I made a new tablecloth and decided to go all colorful for our TG table this year. Lots to be thankful for, that's for sure. Happy TG everyone!!!!

our TG table

This year I decided to go with a windswept look with golden pine cones and leaves. Here's what we served this year. Be prepared, there is no turkey or pie. I just figured out TG is all about pie and potatoes. Why did I not see this before? We had our dessert first, up the street at Cafe Riviera, a sweet place on Manhattan Avenue. Polish Apple Cake and coffee with steamed milk. Very festive.

First Course

Salmon Ceviche

Black Beans

Cassava Toasts with olive oil & cilantro

. . .

Second Course

Turkish Spinach & Onion Boreka

Roasted Masala Spice Sweet Potato "Fries"
with spicy coriander yogurt dipping sauce

Trio of potatoes (red, white & purple) sliced à la Internet

Roasted Asparagus

. . .

Third Course

Homemade Cranberry Relish & Fresh Apples, Oranges & Cranberries

Persimmons

Pecans & Almonds

Coffee

TG potatoes -- they worked! tasty, but blurry
I made red, purple and white. A true experiment.

I wrote about this on the Dollhouse blog last week, but it warrants repeating here. These fasinating potatoes were fun to make, and they totally worked out like Pinterest said they would. Healthy potato chips. I think the purple potatoes turned out the best. [found on Pinterest. Have you ever tried Pinterest? Kinda cool]

It's getting to look a lot like Thanksgiving! Mini pumpkins, check. Gold leaves, check. Gold mini pinecones, check.

The things you find on your camera... We served this tuna tapas appetizer at Thanksgiving. It was a big hit. And delicious with a Spanish white wine.



Tuna Tapas
1 jar whole roasted red peppers
1 can tuna in water
nonfat plain yogurt
ginger root
3-4 peperoncini peppers
fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
Balsamic vinegar

Drain tuna. Drain peppers and blot dry. Cut peppers in half lengthwise so they are "1-ply". Mix tuna with a few dashes of balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons of nonfat plain yogurt (amount to your taste), fresh minced ginger, diced peperoncini peppers, chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Roll up a spoonful of tuna in each half of a roasted red pepper. Serve on plate with a marinated zucchini salad. Eat!

Look at these brussel sprouts!


I got them at the Union Square Greenmarket yesterday.
It was the best day to be there. Pies everywhere. And the fruits and vegetables!
A bountiful beautiful harvest.

I got the pumpkins from the brussel sprout man. He had a very kind face.

Hope your TG is a festive feast! Happy Thanksgiving!

With the table design all set and the house clean, today is all about the menu and gathering ingredients. I have already been out to 82nd Street in Jackson Heights, Queens to get some special surprise treats for our TG feast tomorrow. I bought a small ton of veggies too.

Yesterday at the Container Store, I found delicate gold leaves that look like lace to include with my mini pumpkin, purple mums and gold pine cones. Now I must set the table, and go back out for more food gathering. Back soon to post more.

As I said in the previous post, we got so involved in eating that I forgot to take pictures of the rest of the meal. So my husband and I "re-enacted" one of the courses last night: the pizza! It was tasty all over again. The things I do for this blog.

We had just as much fun gathering up all the ingredients as we did cooking them. To me, New York provides the greatest feast from all cultures everyday. We wanted our Thanksgiving table to reflect that. We hand-carried all of the provisions on the subway, thus getting lots of exercise before eating. Subway lines taken: G, 7, 1, F, E, L. Here was the menu for the rest of our TG feast.

main course

white bean, raosted fennel & tomato
thin crust pizza

zucchini, roasted red pepper, pepperoncini
thin crust pizza

mesclun salad with tomato, cucumber
& chickpeas tossed with
lemon juice, olive oil & shaved pecorino

roasted sweet potato

roasted asparagus in balsamic

pan-seared brussel sprouts & broccoli




dessert

apple pie wontons

cranberry relish

assorted greek cookies
(finikia & kourabiedes)
from omonia cafe, astoria

almond chocolate milk

coffee
black currant tea

It is two days later, and we are still basking in the glory of our TG feast.

Above, the appetizer course. We got so involved in eating that I forgot to take pictures of the main course and dessert. But I will tell you about it in another post. My husband and I were busy all week shopping, and cooking. We brought in ingredients from all corners of Manhattan and Brooklyn, and a little bit of Astoria. I even made a new tablecloth for the occasion. My parents enjoyed the feast very much. We all did. It was a great TG.

appetizer course

smoked salmon plate
tofu cream cheese, fresh dill
assorted bialy, polish rye squares

zabar's tofu cheeses

mushroom sauerkraut pierogies
in yogurt with carmelized onions

zucchini appetizers

'swooning imam' turkish eggplant
with carmelized onion and grilled halloumi cheese

champagne
pellegrino