Quick Bakes For Thursday

 Even though most home chefs are already exhausted, they still want to bake for the Thanksgiving dinner. There is something about homemade rolls and desserts straight from the oven. Yet what could a tired home baker create?Something easy and quick.

One of the easiest is a batch of dinner rolls. These can be made without yeast for simple making and baking. Baking powder gives this traditional recipe rise . The rest is classic, with the addition of milk, flour butter or oil. They're made, they're rolled on to a cookie sheet and then baked for twenty five minutes. These can be made tomorrow night or Thursday morning. For an even tastier roll try baking garlic  butter no yeast dinner rolls. These have the addition of Greek yogurt for a very tender crumb. If home bakers want to tackled something a bit bigger, then consider baking a quick loaf of bread.There is a recipe that only calls for five ingredients and the best part it makes for a perfect sandwich bread for all those turkey ones on Friday.It has flour, baking powder,oil , milk and sugar.Use a greased loaf pan to bake it in because the dough will be quite thick.It only takes fifty minutes in a 430 degree Farenheit oven. A plus is that it will bake with a golden crusty top.

There are also the sweet bakes. Everyone loves a good pie after a Thanksgiving meal. the easiest choice would be getting one of those premade ones. You can fill it with a combination of puddings and Cool Whip for something different. A fun one that everyone will like is a cool mint grasshopper pie.Use an Oreo pie crust and fill with a mix of cream cheese and Cool Whip.Mint extract is used for flavor. This is really a no bake. You can try a simple apple pie with an already made pastry crust. (Pillsbury and Betty Crocker makes these). Cut six cups of apples  into thin slices and let sit in a bowl of sugar mixed with cinnamon. Layer these in the premade pie crust and dot with butter. Seal with a top crust and bake first for ten minutes for ten minutes for 450 degrees Farenheit. Reduce the heat after those ten minutes to 350 degrees Farenheit and bake for thirty minutes. A premade pie crust can also work for a pumpkin pie. The filling is  quick mix of pureed pumpkin, eggs, condensed milk, spices and salt. It's blending the filling and then filling the crust with it. Like the apple pie, its first baked at 450 degrees Farenheit then the heat is reduced to 350 after ten minutes. It's baked at this temperature for another forty minutes.

You can easily have freshly baked goods at your Thanksgiving table. Try rolls or bread. Make a quick pie. Everyone will love these at their dinner feast.

The Thanksgiving Issue The Sweeter Side

 Dessert is as big a part of the Thanksgiving meal as the main and side courses,It ends the meal but also bring the beginning of sweet delights. What's great is that there are so many recipes that can be made. Home bakers can have a field day.

This was evident in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. The whole issue was devoted to all sorts of savory and sweet recipes. Yesterday was chock full of so many tasty main and side variations of Thanksgiving classic recipes. There was not enough room to feature all the pie and cake recipes that chefs had contributed.Of course there are pies but there are some interesting  Sue Li has amassed a variety of different ones that will make Thanksgiving Day unique. There is a Delicata Squash pie , a creamy filling made of different spices such as cinnamon , nutmeg and cloves. Thin slices of the squash are cooked in a sugar syrup and then placed on top of it, Cranberry crd seems to be popular this year and there is a galette filled with it. A honey cream tops it.Another recipe out of the six offered is the unusual banana in a phyllo dough crust.This is a really rich filling made with sour and fresh cream along with two medium ripe bananas.For a real jolt of flavor try making the chocolate espresso pie.These are two layers of coffee and cocoa flavored pudding topped off with luscious creamThere's also an apple cream pie and one m.ade with green tea powder in a cheesecake pie.

Tirami su may seem like an unlikely Thanksgiving Day dessert but combined with Thanksgiving flavors. it works.There are three versions of it.New contributor and cookbook author Carolina Gelen gives three different spins.Its actually the perfect ending to a heavy meal. There are layers of soft cream and soaked lady fingers that don;t have the heaviness of pie.Another bonus is that it can feed a crowd and als be made in advanced, perfect for preparing a big feast.These tiramisu don't require espresso, The cranberry one needs cranberry juice to soak it along with the customary marscapone cheese and lady fingers. The cranberries for the filling are cooked down with lemon juice , sugar and vanilla. The  caramel apple one has tart Granny Smooth apples along with butter , sugar and heavy cream to create the caramel. The liquid is apple cider and heavy cream.Pecans top t for some crunch. There is pumpkin and it's combined with dates. The last is used for the soak and the filling is pumpkin date butter made with pumpkin puree and a pumpkin spice mix.

Happiness is a good dessert.A Thanksgiving dessert is extra special.Make these desserts to add to the feast for an outstanding meal

Scary Good CHocolates

 Halloween is a time for all sorts of candy, Yes, those Twix and Smarties are fun but there's nothing like homemade treats to enjoy at home. What's even more fun is that you can be creative. A fun treat can be handed with just some cocoa , sugar and ingenuity.

Coconut haystacks are always a treat. These are easy to make , using dark, milk or white chocolate It's melting butter with solid chocolate and then mixing in toasted or untoasted plain shredded coconut. You could sub in coconut oil  for the butter but I feel that it gives the candy a richer flavor. To make it spooky for Halloween add broken pretzel twists for legs and candy eyes on top. SLivered almonds can another f be added to the recipe for more crunch and taste. Chocolate bark is a tasty snack Again any kind of the chocolate can be used. It's just melting a bowl of chocolate chips for twenty seconds each bowl. The melted chocolate is then spread on wither a greased cookie sheet or onto parchment paper. This is the time to add the candy corn , orange and black sprinkles as well as candy eyes,Let set in either the fridge or a cool place  such as a front porch. Break into pieces and serve. Keep in mind this recipe can be made for All Saint'; day using leftover Halloween candy such as Reese's peanut butter cups, Twix  bars and Rolos caramels.

Homemade fudge is usually thought of as a Christmas sweet yet it can also be made for Halloween too,.A simple fudge recipe is combining condensed milk chocolate chips and a drop of vanilla extract  However you can a teaspoon of butter or plant butter for a much richer taste. A simple decoration would be a dash of orange and black sprinkles on top but you can press in candy corn or candy pumpkins too. SInce it is the season expand to making pumpkin fudge. This is using white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and two tablespoons of pumpkin puree (use Libby 's brand which is  very smooth and creamy. The flavoring is typical pumpkin spice  - a mix of a teaspoon of cinnamon,  along with a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg and an eight of a teaspoon of cloves. Melt the white chocolate and condensed milk together in the microwave. This only takes a minute  and then afterwards microwave at thirty seconds intervals , The mixture will be very thick. Add the spices now , GIve it a good stir and put into a greased or aluminum foil line pan. It should be refrigerated for at least four hours before cutting and serving. You can press candy corn into it for decoations

Halloween is all about sweet treats. Homemade ones are the best. Make them for a fun way to celebrate the holiday.

A Family Classic Pumpkin Soup

 This is the season for pumpkin and soup. Why not combine them in  a comforting  dish that symbolizes what autumn is all about. Nothing beats a creamy, flavorful soup,

I made my bisnonna's or great grandmother's Piedmontese pumpkin soup. It was just a perfect dish fora cold, rainy day. It's a pretty easy cook. You do need two sixteen ounce cans of Libby's pumpkin puree(DO NOT get the one that's meant exclusively for pie filling.It's loaded with pumpkin pie spice)along with half a white onion, and veggie stock.

The onion is halved and then cut into little pieces. It's sauteed with a mi of olive oil and Country Crock plant butter.

Saute the onion pieces until they;re translucent (about five to ten minutes)

I like a rich, buttery flavor so I put two large tablespoons of Country Crock plant butter/

It was then adding the pumpkin and then briskly stirring it into the onions. This needs to be thinned out.I used two cups of Lidl's Veggie stock (Which is excellent and I'll be using it in other  homemade soups too)

For creaminess I added a quarter of a cup of almond milk(whole cream is usually added in the nin vegan version) This gave the soup a lovely light caramel color.

Pumpkin can be bland tasting hence the reason for highly spicing it. I added two or three dashes of salt and freshly ground pepper along with a sprinkle of garlic powder.

Rice is also important in Piedmontese pumpkin soup. I used Lidl's instant rice which only takes two minutes to cook.

This was the most amazing soup. It was creamy and rich in flavor. The onion and pumpkin were the perfect marriage together ,creating a smooth texture with some crunch to it.

It's fall.It;s pumpkin season. Make this delicious soup to celebrate the two . It's a wonderful way to welcome in  a chilly season with a hot bowl of goodness.

A Heady Glass Of Fall

 That nip in the air means a refreshing cocktail or mocktail to welcome in fall. It's time to use the flavors of the season in tasty sips that are great on their own or with hors d'ouevres. They're easy to make and perfect for those beginners throwing parties.Pears

Apples are the main fruit and flavor of this season.Of course there is cider both hard and soft.Both make the perfect base for a layered concoction, full of zest and spice. Get a few bottles of hard cider. A chilled bottle on its'  own is refreshing but add a splash of bourbon and ginger beer. Add some lemon juice for a refreshing zing. You can also create the classic Old Fashioned.It;s cider missed with bourbon and Angostura bitters. A dash of maple syrup sweetens it up. Cider mocktails are also refreshing and have a kick of their own. Mix up a sparkling one with blending in cranberry juice, ginger ale and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Everyone thinks that cocktails and mocktails should be served cold. Not true. They can be warmed, perfect for a chilly night around the fire pit. A hot cider mocktail should be served in a  mug to contain the heat.  It's making a simple ginger syrup using ginger and brown sugar. The cider and syrup are mixed and microwaved for a minute. A squeeze of fresh orange juice  gives it a citrus-y freshness.

Pears are another fall fruit that can be used I both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Try  a fresh pear cocktail for something delightful and different. The base is a citrus infused vodka (easily made by letting vodka sit with sliced lemons in a jar for two days). there is a tablespoon of agave syrup and three tablespoons hard apple cider. Lime juice gives it brightness and either sliced or shredded pear gives it that mild, sweetly woody taste. This can be made into a mocktail by using a mix of apple juice and plain seltzer.. You don;t want to use the flavor powerful apple cider for this  because it will smother the pear taste. A more sophisticated sip is a pear martini.Use pear flavored vodka, Le Poire along with four ounces of pear juice. (if you have a juicer then make the juice fresh). Add a splash of plain sparkling water and a splash of lemon. Serve in a sugar rimmed cocktail glass. A pumpkin martini is also a wonderful fall cocktail.It's mixing pumpkin puree,vanilla and vodka. Maple syrup or a simple one gives it sweetness while pumpkin pie spice provides color and flavor.

This is the time for fun and fancy drinks. Celebrate fall with these cocktails and mocktails. Enjoy them on a nippy night.

Traditions With A Twist

 Imagine turning Thanksgiving on its'head. It would be an exciting meal, full of surprieses yet  still have the same flavors. It would certainly stun family and friends.

Regular contributor and chef Sohla El Waylly gave an interesting spin of these recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Instead of turkey she offers up friend chicken(!!!!!) instead of turkey. This is perfect for those who fight over wings and legs for crunch.It has an herb rub redolent with Thanksgiving flavors such as sage and parsley. The chicken is first brined in a mix of salt sugar and MSG.Each piece is thinly coated in flour for optimum crispiness.Are there mashed potatoes and gravy? Yes! The mashed potatoes have more of a potato chip flavor with the addition of sour cream and onion.A container of sour cream and onion powder are added to Yukon Gold mashed . Scallions are whipped in to it in the end, givcing a kind of colcannon flavor and look.As for the gravy it;s not the bland turkey kind but one that has the zingy kick of Colman;s hot mustard. Blackened shallots are added to it for an onion-y taste. The base is chicken broth to match the fried chicken and turmeric is added for color. There is also a quick dill pickl recipe that would be not only perfect for Thanksgiving but the summer holidays too.It's redolent with coriander, garlic and dill. For more Thanksgiving flavors try the crushed green bean salad with dried  cranberries

Sweet potatoess are also featured here but not in the usual form.Theseare smothered in cheddar fora sweet and savory twist. They first sauteed in butter ans then roasted in the oven with a layer of flour and cheddar.Of course there is traditional Thanksgiving baking.Chef El Waylly includes everyone's favorite pull apart dinner rolls.This is an enriched bread made with four whole eggs and whole milk and cream.They kneaded dough is generously brushed with butter and then cut with a knife .This makes them easy to break into two. After an egg wash for shine , they're left to rise. They're baked for only eighteen to twenty minutes in a 350 degree Farenheit oven. As with any Thanksgiving dinner the dessert is the real show stopper. Again Chef El Waylly doesn't  disappoint. There's her pumpkin pecan sheet cake.It has the same spicy pumpkin pie taste as the really thing but not that goopy feel of filling. The topping is a crunchy almost butterscotch coated pecan. Butter brown sugar and corns yrup are cooked into a syrup and then let to cool. It's poured over the cake and then chopped pecans are sprinkled on top.It would be great with a side dollop of creme fraiche .

Thanksgiving doesn't have to be traditional.It can  be fun and exciting with flavors redone. Try it for an entirely  different holiday. 

Thanksgiving Pie Fest

 Pie is always a definite on the Thanksgiving menu. It's a dessert that brings back sweet memories and favorite tastes Nothing beats a homemade slice , with a flaky crust and a delicious filling.

New contributor Vaughn Vreeland who is also supervising video producer for NYT Cooking also wrote this piece about pies in today's New York Times Food section.These are not traditional recipes like pumpkin or pecan. The Times asked Mr. Vreeland to come up with some new recipes that are bound to be instant classics.They can still have the flavor of the holiday like Mr. Vreeland's Cranberry Citrus Meringue Pie.This is a yummy blend of citrus curd featuring lemon and orange juices with a homemade cranberry sauce. It;s topped with a meringue.There is a pumpkin pie but the recipe is shaken up with the addition of  toasted sesame oil and tahini. The finished  products has a top of swirled pumpkin and tahini , creating a pretty marbled effect.Many home bakers make the classic banana pudding for the holiday. Now imagine that in a flaky crust. Mr. Vreeland has a buttery vanilla wafer crumb, similar to a cheese cake crust. It';s filled with a homemade banana pudding.The whipped cream topping has been redone with creme fraiche added to give it a refreshing tang.

Everyone love a good "candy" pie.Tha'ts usually pecan but Mr Vreeland offers a coconut caramel tart. The crust is a yummy chocolate cookie kind of crust.The filling is like a coconut pudding with four large eggs to give it body.The coconut is first toasted in a 350 degree Farenheit oven for six to seven minutes. to turn it golden brown.The caramel topping os a homemade one made with either coconut milk or heavy cream.There's also four tablespoons  of melted butter added to give it smoothness and richness.Chess pie is a popular custard pie in the Midwest. A new twist is added with a third of a cup of maple syrup is added. The topping is whipping cream mixed with espresso.Yes there's an apple pie but again this has a twist.A cup of pomengranate juice is added along with three quarters of teaspoon of cardamon. As for the pie dough , its;a laminated dough.It's made with apple sider molded into squares and then it can be frozen until you're ready to use it.There will be floury bits but that's OK.

Happiness is a slice of homemade pie. TRy these recipes and enjoy pure joy. They're different and a twist on the traditional.

Getting Holiday Ready

 Thanksgiving is now less than three weeks away. Christmas and Hannukah  are a month afterwards, both being celebrated on the same day this year. It's time to think about all that cooking and baking.Are you ready?

First of all ask yourself what you want to do for Thanksgiving. Some singles may prefer to eat out but you can just get a turkey breast, a jar of gravy and instant stuffing. This and a yam are perfect for just celebrating for one. It can even apply to two people if they just want a quiet dinner in. You may want to make a salad and just buy a small pie for afterwards.As for families this is where celebrating and cooking get intensive and extensive. Do you have a sit down dinner or a buffet? Do you decide on a sit-down for Thanksgiving and then a holiday buffet a month afterwards or vice versa. ANother aspect to consider is will the dinner include vegetarians and vegans. Even though both shun meat , they're different. Vegetarians will and can eat eggs and dairy. Vegans strictly prohibit this. If you have a few vegans coming over then consider making a Tofurky along with the real thing -a turkey. Luckily Tofurky comes with it's own gravy packet and stuffing so vegans will be happy with this.Also include many vegetables on the menu too.Brussells sprouts are a tasty side with vegan butter and vegan Parmesan cheese drizzled on top. Green bean almandine, string beans with almonds is another crowd pleasing side vegetarians and vegans will love.

Of course there's always a children's table. The question is will it be at the end of the adult table or in the kitchen or enclosed porch. Designate someone to look in on them from time to time. You could also put the oldest child or children in charge. Keep in mind then there should be two of everything. The kid table needs a platter of sliced  turkey along with a gravy boat and sides. The high chair set can seat next to their parents at the main table. Another idea to consider is making it allergy free.Keep in mind there will always  guests with allergies. Have alternatives for them. Also try not to serve any nuts and offer both gluten free breads and rolls.This also applies to milk too so have either soy, almond and oat varieties out for coffee. These also come in chocolate versions so they're perfect for the kids.desserts are another topic worth thinking about right now.Of course everyone will want pies. The question is which ones.Pumpkin is always the favorite yet do you make a traditional one or have one with a twist? Do guests want  not only pumpkin but also apple or pecan? ANother question is does anyone want to bake? Say yes not just to be kind but it takes a lot of pressure off you in the kitchen.

It's never too early to think about the holidays. Its' time to really ponder your plans. Figuring out what to serve is the first step to creating a memorable Thanksgiving meal.

Squash All Ways

 November is a time for squash dishes. The chill weather calls for hearty yet healthy dinners. Nothing beats a warming pumpkin soup or a stuffed acorn squash. Best of all squash is an ingredient to use. Even novie chefs can create tasty dishes with it.

Even though Halloween is over you can still make tasty pumpkin dishes. The Piedmontese create a tasty pumpkin soup that rich with flavor. Can you use your Halloween pumpkin?Yes! Make sure the inside is scooped out (you can toast and salt the seeds in the oven)  and that the pumpkin is roughly chopped.If you prefer canned then it's a must that you use canned pumpkin puree  and not pumpkin pie filling. The last already has sugar and spices in it. It needs to be just pure pumpkin. it starts with caramelizing a chopped onion (this will give the soup a  lot of flavor) in a mix of olive oil and plant butter - or real butter. It's then adding the pumpkin and about a cup of broth. Add salt and pepper. As it's cooking slowly stir in any kind of milk (unsweetened almond works well) and then simmer for twenty minutes to half an hour. You can still in cooked rice later and serve with a splash of milk for more creaminess. Roasted pumpkin is another tasty way to enjoy it. It's just cubing a sugar pumpkin , one of the smaller ones and then first microwaving it. This softens the flesh and makes it easier to cut apart. Slice into half moons and then cubed.Toss them first in olive oil and then a mix of garlic powder and salt and pepper. Roast about thirty minutes in a 450 degree oven. This is the perfect side for chicken or turkey.

Acorn squash is another great fall vegetable. it's a great side easily microwaved and served with scoops of butter. It;s excellent stuffed and you can have fun with the stuffings. Try a turkey one mixed with ground turkey, baby bella mushrooms and diced apples. Season with fresh rosemary and garlic powder along with salt and pepper. A vegetarian version would be quinoa cooked with mushrooms,sage and a pinch of cinnamon. Stuffed acorn squash is usually roasted for half an hour in a 425 degree Farenheit oven. This is the perfect hearty dish served with a salad and crusty warm bread. Butternut squash is also another fall favorite. It can be the main or a side dish to any autumn Sunday dinner. Roasted butternut squash is usually cubed and then tossed in olive oil before roasting. You could add a variety of different spices but these can mask the earth sweet flavor. Just season with freshly ground pepper and season salt before roasting in a 400 degree Farenheit oven for about twenty-five to thirty five minutes. Keep in mind that any kind of squash makes for a good ravioli stuffing. The sauce can be a simple cream one or a butter and sage mix.

Squash is a delicious main dish or side to be served during these nippy days. It can be a side or a main dish. Try any of the varieties for good fall eating.

Pie Charts

Here's the early question of the week - what is your favorite Thanksgiving Day pie?Is it the earthy and spicy  pumpkin? Rich , juicy apple?Or the candy like pecan?  Let us know.

I'll let you in on a secret - mine has always been and will always be a good homemade pecan pie. There's something about that outermost layer that's crunnchy and nutty and sweet. It's even better when there's a huge blob of whipped cream atop it.

Punchy Punches For Halloween

 This weelend is going ot be the weekend for Halloween parties. Instead of playing bartender and missing the party why not roll with the punches? Put out fancy bowls of alcoholic and non alcoholic ones. Your guests will get a big kick out of them as they're served ina spooky cup.

Start with a fun punch bowl/ Target has large witch's cauldrons which would be perfect for any kind of punch. They also sell a large clear pumpkin too.If you can;t find onen use your soup pot and soup ladle to pour out cups. You can also use one of your soup tureens (or buy one at an antique store) along with using the ladle that comes with it. Large ice buckets also work well too. What about the punch itself? A perfect spooky holiday sip is a blood red sangria. Start with a sweet red or rose and add the fruit fi the season  such as apples and pears. Orange and leon slices give ti a fresh tartness.  You could  increase the punch's potency by stirring in half a cup of a fruit brandy. Even though this sounds vile, sewer water punch is actually quite tasty - and kicky.It;s Dr Pepper mixed with vanilla flavored vodka and orange juice. Serve this potion in a clear bowl so they can see the "brown water." You can add gummy works if you want to (or Tootsie rolls to really amp up the "ewwwwww" factor.)

What about those little ones? Try a non alcoholic punch  with fun flavors for those tiny trick or treaters. Again serve it in a witch's cauldron or giant pumpkin. Since the main color fo the holiday is orange then think of a bright citrus punch. Combine orange soda (use an intensely flavored one like Fanta for the best taste) Add orange sherbert for more tang and a cup of pineapple juice for a refreshing zing. If you find this too sweet, then  sub in the soda with an orange flavored seltzer. This cuts down on the sugariness and even makes it more palatable for any adults attending. Another squeal inducing sip is the witch's brew punch. It's first mixing ginger ale with  pineapple and lemon juices. The last is added to keep from making th e drink too sweet,.Lime sherbet is added to give it that green color. Now for the special effects. You can put dry ice in a handmade trough wrought from tin foil around the cauldron. This will give it the effect of a smoking pot. You DO NOT want to put this ice in the punch. It's extremely dangerous to do so. Another special  and safer effect is just put a ring of battery operated votice lights around the base of the cauldon.

A good Halloween punch will add - what else - punch  to any party. It's a tasty cup, perfect with those party bites and mucnies. Brew up a cauldron for your holiday drinking.

Fall Baking

 THis is definitely the time for baking. The weather is perfect for creating everything from muffins to pies.There are spices to try and fruit to add. It'll be a busy season.

Yes , this is also pumpkin spice season.Yet what would be better than pumpkin pie or pumpkin tartlets. You could use fresh pumpkin although most home bakers used the canned variety. This already is spiced and just needs to be poured into a shell. A different spin on it would be creating tartlets, perfect for fall parties. You can easily use a muffin tin for this .It;'s putting cups of pastry dough in them and filling them with a mix of pumpkin puree, half and half , brown sugar, ginger, salt allspice and egg.(the last to bind th epuree and give it some body." After they''re baked you can add a puff of whipped cream. Another pumpkin laden treat is pumpkin bread, perfect for a snack or for breakfast.it too has such warming spices as cinnamon along with the pie filling. Another breakfast treat are pumpkin muffins, made with pumpkin puree and milk. There are also the requisite spices too like ginger and cinnamon.You can also make pumpkin cupcakes too, with out without a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Of course what would fall baking be without apples? They're everywhere. Most sweet tooths love a good cinnamon laced pie. These are great , especially after a fall Sunday dinner but what about something a bit more rustic yet sophisticated?Try a galette which is an easier bake than a regular pie.This is just rolling out the dough and then filling with with sliced apples. The crust is then folded over the apples with an opening in the middle. Some home bakers drizzle caramel on it after it's been baked. Another sweet treat is a turnover stuffed with the fruit. The dough is a light  flaky one that crackles and is the perfect foil for the apple mix. A  These make great snacks to bring to school or to work.  Use puff pastry sheets (which can store easily in your freezer for the shell and Granny Smith apples for the filling. Granny Smiths are the best option for these because of their tartness and are not overly sweet. Turnovers can be decorated with a drizzle of a confectioner's sugar glaze. This is just a blend of the sugar milk and vanilla and then it;s piped onto the turnovers tops.

It's fall and the season for baking. You can go with anything pumpkin or anything apple. The end result is a sweet treat perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

A Pinched Thanksgiving

 This is going to be a tough Thanksgiving with prices high and salaries stalled. What can home chefs do to have a good and tasty holiday? The answer is pinching. See where you can save money and see what you can cut back on.

The first question any home chef should ask themselves is is a big family Thanksgiving doable? Think before you commit. The cost of a twenty pound Butterball turkey at Acme is $32.78 (!!!!!!). Then add in various sides and you have a two hundred dollar meal (which not surprisingl is the average price of an individual four course holiday meal at any upscale Manhattan restaurant).If you still want family and friends , then split the cost. Ask guests to bring sides and desserts. Delegate who brings what so there's not any duplicates. Also check about allergies and preferences. Another idea is just having people over for dessert, instead of the whole meal. This means you can just have a small, intimate Thanksgiving and serve just turkey breast which is much cheaper than the whole bird. (Acme sells theirs for around $14.99 for three pounds while Stop & Shop for around $21.99 for seven pounds). Desserts can also be one big one like a pumpkin or pecan pie while encouraging homemade ones like cookies or cupcakes. Please emphasize that guests should not spend a lot of money on their desserts.

You can cut back a lot if it's just family. Again go for the turkey breast. You still can have the juicy meat and crisly skin but with out all the extra. As for the rest of the meal go for generic. Acme has some great  inhouse stuffing mixes along with flavorful gravies. Go to the cheaper makrets for your fresh veggies. These are like farmer's markets , usually found in strip malls like the Saddle Brook Farmer's Market. They have the best prices on everything from squashes to Italian breads. Many other towns and cities have markets like this. Take advantage of them. Another way of pinching Thanksgiving is eliminating the one dish no one really likes. If the family makes a face at jellied cranberries or Brussels sprouts then get rid of them. Why waste money on food you know won't be eaten.  Cut back on similar foods. Why serv e both sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes? This is too much to eat. The same thing with rolls and stuffing which is a kind fo savory bread pudding. Don't go wild with dessert. Pick one pie and stick with it. Some stores sell mini pies , You can easily buy these so everyone gets a bite fo their favorite.

This is going to be a tight Thanksgiving. Yet it still can be a tasty one if you carefully budget. Pinch a few pennies and you can still have an affordable holiday meal.

A Holiday Treat Buneulos

 If you're tired of baking Christmas cookies then think about frying up buneulos. These are a great alternative to them along with being  for body. and different . Best of all they are delicious, perfect on Christmas morning with a coffee and tea.

Christina Morales ,a regular contributor to the New York Food section  wrote about these tasty treats in yesterday's issue. They are a Mexican,  Latin American and Spanish Caribbean sweet originating in Spain. Many countries have their own version  and also different names.  Originally Spain's  first created the,mSephardic Jews during the Arab invasion. The use of anise in the original recipe is a telltale sign.  They may have born in Turkey and the recipe carried from there with the Sephardim tribes.There are different versions of buneulos made with slightly different ingredients. Cubans use the widely available root vegetable yucca which gives the fried buneulo a puffy  doughnut look. The shapes are different too., Some home bakers make figure eights . Some fry them in disc form so they look like Native American flatbreads. Syrup is uslaly drizzled on them and again that varies. The Mexicans usually make one that has piloncillo or Mexican brown sugar, clove and anise, Columbians  turn them into balls and fill them with cheese for a savory sweet treat. Cubans steep them in a syrup flavored with citrusl,anise and cinnamon

The Times give two recipes for them. One is  the Cuban with the anise syrup. The batter is a mix of succulewnts such as yucca but also boniato or sweet potato, malanga, taro and name  (pronounced nom -may a cross between a potato and sweet potato) Flour is also added for body a sis pumpkin, winter squash or calabazas. The way to prepare them is like preparing gnocchi, with the starches being hsnd mixed with the flour and three eggs. Squares are formed and then deep fried in a skillet full of bubbling hot canola oil.The syrup is an easy mix of granulated sugar, star anise, cinnamon, lime and lime peel.It's cooked over a low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes. You could also try the Mexican ones that are more cookie like  with just flour, eggs, baking powder and melted unsalted butter. The syrup is again a simple cooked mix of piloncillo (bought at a Mexican grocery) along with guavas, cinnamon, orange peel and anise seeds.

Buneulos are a different kind of holiday treat. Make them for Christmas for a nice ending. They are simple to make and just as easy to eat.

It's Still Barbecue Time

It is still summer and we will still have warm weather well into the fall. That means cooking out and still enjoying barbecue favorites. You could add an autumnal touch with different spices. too.

This is the season for tailgating too and you can easily make those game day treats in the comfort of your backyard.Hot dogs are big with the football crowd. Think piling them with either sauerkraut or chili sauce. A novel idea for the season is an apple relish or chutney. This involves peeling and cooking any red apple along with a a green Granny Smith one.Ginger, onions and apple cider vinegar is mixed in along with raisins to create a sweet and tart topping for both hot dogs and bratwursts. This would also be good with barbecued pork chops too for a hearty outdoor meal. Hamburgers are another great barbecue dish. Add a layer of sharp Vermont cheddar and applewood smoked bacon for a substantial lunch or dinner, You could turn this into a vegan treat by using Beyond Burgers topped with soy cheddar and Morningstar Farms soy bacon.You can also take a fall classic turkey.Home chefs can grill a turkey breast on the barbecue.Use a sweet rub made with brown sugar or one with herbs. Have ii with gravy and barbecued butternut squash brush with herbed butter.

Of course steaks are always on the barbecue menu.Elevate them to the next level with a red wine sauce. This is made with a Cores di Rhone red, mixed with garlic, unsalted butter and freshly ground black pepper.You could also serve the steaks with a fresh chimichurri sauce. It's an easy make of just red wine vinegar and garlic and a blend of oregano, parsley and cilantro. Sometimes simplicity is the best route to take. Marinate it in olive oil and lemon with a sprinkling of oregano. This can be squash strips and carrots for a simple side.Parsnips and turnips can also be roasted and served with a sage infused butter. in a week or two there will be the first batch of pumpkins, and these, too, can be added to a late season barbecue.Keep in mind that you need to buy the kind used for pumpkin pies and not the ones used for decoration.It has to be sliced and then the seeds and pulp have to be taken out.After that you can add butter or olive oil along with such spices as cardamon or nutmeg.

It's still barbecue season. Keep grilling delicious meats and veggies during these late summer days. Add a touch of fall seasoning like nutmeg , pumpkin or apple to make it interesting.

Pie Variations

 It's pie season and many home bakers will turn to the traditional for their Thanksgiving desserts. Yet it's the same boring kinds, apple  pumpkin and the occasional pecan. What can be done to make them more exciting? Vary the recipes

Apple pie almost cries out to be something different.You could start out with the crust, adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or cinnamon and nutmeg combined. Another idea is sprinkling brown sugar on the crimped edges for a crunchy and sweeter pie. A really decadent idea is using cinnamon bun dough for the crust. This also includes using the icing too. To balance out this sugariness, use tart Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.Caramel and the fruit go perfectly together. Salted caramel works well because of the underlying current of savoriness in it. Do you go with a store bought sauce or make it yourself? A homemade caramel sauce is nothing more than granulated sugar , butter and heavy cream cooked together. It produces a nice  thin sauce that you can use  later on cakes and even pancakes and waffles.A chewier version would be adding nuts, namely walnuts. These can be whole or halved. They can also go on top as part of a streusel topping. Streusel is an easy make, combining dark and white sugar with flour and various spices like cinnamon and ginger. Butter is added for more flavor and to bind the other ingredients. It's then scattered op top of the pie and baked with it.

There's not much you can do with pumpkin pie. A different way of making it is in a galette This is a free form pie that baked on a cookie sheet. It makes for a lighter slice with less filling.Some home bakers add a layer of sweetened cream cheese to give it some zing.You could also make just the filling in mousse form. This is an airy version made with eggs for binding and the same spices. It's the perfect dessert without the soggy crust. Another idea that's completely fun are pumpkin pie shots. This is layering the filling over cinnamon and crushed graham crackers in shot glasses. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Some home bakers are combining this pie with another Thanksgiving classic - pecan. Yes, they can be combined, although pecan is better on its' own.It's layering the two fillings with the pecans being placed on top. You could easily make a traditional pecan pie however it may be too sweet. Think about adding dark chocolate to counterbalance it. Ditch the corn syrup which can be tooth achingly sweet and sub in maple syrup instead. Use four ounces of eighty-five to ninety per cent dark cacao. Bourbon pecan pie is a Southern specialty. Two tablespoons of bourbon will do it, giving the super sweet filling some strong zing.

Pies do rule for Thanksgiving. Yet the same ones , apple, pumpkin and pecan can be ho hum. Liven them uo with different variations for a unique holiday dessert.

A Comforting Cookbook The Pinewood Kitchen

These are the times for comfort food , that's both soothing and comforting. A new cookbook, My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure (Health Communications 2020) may be the small antidote we need right now. There are some tasty dishes that can help us cope.

Mee MCCormick wrote this fascinating book which offers all sorts of recipes that can help with boosting the immune system. She herself has had an interesting life full of highs and lows. In th e meanwhile she wound up with such debilitating conditions as Hashimoto's disease , celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Her recipes for Pinewood Kitchens, part of a farm, started by Samuel Graham, a free thinking farmer in the 1830. He created a kind of utopia where all men and women were equal in rural Tennessee. Chef McCormack brings her health background into her cooking and into the book. There are sections on the importance of adding berries and nuts into the diet and how they can help the body . another section, which many cooks and chefs ignore, is devoted to seaweed. She also emphasizes the importance of probiotic foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut and how they're very important in a diet. The many recipes reflect this.Chef McCormick also weighs in on sugar and what you can use in it's place - namely honey or coconut sugar , the last contains such nutrients as  zinc, iron , and calcium. She also recommends  monk fruit sugar It 's an all natural sugar first made by Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia and has no calories or carbs.

I like this cookbook a lot. There are sections from breakfasts (which comes later in the book) along ones on soups, main courses, sides and dips. The vegetarian ones are great for those cooking in a meat free home kitchen. The tempeh bacon is especially appealing , because it can also be made into a crunchy snack. It'll would also work well with Chef McCormick's falafel burger recipe. Since this is a Southern cookbook, there is a recipe for fried chicken. It's a healthier version sans the flour, being dipped in cornstarch for the crispiness. Cayenne and paprika give it color and bite. There are also collard greens along with black eyed pea croquettes, a different spin on the Southern classic. Okra is also here in fritter, roasted and pickled forms. She celebrates her Italian heritage with a tomato free (!) sauce for pasta. Miso or tamari along with kuzo root and umbeboshi vinegar give it that rich taste. Chef Mc Cormick does like tomatoes and she has an excellent tomato soup recipe, a perfect balm for these times. The breakfast recipes are interesting too, especially the breakfast tacos, made with scallions and zucchini along with bacon and eggs. Her breakfast smoothies  are rich with fruits and berries along with mushroom powder used to boost the immune system. I like the gluten free desserts, which are her family's pignoli  or pine nut cookies to a spin on the Southern classic pecan pie. She also had a healthier version of pumpkin pie too.

We need  healthy comfort food during these troubling and crazy times. Mee McCormick's My Pinewood Kitchen : A Southern Culinary Cure is just that. She provides us with great recipes that are good for our bodies and souls.

A Military Holiday

Our service people deal with everything , from mortars to snipers. Imagine spending a Thanksgiving with the threat of attack looming over every bite. Yet that's what our almost every branch of our military has gone through for centuries. The upcoming holiday is no different.

Thanksgiving on duty was the main article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. C.J. Chivers, a Times investigative reporter and Pulitzer prize winner , wrote about how our armed services celebrate. There are also stories from former and current military members, some funny , most poignant and unsettling. As per Mr. Chivers, who writes regularly on the Afghan Conflict, the US has spent nineteen years fighting the war on terrorism with a few million American service members celebrating away from home and family. Earlier in the year, The Times contacted veterans about their experiences and asked for pictures too. Thanksgivings were varied, depending on the base. Troops at midsized bases found that the military or their peers put out traditional spreads.Full turkey dinners were saved at one base thanks with the help of the U.S.N.S.  GySgt. Fred W. Stockham's merchant mariners. Ethan Frisch , an aid worker for Aga Khan Foundation who worked on rural infrastructure in Afghanistan bought two scrawny turkeys and butchered them himself. He flavored them with local wild cumin and coriander seeds.

The problem with a holiday  - any holiday in a war zone - is that the wars don't stop. (although there was the famed Christmas Truce of 1914 where British  and French troops had a temporary truce with the German army). Turkey and phone calls can only go so far. They're basically band aids plastered over an always bleeding wound.Many enlisted know this. One, Sgt Michelle Estabrook Kuranishi did her best to cobble together a holiday meal with a fellow Marine. They managed to put together a traditional dinner, thanks to scrounging through  enough care packages to acquire pumpkin filling for pies and enough stuffing to feed their group. Finally she could briefly forget the recently tragic past where the two peers she had trained were killed in Ramadi in central Iraq.  This holiday meal included her partner, Master Sgt. Brett Angus who was tall ,lanky and enjoyed a good prank, esp
ecially when it came to Sgt. Estabrook Kuranishi. The happiness, if it could be called that was short lived. The next day Master. Sgt, Angus was killed when he investigated their bomb detecting robot that had been blown up. Now Thanksgiving has a resonance  for her, one shared with those who have survived their tours of duty. The fact that she is still alive fourteen years later has made her grateful for the life that was spared.

War is hell.  A holiday spent in a war zone even more so. We can't make it better for our military where they're stationed. We sure as hell can make it better for them when they return.

Pumpkin Time!!!

Pumpkins are everywhere as we edge into fall.They are one of the most versatile veggies, going from savory to sweet recipes with ease. It pays to have a few recipes  centering around them in your fall cooking arsenal.

I thought I had enough recipes regarding Cucurbita pepo, the Latin name for pumpkin. Obviously not.
I received this :

This is one of those mini cookbooks that every grocery check out has The publisher is Publications International Limited or PILThey have been producing specialized cookbooks for forty years.They're fun books to give as gifts like their kits and game brain series or buy if you're looking for more cookie or crock pot recipes. It seems my crew like my family's squash soup recipe so much that they want me to make more.  There is a wide variety for only forty-seven recipes. One of the pluses is that it's no nonsense. It's just recipes with a surprise section on maple syrup recipes as well. No cute or folksy tips or asides that usually riddle cookbooks. There should be a disclaimer however about the difference between pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree. The first is laden with sugar and pumpkin pie spices such as clove and cinnamon. It's only used in baking and puddings. The second is just pure pumpkin, perfect actually for sweet and savory recipes, although it's mostly used for the last.

There are a lot of interesting recipes that I didn't know about. One is a pumpkin polenta one  which is like a pumpkin soup thickened with the famed corn meal.It's spiced with smoky paprika and mace  and finished with the addition of fontina cheese.Of course there are soup recipes.One is a fiery blend of chipotle chili powder and black pepper. Three quarter cup of apple cider gives it sweetness. I definitely will make this , and serve with with tortilla chips. There is also a curried ginger pumpkin soup that's got a sweet heat vibe thanks to a dash of curry and a chopped Golden Delicious apple added in.The sweet recipes abound. A fun dessert would be the Maple Walnut Crescent Cobbler, made super easy with those frozen crescent rolls. Of course there are pumpkin pie recipes, one with maple the other with a pecan quinoa crust.Forget the Halloween candy. There is a pumpkin seed brittle I know I'll make. Those pumpkin cinnamon buns  on the cover look waaaayyyy too tempting. It's in their breakfast section. It's the same as a regular bun recipe but the dough has pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices . A less fattening alternative is Spiced Pumpkin Banana Smoothie.

There will be a lot of pumpkin and maple in my future thanks to the mini cookbook Pumpkin!  There are so many recipes I want to make and you'll see them in the upcoming weeks. It will be pumpkin fest!!!

Those Uh Oh Moments

Cooking and baking are not perfect sciences. Stuffing happens and usually on the holiday.Don't panic. There's a solution to every problem and some can even be happy accidents. Never let a glitch shake you. Fix it and carry on to present a fine dinner.

Every home chef will tell you the worst thing that can happen is a still frozen turkey. It takes a day to thaw out four pounds of bird. If you had forgotten about it  in the freezer then use the microwave or cold water.(this is the best method). Depending on the microwave strength's it usually takes six minutes for each pound for thawing. A ten pound bird will take an hour, a twenty pounder will be two hours. A better way is thawing in your sink , using a cold water bath. It will take thirty minutes for  pound of turkey to defrost so again a   sixteen pounder will take eight hours.Another kitchen headache is lumpy gravy. You can go two ways with this. The first is tackling those lumps. Whisking it will work, but an immersion blender will definitely insure a satiny texture and absolutely no lumps of flour. The second method is have one or two jars of gravy on hand.You can just serve these or  mix with your gravy .What happens when a meat eater turns vegan?Or when someone invites their veggie chomping sweetheart? One, try to avoid conflict by not having table talk turn to farm cruelty and two, create a plate that is vegan or vegetarian Beans are chock of protein so think about making up a plate with a side of Boston baked (providing they weren't cooked with bacon) along with Brussels sprouts , and yams. Keep a jar or packet of mushroom gravy on hand to make. This will go well with the stuffing.

Vegetables dishes can also go awry. Those crunchy green beans can turn to limp noodles while the cauliflower can turn to a puddle of white. Add some herbs such as oregano or thyme to spark the flavor. You can also melt some cheese and pour it over the veggies to hide their texture.The kids will love the cheesiness of it. Salt is usually a home chef's friend. However too much can be accidentally sprinkled into any recipe. .If that's the case then add both a quarter teaspoon of both vinegar and sugar or honey.If it's soup or sauce you can add a potato. The starch from it can absorb the salt. Peel one and slip it into the gravy or soup if you're serving it.Everyone loves a springy stuffing with a crispy top.Yet stuffing is made of bread which can turn to mush.Save it by adding a bit of chicken or turkey broth and bake it a few minutes more. Remember it's nothing more than a savory bread pudding so treat it as such. Dessert , usually a sweet end , can take a very sour turn. If your pumpkin or pecan pie burns , then get rid of the crust and concoct a pie parfait.Layer the pie filling, crushed cookies or graham crackers and whipped cream in fancy parfait glasses. You may have created a new tradition  with it.

Any dinner will have its' uh oh moments. Be prepared. It's easy to  fix the mistakes that may arise and still have a wonderful holiday meal!