There’s a Chef in My Family

Since we no longer live within driving distance of a family Thanksgiving gathering, we’ve had to develop some new traditions for a lunch for four.  

Last summer when my sister visited, she guided my son through the steps of the pastry dough recipe from his new cookbook Baking with Mary Berry.  So for Thanksgiving he decided to make pumpkin tarts on his own.  He made the dough, mixed the filling, and put them in the oven to bake. When they had cooled, he decided to sample one. It was then he realized there’s a difference in a ¼ teaspoon of salt (which the recipe calls for) and the 4 tablespoons of salt he had added. Scratch the tarts.

Undeterred, he went on to make Never-Enough Dinner Rolls from the children's cookbook There’s a Chef in My Family! by Emeril Lagasse. Although he did have to start over once on the rolls – mistaking the ingredients list for the directions and just throwing everything into a bowl – they turned out quite scrummy.  And, true to their name, there wasn't enough. 

Meanwhile, my daughter made Martha’s sweet potato casserole recipe, a fruit salad, and supervised the table setting. With my husband in charge of the slow cooker turkey, I just had to roast some Brussels sprouts and open the wine. 

And for that, I am truly thankful.