Thanksgiving, Ready, Set, Get To Cooking!

Over the years, I have accumulated several recipes that have become my staples when Thanksgiving arrives. There are many special holiday publications, websites, and cooking programs that have a million new suggestions for Thanksgiving recipes and how-tos each year. All that information can be a pain to sort through. Plus, as I have discovered, its best to stick with the less gimmicky and do what really works, year after year. There is no need to purchase all the equipment and ten gallons of peanut oil to deep fry a turkey in your backyard, just because Alton Brown does it on the Food Network. Unless you have several assistants, a food-stylist, a segment producer, and a fire fighting crew on hand, you might want to save it for a day when the pressure isn’t so high to produce an amazing meal for friends and family. What I have found, after trial and error, are specific recipes for much of the meal as well as stores or products that can make your life easier. A little advance planning can help ease the strain on your entertaining budget, and ensure a great meal from start to finish. I must warn you, you will sweat and it will be work, but well worth it in the end. When you finally kick up your heels, take over the remote, a slice of pumpkin pie in one hand, and a goblet of wine in the other, you can enjoy the moment and know that next year will be just as successful with your new arsenal of recipes. Turkey- This recipe for the Barefoot Contessa’s Perfect Roast Turkey is fantastically simple and delicious. Fresh herbs, butter, salt and pepper, result in one juicy turkey! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html Another turkey recipe I have used as well is kind of old time-y and southern from Saveur Magazine. It includes a corn bread dressing recipe that is tasty as well. Both recipes are straightforward and quite simple to prepare which is saying a lot for Thanksgiving meals. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Roast-Turkey-with-Corn-Bread-Dressing Side Dishes- Side dishes are a matter of personal taste and family favorites. Of course, there is that green bean dish with the mushroom soup and crispy onion topping, but I have limited oven space. I recommend asking guests to bring one of their favorite side dishes. This can ease the strain of cooking for the host, allowing for more socializing with guests, which equals a happier host. I’ve included a few side dish suggestions that have proved me well over the years. Boil a large pot of water, add a good pinch of salt to the water, add one pound of fresh, green beans and blanch for two to three minutes and remove from water. When you are close to serving your meal, chop one shallot, melt a tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan, add chopped shallot to butter and let soften for about three minutes. Add quarter cup of slivered almonds and cook for a few minutes more, finally adding your green beans, and salt to taste. Sauté for another five minutes and you’re done. The trick is not to overcook your green beans, leaving them crisp and green! Chef Emeril Lagasse has a spicy andouille sausage variation on stuffing that went over well last year with my family. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/andouille-cornbread-stuffing-recipe/index.html Mashed potatoes are best done with a potato such as Yukon Gold. They always make for a creamier mashed potato. Add loads of butter, salt and pepper, and a bit of whole milk or cream. In my opinion, this is not the meal for dieting! Fat and liberal seasoning make everything taste richer and more flavorful. Just loosen the belt and go for it. Dessert- I have yet to find a pumpkin pie recipe that I love. The most reliable recipe is right on the back of a can of Libby’s pureed pumpkin pie mix. I’m not ashamed to admit that I buy a ready made pie crust because it saves time. Unless Martha Stewart will be dining with you, then who is going to know? Or care? And, if Martha is coming for dinner, ask her to bring the pumpkin pie. The one pie I do enjoy making is pecan. I found the hands down, best, damn pecan pie recipe ever! Trust! Mama Dips Pecan Pie is out of this world. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/pecan-pie-recipe/index.html Decoration- I vote for keeping décor as simple as possible. There is enough to worry about when feeding a large group of people. A few small, strategically placed floral arrangements would be plenty, but if you would like to do more, I suggest the following: - A festive fall table runner or a fall inspired piece of fabric used as a table runner. - Votive candles on the main dining table. Larger decorative candles can be nice as well. - A vase filled with fall branches make a nice center piece. An artful bowl of pomegranates or any other colorful, fall fruit can be pretty as well. - Some great resources for more in-depth entertaining, décor, and recipe ideas can be found on www.RealSimple.com, www.SaveurMagazine.com, www.MarthaStewart.com, www.epicurious.com Wine- On a final note, wine is always an important addition to our meals at home. There are so many great wines to accompany a Thanksgiving meal. Of course, that is eighty percent of the reason I married my husband. I knew we would never be short on bottles, and my glass would never be half full! Here are Ryan’s suggestions for Thanksgiving wine pairings: 07’ Broadley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley- Beautiful and true Oregon virtues. Clean, cherry and raspberry flavors layered within hints of evergreen and subtle brown spices. Ideal for the bird. Available at Vino’s four East Bay and SF locations. 05’ Swanson Merlot, Napa Valley- Napa Valley in a bottle. Lush, smooth, and easy to like for both connoisseurs and Two Buck Chuck devotees alike. Available at many fine wine stores and Safeway as well. 07’ Fiddlehead Happy Canyon, Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley – Gorgeous tropical and white fruit flavors with just a touch of oak for some mid-palette richness. Soft and elegant, a perfect white for everything on the Thanksgiving table. Also, at Vino and many other fine wine stores. Now can you see why I married Ryan? What beautiful, poetic, wine descriptions! That certainly completes the menu. I wish everyone a bountiful Thanksgiving, filled with love, family, friends, and a glass of wine to compliment it all.