Thanksgiving 2008

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year and we were so happy and blessed to have family and friends share our feast with us. Edy and Gordon (Andrew's parents), Joe (Andrew's brother) and his girlfriend Becky, and Bryson and Sean (two guys Andrew works with) all came over. I was in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year - my first! I didn't burn anything and no one got sick, so I think it was a success. Luckily I had lots of help and wisdom in the kitchen with me at all times too, so that helped.

I think my favorite dish was the fruited, whole wheat stuffing we made. It had walnuts and dried fruit in it and it was delicious and 'sneakily' healthy (i.e. it tasted good to everyone not just the crazy 'almost' nutritionist). Here's the recipe in case anyone wants it.

Fruited Whole-Wheat Bread Stuffing

1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup raisins, dark or golden
1/2 cup pitted sliced prunes (plums)
1/2 cup dried sliced apricots
3 cups boiling water
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 tsp. dried ground sage
1 lb day-old whole-wheat bread, crusts removed and cubed
3 cups boiling low-fat, reduced sodium chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cherries, raisins, prunes, and apricots. Add the boiling water and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute for 8-9 minutes until onions are translucent and celery is soft. Add in the sage and saute for 1 minute. Add the onions and celery to a large bowl.
4. Add the bread to the bowl and mix. Pour over the broth, and add the eggs and mix well. Add in the walnuts and season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the stuffing into a large 9-by-13 inch casserole dish and bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more until top is browned.