By Alyssa K.
This year we are having our first thanksgiving meal this Saturday, and a second one on Thanksgiving Day. This is my menu for this coming Saturday.
Below the recipes you will find the prep techniques that my friend Chava helped me figure out so I'm not cooking all day and then completely exhausted.
Ham
Jellied cranberry sauce
Butternut squash souffle with pecan crunch
Broccoli salad (the recipe is in the files)
Stuffing
Carrot cake
RECIPES
Ham ala Chava Sonnier:
I got an 8.5 pound fresh, uncured ham from my local butcher.
Rub 1/4 cup of salt (the amount of salt varies depending on the size of the ham) over the whole thing, stick it in a zip lock (get a giant 2 gallon one!) and let it sit in the fridge for 4 days. Turn it once every day. After 4 days take it out of the fridge, pat it dry, and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours. Then place in a roasting pan and bake it at 500*F for 20 minutes to get a nice crispy skin. Then reduce the heat to 325*F and keep pouring water into the roasting pan a cup or two at a time to keep 1/4" of liquid in the pan, and cook it until the ham reaches 140*F. Once it reaches 140*F, remove the ham from the oven and let it sit on the counter until it reaches 150*F.
If you want you can then put the juices from the roasting pan into a measuring cup, chill, skim off the fat, then boil the juices with broth, water, orange juice, or pineapple juice to make a gravy.
Cranberry sauce:
http://predominantlypaleo.com/cranberry-sauce-two-ways/
SCD modification:
*use honey instead of maple syrup. I would probably use a bit less honey than it calls for.
*check the labels on the cranberry juice!!
Butternut squash souffle with pecan crunch:
http://ournourishingroots.com/butternut-squash-sweet-potato-casserole-with-pecan-crunch/
SCD modifications:
*use SCD yogurt or maybe even coconut milk (?) in place of the sour cream
Stuffing:
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/cornbread-sausage-stuffing-grain-free-gaps-paleo/
SCD modification for the "cornbread" recipe that the page links to:
*you'll need to omit the baking powder
*use honey in place of the coconut sugar
*use SCD yogurt in place of the sour cream
*tip: I bought slivered almonds at the grocery store that I'm going to soak, dry in the oven, then grind into my own flour. I dont use almond flour much so I cant justify buying a huge bag for one recipe. :)
Carrot cake:
SCD modification:
*first of all, I'm omitting the glaze because I just dont want to take the time to make it! lol! so if you decide to make the glaze that the page links to, make sure you review the recipe carefully because you will need to make some modifications.
*modifications for the cake recipe:
*use honey instead of maple syrup
*if you add pineapple, make sure it is the Dole brand in 100% pineapple juice with 0% added A vitamin. It's readily available at most grocery stores :)
PREP TECHNIQUES:
5 days before your big meal:
-start the ham process by salting it and placing it in the oven
-make the mayonnaise for the broccoli salad
4 days before:
-make the cranberry sauce
-cook the butternut squash for the souffle
-make the "cornbread" for the stuffing
-grate the carrots for the carrot cake
-cook the broccoli for the broccoli salad
3 days before:
-make the pecan topping for the butternut squash souffle
-assemble the souffle in the casserole dish but dont bake
-assemble the stuffing in the dish but dont bake
2 days before:
-assemble and bake the carrot cake
-assemble the broccoli salad while the cake is cooking
1 day before:
-bake the ham and make any desired gravy
Day of:
-bake the stuffing
-bake the souffle
-warm the ham