Sea Salt & Rosemary Roasted Almonds and Anzac Day Thanksgiving 2012

This was the 5th year of our annual Anzac Day Thanksgiving - a fusion of American traditional comfort food and an autumn Australian memorial holiday. A great time of year both to eat lots of carbs (and meat, for those inclined ... ) and remember all that we're thankful for.

And what are we thankful for?

The 'old' friends who've become our family here in Brisbane. And their beautiful children.


The meat. Robbie's infinitely thankful for the meat, now that he lives with a veggie (me!) ... and now, also, the Weber BBQ I bought him (secondhand) as a wedding present.

You know, the first year we did our Thanksgiving, we roasted a whole chicken and managed to invite only vegetarians to dinner. Coincidence? Ha.

 This no longer happens ... my dear husband has to share.
Especially with our daughter, whose carnivory is legendary ...


We're thankful for our health, and our happiness, and the current state of our townhouse garden - which is (with all this rain) quite inspiring. 


 And we're thankful for all this amazing food.
  • The cornbread, with maple syrup and warm butter.
  • My Grandmother's apple-and-herb stuffing.
  • Shredded carrot salad (to counterbalance the carbs ... ).
  • And zucchini salad, also shredded. And counterbalancing.
  • Mashed potatoes with miso-mushroom gravy.
  • Almonds roasted with salt and fresh rosemary.
  • Barbequed wild Bunya nuts, courtesy of Tamsin and Richard.
  • Sweet potatoes baked with more butter than you care to know. 
  • and Candice's pumpkin pie, made from fresh butternut squash. And sugar. Served with ice cream and IvyHome mud cream, for good measure. (or, as for lunch yesterday, on it's own straight out of the pie tin!)


Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Amanda xx

***********
Roasted Almonds with Rosemary and Sea Salt

This isn't really a recipe as much as a suggestion, but I kinda figured I had to give you something. I actually made these for my wedding reception, too - and they were a huge hit.

I've provided directions for regular toasted almonds or raw, activated almonds - your choice which way to go. The former are tastier in my book, but the later are better for you. 

1. Soak a bowl of almonds - or don't.

2. Pre-heat oven to 180C if you just want them crispy - or 100C if you want them dehydrated (but still raw)

3. Drain the almonds if you've soaked them, and sprinkle with a Tbs or so of extra virgin olive oil, a few large pinches of sea salt, and the leaves from a stalk or two of rosemary (from your garden if possible).

4. Spread the almonds out on a baking tray and bake for 15 min or until they're even more golden and toasty looking. Or, dehydrate them for six or so hours till they're dry.

5. Add more salt and rosemary, to taste, and serve in little dishes distributed everywhere people will be standing around.

NOTE: My love of rosemary is new-found ... I never could stand it, and now I can't get enough of it! Funny, that.

Comments

  1. too many delicious things!! i don't know where to start...ok i will start with the cornbread...then the almonds (we have way too much rosemary in the garden at the moment - i am putting it in everything i cook!). and lastly...the mushroom miso gravy... well the very idea is making my mouth water.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad that you celebrated a wonderful Anzac day with friends and much thankfulness in your heart. Your Grandmother's stuffing has been bookmarked for future use, it sounds and looks wonderful. These roasted almonds are a very different recipe with the rosemary so I'm curious to try them (when the price of almonds drop a little around here!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. YUM!!!!!!!!!! So sad to miss this year's Thanksgiving feast. I need to make that miso-mushroom gravy - a match made in heaven!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes yes! S - I'll definitely post a mushroom-miso gravy recipe for you all ... I kinda winged it this year so I have to make it again. Alas ;)

    Paula, thank you! My Grandma was an incredible lady, so it makes me happy that you'll be making her stuffing.

    Steph, we *missed* you!!! next year, you'll have to fly up of course ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love that you marry two cultures toegther - nice to meet anther Aussie :)

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for commenting! Amandaxx