Thanksgiving Edition:

Pinecone Turkeys

Supplies:
Pinecones
Acorn or large nut
Wiggle eyes
Glue gun
Red Construction paper
Bird feathers
Gold glitter spray paint
Red pipe cleaners
Small name tag & string

Directions:
Lightly spray pinecone with gold glitter spray paint and let dry. Shape red pipe cleaners in the shape of feet and glue onto pinecone. Glue acorn/nut on smallest end of pine cone. Glue bird feather on pine cone, opposite end of acorn. This will be the back of the turkey, spread bird feathers out to create a full turkeys fanned out look. Create the face by gluing wiggle eyes on to acorn/nut create as much detail as you want. Use construction paper to make the waddle and center below acorn/nut. Add a small name tag around turkey’s neck to assign seating. Great, project for children while dinner is being made. Makes a wonderful addition to the kid’s table and they love the idea they made them their selves.



Thanksgiving Reads from Amazon.com
Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks (by Margaret Sutherland and Sonja Lamut) Amazon $ 3.99
Thanksgiving Rules (by Laurie Friedman and Teresa Murfin)
Amazon $11.53
Five Silly Turkeys (by Salina Yoon)
Amazon $5.99

Pumpkin Flan (New Mexico fall favorite)

Custard Recipe:
1-2 pounds pumpkin or 1 ½ cups of canned pumpkin puree
1 17-ounce can evaporated milk
5 eggs
1 ½ Cup of Sugar
4 Tab. Dark rum, preferably Myers’s
¾ Tsp. of Cinnamon
¾ Tsp. of dried, ground ginger
1/8 Tsp. of nutmeg
(Purchase/use professional custard cups)

For Caramel:
2Tab of Sugar

For The Garnish:
2Tab. Of Pinon nuts, lightly toasted or Pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

Directions:
To prepare the custard: If you are using fresh pumpkin, preheat the oven to 350. Rinse the pumpkin and cut it in half crosswise. Remove strings and seeds. Place the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, cut sides down, and bake them 45 minutes or more until tender. Remove them from oven and let cool down. When cool enough to handle, scrape the pulp from the skin and force the pulp through a ricer or strainer. Measure 1 ½ cups of the puree, save the rest for another use. Reduce the oven to 300. Place all of the custard ingredients into a double boiler’s top pan. Whisk, or beat with a hand mixer at medium speed, for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is well-blended and begins to froth at its rim. Insert the pan over its water bath and heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it is warm throughout. Do not let the custard boil. Keep the custard warm over very low heat while preparing the caramel.

To prepare the caramel: Set 8-10 custard cups on a counter within easy reach of the stove. Have a padded kitchen mitt nearby for use when it is time to pour the caramelized sugar into the cups. Measure the sugar into a heavy saucepan, no larger that 1 quart. Cook over low heat, watching carefully as the sugar melts into golden brown caramel syrup. There is no need to stir unless the sugar is melting unevenly. When the syrup turns into a rich medium-brown, use the padded mitt to immediately remove from heat, use extreme caution. Pour about ½ tsp. of caramel into the bottom of each custard cup, continuing to exercise meticulous care. The syrup will harden almost immediately.

Assembling the Flan: Pour the warmed custard mixture equally into the custard cups. Place them in a baking pan large enough to accommodate all of the cups with little room for air circulation. Add warm water to the pan, enough to cover the bottom third of the cups. Bake 1 hour and 50 minutes, or until the custard is lightly firm and slightly raised. Remove the cups from oven and let cool 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. Cover cups and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Just prior to serving, take the cups from the refrigerator and unmold them by running a knife between the custard and the cup. Place a plate over cup and turn upside down. The custard should loosen and drop to the plate. Top each portion of Pumpkin Flan with Pinon nuts and serve. Makes 8-10 servings and is best if made ahead and served on the second day. This allows flavors to set.

Recipe provide by: The Ranch de Chimayo Cookbook the Traditional Cooking of New Mexico- Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison. The Harvard Common Press, 1991