Thanksgiving is over, and we've all eaten too much. Actually I didn't overeat on Thanksgiving day. I paced myself with small helpings and no dessert, but somehow all my resolve went out the window the next two days. For breakfast Friday, I had a generous helping of mashed potatoes and gravy; for lunch, leftovers; and for dinner, we went out to Buca di Beppo--Italian is not what you should eat the day after a holiday! The next day my sons announced they were taking the little kids to Long John Silver's for lunch and did I want to go--well, of course I did. I probably haven't been there in twenty years, but I had a great fish sandwich. With restraint, I had cole slaw instead of fries. And then today I thought I was so good--one small piece of cold turkey (with a lot of skin on it, because I love the skin) when I thought no one else would ever wake up and make breakfast plans; then a bowl of corn flakes when I discovered there were no breakfast plans. For lunch, cottage cheese and a helping of self righteousness that I ruined by eating two pieces of a chocolate bar. Supper tonight? Bacon and scrambled eggs. I have not stepped on the scale to see the results of this off-and-on attempt to be moderate.
But Christmas is coming with even bigger temptations. One of the things I love about the holidays is to have friends in and make appetizers. And, yes, I already have them planned--nothing like being a compulsive. I'll serve hummus with vegetables, the cheeseball I've had every year since I was a child, a caviar and cream cheese spread that my youngest son loves, a sherry/chutney pate that I recently found and think is wonderful, and a Reuben dip. But the oustanding offering is liver pate, a recipe my friend Sally Jackson gave me. If you swear you don't eat chicken livers, you'll take it back when you try this:
1 lb. chicken livers
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. Madeira (no, don't substitute brandy, etc.--it needs the Madeira)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. pepper
pinch thyme
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/3 to 1/2 melted butter
Saute livers and onions in 2 Tbsp. butter until livers are cooked through and no longer pink. Put in food processor and puree. Add Madeira to the skillet and cook down to 3 Tbsp. Add to the livers along with the herbs, spices, and cream. With the food process running, slowly add the melted butter. Pour into desired container and refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers, though I prefer cocktail rye.
I asked Sally how long leftovers would keep and she said she didn't know because she never had any leftovers.
But Christmas is coming with even bigger temptations. One of the things I love about the holidays is to have friends in and make appetizers. And, yes, I already have them planned--nothing like being a compulsive. I'll serve hummus with vegetables, the cheeseball I've had every year since I was a child, a caviar and cream cheese spread that my youngest son loves, a sherry/chutney pate that I recently found and think is wonderful, and a Reuben dip. But the oustanding offering is liver pate, a recipe my friend Sally Jackson gave me. If you swear you don't eat chicken livers, you'll take it back when you try this:
1 lb. chicken livers
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. Madeira (no, don't substitute brandy, etc.--it needs the Madeira)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. pepper
pinch thyme
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/3 to 1/2 melted butter
Saute livers and onions in 2 Tbsp. butter until livers are cooked through and no longer pink. Put in food processor and puree. Add Madeira to the skillet and cook down to 3 Tbsp. Add to the livers along with the herbs, spices, and cream. With the food process running, slowly add the melted butter. Pour into desired container and refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers, though I prefer cocktail rye.
I asked Sally how long leftovers would keep and she said she didn't know because she never had any leftovers.
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