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Thanksgiving Holiday Traditions

bonknhead said:
So you crumble the turkey into the stuffing and just eat bacon and stuffing? :comp:
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That sounds like my kind of meal. :act-up:
 
I have a chocolate cheesecake baking in the over. I am so nervous because I have never made a cheesecake before. The directions didn't call for it, but I put it in a water bath because everything I have read online says that it will help with cracks in the cake. Once it's done I am making a chocolate ganache to go over the top and then refrigerating it over night.

I also took Claire's advice and cubed my bread last night so it should hopefully be dry by tomorrow. However, it hasn't stopped raining here and it's extremely humid outside so I have a feeling I will be baking them in the oven for a few minutes to dry them out.

I hope everyone elses pre-Thanksgiving prep work is going well :smile-big:
 
Cheesecakes are pretty easy to make. I've never heard of the water bath method to avoid cracks. We (my wife or I) don't mind the cracks because we normally put cherry topping on the cheesecake before refrigerating. The cracks help that filling permeate the cheesecake nicely. :D
 
I always use a water bath when making cheesecake - flourless chocolate cake too.
 
bonknhead said:
Cheesecakes are pretty easy to make. I've never heard of the water bath method to avoid cracks. We (my wife or I) don't mind the cracks because we normally put cherry topping on the cheesecake before refrigerating. The cracks help that filling permeate the cheesecake nicely. :D
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Diane said:
I always use a water bath when making cheesecake - flourless chocolate cake too.
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I figure any visible cracks on top will be covered by the chocolate topping but hopefully the water bath will help the sides. I just hope I did this right because, like I said, this is my first time ever making a cheesecake. I am guessing once it comes out of the over I will just put the topping on and put it in the refrigerator over night. Some recipes I read said to leave it in the oven with the oven turned off for an extra hour, but this one didn't say to do that so I will just follow what this one said.
 
Are you making it in a springform pan? I usually remove it from the oven and water bath - let it come to room temp before putting it in the refrigerator. I remove it from the pan right before serving. I've never done a chocolate ganache on cheesecake, but I would think you should bring the cheesecake to room temp first.
 
Diane said:
Are you making it in a springform pan? I usually remove it from the oven and water bath - let it come to room temp before putting it in the refrigerator. I remove it from the pan right before serving. I've never done a chocolate ganache on cheesecake, but I would think you should bring the cheesecake to room temp first.
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Yes, I am using a springform pan. That was the first thing I went out and bought when I decided to do a cheesecake. I just removed it from the oven and took it out of the water bath and put it in the refrigerator. The recipe said to put the ganache on top of the cheesecake and put in the refridgerator to cool and harden overnight. I was a little worried it would make the cake collapse if it wasn't 100% set and cooled but the recipe said it will be fine, so fingers crossed it is. I figure as long as it tastes good I am not as concerned that it looks bad. I would like it to be pretty too but taste will be the most important thing for me.
 
GolferGal22 said:
Yes, I am using a springform pan. That was the first thing I went out and bought when I decided to do a cheesecake. I just removed it from the oven and took it out of the water bath and put it in the refrigerator. The recipe said to put the ganache on top of the cheesecake and put in the refridgerator to cool and harden overnight. I was a little worried it would make the cake collapse if it wasn't 100% set and cooled but the recipe said it will be fine, so fingers crossed it is. I figure as long as it tastes good I am not as concerned that it looks bad. I would like it to be pretty too but taste will be the most important thing for me.
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I always go for taste over appearance too. My brioche is soaking in the custard for the bread pudding and the apples are cooked. I'll make the Grand Marnier sauce tomorrow.
 
GolferGal22 said:
That sounds like it is going to be delicious!
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It just came out of the oven - it's smells yummy. I just made bacon and cheddar toast. All that I have left to make is the corn casserole in the morning. Thanks again for the recipe.
 
Diane said:
I just made bacon and cheddar toast.
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Diane used real bacon. :blob::bananadance::banana::good::joy::hungry: :pig::shock::victory:
 
TheGasman said:
Diane used real bacon. :blob::bananadance::banana::good::joy::hungry: :pig::shock::victory:
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I don't know how to tell you this Gasman

Spoiler
I left a word out - TURKEY
 
Wait - they have horseradish too - you can't taste the difference.
 
Diane said:
It just came out of the oven - it's smells yummy. I just made bacon and cheddar toast. All that I have left to make is the corn casserole in the morning. Thanks again for the recipe.
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You're welcome, I hope everyone likes it. I am going to make that tomorrow as well. I have my roasted potatoes in the oven now. I will cook them until they are almost done and then finished them off tomorrow. Right now our refrigerator smells like chocolate from the cheesecake.
 
Diane said:
Perhaps, but no one in my family will complain.
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I wouldnt complain either. I would probably eat a bunch of them but you can tell the difference in bacon.
 
GolferGal22 said:
You're welcome, I hope everyone likes it. I am going to make that tomorrow as well. I have my roasted potatoes in the oven now. I will cook them until they are almost done and then finished them off tomorrow. Right now our refrigerator smells like chocolate from the cheesecake.
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I love the smell of chocolate. Are you going to make the mashed potatoes tomorrow?
 
Diane said:
I love the smell of chocolate. Are you going to make the mashed potatoes tomorrow?
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I don't like mashed potatoes so JB is making that for himself. I offered to make them from scratch but he said that was silly if I am not going to eat them. I am making roasted potatoes for me. I am cooking them tonight and then just reheating them tomorrow. They reheat really well the next day.
 
Diane said:
I love the smell of chocolate. Are you going to make the mashed potatoes tomorrow?
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How does thinking about chocolate lead you to mashed potatoes? Bacon I understand, mashed potatoes, not so much.
 
GolferGal22 said:
I don't like mashed potatoes so JB is making that for himself. I offered to make them from scratch but he said that was silly if I am not going to eat them. I am making roasted potatoes for me. I am cooking them tonight and then just reheating them tomorrow. They reheat really well the next day.
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Is there really any other way?

And JB, you can just use a few potatoes you know!
 
Smallville said:
How does thinking about chocolate lead you to mashed potatoes? Bacon I understand, mashed potatoes, not so much.
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GG and I have email conversations too. This time they crossed a bit.
 
GolferGal22 said:
I figure as long as it tastes good I am not as concerned that it looks bad. I would like it to be pretty too but taste will be the most important thing for me.
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Whipping cream covers up a lot!

Boo Girl and I just peeled and chopped five pounds of yukon golds. I have a make ahead recipe, so all I have to do tomorrow is reheat them.

Turkey needs to be in the over by 7:30. That's the big challenge.
 
Smallville said:
Is there really any other way?

And JB, you can just use a few potatoes you know!
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There was a sale at Pulix and the Bob Evans side dishes were buy one get one free so I think he bought that instead of making them.

Diane said:
GG and I have email conversations too. This time they crossed a bit.
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I knew what you were talking about :wink:

ClairefromClare said:
Whipping cream covers up a lot!

Boo Girl and I just peeled and chopped five pounds of yukon golds. I have a make ahead recipe, so all I have to do tomorrow is reheat them.

Turkey needs to be in the over by 7:30. That's the big challenge.
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I have extra heavy whipping cream so if all else fails and it just looks like a mess I will definitely be making some whipped cream to cover the blemishes.

I remember as a kid getting up with my mom and getting the turkey started really early. We always did a huge turkey so it took several hours to make. This year I think our little 5lb turkey breast will only take 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours.

This is one of my favorite holidays because the food is so yummy and there is no pressure of gift giving.
 
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