Save on Susanality!

And a Thanksgiving recap

Happy day after Thanksgiving, also known as digesting day, and, oh yeah, it’s also Black Friday! In honor of that, I thought I’d offer a few deals for you today. Have you considered giving a year of Susanality as a gift?

Whether it’s for you or for someone else, I’m offering 25% off annual subscriptions now through midnight on December 1st. What a deal! If you love my annual cookie content, subscribing now will give you access to each and every upcoming cookie recipe — there are a lot in the queue for the coming weeks! — as well as all past recipes, cookies or otherwise.

I’m also offering signed bookplates when you buy a copy of Veg Forward to gift. Or maybe you’ve been waiting and haven’t bought yourself a copy of my book yet? Now’s the time to treat yourself. All you have to do is reply to this email with your purchase receipt, along with your mailing address and any custom inscription, and I’ll mail you the bookplate in time for Christmas (I can’t promise for Hanukkah because I’ll be away). For this, please respond via email by December 10th.

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Thanksgiving Recap

So, how did everything go for you yesterday? My day was pretty low stress, because I did so much to prepare in the few days ahead. I’m so glad I did, because once my family arrived, it was really hard to concentrate! I even had time to make a quick pot of vegetable soup using some of my frozen shell beans, which we enjoyed with some focaccia I had in the freezer and some cheese. It was the perfect light lunch ahead of the big meal. My most stressful moment was when I realized I hadn’t put the easiest dish on my menu in the oven. A simple roast of string beans and Maitake mushrooms was so popular last year that I decided to do it again, but somehow I just neglected to get them in the oven when I planned to. I cranked the oven up high on convection, and somehow they were ready by the time my brother had finished carving the turkey. Everything always works out! It was a beautiful evening and a good time was had by all. 

Every year, I get a local heritage turkey from Mecox Bay Dairy. I had been thinking about spatchcocking it, because it was 21 pounds (!), but once I saw it, I had to cook it whole. It was a beautiful day to cook outside on the Traeger grill. It was about 50 degrees and sunny, and it took exactly as long as the chart on the Traeger website said it would take. I love doing it on the Traeger, because it leaves all my oven space free. It also does a great job of cooking the bird from all sides with no flabby spots. The only downside is that the house isn't permeated by that turkey aroma. I guess I am one of the few people who admits they love turkey?

A trio of desserts. I froze a hazelnut crust AND some poached pears from a few weeks ago to recreate the Pear and Hazelnut tart. I had also frozen one of the BEST Apple Pies when I developed that recipe weeks ago. I made Rose Wilde’s chocolate custard pie, so all I had to do was whip up my fave Pumpkin Tart with Cranberry-Pomegranate Glaze. I saw a LOT of people making this too!

Steve is in charge of the table, and he did a beautiful job, as always. He foraged the juniper berries that morning, and only one spider crawled out during dinner.

I also made my Mushroom Bread Pudding from NYT Cooking (gift link here). I had gotten some brioche slider buns as part of a little jaunt I made to Eli’s market (check out my IG on Saturday for a peek at that) so it inspired me to add this to my menu. Even though the Times puts this in their stuffing lineup, it isn’t really stuffing, but it is very good! I used chanterelles and beech mushrooms.

Eli Zabar also gifted me this gorgeous Vacherin cheese. A rare and seasonal treat. Despite it seeming like overkill, I had to serve it and share it, and it was truly delicious! We had a juicy comice pear with it. These are just coming into season, and I love them!

I’d love to hear about YOUR day! Let us know how it went, and if there was an especially memorable dish on your table. Did everything work out?

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Editor: Molly Ramsey