel outlet to look for some new placemats for Thanksgiving. Mr. Hunting Creek is the kind of perfect husband who enjoys picking out new placemats for holidays. (Just so you know that I appreciate him) I'd rather make a nice new t shirt or some fun new silk pajamas than sew 8 identical placemats.
We were successful in our search for new Thanksgiving stuff, and Mr. Hunting Creek coined a new word for the happy feeling you get when you have searched and shopped victoriously: spendorphins.
(I feel so patriotic by spending a little money and helping the economy recover.)
I noticed that the Crate and Barrel outlet had Marimekko fabric by the yard for $4.95 a yard. It is very cheerful stuff, so if you have an outlet nearby it's worth a trip. They also have beautiful tablecloths that could be turned into something else - curtains? Skirts? pillows? (Let your inner Scarlett O'Hara inspire you.)
The Crate and Barrel outlet that we go to is about a block from the Old Town Alexandria -King Street Metro Station. Check their website for locations near you.

After we got home I read my new magazines while the guys watched football. I enjoyed reading the cool ideas in the Stitch Magazine. The whole issue was about world fabrics . I have always loved Japanese Fabrics and I liked the patterns for the totes and the pillows and scarves. It got me thinking about different things that I could do with my vintage kimono fabric. Lots of ideas.
I'll read Threads in bed tonight - my treat!
I may still have inspiration deficit disorder, but following the good advice many of you have given, I'll make something easy and tried and true, and go on from there.
Since my sewing area is all clean, it is begging to be messed up again.

Stitch in Time

Have you read the new sewing magazine, Quilting Arts Stitch? I have been reading mine and have enjoyed the clean clear graphics, the no nonsense sewing advice and the full size patterns tucked into the center. I also bought it to encourage the development of more sewing magazines. There need to be MORE! There are way too many scrapbooking and quilting magazines compared to sewing. Magazine people, get with the program! And sewists, you need to do your part by buying the magazines and encouraging more new sewists. I think I'd like to try making the scarf with the disolving stabilizer. It looks like fun, and I have some vacation time and some pretty silk scraps that would be perfect for it. If I get at least one good idea out of a book or magazine the experience is worth the time spent.

We had a great Thanksgiving here. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We cooked this year. I did a two hour turkey - you should have seen the look on the guests' faces when they arrived and I was just putting into the oven. "we'll eat at MIDNIGHT!", they cried. Actually, not, we ate at 530p, as planned. I always cook my turkeys the high heat 2 hour method as detailed in Barbara Kafka's excellent book, Roasting - A Simple Art. The turkey was moist and flavorful, and the guests were amazed. I took all the credit, but really, it's super easy.(Plus my daughter had ordered a beautiful fresh free range grass fed turkey) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake turkey for two hours (mine was 15 pounds). The thermometer showed that it was done as well. It also made excellent sandwiches the next day. My son makes his with everything (including stuffing and cranberry sauce) on them. We've already eaten ours up!
I hope all of you had a great holiday.
Happy Sewing!

Current Projects

This morning my daughter told me she wanted a pair of silk pajamas. She picked out this fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics and now all we have to do order the silk and decide which pattern. She rarely asks for anything, so we will add that to our Holiday Project list. While we decide on what pattern, I am working on my Thanksgiving Table Runner Project. We are having Thanksgiving at my house this year after a long break (my sister has had it at her house for several years, while I did Christmas). So this year we swapped, since she and Bill are traveling that week. My daughter and I were talking about decorations and our menu, because of course we like to show off a little bit. My sister always decorates the table beautifully and has a fabulous multi course meal planned, so we can't do any less. (not that we are competitive, mind you. Oh NO) We were brainstorming menu ideas and table decor and we came up with an idea for a Thanksgiving Table Runner that had all of our pictures on it and things that we were thankful for. We are gathering the pictures for that now. (and for our super top secret Christmas project that we will not be discussing YET) This is a good opportnity to test out the new Photo Fabric Play book we just got in as well. I'll use EQ Printables Fabric for the pictures, (they have the best print quality, IMHO) and autumn colored fabric for the runner. We'll use paintstiks and leaf rubbings to embellish, and also some Angelina as well.(I might use real leaves for the rubbings too) I'll test out some designs and ideas this weekend and see what I like. The nice thing about making a table runner is that it is normally about 13-15inches wide and 40-50 inches long, so it isn't too big to finish in a couple weekends, leaving me plenty of time to decide what the actual dinner will involve. My daughter wants to get a Virginia locally raised free range turkey, and we'll also have a ham, and pumpkin pie, and apple tart, but the rest of the menu is free form and subject to change. Of course my son always wants exactly what we had the year before, and the year before THAT, but my daughter and I like to sneak some new stuff in every year.
You have to be both sneaky and respectful about traditions, I think. Yes, make that same old corn bread stuffing, but also maybe try a new vegetable or dessert every year. Same with sewing; I love to try new techniques and fabrics whenever I do a new project to stretch my abilities a little bit.
After such stressful news in the papers and on TV this week, I'm thankful that I can sew something nice for my family and make this small corner of the planet a little bit nicer, and not think about all that other stuff for a while. Aren't you glad that you sew?