Prudy's Online Thanksgiving Hotline 2010

Welcome to Prudy's Online Thanksgiving Hotline. I really want to put my phone number here and let each and every one of you call me all day. My husband thinks I am crazy, especially since we are having 43 people for Thanksgiving dinner. (Does anybody else want to come? I've still got two wicker chairs and a patio table that nobody has claimed.) I am here, ready and willing to answer your last minute cooking and baking questions. I'll update throughout the day as any questions come in.
I just made your gravy base and it is oddly sweet. Will it balance out with the drippings?
Yes, never fear. The turkey drippings are intensely savory and your finished gravy will be only slightly sweet.
Can I leave my brown bag apple pie overnight without baking it or will the crust get too soggy?
Because the press-in crust is so sturdy, your pie will be just fine if you wait till tomorrow. Just be sure to toss your apples with a little lemon juice to keep them looking fresh. Your pie's going to be fantastic warm out of the oven with a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!
Hey Prudy , if I make the corn recipe as you have described and bake it ahead can I then pore it into a crock pot to transport and serve and if so ...when should I add the parmesan cheese ?
Skip the oven and the pot and make the whole darn thing in the crock pot. Add corn, cream, sugar, and salt to the crock pot and cook on low for two hours. Mix together butter and flour and stir into corn; cook on low for one more hour. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese about 10 minutes before serving. Nice and easy!
I have been stalking your blog for a while and thoroughly enjoy your posts. I am taking the opportunity of your hotline to ask about your roll recipe - how long can I let it stay in the "fridge" stage before I need to roll them out and let them rise and bake? Can I make it a few days ahead and let it sit in the fridge? (Krista asked the same question-so I'm killing two birds with one roll.) First of all, thanks for your kind words. I'm going to do a hotline more often, just to boost my self esteem.:) As for the rolls, they can happily spend two days in the fridge, just chillin' till you need them. If you haven't started them yet, run home and mix them up. Or wait till tonight. Or make them tomorrow morning. That's what I love best about them.

How many side dishes are you serving? Anything out of the ordinary?
This year, we're trying to keep it to the minimum since we have a big group for dinner. We'll be serving Summit House Corn, Green Beans Almondine, Cornbread Stuffing with Cranberries, Traditional Sage and Celery Stuffing, along with our Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Turkey. Our most unusual side dish is my Aunt Charlotte's sweet potatoes with green apple, pecans, and orange. Why haven't I posted it yet??? Do you have a way to make canned whole-berry cranberry sauce more interesting? We can make it interesting, but can we make it delicious? Oh, yes. Since canned cranberry sauce is super sweet, think about adding some bold, bright flavors to balance it out. Stir in a tablespoon of orange zest, or a squeeze of lime juice. A few tablespoons of crushed pineapple would give it some tart zip. For textural contrast, another great option would be a few handfuls of chopped nuts and some dried cranberries. Suddenly I find myself craving canned whole-berry cranberry sauce. Now that’s interesting.
I love your blog and am so glad that you have open Thanksgiving hotline again this year. Here is my question:How do I get it all piping hot on the table at the same exact moment in time for grace? Muchas Gracias! This is always the trickiest part, isn’t it? First of all, unless you’re cooking for a very small group, you need to get some of the cooking done in the days before Thanksgiving. Try making your pies, stuffing, yams, roll dough, and gravy base before the big day. (Bring everything to room temperature before serving time and then give it a good zap in the microwave to get it piping hot.) The Turkey needs priority in the oven, so make sure everything besides the rolls are baked before you put that turkey in. Tom turkey will need to rest for 30 minutes between oven and carving time, so pop your rolls in at precisely that moment. With a little luck, everything should be just perfectly piping hot as you say Amen. And if it isn’t, anyone who complains can do the dishes. For eternity. My sister-in-law is a terrible cook....sorry, sister, but it is true.What can I have her bring besides ice?or how do I nicely supply a specific recipe?
Well, this is always an interesting issue, isn’t it? What does the hostess do to make everyone feel involved, even the chefs with two left thumbs? First of all, consider what kind of party you are hosting. This isn’t an engagement party for two English royals, this is a family Thanksgiving. It’s less important that the food be perfect than it is for everyone to feel included and loved. Ask your sister-in-law what she would like to bring for dinner. She might just surprise you and ask to bring the ice, and then your problem is solved. But if she wants to bring her Aunt Bertha’s famous sardine infused brussel sprouts, just smile and tell her you can’t wait to try them. A little human warmth can do wonders for the appetite. Post Edit: A wise reader suggested that you assign her a relish tray. Perfect! this may not really be a hotline question, but i've never found a good blackberry pie recipe. do you have a favorite? i don't want one with blueberries in it:)
Mwah, ha, ha. You better believe it. Have you been rummaging through my secret files, because this one is a fairly new discovery that I’m hoarding till next summer. Here’s a sneak peek. Let me know if you need it now, and I’ll email it to you post haste. If not, I’m saving it for some patriotic, sunny holiday many degrees Fahrenheit away.

Leave a comment with your question and I'll get back to you just as quick as you can say Prudence Pennywise...