A THANKSGIVING DINNER IN THE COUNTRY
AFTER all the excitement of Alice's wedding, Bettina was more than
delighted when she and Bob were invited to a family dinner at Aunt
Lucy's on Thanksgiving day. "It always seems to me the most comfortable
and restful place in the world," said she to Bob. "And Aunt Lucy is such
a wonderful cook, too! We're very lucky this year, I can tell you!"
"Who's to be there?"
"Father and mother--we are to drive out with them--and Aunt Lucy's
sister and her big family. Thanksgiving seems more natural with children
at the table, I think. And those are the liveliest, rosiest children!"
Bob had slept late that morning, and consequently had eaten no
breakfast, but he did not regret his keen appetite when Uncle John was
carving the great brown turkey.
"The children first, John," said kind Aunt Lucy. "The grown folks can
wait."
Little Dick and Sarah had exclaimed with delight at the place cards of
proud turkeys standing beside each plate. In the center of the table was
a great wicker basket heaped with oranges, nuts and raisins.
"It doesn't seem natural without pumpkin pie," said Aunt Lucy, "but John
was all for plum pudding instead."
"We can have pie any day," said Uncle John, "but this is a special
occasion. What with Dick here--and Sarah--and Bettina--who's some cook
herself, I can tell you!--I was determined that mother should show her
skill! And she did; didn't she?"
The menu was as follows:
Turkey with Giblet Gravy Oyster Dressing
Mashed Potatoes Creamed Onions
Cranberry Frappé
Bread Celery Butter
Plum Pudding Hard Sauce
Nuts Raisins
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
THE THANKSGIVING DINNER RECIPES
=Roast Turkey= (Fourteen portions)
1 12-lb. turkey
The turkey should be thoroughly cleaned and washed in a pan of water to
which one teaspoon of soda has been added to each two quarts of water.
Wash the inside with a cloth, rinsing thoroughly, allowing plenty of
water to run through the turkey. Dry well and stuff. Season all over
with salt, pepper and butter. When baking, lay the fowl first on one
side, then on the other until one-half hour before taking from the oven.
Then it should be turned on its back, allowing the breast to brown. A
twelve pound turkey should be cooked three hours in a moderate oven,
basting frequently.
=Oyster Dressing= (Fourteen portions)
6 C-stale bread crumbs
1/2 C-melted butter
2 t-salt
1/2 t-pepper
1 pt. oysters
Mix the ingredients in the order given, adding the oysters cleaned and
drained from the liquor. Fill the turkey and sew up with needle and
thread.
=Preparing the Giblets=
Wash thoroughly the heart, liver and gizzard. Cut through the thick
muscle of the gizzard and peel it slowly without breaking through the
inside lining. Cut the heart open, and remove carefully the gall bladder
from the liver. Wash carefully again, and soak ten minutes in salted
water. Cook slowly until tender, in one cup of water. More water may be
needed. Cut fine, and add to the gravy. Save the stock.
=The Gravy=
1 C-stock
2 T-flour
1 T-cold water
1/4 t-salt
For each cup of liquor, which is left in the roasting pan, add one
tablespoon of flour. Mix the flour with two tablespoons of cold water,
add the liquid slowly, and cook two minutes. Add one-fourth of a
teaspoon of salt, and the giblets. Serve hot.
=Creamed Onions= (Six portions)
2 C-cooked onions
1 C-white sauce
Cook the onions in one quart of water in an uncovered utensil until
tender. (About fifteen minutes.) Drain and add one cup of white sauce.
Serve hot.
=Plum Pudding= (Six portions)
2 C-soft bread crumbs
1/4 t-soda
1/4 t-cloves
1 t-cinnamon
1/4 t-salt
1/2 C-suet
1/2 C-molasses
4 T-"C" sugar
1 egg
3/4 C-milk
1/2 C-currants
1/2 C-raisins
1 t-vanilla
Chop the suet, and sprinkle with one tablespoon of flour to prevent
sticking. Add the raisins, currants, "C" sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves
and bread crumbs. Add the egg and milk beaten together, add the vanilla,
mix the soda in the molasses and add to the first mixture. Fill a
well-buttered pudding mould one-half full. Steam two hours. Serve with
hard sauce.
=Hard Sauce=
1/3 C-butter
2 T-hot water
3/4 C-brown sugar
1/2 t-vanilla
1/2 t-lemon extract
Cream the butter, add water and gradually add the sugar. Continue mixing
until very creamy. Add the vanilla and lemon extract. Chill and serve
over the hot pudding.