These days of quarantine are starting to blend together into of staying at home. In the face of everything, I was inspired by one of Netflix's latest rom-com, P.S. I Still Love You, starring Lana Condor. I had read the books, but the thing that the movie does different is that the Song-Covey family in March does a version of Thanksgiving, but since its not actually November, they call it Fakesgiving. As someone who loves Thanksgiving, I thought it was a valid point: why should Thanksgiving happen only once a year? So to bring the element of something new and happy to these stressful times, I hosted my own Fakesgiving with my own family (who is already stuck with me anyway). Here is the menu that I created for Fakesgiving, and its pretty much the same menu that I serve up during actual Thanksgiving.
Old-Fashioned Holiday Glazed Ham
My family gave up on doing turkey, because we could never could quite figure out how to make it properly. It was either dry, or flavorless, or some combination of both. So we always do ham, and that has always been fine with me. I always cook it with brown sugar and pineapples, which has always been received well. Of course, there are always leftovers for days, which end up also being delicious.
Panko-Breaded Chicken
As I've mentioned before, I have a sister who relies on chicken as her main source of protein. The result is that she has specialized in making chicken with unbelievable flavor. Every time she makes her Panko-Breaded chicken, my boyfriend always asks me to sneak him some, it's that good. I would rather have her make me chicken than eat it from Chick-Fil-A, it's that good.
Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta
This is a recipe that was actually inspired by something I had at Olive Garden once. They had it on the menu and paired it with a salmon, but it was a seasonal item and they never brought it back again. It was so good that I was determined to make my own version. While it doesn't taste exactly the same, it comes close enough for me. And to this day, the kids it so much that they always request it.
Mashed Potatoes
For some reason, my mashed potatoes this time around taste better than I've ever made them before. Maybe its because I used red potatoes this time, when I usually used Idaho. Or maybe it's the new seasoning I incorporated. Or perhaps, it's because I used the same pot that my sister makes her secret sauce in. Maybe it's all three. Hopefully, I figure out the next time around.
Secret "Thanksgiving" Sauce
Since we don't do turkey, it's kind of hard to make a proper brown gravy. We've tried, it just, like the turkey, it never seems to work out. So last year, the same sister who makes the Panko-breaded chicken experimented to make a sauce that would go well with all of the things that we make for Thanksgiving, down to the pasta.
Roasted Butter Corn
I love corn. Its one of my favorite sides to just about anything. I love it on the cob, off the cob, any way you make it, I'll probably eat it. For Thanksgiving, I usually just cook it in butter, with a hint of sugar for sweetness and plenty of freshly cracked pepper for a slight kick.
Deep-Dish Apple Pie
I once hung out with a boy who said that my apple pie looked really ugly, but tasted like it had a heart of gold. To this day, I wonder if he was trying to say something about me, but it doesn't really matter, because at the end of the day I make a really good apple pie. It's so good that my sister brought it to her boyfriend's house, and the boyfriend's mother said that I would make a really good wife. That is definitely a compliment if I have ever received one.
What are you eating during quarantine? Do you have a favorite holiday food? How are you picking yourself up during these unpredictable times?
Hopefully, you'll enjoy some tasty times until next time.
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