Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I might be far away from America but the Thanksgiving holiday is alive in my heart. This is a day to remember that we are all blessed and it is the simple things that really matter. While you read this, you might want to hear a song that always brings this thought of being grateful for the simple things to my mind (click here). 

Our table is set. I love setting the table so decided to go ahead and do it very early ready to enjoy our meal. It is always just Jos and I but with my family back home in our minds and hearts. Our menu is a roasted sage rubbed turkey breast with onion gravey, cheddar-onion potato bake and fresh broccoli. Dessert is something special that I tried a couple of years ago. My mother was visiting and I wanted to do something new with pumpkin so I made pumpkin mousse. Here is what I do to make it.....

First, cut open a pumpkin and scrap out the seeds. I will be roasting them this afternoon for a snack in the evening. I only made a piece of the pumpkin and will bake the rest later. Place (half) pumpkin skin side up on a baking sheet. Add a little water just to ensure it all does not dry out. Place in a 170C/325F oven for 15 to 25 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft when pricked through the skin with a fork. Remove from the oven and turn meat-side up. Allow to cool just slightly and start scraping the meat out of the pumpkin with a spoon. It will scrap out easily so be careful not to get the skin in the meat. You will not need to mash it as you simply stir it well in a bowl. Simple and instant pumpkin puree that tastes better than any canned pumpkin.

For the pumpkin mousse for two.....mix 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup of whipping (heavy) cream, a dash of pumpkin spices and 1/4 sugar. Mix the ingredients to a smooth paste and cook on simmer for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, whip 2/3 cup of whipping (heavy) cream with a 7gr sachet of vanilla sugar until the cream is thick and has soft peaks. You can use a dash of vanilla for this instead if you don't have vanilla sugar. Fold in the well cooled pumpkin into the cream. Be sure it is cool before you do this! Now crush some crisp cookies. I used kruidnoten which is a Dutch tiny spice cookie for SinterKlaas but you can use a spice cookie or ginger cookie for this. Place a little of the cookie crumbs in the bottom of a parfait glass. Layer the mousse then another little layer of cookie crumbs half way before adding the remaining mousse. Sprinkle a little of the crumbs on the top and chill.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Heidi