Through the Seasons

Success Defined

I have defined success in this week’s venture as me getting through Thanksgiving with a cheerful, positive attitude even if every dish fails and I end up serving macaroni and cheese out of a box.  Due to this, my cooking failures yesterday didn’t discourage me at all.  I am keeping on keeping on and learning as I go (as many of these things are my first try).

My goal yesterday was to cook the sweet potato casserole (minus the topping) and the yeast rolls.

First, the yeast rolls.  Two things happened.  I didn’t count on the fact that our househelp would be cooking bread at the same time I’d be cooking my stuff so the yeast rolls rose and rose and rose until the first set were entirely too big.  I cooked them anyway.  I expected them to brown on top.  They didn’t.  So I overcooked the bottom a bit and Jonathan said they were fine.  The second batch were slightly better.  They didn’t rise or cook as long which helped.  In the future I will make sure to check the bottom and ignore the top completely.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

The first batch is on the left.  The second is on the right.

The first batch.

Second batch.

Then we come to the sweet potato casserole.  The sweet potatoes here are very starchy and dry.  I microwaved them before blending them with egg, butter, and spices.  They were DRY.  But I persevered and stuck them in the oven.  Jonathan and I were leaving and the casserole was almost done so I kept waiting and waiting until the last minute to turn the oven off.  I was saying out loud, “Turn the oven off.  Turn the oven off.  Turn the oven off.”  Then Jonathan asked me to take something to the car.  When I got out there he asked if I had locked the door and I said no.  I thought, “Well I wasn’t planning to walk out of the house for good but I suppose I’m ready.”  But.  Without turning that oven off!!!  So it cooked another 2 hours.  Ruined.  But the house was standing so I wasn’t too upset about it.

Here it is:

On today’s agenda was another sweet potato casserole, 2 pie crusts (including both top and bottom), and the dough for gingerbread cookies.  And I actually accomplished it!

What did I learn with these?

This time I cubed and peeled the sweet potatoes then boiled them.  MUCH BETTER.  SO!  My “disaster” turned out to be a blessing because this casserole turned out moist, smooth, and fluffy.

I made 2 pie crusts in 2 batches and the second was better than the first.  I’m not totally sure why but I think the first wasn’t quite wet enough.  Hopefully both taste fine though.

The gingerbread dough seems fine and is chilling in the refrigerator until I make the cookies on Monday.

You’ll see these when they are the finished products on Thursday.

It has been a busy but fun day.  Tonight is dinner out with friends so I don’t have to cook dinner!  Hooray!  Tomorrow is resting and watching a race – a much needed day off!

To be continued next week…