Thanksgiving At Red Barn View 2013!

Sometimes when I type the year 2013, I just can't believe we are 13 years past the turn of the century.  I am overwhelmed with thanks to the good Lord above for letting me see this Thanksgiving! I am reminded of how one of my favorite pastors, Antonio Clinkscales always begins his sermons "Give God some praise! He woke you up this morning didn't he?" This year my family will celebrate a little differently, making new traditions which I find exciting and also gives me a chance to cook some things I don't usually make and try new recipes. 

Actually our celebration at Red Barn View will be a collection of new and old recipes, a brunch on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I am using some VERY old recipes from the collection of my great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Anne Harrison Fitzhugh.  Anne was the wife of the High Sheriff of Caroline, Thomas Griffin Thornton who was the most famous fox hunter of his day.  His hunting exploits are featured in numerous publications and newspapers of his day. Anne was also the mother of eight children and presided over a household at the family seat called Ormesby just above Guniea Station here in Caroline.  She married "Griffin" in 1795 when she was only 15 and he 20.  Griffin was the son of Anthony Thornton who commanded the Colonial militia at the Battle of Yorktown and Anne's family, the Fitzhughs were famous Virginia patriots as well.  Thomas Griffin Thornton was killed in 1830 along with his beloved horse by a man who he was about to serve a writ upon to come to court to answer for theft. His name is the first inscribed to be killed in the line of duty on the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. 

 

Thanksgiving Hunt Breakfast at Red Barn View

The muffins, bread pudding, biscuits and pears have been adapted from old family recipes. 

     

The Menu

Orange Nog Punch

Tomato Cocktail

Coffee and English Tea

Fresh Baked Sweet Potato Muffins

Apple Bread Pudding

Bourbon Poached Pears

Fruit and Cheese Delight

Hunters Egg Casserole or Eggs Chasseur

Baked Virginia Ham

Country Biscuits with butter and preserves 

I highly recommend the Eggs Chasseur!  Livers are not something you would eat all the time but very high in iron and once a year won't hurt. This dish is really delicious with very little seasoning, the small bullion cube provides all you need in the this recipe.

My Hunt Breakfast table is very simple this year, gold chargers from Pier One (years ago)My wedding crystal, Jamestown Gold by Mikasa, My mothers white heavy linen Army Navy napkins, my Spode Hunting Dog Series Plates, (a brand new anniversary gift from Mr. Sili) The centerpiece is made from a striped curtain panel, bunched together and very inexpensive mercury glass votives and pillar holders with simple ivory candles.

Recipes

Orange Nog Punch

This punch is equally good with or without alcohol. If alcoholic beverages are desired, a jigger of gin or vodka from the bar can be added to each glass or punch cup.

4-6 ounce cans frozen orange juice

4-6 ounce can frozen pineapple juice

6 cups water

4 bottles (10 oz.) sparkling water

1 tsp. Angostura bitters

Empty contents into punchbowl. Add water and bitters; stir well. When ready to serve, pour into punch bowl with ice ring. Add sparkling water. Makes about 20 servings.

Tomato Cocktail

To make Bloody Mary’s, simply add vodka by the glass.

4 cups tomato juice

4 cups Clamato juice

1 cucumber peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp. minced scallions, including green stems

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Juice of two limes

½ tsp. grated lime rind

2 tsps. prepared horseradish

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 drops Tabasco sauce

Lime wedges for garnish

Place all ingredients except lime wedges in large bowl or pitcher and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and check seasonings. It may need salt. Serve in chilled glasses and garnish.

Sweet Potato Muffins

(can be frozen and reheated).

½ cup butter

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ¼ cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 cup milk

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

½ cup raisins, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease muffin tins. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Blend in sweet potatoes. Sift flower with baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to sweet-potato mixture, alternating with milk. Do not over-mix. Fold in the nuts and raisins. Fill muffin tins two-thirds full and bake for 25 minutes. Yield 2 dozen.

Apple Bread Pudding

3 apples, peeled and finely chopped

2 ounces rum

½ cup brown sugar

2 croissants, cut into ½ inch squares

¼ cup currants

¼ cup mixed dried fruit

Custard

1 quart half and half

6 eggs

2 tablespoons pure vanilla

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar

Garnish

½ pint whipping cream, whipped, with 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel apples and chop rather small. Place on small tray and sprinkle with rum and brown sugar. Bake approximately 45 minutes until sugar melts and apples are tender. Place croissants on another small baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes. Place custard ingredients in a bowl and beat with a wire whisk until well mixed. Strain through a sieve. Place equal amounts of apple and croissant pieces in large ovenproof dishes and mix in currants and dried fruits. Pour custard to top of dish. Put dish into larger ovenproof container and fill with water which comes halfway up the sides of pudding dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Whip cream and add confectioners’ sugar. Whipped cream can be served separately for garnish.

Bourbon Poached Pears (for 8)

1 cup sugar or more to taste

12 cups water

Peel of 1 lemon removed in strips with paring knife

12 large firm, ripe unblemished pears, peeled and rubbed with lemon

5 or 6 cinnamon sticks

2 ½ cups good quality bourbon or more to taste

Combine the sugar, cinnamon sticks, water and lemon peel in a non-aluminum pan large enough to hold the pears. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer, and gently add pears to the syrup with a large spoon. You will want to keep your pears submerged and they tend to float so you can cut a round of wax paper the circumference of the saucepan and place it directly on top of the fruit.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Weigh down the pears with a heatproof plate small enough to fit inside the sauce pan to keep the pears submerged in liquid, and simmer partially covered until the pears are tender, not mushy, 10 to 30 minutes, (timing will depend on size, type and ripeness of the pears). Add bourbon to the poaching liquid and remove the saucepan from the heat for 5 minutes.

Transfer pears to a heatproof serving dish. You can serve hot like I do in casserole with the candle or chill, or serve at room temperature. Taste for seasoning, adding additional bourbon for a more pronounced flavor, if desired. Spoon the poaching liquid over pears.

Fruit and Cheese Delight

(I usually add a number of different cheeses including brie.)

4 bananas, cut into ½ slices

2 oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise

½ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into spears

½ fresh cantaloupe, cut into ½ inch slices

1 cup blueberries

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1 large package cream cheese cut into ½ inch cubes

Leaf Lettuce

Arrange fruit and cream cheese attractively on a lettuce lined serving platter.

Hunters Egg Casserole

From The Country Gourmet, reprinted from Horse Country, December 1994. (Low and nonfat ingredients can be successfully substituted.)

3 dz. Eggs

1 cup milk

8 tsp. butter or margarine

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

½ cup Sherry

2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Crack eggs into mixing bowl, add milk and blend well. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in sauté pan; scramble eggs to a loosely cooked consistency; remove from heat and chill. Sauté mushrooms in remaining butter; remove from heat and chill. Layer eggs, mushrooms, mushroom soup, sherry and cheese into a non-aluminum casserole dish (assemble at least two layers of each ingredient). Top with remaining cheese and refrigerate until 45 minutes before serving time. Heat in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed completely and top layer of cheese is lightly golden. Serve out of the oven.

Eggs Chasseur

1 pound chicken livers

4 tablespoons butter

I chicken bullion cube 

1 cup mushrooms, sautéed and sliced

1 ½ cups white sauce made with cream

salt and pepper to taste

16 eggs, scrambled with 2/3 cup cream

chopped parsley

Cook livers in butter and bullion until they are no longer pink. Remove from heat and dice. Add mushrooms, cream sauce and salt and pepper. Put this mixture in the center of a warm serving dish and spoon eggs around it. Garnish with parsley.

Baked Virginia Ham

From the

1 12 to 15 pound country ham

whole cloves

2 cups orange juice, divided

About ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

Place ham in a very large container; cover with cold water and soak overnight. Remove ham from water and drain. Scrub ham thoroughly with a stiff brush and rinse well with cold water. Replace ham in container and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Drain off water. Cover ham with fresh cold water. Cover and simmer an additional 4 to 5 hours, allowing 25 minutes per pound. Turn ham occasionally during cooking time. Cool. Carefully remove ham from water; remove skin. Place ham, fat side up on a cutting board; score fat in a diamond design and stud with whole cloves. Place ham, fat side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Combine one cup orange juice and sugar. Coat exposed portion of ham with orange juice mixture. Bake uncovered, at 325 for thirty minutes, basting frequently with remaining orange juice. Transfer to serving platter and slice. Yields about 24 servings.

Country Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tsps. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cream of tarter

½ cup shortening

¾ cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk

Sift together ingredients. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle buttermilk evenly over flour mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead 3 to 5 times until smooth. Roll dough out to ½ inch thickness; cut with a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter. Place biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.