A Texas Thanksgiving

Last month I started a second job at an olive oil & vinegar shop. All of the oils and vinegar are infused with different flavors, my favorite being the raspberry balsamic. It is a store that I've always loved, and after becoming friendly with the owner, she asked me to fill in for someone on maternity leave. My customers are all fellow foodies and cooks, and we always have lots to talk about. Being that I can't take off any days yet, my only available week to take a vacation was the week of Thanksgiving. We chose Dallas, TX because I have an aunt, uncle and two cousins that live there. If you remember, when my family moved there, Kevin and I drove their car and dog (Penny) all the way from Long Island to Dallas. It was 27 long hours, but I would do it again!

Look at this beautiful table! Love how the round table allowed us to see and speak to everyone.

My uncle Dirk was a chef and we were all really excited for Thanksgiving dinner. Uncle Dirk and aunt Kelly decided to brine the turkey overnight, and the side dishes were out of this world! I have never seen my daughter, Kora, eat so much in one sitting - ever!

To start, we served butternut squash soup over arugula. Although arugula has a bitter taste that not everyone loves, including myself, the sweetness from the butternut squash was a perfect balance together. Pine nuts for a crunchy texture was a great touch too.

Above we have a sweet corn casserole (no added sugar), this is a favorite to everyone! Stuffing, the moist turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, delicata squash (not pictured), green beans with almond slices, and my absolute favorite side dish (this was my first time having it) creamy pearled onions. WOW, the best onions I have ever tasted and I cannot wait to make them at home. So thankful for being shown the creamy pearled onion recipe from my uncle.

After dinner, we indulged in three homemade pies that we baked the day before: apple, pecan and pumpkin. There was nothing short of excellence when it came to this Thanksgiving dinner. We hope you all had a great holiday with your family and friends too!

Before leaving Dallas, we were served a beautiful farewell lunch from our family. Hanger steak, which is a flavorful cut from the diaphragm area, marinated and BBQ'd medium rare. Served over salad with crispy shallots, truffle cheese and a truffle vinaigrette. I opted out on the tomatoes, of course!
It goes without saying, that we cannot wait to visit again, see our family, and eat like we are in foodie heaven! Texas has quickly become one of our favorite vacation spots, and maybe even one we will be living there!