Thanksgiving Report Card

Table setting: A
Good use of elements found in the home; pear place cards show imagination, though not re-usable.
Demonstrates respect for tradition with pineapple turkey.



Turkey: B+
While moist and flavorful, turkey was slightly salty. Please review dry-brine method before next exam.

Gravy: A-
Excellent flavor and consistency, but again slightly salty. Good use of homemade turkey stock.

Brussels sprouts: A
Not overcooked, not undercooked. Caramelized shallots a nice touch.

Squash: A
Excellent. Sweetened with maple syrup.

Stuffing: B
Good ingredients, good effort. Lots of mushrooms. A little overcooked, probably due to lack of experiencewith convection oven. Read instructions more carefully.

Mashed potatoes: A-
Great rookie effort by Jack. Nice use of crockpot to keep them warm.

Green bean casserole: B
Traditional taste, but not hot enough. Could be slimmed down in the future.

Apple pie: A
Pumpkin pie: A
Terrific crust, delicious fillings. Excellent effort by Bob.

Decorum: B
A little rowdy at kids' table. Adults, please brush up on conversational topics. Nice display of manners by all.

Hope you all had an A+ Thanksgiving!

Going Bananas

It feels like the perfect day to make turkey stock to use as a base for my Thanksgiving gravy. The wind is howling outside, but I have a nice fire going in the kitchen fireplace. And my dog Cricket is keeping me company. Yes, I should be making stock, but I'm not. I'm making banana coffee cake, for two reasons: I have lots of overripe bananas and I need something to serve my house guests on Friday morning, besides leftovers. This particular coffee cake is one I make a lot. It's good for people (me) who like some texture in their cakes, because it has nuts and chocolate chips. Sure my last post was about peanut butter and chocolate, but I think banana and chocolate is a divine combination too.
A long time ago, back in the early 80's, Ben & Jerry's made an ice cream called Chunky Monkey that's different than the Chunky Monkey they sell now. As I remember it, it was banana ice cream with big chunks of chocolate and maybe some almonds. I wish they would bring the original back - and Dastardly Mash too, while we're at it.
Ok that's a little off subject...I'm back now. That happens sometimes. Here's the recipe for the cake I made earlier today, adapted from one I found on Epicurious:

Banana Coffeecake with Chocolate Chip Streusel

Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8 x 8 baking pan. In a small bowl, combine
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 sp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Using electric mixer, beat
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temp.)
1 egg
in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in
3 large, very ripe, mashed bananas
3 Tbsps. buttermilk
Add dry ingredients and blend well.
Spread half of batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter, then streusel. Bake 45 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean.


In a little while, I'm going to put another log on the fire and make Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From my Home to Yours book. Then I'll probably get some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. I suddenly have this craving...

Just Get to Dessert Already

If turkey and pumpkin pie are so important, then why is November National Peanut Butter Lovers Month? Maybe it's a hint that for your Thanksgiving dessert you should consider more than pecans and pumpkins. Why not peanut butter? It starts with a "p". It's considered an all-American type of food, so it's certainly appropriate. Especially when mixed with chocolate. Go ahead, make all the fruity pies you want, and for tradition's sake everyone will have piece. But the dessert everyone will come back to after a walk around the block, the dessert you catch your father-in-law sneaking pieces of at midnight, is made of chocolate and peanut butter. I was going to suggest  this Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Tart, from the Sugarpunk Desserts blog. But how can I recommend something without actually having tried it myself? So purely in the interest of blog research, I made it yesterday, instead of dinner. Who has time to do both?   The tart is everything a dessert should be - delicious, elegant, rich. It's not too hard to make, but it does take time to set, so do it a couple of days in advance. I followed the directions exactly, and had no problem with the crust. It tastes like a peanut butter cookie. No one even missed dinner.

Another recipe I've been thinking about  is Velvet Lava's Chocolate Peanut Butter Tartlets. As much as I'd like to show you a picture, I can't. It's not nice to copy another blogger's pictures without permission, so you'll just have to check it out yourself. But trust me, they look amazing, and this is a fun blog to read too.

One more peanut butter suggestion then I really should go and make a nutritious dinner for my kids (before they get scurvy or something). I recently met Maureen Harder, a former pastry chef and the creator of Sassy Sauces. She makes a Peanut Butter Fudge sauce (among others) that you dream about. Poured on vanilla ice cream or pound cake, you can "look like a star in the kitchen without actually having to cook a thing,"  A girl after my own heart. Plus, the labels are really cute. Check out her website for some yummy and easy recipes.

A Plan, a Man and Stuffing in a Pan

You'd think by now I would have this Thanksgiving thing down pat. Just serve the same thing every year and call it "tradition". But noooo, not me. And not you either. Because there are so many new things to try. I buy every November issue of food magazines that I don't already subscribe to. Every year there's a new way to cook a turkey that is absolutely the most delicious, juiciest, herb-iest, buttery-est, best ever. The past couple of years have been all about brining.  This year it's about salting. I guess it's like brining but without the liquid. I tried the brining method once. I had to submerge a 19 pound turkey in the saltwater solution that I mixed up in a big Playmate cooler. All day I worried about salmonella  poisoning. Was the turkey cold enough? Was it wet enough? Was it too wet? Was it too warm in the garage, where I kept the cooler?  It was way too much to think about. This year, I'm going to try the salt method from Bon Appetit. It's still more work than your average roast Butterball, but I'm up for the challenge. To hell with tradition.

Stuffing is a different story. My mother made it with Ritz crackers, which we all loved. My mother-in-law made it with bread cubes from a bag, which her kids loved. She also cooked it inside the turkey - something my family never did. (I think my mother was concerned about salmonella also). Several years ago, I tried a recipe that had all the right stuff (yes, that's a pun, sorry). Egg bread, wild mushrooms, leeks and hazelnuts. I make it in a baking dish. It's an awesome combination of flavors and textures, plus it makes everyone happy. If you want to try it, you'll find it here. Just don't cut off the bread crusts. They help make the top layer of your stuffing nice and crisp.

Growing up, we never had mashed potatoes. Plenty of baked potatoes, but no mashed. Bob, on the other hand, comes from a mashed potato family. Therefore, if he wants mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, he has to make them. So he does. He also makes the pies all by himself, including the crust. What a guy. I'll cover this  story in another post soon.

Finally, I have one thing to say about vegetables  - more is better. I have been known to have 6 different kinds at the Thanksgiving table. Brussels sprouts of course (see my previous post). Squash. Peas with pearl onions. Green beans. Glazed  or creamed onions. Roasted root vegetables with maple syrup. I even tried a lovely green salad one year, with pears, dried cranberries and a maple vinaigrette. Go through the magazines. Find something that really appeals to you. A variation on an old favorite or something completely new. Really, it'll be ok. No one would dare be ungrateful on Thanksgiving.

How do Brussels sprout?

Last week, while it was still warm, I went to the farmer's market in Monument Square. Sure it wasn't exactly like August with the gorgeous bins of tomatoes, bouquets of basil, peppers, blueberries, corn...well, I could go on, but that's all just a happy memory until next summer. Now I was pleased to see loads of squash, apples, turnips and my favorite, Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts have a bad rep. Adults turn up their noses and politely refuse. Children gag loudly and dramatically. Uncalled for behavior, really. When cooked right, the Brussels sprout is a delicious vegetable.
Have you ever seen a Brussels sprout? They grow on a thick stalk like this. If you've only had Brussels sprouts from those little round containers covered in cellophane, then you have every right to refuse. However, when cut off the stalk (sometimes they snap right off) and cooked properly, you'll be shocked and amazed what a difference it makes.

Brussels sprouts are always a part of my Thanksgiving menu. And believe it or not, everyone eats them and not just to be polite. There are loads of great recipes out there for preparing your fresh Brussels sprouts. Here's the quickest, easiest way to make them:

Trim tough ends from each sprout. Discard any yellowing or dry outer leaves. Slice in half vertically. Place on a baking or roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast in the oven set at 425 for about 1/2 hour, or until they are lightly browned with crispy edges.
Do this and your guests will be impressed. If you want your guests to think of you as a culinary genius, try Brussels Sprout Hash with Carmelized Shallots. Another way I like to make them is with prosciutto, like this:

Cook 3 cups trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. (DO NOT overcook them at this stage or you will be forced to sit at the kids' table where there is no wine). Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup (about 1 1/2 oz.) chopped prosciutto. Cook until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 Tbsps. olive oil to pan and place it back on medium-high heat. When heated, add Brussels sprouts. Saute until lightly browned. Add 1 Tbsp. butter, sea salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat; add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and the prosciutto. Combine well and serve. Don't take no for an answer.

More Thanksgiving posts to come soon, but first I want to remind you that this is World Kindness Week. 
And tomorrow, November 13, is World Kindness Day. Do something nice for someone. You'll never regret it. And don't forget about being kind to yourself too.

Harvest on the Harbor Part II

A week ago Saturday was the HOH Culinary Marketplace, a full day event at the beautiful Ocean Gateway terminal in Portland. Instead of being merely an observer/taster like I had been before (see my previous HOH post), this day I had an official badge that read "Exhibitor". That's because I was working with Jackie Dennis, who owns a store in Portland called J'Accents. Jackie is a lovely British woman with flawless taste. The store is brimming with color and filled with "inspirational tablescapes". I work there, very part-time, simply because I enjoy being around such beautiful things. It's fun to arrange and re-arrange them, and help people find ways to update their tables.
We had an area at HOH where we could show off some of our merchandise and our display skills. We spent days choosing the right place settings and linen to take, then wrapping fragile items in bubble wrap. We trucked it all to the terminal, carried it up a long ramp, unpacked it all and began to set up. When we finished several hours later, we had 6 tables full of color and texture.

 

  

                                                                    

 We used nuts, bread and candy corn to fill bowls. We put aged Gouda and crackers under the Simon Pearce cheese dome. Empty spaces were filled in with dried gourds, leaves and candles. With the light flowing in from the terminal's huge windows, the displays looked gorgeous. I stayed there most of the day, talking with both old and new customers. It was fun to meet others who are as obsessed with tableware as we are.

Downstairs, on the pier, was where most of the food vendors had their booths set up. No need for a real lunch when there were so many samples to be had. I followed the irresistible scent of barbecue to DennyMike's, where they were serving up pulled pork with a couple of their sauces.The Hot 'n Nasty was truly hot with habeneros. The vinegary Carolina-style tasted just like the sauce my friend Joni used to bring back from her visits home to North Carolina. But the Sweet 'n Spicy was definitely the winner. I can't wait to try it at home. Moving on, there was crab bisque, seafood chowder, biscuits and bread, more barbecue, and more seafood to be tasted. And that was before I even got to the sweet stuff.

I was glad to see my favorite whoopie pie makers, Cranberry Island Kitchen. More refined than your average Maine convenience store whoopie pie, these delicious treats are shaped like mussels, scallops and at this time of year, mini pumpkins. I tried them with maple creme filling and espresso creme, along with the traditional vanilla. OMG. Really, I could do without the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and just order a bunch of these (if only my husband would let me get away with it!). I wish I had a picture, but I was too busy eating, so you'll just have to check out their website.

Later in the afternoon I met the delightful Brass Sisters,  Marilynn and Sheila. They were signing copies of their new cookbook, Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters. These ladies call themselves the "queens of comfort food", and if you take a look at their book, it'll be obvious why. They have collected recipes from the treasured notebooks of home cooks, called manuscript cookbooks. Many come from their own mother, including the quintessential Mama's Chicken Soup and Romanian Stuffed Cabbage. The recipes are culturally diverse, hearty and full of nostalgia for simpler times.They suggested I try "Aunt Ruth's Dilly Casserole Bread" and I plan to one day soon. I'll let you know how it goes.

PS - I have not been paid or compensated in any way by any of the companies mentioned here, in exchange for those mentions.  However, as stated, I do work part-time at J'Accents.