Thanksgiving Prequel?

Thursday night.  I week till Thanksgiving, and I still have not made it to the grocery store.  I went through the freezer and saw a chick’n roast.  I was inspired.  I had celery, onion, carrots, baby potatoes, and 1 Delicata squash.  That sounds like a good oven baked meal on a coldish day.

I got out my favorite white casserole dish, and began our mini feast.  I loaded the bottom with sliced carrots, celery, baby potatoes and sliced of the squash.  I poured about 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the dish.  I had the oven preheating at 400.  Notice I forgot something, one of my favorite things, onions.  I didn’t notice until I served our plates!   Anyway, when all the veggies were on the bottom, I seasoned them with sea salt, pepper, and thyme.  I hit them with a drizzle of olive oil, then I popped the dish in the oven for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes I added my chic’n roast, put foil over the whole dish, and back in the oven 20 more minutes.  When those 20 minutes were up, I removed the foil, added a little more water and cooked another 15 minutes to brown my “roast”. 

During the final 15 minutes, I made a new side I love.  I had 2 crisp Granny Smith apples and fresh cranberries.  I heated a small pot on the stove, added 1 tbsp. buttery spread, then my diced apples.  I tossed them around and then hit them with some cinnamon and sugar.  Just a little.  I let them cook a few minutes before adding the fresh cranberries.  I also had a Myer lemon which I zested into the pan with the cranberries.  It was still a little tart and need some liquid.  So I added 2 tbsp. agave nectar, and 1/4 unsweetened cranberry juice from the fridge.  It simmered into the BEST apple cranberry sauce I ever tasted.  We all were crazy over it.  It will absolutely 100% be on my Thanksgiving table. 

I also made a little pot of gravy on the side.  It literally took 3 minutes and tasted fabulous.  All in all, this meal made me really look forward to Thanksgiving.  Or, as Mya says in our house, because we don’t eat animals, THANKSLIVING. 

I apologize the pictures are not my best, I just could not get the indoor lighting and camera to cooperate.

I am looking forward to Mya having off next week, I hope I can get my office rearranged for the millionth time.  I will take some before and after shots once the renovation begins.

Enjoy your day.