Good morning and welcome to create with Heidi. I'm Heidi Kaisand, owner of Hen and chicks studio in Conrad, Iowa and lover of all things creative. Each week here on create with Heidi, we like to cover topics that educate and inspire you about how people are being creative, whether it's quilting, scrapbooking, food, wool, or just hanging out with others who seem to have their creative Mojo groove and in all the right directions, we are excited to share these things with you. My quote for today since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, is gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, William Arthur Ward, and I think that just says that every day should be a thanksgiving for us. Today, I've got my my cousin Anne McMillan with us today. And we are going to be talking about food because I think all of us are probably thinking about about tomorrow and what that day is going to be filled with. So good morning, and how are you doing? I am great. Heidi loves the quote to start the day. That's perfect. Well, good. And, and Anne is not uncommon with our show here. She's been on before, because besides being related, and as close to being sisters as we possibly can be, we both have a love for food, don't we? And yeah, we would fit in this foodie category. Absolutely. And a year ago, and, and our other cousin khari. and myself, we took it upon ourselves to recreate a cookbook that our mothers had created back in 1996. And their cookbook was called three peas in a pod because there's three sisters. And it really was a nod to the, to their mother or grandmother and all of the food that we were growing up with. And it just seemed appropriate for the next generation being khari and Anne and myself to take that cookbook, and
what-s-for-thanksgiving-dinner
Heidi Kaisand
Anne McMillan
bring through a lot of the same recipes from that original cookbook that's no longer available, but also add our own personal touches our own favorites. And we ended up with what we titled The Second Harvest cookbook. And it sure was a lot of fun, wasn't it? And yes, it was absolutely one of those things that was on our bucket list for a while. And it was a team effort. Because when we look at the cookbook, and you can find the Second Harvest cookbook, a couple of different places a you can buy it at my store, and on hidden chick studio.com you can buy it from Amazon personally, in Independence, you can go to kharis store named Home sweet home in St. Ansgar, Iowa. And you can also go to our website, three P's cooking.com. So there's lots of different ways that you can find us and find that cookbook. But
Heidi Kaisand
the Second Harvest cookbook was a true team effort between all of us. And of course, our mothers had a little hand in it to giving us their recommendations of of what to include and what not to include. And then there were the fun days that we got to gather and make all the food and photograph it wasn't an ad. Yes, absolutely. That was probably a highlight adding in the family touches with make test picture and yes or no. Yes. And you know what a different year if we were trying to do it this year, it'd be it had been so different. And so glad we did it last year when we had the time. And Anne and I really had fun on some of those cooking days because she did a lot of the cooking and I did a lot of the photography and we really had fun putting it all together. So you know Anne what do you think was a highlight for you as you think about putting together the the cookbook, like what it means what it means for you?
Anne McMillan
Well, you know, heirlooms kind of a big word to use in this but me it was one of the highlights was actually documenting the current generations favorite and being able to pass that on to other people to share because, you know, mealtime memories are really what makes families so strong and I'm a big advocate for the importance of that even though you're mealtimes might look different today. And so to me just getting it all put together in a very shareable form, so other people could enjoy that as well is really what stands out.
Heidi Kaisand
Yes. And our cookbook, we tried to price it very affordably it's 1495. It is spiral bound, so it lays flat. And, in fact, last night, when the cookbook was out on the counter, as the girls were helping me make supper, ours is starting to get pages stuck together because it's got food in between them now. It'll be a little brown sugar sprinkled on the page, that kind of thing. But it's a it's great to have it right out on the counter light and flat and easy, super easy to use.
Anne McMillan
I agree and the picture is kind of just draw you in and tell the story. And we added we added actually a little story about our family and each of us curry Heidi and myself that I've gotten a lot of feedback from people that have already purchased the cookbook that they absolutely love that part because it brings it to life. And but they also love the ease the discussion is truly a a comfort food of the Midwest type.
Heidi Kaisand
Approach instead of something that's using ingredients that they can't spell pronounce or that's, that is exactly right. While we're off to a good start when we come back from the commercial break, I want to know what you are fixing for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Anne McMillan
Sounds great.
Heidi Kaisand
Welcome back to create with Heidi, this is Heidi Kaisand. And today My guest is Anne Mcmillan. And Ian and I and a third cousin, Cari, we have been become the authors of the Second Harvest cookbook. It is a nod to our family and our traditions. And I think and you use that word heirloom, it really is that as well, even as you said it's a big word. But it is it's so much fun to remember our family and our past family times as well as the the memories we know we're going to be creating centered around the food that we make. And with tomorrow being Thanksgiving, and many of you probably already have your menus planned. But I was asking and before the break, if she would share with us what kinds of things that she is making tomorrow. And I bet there's probably one or two recipes, at least that are going to be out of the cookbook.
Anne McMillan
Well, absolutely Heidi and actually I what I thought would be fun to share is I'm going to share four parts of our menu for recipe ideas that are in our cookbook, that if if they didn't appear on our Thanksgiving table every year there would kind of be an outcry from the family. Yeah, I thought that would be fun. And there'll be lots of things that accompany this because you know, Thanksgiving is about that that table and the fun food that you can do but the centerpiece of course is our turkey and we however grills are tricky. And there is a turkey seasoning that our family absolutely loves that you generously rub on the outside and the inside of the turkey before you put it on the grill. So that is the centerpiece. And our crock pot stuffing recipe is like my son already asked this week actually is the crock pot stuffing happening. So that is important. aside this that gets a lot of love is the snow pea medley. And then the dessert that I again has to make every year is called paradise pumpkin pie. And it's one of those rich, delicious pies and has a cream cheese layer and candied pecans on the top. And I have to tell you just a little tip on that. Along with writing this cookbook with Heidi, I am a national director with the Pampered Chef company. And I've been with Pampered Chef for 30 years almost. And our mission is enriching lives one meal in one memory at a time. And I think that's probably why that's been such a wonderful fit for me. But one thing I just wanted to share quick on this. So is that seasonally Pampered Chef carries a double strength Madagascar vanilla, and a clingy cinnamon. And they are both just the highest quality you can buy in the market. It's not like what you would buy at your local grocery stores. And they're available from us seasonally and both of those happen to go into that paradise pumpkin pie. And I honestly believe Heidi, that that's one of the reasons that people like kind of almost like the pie plate. I know that you're making
Heidi Kaisand
My mouth water and I'm so sad that because of the year that we're having, I won't be able to, I suppose I could make the pie myself, but it's always different when somebody else makes it, and I get to enjoy it. And, and so absolutely that pie is a favorite. And you know, I know that those ingredients probably are the secret weapon to why it is so good.
Anne McMillan
Absolutely. But there's lots of other things. You know, since it is such a strange year that the meal won't look the same, because you're right. Usually we have family that gathers and they bring a favorites of theirs to go with it. I think often of you know which kind of potato are we having? Are we having mashed? Are we having mashed casserole? Are we having twice baked some of those decisions and then of course, the salads and and I have to give a nod to pi.
Heidi Kaisand
Both my enlace side of the family and my regular side of the family loves pie. So they're you know, pecan pie, the Hershey bar pie. This paradise pumpkin pie, they always make an appearance and you're from Apple Pie. Oh, yes. Yeah, they were an apple pie recipe. Absolutely. And and if if anybody needs permission, it is perfectly fine that when somebody offers you a piece of it, they say, oh, we're offering pumpkin pie, apple pie. You know, paradise pie, it is perfectly acceptable to say I'll take a sliver of each. And, and we love that. But you mean you can't just have one piece of pie. You got to try them all. So it's perfectly fine to have a sliver. And oh goodness over the years of when I think about Thanksgiving traditions. And for many, many years we met at your mother's and father's house. And oh, Aunt Judy had a chocolate pie, which I believe that recipes in the cookbook, too. Yes, it is a pie. Yeah. Yes. And you know, oh, yeah, you gotta have all the different kinds of pies. And then you can go back for seconds on pies as well, that's perfectly acceptable to you know, wait a few minutes and then go back and have another piece. So you're high recall, our, our mothers may be having plates that would have like two or three slippers on it at a time to be able to sample all the different kinds. Yeah, yes. Oh, yes. And oh my gosh, it just makes Thanksgiving, you know, the part of those memories and the grilled turkey cow the last few years we've been, again, at Chris's house, your brothers, and his grilled chicken or grilled Turkey is just wonderful as well, just Yummy, yummy, yummy.
Anne McMillan
And, and so, um, you know, as we were talking about, you know, everybody's gathering and stuff, you know, because, because tomorrow is gonna be different. We just, there's just no difference about it. We're all I mean, what many people will just be with their own individual household, and not gathering with parents and grandparents and that kind of thing. You know, the day might look different. And you might be cooking that might still be cooking the same big Thanksgiving dinner, because that's what you want to do. But I know at our house, sometimes we mix it up on days like this, and instead focus on a bigger breakfast. I mean, I know that if I was headed to, to my family's for Thanksgiving, I keep breakfast to a minimum. But sometimes they'll say reversing it and instead doing a bigger breakfast and then an appetizer afternoon
Anne McMillan
can can be a whole different approach to how we how we look at the day. Oh, absolutely. And I mean, I love love. And if you actually do get yourself a cookbook, you will see a comment in there about we do appetizers as a meal for our Christmas in my personal family. So I think that the name of the game this year, Heidi is what works for you. And if you are still cooking that Turkey and you have leftovers, and you have more than normal leftovers, I have to tell you, there are some fantastic recipes using Turkey as a leftover that you can access to. So yes, and it freezes well. So don't shy away from that.
Heidi Kaisand
That's That's exactly right. And there's you know, there's different cuts of Turkey. You can get just the breast meat with on a bone. You don't have to have the entire bird in your oven and so you can change the size of you know what you're getting. So you can still have the turkey but without maybe the excess well, and a mouth is watering. I'm getting hungry. We've got to take a quick commercial break and we'll be right back.
Heidi Kaisand
Welcome back to create with Heidi, this is Heidi Kaisand from Hen and chicks studio. And so often we are talking about quilting and scrapbooking. But today, we're talking about food, because available at Hen and chick studio.com as well as a few other locations you can buy a family cookbook from my family. It's called Second Harvest cookbook. It is 1495 it makes a great gift. And for so many people that are spending so much more time at home and they need that interjection into their menu planning of something different.There's just some some great recipes in there. Anne was telling us as she is also one of the creators of this cookbook with me and our other cousin Chari, the three of us created Second Harvest, you know, and she was telling us about her Thanksgiving menu. There are all sorts of other things and and one of the, the menus that I would love to put together is that appetizer menu, thinking that we might be nibbling all afternoon as we go in and out of the house. And I think there's so many different ways to put together an appetizer menu, that it you know, you don't want it all to be dips, you don't want it all, you know, you got to have something like, appetizers that you can actually pick up and hold like individual items. You don't want them all to be hot, you don't want them to all be cold, you don't want them all to be spicy. You don't want them all to be bland, that you can really create an interesting menu, thinking about that. And I also think that a big a very popular thing is grazing trays. And I think they add a whole nother element to that appetizer moment. And a grazing tray is a great way to combine many things. And and would you like to maybe tell us a little bit about, you know what things you would include on a grazing tray.
Anne McMillan
Realigning text with audioOh, absolutely. And you know, grazing trays grazing tables charcuterie board, they are so on trend. And they honestly are one of the easiest things for all of you listening, this one really one of the easiest appetizers to be able to pull together and have without adding stress if you're already having a busy cooking day, but say you're not having your Thanksgiving meal till later in the day and you need something to tide people over a grazing tray would be a great thing to do. So I think it's always important that you have some cheeses, of course, and I do think you need to mix this up. So you don't want just Codex teas and just mozzarella cheese, you really do want to add some differences in texture. So you want to have some softer cheeses, some chewy cheeses, maybe some stronger flavor cheeses, and maybe a little spice. Then of course, a lot of people love to do superskin cold cut meat for charcuterie boards like a hard salami. Think prosciutto works well, some fruit, just blueberries, great. Always some nuts. Always something salty. So I try to either do some salted nuts, or olives are a great little add on. And then quite often you need something that's a starch or carbs. So whether it's some crackers, or some slice baguette bread, maybe some little jelly or condiments with it. And really, the goal is that your group of people can just nibble off of that tray for you know, the afternoon if they wanted.
Heidi Kaisand
Realigning text with audioYes, and and I think that is I love that idea. We are nibblers and, and grazers. I mean that's literally when you call it grazing tray. It is it is literally for somebody to have out. And there's some beautiful ways that that can be arranged whether it literally is on a small tray or entire tables, just depends on how big your group is. And this year, it's probably going to be smaller. You could even do sort of individual little, little plates, if you want to say if it came to that of including those different things that we would put on a grazing tray. So I think I think that is is exciting.
Anne McMillan
Realigning text with audioYeah, absolutely Heidi and I think the key takeaway for people if they haven't done this, is you need to do different shapes, different colors, different textures. And like I've even seen them done like in paper that you've made into a cone and you could fill them with a cone and it's an individual nibbling cone for everybody if you don't want him picking up off of a trailer say yes, absolutely.
Heidi Kaisand
Realigning text with audioYes, there's Yes, there's definitely fun and creative ways that you could, could change that up and so that's is very exciting. And it was we were as you were talking about Turkey and leftovers. As we kind of get to the close of our show here. I was thinking, I'm thinking what recipe would I use leftover turkey in. And I have to say that the other night I made the easy chicken pot pie recipe and from the cookbook, and that would be a great recipe to put that leftover turkey in. And the only thing my kids said was, of course, because they love crust. They're like mom next time can it just be a crust pie instead of a chicken pot pie? And I said no, we're gonna keep the chicken in there. But that would be a great recipe out of there to use some of those turkey leftovers in for for next week after after Thanksgiving is over. Oh, absolutely. And one of my favorites is instead of the chicken wild rice, I just substitute it and make it the turkey wild rice. Oh, yeah, a delicious way. What a great What a great use for Turkey. And, and it's been fun talking with you about our Second Harvest cookbook. For anybody who is wanting to get a hold of that cookbook. Again, they can visit hidden chicks studio.com go into the search field and type in Second. Second Harvest. It's 1495 plus shipping and we would love to have help you give that as a gift for people. So until next week. Be creative