I *heart* Thanksgiving. We filled our table with Gary’s family from Illinois, and our friends Sam and Jess and Sam’s family.

Our meal consisted of cranberries from Sam’s uncle outside of Boston, lettuce from our garden, and Gary’s dad grew the corn and sweet potato. I filled a 13″ cast iron pan with the goodness from one of Melvin’s potatoes. As shown by this recipe in the past, he knows how to grow ’em.

It is wonderful to have a meal that was cultivated, prepared, and shared with love. We gave thanks for those at the table and for others we wished could share our table, too.

Ingredients:

1 LARGE sweet potato (or 3 small sweet potatoes), peeled and chopped
2 eggs
1 t salt
1/2 c milk
1 T vanilla extract
1 t cinnamon
1/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c potato flour (or regular flour)
1/2 c pecans, chopped
3 T butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 35o. Next, get a pot of boiling water going, and then peel and chop the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain all the water, and put the potatoes in a mixing bowl. Mix the potatoes, and add the salt, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until fluffy. Grease a cast iron pan, and put the potato mixture in it. Mix the sugar, flour, cut butter, and pecans in a bowl. Pour on top of the potatoes. Cook for half an hour.

I just got back from another great trip in the Midwest to see my family for a pre-Thanksgiving celebration.

Since it was November in Iowa, the only foraging that was done was digging in my sister’s freezer. Her freezer, however, isn’t the typical one; it’s a goldmine for adventurous eaters. Just a shallow dig found both ground and whole-roast rabbit, chicken hearts, and lamb liver. (I’m sure if we could have dug further, we would have found some breastmilk in there, too.) We consumed it all (expect the breastmilk, that is). And it was delicious.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground rabbit
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 c breadcrumbs
3 T Dijon mustard
1 egg
1 t ground sage
S&P
1 lb brussel sprouts
1 c red wine
1 c beef stock

Instructions:

First, combine the red wine and stock in a saucepan on the stove. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until it has reduced by half. While this is simmering, combine the ground rabbit and pork, egg, mustard, breadcrumbs, sage, and S&P in a bowl. Mix well, then form into meatballs, about one inch in diameter. Place on an insulated cookie sheet.

Next, wash the brussel sprouts, and cut in half. Put these on a cookie sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, and add S&P. Cook both the meatballs and the sprouts in the same oven at 350 for about half an hour. Once cooked, place the meatballs and sprouts in a bowl, and pour the sauce over it. Enjoy!