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Thursday’s Top Ten Reason NOT to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner

November 21, 2012 by pbenjay

Place cards for Thanksgiving dinner 2008.

Place cards for Thanksgiving dinner guests

So if you’re not cooking, you are either dining out or better yet invited to share the annual feast at someone else’s dinner table.  Either way, the end result is still the same because you….

  1. Do not have to spend hours grocery shopping for myriad ingredients for dishes you make only once a year.
  2. Do not have to spend 3 x what you normally spend at the grocery store each week, buying weird items like persimmons, figs, chestnuts, turnips and a 14 lb bird.
  3. Do not have to pull the giblets out of the cavity of an ice cold turkey and then clean its inside  and cut off its rear end also known irreverently as the pope’s nose.Do not have to pull the giblets out of the cavity of an ice cold turkey and then clean its inside  and cut off its rear end also known irreverently as the pope’s nose.
  4. Do not have to get up at the crack of dawn to stuff the turkey and put it in the oven so it is ready at 2:00pm
  5. Can actually go to the Parade if you wish or leisurely sit in your living room with a cup of coffee all warm and cosy and marvel at the balloons and how cold everyone seems to be at the Parade.
  6. Can have breakfast with the family instead of peeling potatoes.
  7. Don’t have to wonder how you are really going to get everything baked and cooked with 1 oven and only 4 burners.
  8. Will have time to get appropriately dressed  without an apron and even be able to put on makeup.
  9. Will probably be offered some leftovers to bring home for tomorrow’s supper (bring your own containers)
  10. BEST of all, you won’t be in the middle of any unresolved sibling or parent-child issues from your own family!!
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Ode to Sweet Potatoes-New York Times Mark Bittman

November 21, 2012 by pbenjay

The softer, orange-fleshed variety of sweet po...

This is actually a YAM and not a Sweet Potato

I said I wasn’t going to post another recipe today because I am supposed to be preparing my own culinary contributions to the Thanksgiving Day dinner and so I’m not.  However, I just noticed in the New York Times that Mark Bittman wrote an article extolling the virtues of sweet potatoes.  In my 9 days till Thanksgiving recipe posting, I included two recipes for sweet potatoes.  His article is listed below.  Sweet potatoes-Thanksgiving and beyond!

 

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BEST Thanksgiving Side Dish-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions w/Rosemary+Parmesan

November 20, 2012 by pbenjay

English: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and ...

Sweet potatoes, onions and garlic

This is the last of the BEST Thanksgiving Side Dishes because tomorrow I will be preparing the foods I’m bringing to our dinner.  I made this dish one Thanksgiving spent at my parents house when they lived in Florida.  Trust me, it is yummy.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES and ONIONS with ROSEMARY & PARMESAN

2  3/4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in 1 ” cubes

8 TBS Canola oil

3 garlic cloves minced

2  1/2 tsp salt

1  1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1  1/2 lb red onions (3 medium), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise in 1/4 ” slices

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Set on rack in center oven and one on lowest position.- preheat oven 375 degrees

Line 2 large baking sheets with foil.  Place sweet potatoes on one; drizzle with 6 TBS oil.  Sprinkle with garlic, 1  1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Toss to coat, then spread in single layer.

Place onions on second baking sheet, drizzle with 2 remaining TBS oil, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.  Toss to coat, spread in single layer.  Place potatoes on center rack and onions on lower. Roast until potatoes are tender and onions are tender and brown around edges, stirring every 10 minutes, about 30 minutes total for potatoes and 35 minutes for onions.

Can be prepared 4 hours ahead of time, let stand at room temperature, covered loosely with foil.  Rewarm in 375 degree oven about 10 minutes.  Combine potatoes and onions in shallow bowl.  Sprinkle with Parmensan cheese and rosemary and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Whole Living

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

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BEST Thanksgiving Side Dish-Cauliflower with Hazelnut Brown Butter

November 19, 2012 by pbenjay

Well, it’s Monday, 3 days left till the big feast day and this is a good time to go over your recipes and grocery list to make sure you have all the ingredients you need.  I needed about 30 pecan halves for some cheddar biscuits I’m making to bring to our dinner.  Wow, the price of nuts has really gone up!  I found a 4 oz container for $7.99 and a big bag at Costco for about $15.00 and almost gave up until I remembered that Wegman’s has a bulk food section of nuts, grains and seeds.  So even though the cost per pound was a whopping $12.95, I was able to get about 40 pecan halves for $3.95-yes I am excited about that.  As an aside and I know it’s a minor digression, have you noticed how much almost everything has gone up in price??? I’m looking at items that I purchase in order to save money and those things have risen in some cases over a dollar more!  I really can’t imagine what it must cost to feed a family of four these days….  Okay, so you know maybe I’ll do a whole blog on the rising cost of food and really get myself depressed, but not this week BECAUSE this is the week of harvest and plenty and bountiful and thanks for all the good food and here’s another recipe for you to consider.

CAULIFLOWER with HAZELNUT BROWN BUTTER

1 cup hazelnuts (filberts)

3 small or 2 large heads of cauliflower (about 3  1/2 lb)

Coarse salt

10 TBS unsalted butter

2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 TBS finely chopped chives

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Place hazelnuts on baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes.  Transfer nuts to a kitchen towel; rub off loosened papery skins.  Coarsely chop nuts; set aside.  

Trim stems of cauliflower so they sit flat, keeping head intact.  Bring several inches of water to a boil in a large steamer or in a pot fitted with a rack; add salt to taste.  Steam cauliflower until just tender, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to platter.

Combine butter and hazelnuts in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until butter turns brown, 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat, and add lemon juice and chives.  Season to taste with salt.  Whisk to combine.  Pour over cauliflower and serve immediately.

Serves: 12 – 14  Recipe from Martha Stewart Whole Living 2001

Haselnuss

Hazelnuts also known as Filberts

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BEST Thanksgiving Side Dish and VEGAN too! Wild Rice w/Mushrooms,Cranberries,Walnuts

November 18, 2012 by pbenjay

Ocean Spray Craisins brand dried cranberries

Ocean Spray Craisins brand dried cranberries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I know it seems unlikely that anybody would NOT want  love mashed potatoes with their Thanksgiving turkey, but it’s true. And for those guests and any Vegans at your table, you might want to include this really neat dish.  It’s seasonal, textural and nutritious.

WILD RICE with MUSHROOMS, CRANBERRIES and WALNUTS

Salt

2 cups wild rice

2 cups wheat berries, soaked in 3 cups water overnight and drained

3/4 cup dried cranberries

2 TBS canola oil or other neutral oil

6 medium or 3 large portobello mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and in large dice (3 cups)

Freshly ground pepper

1  1/2 cups chopped walnuts

2 small shallots, minced

2 TBS chopped flat leaf parsley

2 TBS walnut oil

Bring two medium pots salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add wild rice to one and wheat berries to another, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, 30 to 35 minutes for wild rice and 20 to 25 minutes for wheat berries.

While grains cook, put cranberries to small bowl, and cover with hot water.  Soak 15 minutes, drain, and chop.  Set aside.

Heat canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat  Add mushrooms, and sauté stirring frequently, until mushrooms soften and begin to release their liquid, 8 to 10 minutes.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, and transfer to a warm serving bowl.  Stir in walnuts, shallots, parsley and cranberries.

When grains are tender, drain them, and add them to bowl.  Drizzle with walnut oil, and toss gently.  Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 6-8 servings

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New York Speaks….Listen with your eyes!

November 18, 2012 by pbenjay

What a city this is!! New York speaks loud and clear and in many language, it’s just one ginormous kaleidoscope of humanity.  You just never know what or who you’re going to come across in an afternoon.

green market, cyclists, backpack

Green Market Greenies
ice skater, Bryant Park, Central Park

Practice, practice, practice

central park

Two Tourists in Central Park

ICONIC Still Life-A girl, a dog and two birds

stretching, warm up,

Cirque du Soleil here I come!

Friends

central park, squirrel

Burying A Nut

A Nuthatch Seeking Insects

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes-Roasted Parsnips with Orange Zest

November 17, 2012 by pbenjay

English: Parsnips offered for sale at a winter...

English: Parsnips offered for sale at a winter farmers’ market in Rochester, Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey everybody, there’s only 4 more days to shop and plan your Thanksgiving Dinner.  I’m really lucky this year as we have been invited to a massive feast on Long Island.  This, of course, has given me time to wax eloquently about the beauty and creativeness you can imbue to the many side dishes of the turkey dinner.  I know everyone thinks the turkey is the star of the  meal and if we’re gauging things on size , I guess it wins.  However, don’t you think the color and texture of the myriad side dishes enhance the meal greatly?  And as you know from previous blog posts, this year I’m all about NOT serving the usual suspects unless they’re prepared in some different and innovative way.  So here is yet another interesting and tasty dish for you to consider serving.

ROASTED PARSNIPS with ORANGE ZEST

2 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into large  match sticks

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Juice of one orange

Grated zest of one orange

Heat oven to 500 degrees.  Place parsnips in a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Turn parsnips into  large roasting pan and roast, shaking pan occasionally, until golden, 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven, add juice and zest, and toss to coat.  Return to oven and roast until parsnips have caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes.  Transfer to warm bowl and serve.

Serves: 6-8  –   recipe from Deborah Madison, New York Times  November 19, 2003

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The Birds of Winter

November 16, 2012 by pbenjay

Up until two weeks ago I wasn’t really thinking it was winter yet!  After all the calendar says it’s not winter yet BUT after Hurricane Sandy followed by a Nor’easter which blanketed us in snow…Uhmmmm I think it has arrived!  The birds at our feeders are there ALL day long and their day begins just before dawn!  The squirrels are right there along side the multitudes of sparrows, hanging on the squirrel-proof feeder.  We have put ears of dried corn out for the squirrels thinking that might dissuade them from the bird seed and suet.  Well it hasn’t, but we’re cutting everybody some slack because we think they’re storing up for, what else, winter!

Murray captured some feathered friends in the parks of New York City.  As always,many of his photos capture the personality and attitude of the species.  Even when he is photographing the very common, very ubiquitous House Sparrows, the pictures are excellent.

Central park, New York City, house sparrow

A perky tri-color House Sparrow

purple thrush, central park, New York Cit

Male Purple Thrush Berry Happy

lovely lady cardinal, central park, red cardinal

Lovely Lady Cardinal

An In-Your-Face Sparrow

Camera-shy Woodpecker

Female Purple Thrush

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THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES-THE BEST-5 Days and Counting…

November 16, 2012 by pbenjay

 

Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut'. Original descr...

Butternut Squash

Some where between Sweet Potatoes  and White Potatoes lie the winter squashes and many people prefer squash dishes on their Thanksgiving Day menu.  There are numerous varieties to choose from:  I like Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash and Hubbard Squash.  I have served Butternut Squash Bisque as a first course at a few Thanksgiving Dinners.  You might enjoy including this tasty side dish this year at your annual Turkey Day feast.

WINTER SQUASH BRAISED IN CIDER

1 # delicata or butternut squash

2TBS butter

3 TBS finely chopped rosemary

3 cups unfiltered apple or pear cider

Salt

1 tsp balsamic or apple cider vinegar to taste

Freshly ground pepper

You could peel the squash, halve in lengthwise and slice into half moons OR you could buy butternut squash already peeled and cubed and if you’re like me, there is s a point where my time is worth more than the extra 50 cents  spent in taking the easy way out!!

Melt butter in a 12″ skillet over low heat until foamy.  Add rosemary, and cook over medium heat to flavor butter, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.  Add squash, cider, and 1 tsp salt.  If squash is not covered by cider, add water to cover.

Bring to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender and cider has reduced to a glaze, stirring frequently, 30 to 40.  Sprinkle with vinegar and season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to warm serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serves: 6-8 – recipe courtesy of New York Times (November 19, 2003

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Thursday’s Top Ten Reasons to Watch Grey’s Anatomy

November 15, 2012 by pbenjay

English: This is the title screen from the ABC...

Yes I am a Grey’s Anatomy groupie and not that ashamed to say so.  Every Thursday night is a problem in our house because I have to make sure dinner is over with or that I’m home on time (even though it is be ing DVR‘d).  Peter does not want to be in the same room when it’s on and for the life of him, he can’t understand my fascination/obsession/addiction to it.  Yeah well, me and few other million viewers!

1. Will Kerev take in more than one room-mate/sub-letter?

2. Will Derek ever perform surgery again?

3. Can April REALLY re-virginize herself?

4. Can Owen win back Dr. Yang – Does he really want to?

5. Is Arizona ready to come back to the hospital?

6. Will Dr. Yang give a few more of the interns dwarf nicknames?

7. Can Kerev keep it zipped up for at least one more episode?

8. Will Dr. Avery (the cute one) marry April?

9. Will Richard divorce his wife to be with Katherine Avery or will they just continue to hook up?

10. When will Meredith be able to sleep with lights off?

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