Ours was very low-key, lovely and small, at two tables eaten outside under the beautiful Miami sky. Zeke and I got the 17 pound bird in the oven around 9:30, then toasted ourselves with mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice, as we watched the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade. Thank God there’s some sense of normalcy about this year with the parade, even if there were no spectators on hand. The bands, Broadway performances, floats, balloons and Santa were out in front of Macy’s, as usual. The parade always reminds me of my grandmother Julia, who would call all of us grandchildren to remind us it was on.

I’d planned on eating at one long table, with two folding tables put together, but discovered that A.J. had taken hers, so we ate at two seperate tables. Everything went smoothly, but I always find it’s mass chaos 15 minutes before the Thanksgiving meal is to be served, especially since that’s when the gravy needs to be made. Mine turned out fine (recipe in former blog post) and our turkey was moist and juicy, the sausage stuffing and all the sides were delicious. After the meal, there was only one slice out of the “light” pumpkin pie I’d made and it wasn’t even from me, but from Wyatt. He decided he didn’t like it (oh well) so I gave him a mini ice cream cone (Hold the Cone Trader Joe’s) instead.

I had a slice the next day. It was… okay. Maybe I’ve lost my taste for pumpkin pie. I may make the remainder into ice cream, as I always like pumpkin ice cream. I also made the Pumpkin Ginger Sorbet from the NYT recipe, but forgot about it till after the meal. It was also just okay. I wouldn’t make it again, but wanted to try something new.

Lauren arrived Sunday from D.C. Since she’d flown in, Zeke and I kept our distance, but Emma had no qualms and came right over to see her big sister, the newly sworn-in lawyer. I made Arancini with leftover risotto I had from dinner in the Keys. I stuffed it with a hunk of cheese, breaded and fried it and served it with marinara sauce, perfect for snacking on with a glass of wine before dinner. For dinner I made Linguine with Clam Sauce with a green salad and garlic bread.

Tuesday night, my friend Martha had us over for dinner with another couple. She served my favorite appetizer (tostones with sour cream and caviar) with chilled champagne; we had delicious oysters from the Lazy Oyster for a starter on oyster plates Martha had recently acquired. Dinner was Roast Chicken with an orange sauce, a divine Truffle Risotto and a salad made with fresh greens from Enpower Farms. We sipped a lovely Chardonnay with the chicken and had a special Port with the rich Flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert. I love, love, loved my birthday dinner!

The next day (Wednesday) was my actual birthday. Zeke and I went to Glass and Vine in Coconut Grove for dinner. It’s outside in Peacock Park and there was a Jazz trio playing music in the twinkly light setting, so it was a perfect Birthday Dinner restaurant. We split a charcuterie plate (Antipasto Tabla) to start, with grilled bread, olives, prosciutto and local burrata and a bottle of Albarino. We then had the Grilled Double Pork Chop with guava apple glaze and cabbage salad, Charred Cauliflower with tahini and chick peas and Crispy Yucca fries with cheese. All of it was delicious and they threw in a Guava Cheesecake for my birthday celebration. Luckily, no singing was involved.

The Friday after my Birthday, I made Turkey Hash (recipe in last blog) for lunch. We went shopping for a Christmas tree, unsuccessfully. Came home and drank wine by our pool and ate frozen pizza for dinner, while listening to Christmas music. I’d read an article about best frozen pizzas and Newman’s Own uncured pepperoni was one of the suggestions, so that’s what we ate, as it was quick, easy and most importantly, wasn’t turkey. It was quite good- a thin and crispy crust and tons of pepperoni. The pepperonis had gotten discombobulated on the top, so I re-arranged them before cooking. I do recommend this pizza if you like pepperoni, but I didn’t dare look at the calorie count.

We’d planned on going down to the Keys with Emma and Lauren and boyfriends for the weekend, but since we didn’t want to be in such close quarters, we stayed home instead. Zeke smoked a brisket Kelley had given us and watched the Alabama game (the Iron Bowl against Auburn) on TV. I made a yummy Corn Dip I remembered from a Horseshoe Party we used to attend on Thanksgiving weekend and served it with tortilla chips. We served the Smoked Brisket with coleslaw, Avocado salad, Baked Beans and Texas toast. It was all delicious and a welcome break from turkey.

On Sunday I tried another NYT Food recipe for a Middle Eastern Turkey Sandwich made with seasoned turkey meat, a cucumber/mint sauce, cabbage slaw with pomegranate molasses and a tahini/yogurt sauce, served on a pita bread half. Conclusion? It was ok, but too much work for the results. Give me an old fashioned Turkey Sandwich on white bread with Miracle Whip, stuffing, cranberry sauce and salt and pepper anytime. It is the first sandwich I make after Thanksgiving and may be the best sandwich I eat all year. That night, I made Josies’ Turkey Tettrazini, instead of my usual reliable Fannie Farmer. Sorry Josie, but I like Fannie Farmer’s better! And I started the process of making my Turkey Soup (also Fannie Farmer), a multi-day process.

Making turkey soup is a lesson in anatomy. First, I boil the turkey carcass with water, onions, carrots, celery and peppercorns and let it sit overnight. The fat comes to the surface (which I scoop off) and then the liquid below is a gelatinous goo. Then, I go through the bones, picking the meat off carefully, like a surgeon at work. First, I locate the large bones- legs, wings, etc…, then the skinny flat bones, which must be in the turkey’s wings; I imagine a turkey in full flight at this discovery. Then, floating on top, are the white, flabby gelatinous hunks of cartilage which come from the legs, that need to be discarded. The neck bones are long and intricate, with meat encased inside. This year, I found the tail bone stuck in the turkey! For some reason it didn’t make it outside when we roasted it. And then, there are a ton of little, teeny bones I find scattered all over my stock, which I worry someone could choke on if I fail to locate them. By the time my soup-making is over, I feel I know my turkey intimately. And then it’s time to re-heat the soup, add noodles and eat. Hopefully, no bone appetit!

Our old friend Jenny Larkin had a secret to her turkey soup and that was that she would put a little leftover stuffing in it to thicken it up, so I always do this too. Kelley added her gravy to her turkey soup and my tennis partner added stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole to it, taking the leftovers to a whole new level. I gave some of this soup to my sister Elise Monday night and while she was over getting it, I got a Face Time call from my son Christopher. His wife Courtney had been induced earlier and I’d been waiting anxiously all day for any news.

This could be it!

I said, excitedly.

And sure enough, it was. Liam Jack Schild had just been born, so I got to see his sweet little face and his delighted mommy Courtney. Good job Courtney! He was born on November 30th at 7:06 p.m. and clocked in at 6 pounds 14 ounces. “Monday’s child is Fair of Face” is true for my little Liam, with chubby cheeks, a dimpled chin and long eyelashes. I can’t wait to see him in person and hold him in my arms!

In other Good News, my daughter A.J. got engaged on Saturday to Wyatt’s Dad Justin, in a sunflower field down South. And I got re-elected to the Yelp Elite Squad for 2021! Not as exciting as a new baby and an engagement but still, Yipee! 2020 isn’t a total loss.

After visiting three Christmas tree lots, we finally ended up getting our tree at the Fireman’s Lot. It was the second tree we looked at and was tall and full. Zeke takes great pride in stringing the lights around each branch of our Christmas tree and it always looks beautiful, but it is a project. The Zeke Guilford Tree Lighting Ceremony is a multi-day event, involving much drinking and swearing. One year, different strings of lights went out like three times and, in the end, we just gave up and had a partially-lit tree. To help spirits along with this chore, I put on Christmas music and pass balls of lights to Zeke as his assistant, but when I suggested getting a pre-lit Balsam Hill Christmas tree this year, to save him time and aggravation, I was shot down like a ton of bricks. Oh well, perhaps 2020 isn’t the year to mess with tradition.

Up Next: Easy Appetizer for the Holidays.

First, of course, is the requisite turkey sandwich, made with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and, from my childhood, Miracle Whip. It’s basically the only time I ever use Miracle Whip but it wouldn’t be a proper turkey sandwich without it. But after that? Turkey soup made with the carcass, Turkey Tetrazzini and Turkey Hash. This last recipe is one of my favorites for apres-Thanksgiving, because it uses so many leftovers! It calls for using cubed potatoes, but even that can be subbed for leftover mashed potatoes, just reduce the cooking time. I even used the leftover leaf-shaped butter pats and sliced bell pepper from my crudite platter in this year’s version.

I wish I could give credit for the recipe I’ve had for ages (pretty sure it came from one or both of The Silver Palate authors) but couldn’t find where it originated. If you can’t find parsley, no biggie. It adds a bit of color and freshness to the dish, but isn’t completely necessary. This pairs well with a salad, made with cranberry sauce dressing, just to fit in all the leftovers!

My Turkey Hash

Serves 6

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium potato, scrubbed and cubed
• 1 green (I used red) bell pepper, halved seeded and cut into 1″ chunks
• 2 cups leftover turkey meat, cut in bite size chunks
• 1/2 cup gravy
• 2 cups Stuffing, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. In an 8-inch skillet with 3-inch sides, heat the butter over medium heat. Add, in layers, the potato, pepper and turkey: Dot each layer with gravy. Top with stuffing.
2. Cover the skillet tightly with foil, reduce heat and cooke for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the hash is bubbling and the potatoes are cooked through. Serve garnished with parsley.

Calories 216

And since I think the hardest thing to make at Thanksgiving, after the turkey, is the gravy, I’m offering an easy Classic Pan Gravy recipe by Sam Sifton from the New York Times. I like it because it only calls for 7 tablespoons of turkey fat, unlike other recipes that call for cups of it. I never have a lot of drippings- they must be making turkeys skinnier these day. Try to use the Instant Flour, as it makes it less lumpy. We don’t want a lumpy gravy, people!

Classic Pan Gravy

Yield: 5 to 6 cups

• 7 tablespoons turkey fat, left in roasting pan
• 6 tablespoons flour, preferably instant
• 1/2 cup white wine (dry)
• 4 to 5 cups turkey stock
• salt and pepper

1. Pour off all but 7 tablespoons turkey fat from the roasting pan and set the pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the fat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. (mine took a lot less time)
2. Increase the heat to medium high and add a little white wine, whisking as you go to let it reduce. Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Cook, continuing to stir, until the gravy is thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When you make this gravy, you need to give your full attention to it, otherwise it can go south quickly. This is difficult, since you’re making it at the last minute, when many other dishes need your attention, so either recruit help for other dishes, or teach a trusted person to make this gravy.

Up Next: The Holiday’s are upon us

“Pecan pie is so yummy, why would I want anything else?”

Emma

Hmmm… So I’ve been thinking, do I need to make a whole pumpkin pie for myself? Really?

I’ve made all incarnations of Pumpkin Pie, starting with the classic one off the back of the Libby’s pumpkin can. During my Bon Appetit days, I upped my game and made the one from the Silver Palate, recommended by Arianna of Arianna’s Cook Shop. Over the years, it’s appeal waned for me (too plain and loose) so I tried a Pumpkin Ice Cream pie with candied almonds from Southern Living. It was delicious, but not at all traditional. Last year I tried Julia Child’s recipe for her Aunt Helen’s Fluffy Pie– another winner and who can argue with Julia Child’s tastebuds? This year I’m thinking of skipping the pumpkin pie completely and making a Pumpkin Ginger Sorbet from the New York Times Food section. Light and refreshing.

Macy’s is still having it’s Annual Thanksgiving Day parade, but with no in-person spectators. At least one beloved tradition hasn’t bitten this dust in 2020. Last year, after Thanksgiving, Zeke and I went to New York City to celebrate my 60th birthday. It was what I really wanted (who needs more stuff at 60?) and a total surprise. The best part was, Zeke planned everything from the flight and the hotel, to our dinner reservations. I’m usually the one who plans our trips, so this was a real gift to me.

We had a wonderful trip, with excellent Fall weather and all the Pre-Holiday buzz New York radiates. The Holiday windows were just being set up that weekend, so we walked down Fifth Avenue to check them out on the way to Central Park and saw the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center being set up. We visited newly reopened F.A.O Schwartz, went to a Holiday market in a park, visited the 9/11 museum, ate at my favorite NYC restaurant (The Grand Central Oyster Bar) and saw a Broadway play (The Rose Tatoo with Marisa Tomei). The Oyster Bar is now closed (no one traveling on the trains) and Broadway, of course, is dark, due to COVID. I’m so glad we went on that trip! The expression “what a difference a day makes” can be changed to “what a difference a year makes” and there’s no year that is more true for than 2020.

I played tennis four times last week! An abnomaly for me, but I ran into an acquaintance whose moving, after 15 years in Miami, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This year (the Year of the Rat) has been a year of transition and self reflection. People had the time and space to reevaluate their living spaces, their jobs, their city, state and significant others. Some of us doubled down (I love all this togetherness!), others bailed (I can’t stand your face!), quit their jobs or moved. This year of transition has also been a year of transformation. Zeke keeps saying “I can’t believe we bought a boat!”, so the craziest thing we’ve done this year is buy a boat. Apparently, we’re transforming into boat people. If I start looking like Mary’s leather-skinned neighbor from too many hours in the sun (in “There’s Something About Mary”) someone please give me a heads up.

My birthday is always around Thanksgiving (sometimes it’s on Thanksgiving), making travel problematic, especially if I’m cooking dinner. This year, of course, that’s not a problem. Last year, I had my Aunt Josie’s funeral, where I gave the eulogy, on my actual birthday. Last week, my early birthday lunch at Fiola’s was cancelled due to the rising COVID cases. It’s so great that we have two effective vaccines in the pipeline; if we can all just be patient and safe a little longer, salvation is around the corner! They say by May things will be back to “normal”; whatever normal will look like then.

My Mom is cooking just for herself and her boyfriend Bob. She found a 7 pound turkey, which I didn’t even know existed; she definitely robbed the turkey cradle. Zeke and I went to Publix to get our turkey over the weekend, which is 17 pounds. Do you notice, whenever you talk to someone about their Thanksgiving Dinner, the weight of their turkey always comes up? It’s the only meal I can think of where people brag about the size of the feathered friend they’ll be eating. Like when a baby’s born, we seem to need to give people this vital information. Speaking of babies…

Chris and Courtney’s baby is due this week, actually he’s due today ! Courtney said she thinks he’s waiting to arrive on Thanksgiving Day, or maybe my birthday (25th). I can’t wait to see Liam Jack’s sweet little face and have another Sagittarius to have adventures with. In other exciting family news, Lauren passed the Florida bar! She found out while in D.C. and was sworn in via, what else? Zoom. Yippee! We have another lawyer in the family.

In Miami food news, the South Beach Food and Wine Festival is on for February 2021, albeit with reduced size and no Meet-and-Greets. I’ve only been once (to the Grand Tasting) but I always have a running “wish list” of events I’d like to attend. (hint, hint)

In the wind-up to Turkey Day, my cooking has been pared down. My two favorite meals were bookended by fish dishes. On Sunday, we had Martha and Luis over for sautéed yellowtail snapper with a tropical fruit salsa, mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. We all enjoyed the dinner and seeing each other. The salsa, a Norman Van Aken recipe, elevated the tender sautéed Yellowtail with a sweet and tangy sauce, made with starfruit (instead of pineapple) from my tree. We had homemade banana ice cream with banana cake for dessert. I transformed the leftover mashed potatoes into a Shepherd’s Pie on Wednesday, with Bison meat instead of the normal ground lamb. If you’ve never tried bison, it’s a delicious and lean meat, low in calories and full of protein and iron.

We had lunch at Lazy Lobster on Friday on the way to our condo. They have a very safe set-up outside under a huge chickee hut. I do prefer it for dinner, however. I know I’ve been saying we eat too much red meat, but when we went to Publix and Zeke suggested chicken, all I could think of was that 17-pound lump of poultry awaiting me on Thursday, so we got skirt steak instead. I marinated it in mojo and Zeke grilled it. I served it with black beans and rice. Lunch on Saturday at Skippers (at the Holiday Inn) was excellent! I got the Shrimp Ceviche and Thai Glazed Chicken Wings and both were great, as was the Blackberry Margarita I drank – highly recommend.

Saturday night we had a drink with our Sanctuary neighbors outside at sunset and talked about our Thanksgiving plans. I made myself an Ancho Chile and Agave Margarita to sip; it was Muoy Bueno! At home, Zeke grilled a beautiful filet of Grouper, which I served with risotto and a caesar salad with plantain chips instead of croutons. I made the Lazy Day’s sauce, with tomatoes, scallions, white wine and key lime butter to go on the grouper. We both wanted something a little sweet, but all I could find was peanut butter cookie dough I’d made from Gigi Camp this summer, which I baked into cookies. Desperate times…

After one Thanksgiving a couple years ago, where I cooked and cleaned for days with little help, I went on strike and told Zeke “Never again.” Of course, I relented, but with the caveat that everyone bring a dish, even if they have to buy it already prepared. So this year, we’ll be having a crudite plate no one will touch, with black olives that taste more like than the can than olives (because tradition!), our Roasted 17-pound turkey with my grandmother’s sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce. A.J.’s bringing a sweet potato casserole, Emma’s bringing rolls and making Brussel Sprouts and Lauren’s making pecan pie.

2020 isn’t a year for experimenting with weird or funky recipes. We need tradition! We need comfort! We need the tried-and-true! So, no, I won’t be making Pumpkin Ginger Sorbet in place of Pumpkin Pie. I’ve decided I will be making Pumpkin Pie this Thanksgiving, but a Lighter Libby’s Pumpkin Pie version. Because we all know who will be eating it.

“We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessings, he hastens and chastens his will to be known.”

Dutch Hymn

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Thanksgiving to all. I hope you have a wonderful meal, whether you’re alone or with a small group. Lastly, I’m thankful for everyone who reads my blogs!

Up Next: Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes