Fab Food Fest: Winter's Eve at Lincoln Square

One way to combat holiday blues and withdrawal is to reflect kindly on the wonders of Thanksgiving whilst jumping right into spreading Christmas cheer. Always a sap for the spirit of Christmas, I'm wasting no time gearing up for my favorite holiday.

Tonight at Lincoln Square, it's Winter's Eve, the annual Lincoln Center tree lighting and food fest. Beyond the whole Christmas cheer thing, there's food and entertainment stretching from the Time Warner Center to 68th Street and everywhere in between. Local restaurants set ups tents and offer food samples ranging from $1-$5 and I'll be sampling up a storm, not to mention hunting for the freebies. The tree lighting starts at 5:30 and food and entertainment lasts until 8 making this a perfect post-work stop for food and fun. I'm super excited about this for two main reasons:

1) Some of the participating restaurants are ones that are generally a bit out of my price range (Bar Boulud, Asiate) and this is a perfect opportunity to sample their offerings without breaking the bank.
2) A portion of proceeds will go to City Harvest, New York's only food rescue organization. As a bonus, they'll also be collecting canned goods at their truck parked at 63rd and Broadway, so do your part and bring one.

Participating Restaurants:
• A Voce
• at65 Café
• Asiate
• Bar Boulud
• Bar Masa
• Bouchon Bakery
• Café Fiorello
• Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola and Great Performances
• Ed's Chowder House
• Europan Bakery Café
• Gabriel's Bar & Restaurant
• Gourmet Garage
• Josephina
• Landmarc
• Le Pain Quotidien
• Luce
• Magnolia Bakery
• O'Neals'
• Nick and Toni's Café
• P.J. Clarke's
• Picholine
• Porter House New York
• Rosa Mexicano at Lincoln Center
• Sapphire Indian Cuisine
• Screme Gelato Bar
• Siam Inn
• Soutine Bakery
• Sushi a-go-go
• 'wichcraft

Other promised highlights:
-Free hot chocolate and peppermint bark at Williams-Sonoma @ Time Warner Center
-Dante Park's got cheese sampling (you know, the little square outside Lincoln Center)
-Kiehl's has got cider and samples
-NYIT's boasting a 'Go Green exhibit'
-Whole Foods will have holiday food samples
-Find your inner kid at Landmarc as they've got cotton candy

Bottom Line: Cheap, charitable, and fun to boot

Beware: It gets mighty crowded, so come prepared to battle your way through crowds to reach your desired food stops. For some tips on how to do the festival circuit, check out my article on the San Gennaro Festival back in September.

Anyone else plotting their festival route for tonight? I'm hoping the weather holds up and I can hit as many stops as possible. If you're attending, give me a shout to meet up!

*Be sure to check back for the wrap up later this week!

Turkey Day Wrap Up

The dreaded Monday morning after a 4 day weekend of stuffing my piehole full of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin (my favorite foods of the holiday), and I must admit, I'm struggling today. After 2 Thanksgivings (one with my family, one with Shaun's), a trip to visit family friends in Connecticut, and a day at Giants Stadium watching the Jets clinch it over the Panthers (let's just pretend Thursday's Giants massacre didn't happen), is there anything worse than having to get back into the regular routine?

The ban on Christmas movies and music has been lifted and I'm already plotting my holiday baking and tree trimming, yet the Turkey Day recovery is still a rough one. So my question to all of you wonderful readers is this: How do you get through the holiday withdrawal? Please leave some love and suggestions in comments to help me get through! Meanwhile, here's a glimpse of some of my holiday fun...

Making friends with my cousin's new puppy, Kaci

 A bird crisped to perfection

 

 The traditional turkey-shaped butter...awaiting the guillotine, aka cousin Matt's butter knife

My mom making her amazing turkey gravy

A well-balanced Thanksgiving dinner...one of the best ever! 

Trying to ignite the chocolate fountain for dessert...yup there were dippers like fruit & pretzels...

My sisters, cousin and me

And after all of that turkey...

Post-Thanksgiving Jets game

Yeah, we have good seats

So there you have it. A quickie on my Thanksgiving and now you can see why depression has set in now that it's over. Looking forward to hearing your tips on dealing with withdrawal!

*Don't forget to check out Robin Hood, the wonderful organization helping to bring holiday meals to the hungry

Give Thanks By Giving Back

I know I write about food - a LOT. And I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford to eat food - a LOT. Unfortunately, for many people in and around New York City (and across the country) this is not the case. That's where a fantastic little organization appropriately named Robin Hood comes in. A non-profit organization working to feed 120,000 hungry New Yorkers this holiday season, Robin Hood has teamed up with Fresh Direct to provide full turkey dinners with all the fixin's (like stuffing, veggies, even cake!) to those in need. For $50, you can purchase a Robin Hood Holiday Meal for 8 to be delivered by Fresh Direct and help a hungry family of 8 have a fantastic meal during the holiday season. Want to know how easy it is to make a difference? Click here, fill out the form, pay your $50 and Fresh Direct handles the rest. For more information visit robinhood.org and find out how you can help hungry families across New York City. Still not put over the top about this? Not only is it a worthy cause, it's 100% tax deductible to boot. 

The Icing On The Cake...Apple Coffee Cake

I've told you all about the successful turkey and side dishes (as detailed here and here), so the only item left to cover is the always coveted dessert. On Thursday, I'll be bombarded with apple tarts, cupcakes, and pumpkin bars galore. For this particular faux-Thanksgiving feast, I wanted something sweet and warm with a hint of Fall flavors. That's why I chose an apple coffee cake for the dessert du jour. Though I may have mentioned that I really wanted a dessert for two, this one just couldn't be chopped. And like a Marc Jacobs handbag, once I noticed it, I couldn't get it out of my head.

Enter Emeril Lagasse's Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze. Though I've never cared for him as a TV personality, he strongly upped my affections by guest starring on Top Chef: New York (in the New Orleans ep). Unlike his incessant bam'ming on Emeril Live!, Top Chef Emeril was a sweet man with nothing but encouragement and a soft spot for the young competing chefs. It was then that he won a place in my heart and I've now been known to even catch an ep of Emeril Green now and again on Planet Green, where E serves up green dishes in a show that I like to call The Most Genius Product Placement of All Time - E cooking in a Whole Foods retailer, using Whole Foods products, and telling his proteges about Whole Foods. Genius, don't you think? (This has been added to the list of things I wish I came up with...)

Anyhow, I had never made an Emeril recipe before the apple coffee cake and I cannot tell you how unbelievably moist and delicious this cake turned out. Though I was supposed to find a dessert for 2, I'm thanking my lucky stars that this recipe called for the full 13x9 baking pan as a baking vessel. Now, I can enjoy the cake all week, share it with coworkers, and make this recipe one for the record books. If you're still on the hunt for a Thanksgiving treat, I highly recommend this fabulous dish. Here's the breakdown:

Emeril's Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping & Brown Sugar Glaze
Cake:
1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples (make sure you use apples that are baking-appropriate. I went with Rome apples, but do a simple Google search to find a full list of recommended versions)

Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.
- In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy (I had a little help from my favorite tool and wonder appliance, my Kitchen Aid stand mixer).

- Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

- Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla.
- Fold in the apples.

- Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

- To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes.

Get your hands dirty for this one...

- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

- To make the glaze (yup, it's necessary in this situation to have a topping and a glaze...trust me), combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly.
- Serve warm and get ready for lots of compliments on your amazing cake.

So there you have it. A fabulous Thanksgiving dessert with plenty of Fall flavor. The best part? It'll make enough for your whole party. What are you making for Thanksgiving dessert this year? I'm always on the prowl for new Fall desserts, so leave some ideas for me!

Let's Talk Turkey

I'm back with part 2 of my faux-Thanksgiving wrap up, and this time we're talking big guns. This time we're talkin' turkey.  You may recall this article in which I detailed last year's FTD starring prepackaged turkey cutlets which were rolled with stuffing and cooked to a crisp. For my first Thanksgiving it wasn't terrible...but it wasn't great either. I longed for the fussing that consumes most turkey-roasters, like overheating the kitchen for hours on end with the oven turned up, calling in relatives to see if the meat thermometer really reads 165 and fawning over that gosh darn little button that just wouldn't pop out to confirm that the turkey is indeed fully cooked. Ok, ok...I also longed for a juicy turkey with perfectly crisped brown skin. So this year I picked up a few necessities for the makings of a tender and delectable turkey breast.

First, I snapped up this basic roasting pan and meat thermometer. For under $20 (with obligatory Bed Bath coupons) I was already on my way to the perfect bird. Next, I visited the local Morton Williams, chatted up the nice man guarding the butcher station, and scored myself a 5 pound turkey breast...meat, skin, and bone. (Side note: Since neither Shaun nor I care for the dark meat, and it was just the two of us, just the breast was perfect for us - no whole turkey necessary) The next step was finding a recipe that met the following qualifications: easy, delicious, and rave reviews. After consulting with Catherine, I decided on Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast, perhaps the easiest possible turkey recipe around - no brining, no basting. Here's the rundown:

Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds (I used a 5 pounder...whatever size works for your needs)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I omitted this since I hate rosemary with the fire of a thousand suns. That being said, if you like it, go for it!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock (my addition)
3 large carrots (my addition)
3 large celery stalk parts (my addition)

- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. This will require a careful hand and a little elbow grease to get 'er done, but it is worth it! Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin.

- Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan. I took this opportunity to inject a little more flavor. Roughly chop up the carrots and celery and put in bottom of roasting pan along with 1C chicken stock. This easy addition will add flavor and extra brown bits to the bottom of your roasting pan.

- Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

 I don't do the carving, so I brought in some reinforcements

 

 Isn't she a beaut?

- Slice and serve with the pan gravy (recipe below)

Some Notes:
1) The aforementioned little red button never 'popped out' of my turkey signaling to completion of the cooked meat. Here's where the meat thermometer is key. Given this little button vs. modern technology, please don't take the chance. Had I not snapped up the $5.99 meat thermometer and had the know how to check the meat despite the button begging me not to, Shaun and I would be chomping on turkey chips after waiting double time for the little button to pop. Invest people. Trust me.

2) I checked my turkey every 30 minutes to make sure that all of the liquid in the bottom hadn't evaporated. You'll want to be careful not to let this happen. If it does, add in 1 cup chicken stock. If it happens again, add another cup (get my drift?). And while this recipe didn't call for basting, I did brush some liquid onto the turkey every 30 minutes just to make sure it stayed juicy and delicious.

With a turkey this good, I wasn't going to waste my time on gravy in a packet. No siree, not for this good old-fashioned faux-Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, I made my own gravy. Now, get ready kids because if you haven't tried this yet, it'll change your life. And if you have tried it, you know what I mean. Here's the breakdown:


Pan Gravy
1-2 C Chicken stock
1-2 Tbsp flour
- Once turkey has rested, move to cutting board and remove the roasting rack from the roasting pan.
- Scoop out the shriveled, yet most likely super flavorful vegetables floating in the bottom of the pan.
- At this point, there will be some liquid and some deliciously browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

The makings of delicious gravy

- Start by adding 1C of chicken stock and 1tbsp flour to the warm pan (I actually laid my pan across two burners on the stove and put them on super low)

- Whisk together until it comes to a boil. Once it does, reduce to a simmer
- The key here is the stir. Whisk away for no lumps and gently stir, add stock and flour, until the desired consistency and taste is reached.

Serving up the goods, post Giants victory

Tell me you don't want to just eat that up

- Serve in pretty gravy boat (it's this guy's first use!), pour over turkey, potatoes, stuffing, basically anything you find because this will be the most flavorful gravy you'll ever have and you won't ever go back.

Some Notes:
1) I overfloured my  gravy just a bit and it was really thick. Make sure you use a light hand on the flour until you get moving.
2) If said overflouring occurs, thin out with more chicken stock.
3) I know this isn't the most perfect line by line recipe, but honestly you can't go wrong. The pan juices are going to taste fabulous regardless of what you add to them! And this recipe goes for essentially any gravy you make. I've done this with chicken and carmelized onions which was my life changing gravy moment.

So that's my tale of the turkey. What do you think? Look good enough to eat? How do you make your Thanksgiving turkey? Leave some tips to share with others in comments!

On the Side is a Very Big Thing For Me...

Though it's a mere four days till the annual turkey extravaganza, Shaun and I whipped up our now-traditional Faux Thanksgiving Dinner. It was my favorite kind of day in that I rolled out of bed, changed out of one Giants shirt and into another, threw my hair back, prepped food while watching football for 6 hours, ate until I couldn't move and oh yeah, the Giants actually won this week.

All of that a-side, my personal favorite part of any meal, not limited to Thanksgiving, are the sides. My own pre-Thanksgiving meal was no exception as I dished up stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes with a twist. Oh and did I mention Shaun whipped up garlic and shitake mushroom mashed potatoes? Yeah, we pretty much couldn't move after this meal. Let's get down to the goods.

Stuffing
Based on Catherine's rave reviews, I chose Paula Deen's Good Old Country Stuffing as turkey's favorite companion. While I tend to veer from original recipes, since this was my first foray into real stuffing, I essentially followed line by line except for one major change - the part about the breakfast sausage. Though I turn no pig or pork product away, Shaun has been pork-free for over two years which means it's turkey sausage for us.

Paula Deen's Good Old Country Stuffing
2 loaves oven-dried white bread
2 cups cooked white rice
1 sleeve crushed saltines
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage (I used plain ol'turkey sausage just removed from their casings)
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 stick butter, melted

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut oven-dried bread into cubes. This may require a big knife and a little elbow grease to get 'er done, but power through as delicious stuffing awaits! Add rice and saltines (I just embraced my inner Hulk and crumbled 'em with my own two hands).
- Cook sausage in a large skillet until it starts to brown. Add celery and onion and saute until transparent, 5 to 10 minutes.

 - Pour over bread and rice mixture.
- Add stock and mix well. Add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning. Mix well.
- Add the beaten eggs and melted butter. Mix well.
NOTE: To put all of these elements together, I brought in the big guns in the form of my gargantuan red mixing bowl (I'm talking special order here people). Make sure you have a giant mixing vessel as this makes a LOT of stuffing!

- Pour stuffing into a greased pan and bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

A golden brown & delicious stuffing...thanks Paula!

The Verdict:
A resounding YUM! A fantastic stuffing with plenty of flavor even with the turkey sausage substitute. It can get a little moist, so make sure you use plenty of really dry bread. Oh, did I mention that this recipe feeds about 15? Yeah, it does. And yes, we'll be eating stuffing sandwiches for the next 4 days...

Sweet Potatoes and...Banana?
A recipe so nice that last year I made it twice. More sweet than savory, this sweet potato concoction comes straight from the kitchen of Tyler Florence and once you go sweet potato and banana, you won't go back.

The mashed up goods, sans sugary topping 

Whipped Sweet Potatoes & Bananas with Honey
5 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed (I used 6)
4 bananas, unpeeled (I used 3)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
Kosher salt
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and roast for 30 minutes. Toss the bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft. Remove the pan from the oven but don't turn the oven off. (Note: the bananas will be completely black after roasting. I had planned to take a photo, but it wasn't until after I removed the peels did I realize this).
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1 stick of the butter, and the honey.
- Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything's well combined and the mixture is fluffy. Spoon into an oven-proof serving bowl and smooth the top.

The makings of a crunchy topping

In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining stick of butter, the brown sugar, flour, and pecans until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potatoes and return to the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden. Serve hot.

The Verdict:
A Turkey Day staple in my recipe repetoire as it inevitably tastes delicious. It was just as good this year as I remembered from last year. I mean really, creamy yams and bananas, honey, and brown sugar topping...does it get better than that?

Cranberry Sauce
Last year my cranberry sauce was a bit over-oranged from adding orange zest per a certain Food Network chef's recommendation. This year, I wised up and went in a different direction with one of my favorite FN personalities who finally got a decent show, Alex Guarneschelli. Though not so different from the version I used last year, I decided to change it up a bit.

Cranberry Sauce
1 pound fresh cranberries, washed and dried
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (I didn't have allspice, so I combined a 1/4tsp of cloves, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl, then used 1/2tsp of that mixture)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 orange, zested and juiced (I just used the juice...I'm on worldwide campaign for no-zest)

- In a medium pot, combine the cranberries, sugar and water. Stir to blend.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and add the cinnamon stick, allspice and nutmeg.

It's a sugary one, but so necessary to counter-balance the tartness

- Stir to blend and simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Some of the cranberries will burst and some will remain whole.
- Add the orange juice and zest, stir and allow to cool before serving. I even let mine sit for hours with the heat turned off so the flavors could properly soak.

 The Verdict:
Last year's recipe called for chopped butternut squash, and I have to say that I kind of missed it in this year's version. Otherwise, this was a super easy, sweet tart'ed version of cranberry sauce with super seasonal flavors.

Brussels Sprouts
Though I may have expressed my culinary aspirations for making the mini Audrey II's into something not only edible, but daresay delicious, it just wasn't in the cards for this year's FTD. With all of the above, not to mention Shaun's shitake mushroom and garlic mashed potatoes, I just couldn't stomach the thought of more food. There's a chance it'll make an appearance later this week though, so if you're into making mini-cabbage taste yummy, stay tuned!

So there you have it. My big Turkey Day side dish reveal. What do you think? What sides are you bringing to your Thanksgiving table? Leave some ideas (and a lil' love) in comments!

Coming up next: How I made my Thanksgiving Dinner in a tiny apartment kitchen, my official, never-turning back recipe for turkey breast with pan gravy, and everyone's favorite part of the meal, dessert.

Crumbs Serves up Twilight Cupcakes with a Bite

It's Love at First Bite this month at Crumbs as they join the worldwide Twilight frenzy surrounding The Twilight Saga: New Moon with what else? A signature Twilight cupcake. A confection consisting of chocolate cake with cherry pie filling and cream cheese frosting, these super sized cupcakes are topped with red fanged wax lips and batty sprinkles. Chocolate, cherry, and cream cheese? I'm all over it, and who am I kidding? I'm frenzied up about New Moon as well. Though not my favorite of the series, seeing the fun and semi-addicting books come to life - especially in the form of Rob Pattinson - just makes me giddy with excitement.

Will you be picking up one of these delightfully biting confections? I have a feeling they'd be the perfect companion to an at-home Twilight screening before heading out to see New Moon. Who will be seeing New Moon as it opens today - or have you already hit the midnight showing? And the real burning question: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

...I'm Edward all the way! Disagree? Talk it up in comments!

Talk Turkey To Me

We're one week away from arguably the biggest food holiday of the year. I know I've inundated you with posts of pumpkin love (this one too), but today I want to talk turkey. And not just turkey, but the whole enchilada when it comes to Turkey Day fare.  If you're hosting the big day, hopefully you've already planned your menu or at the very least ordered your bird. Though I'm not hosting Thanksgiving on the day itself, I am planning a little soiree for two on Sunday afternoon.You may have heard about my new found love for the pigskin, and this Sunday is one of the first this season that Shaun and I will get to view from our very own comfy couch. (You see those darn Jets season tickets have been a blessing and a curse...while providing weeks of enjoyment 7 rows from the end zone, we've hardly had a football day to cozy up with a festive foodie spread for 7+ hours in front of the tube). This way I get to test out my culinary skills, report to all of you, and stuff my proverbial piehole with lots and lots of turkey and fabulous side dishes. I think the Sunday before Thanksgiving is just the ticket for a pre-Turkey Day fete.

Like I mentioned, I don't host my own affair on Turkey Day, but Shaun and I started this tradition last year as a fun Sunday dinner before Thanksgiving. We'll call last year's a Semi-Homemade Thanksgiving - while I made the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, the stuffing was from a mix (blech!) and the turkey portion consisted of little turkey cutlets with gravy from a packet. Well ladies and gentlemen, with a year of cooking under my belt, I'm bringing back a few favorites (sweet potatoes!) and upping the ante with a real turkey breast and homemade stuffing. Here's the menu:
 

The Humiston's Pre-Turkey Day Menu

Roasted Turkey Breast

Pan Gravy

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato & Banana Casserole

Cranberry Sauce

Brussels Sprouts

Dessert (tbd)

Let's start from the top, shall we? Here's the breakdown:

The Main Event: Roasted Turkey Breast
Ok so last year I did the prepackaged turkey cutlet thing, rolled them with boxed stuffing, stuck 'em with a toothpick, baked 'em and called it a day. And I'm not gonna lie to you...it wasn't bad. In fact, with some gravy it was pretty darn tasty. But this year, I think I'm ready for a turkey, albeit a tiny one consisting of only the breast. I'm planning to snap up this little roasting pan or something like it (at only $17.99 minus a 20% off coupon!) along with a basic probe thermometer like this one. For a recipe, I'm going simple and basic with Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast. Super simple for a turkey first-timer like me, but by no means lacking in flavor. It even contains one of my new favorite cooking ingredients, white wine. I can just smell the crispy roasted skin...

Turkey's Favorite Dipping Sauce: Gravy
Add some veggies and chicken stock to the roasting pan before cooking the turkey. Once it's finished, remove veggies, add a bit o'flour and more stock. Whisk to incorporate and thicken and you'll have a savory gravy and turkey's favorite companion.

Turkey's Closest Friend: Stuffing
None of that cornbread boxed stuff for the Humistons this year. Instead, one of my besties and fellow domestic diva Catherine has given rave reviews to and highly recommended Paula Deen's Good Old Country Stuffing. Though apparently it serves 30 people and we're just 2, I'm going for it anyway.

The Sides: Mashed Potatoes
This is where Shaun comes in. He makes fabulous mashed potatoes and I'm leaving it at that.


More Sides: Sweet Potato & Banana Casserole
I don't even really have words for this one. Last year, I took Tyler Florence's Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey for a test drive, and it had me at first bite. So delicious, in fact, that I made it again for Thanksgiving day itself. Creamy sweet potatoes and bananas topped with a brown sugar crumble...it doesn't really get yummier than that. Though the banana to sweet potato ratio was a bit high for me (I'm looking for a little less banana, a little more yam) it's nothing that can't be fixed with a quick switcheroo.

Add a Little Bite: Cranberry Sauce
I'm going basic on this one. Fresh cranberries cooked with brown sugar and a cinnamon stick is all I need to get this guy done.

And Something Green I Suppose: Brussels Sprouts
I think this one will be my biggest challenge. Making the Little Shop of Horrors-esque veggies taste delicious will be a serious challenge, but nothing that a little cheese or bacon (or both) can't cure.

The Icing on the Cake: Dessert
I have to say, I'm a little at a loss for this one. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities, yet not wanting to go completely overboard since I'm pretty sure the hefty meal listed above will leave us stuffed to the brims. While I could obviously always do a pumpkin dish, I'm not sure it's fair to subject Shaun to yet another overload of pumpkin. So I'm looking to you, dear and fabulous readers, for some suggestions on a good dessert for two. Please help!

So what's going to be on your table this year? Sure, I'm taking on a lot for a simple fete for two, but really, what could possibly be cut out of my basic, yet chic, Thanksgiving dinner? What's on your menu this year? What are you bringing to friends and family? I'm always looking for new ideas (especially on that dessert for 2!) so leave some comment love!

Jones Soda Bottles Up Tofurky & Gravy: Yum or Yuck?

It's not really breaking news that Jones Soda ups the ick factor year after year with holiday-themed soda. This year, Jones announced their one Thanksgiving themed soda: Tofurky and Gravy. Jones Soda, known for its eclectic mix of cool packaging and fun everyday soda flavors like Blue Bubblegum, Green Apple, and Orange Cola, also releases limited edition sodas surrounding holidays or other special events, like President Obama's inauguration. In previous years, Jones has served up Thanksgiving sodas with the likes of Turkey & Gravy, Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, and Pea, not to mention pie flavored-soda.

This year, however, Jones is upping the vegetarian flavor by teaming with Tofurky for the 100% vegan drink. For $11.99 you can order up the Thanksgiving gift pack to include the following:

3 bottles Tofurky & gravy
1 bottle Jones Zilch Black Cherry (the Zilch signifies their new no-calorie soda)
1 bottle Jones Zilch Pom
1 bottle Vanilla Bean
1  Tofurkey metal lunchbox
Bonus: When you buy the gift pack, $1 from your purchase is donated to PAWS, People Helping Animals. Though perhaps Tofurky's not the chicest Thanksgiving flavor, it's kitschy and charitable to boot.

I must admit: I have never tried the Thanksgiving collection of Jones Sodas, but I'd love to hear from those who have. I guess I'm just in disbelief that not only are these flavors bottled into soda, but that people actually drink them. What goes into these sodas? And what makes it vegetarian anyway? Is there really such a distinct flavor between real turkey and tofurkey? Are you going to make this part of your Thanksgiving table this year? Am I discriminating by not wanting to try it? Talk back in comments!

Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving Warms My DVR

It's beginning to look a lot like holiday, which means I'm on the verge of lifting the holiday movie ban for the season and my holiday TV staples are emerging from their year-long hiatus to rejoin my DVR. Though not the focus of this article, can we take a moment for the Thanksgiving Day Parade? Seriously, no matter how old I get, that darn thing never gets old in my book.



Always a sap for anything holiday, you can imagine my excitement over not only holiday-themed television, but holiday food-themed television. This week, my obsession with holiday TV ramps up with Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving. Airing each night this week at 9pm on Food Network*,  the celebrity chefs take viewer questions regarding their past Thanksgiving Day disasters and beg for help in making this year's Turkey Day table one for the record books. Not sure if it's my undying love for holiday time or the fact that the chefs are dumbing it down for the commoner, but Dear Food Network: [insert any holiday here] is a staple on my holiday TV schedule. And much to Shaun's dismay, yup I watch it every night that it airs. With recipes like Pear Cranberry Pie, Sausage Cornbread Stuffing, and Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce, how could I not?

Though in more recent times, Food Network has brought on some 'chefs' who aren't exactly chefs, but just people who like to cook and are veritable unknowns in the culinary world. Those-who-shall-not-be-named (you know who I mean) seem to eat up many of the time slots allotted for actual cooking, rather than the travelesque or challenge cooking shows. Call me old-fashioned but one of my favorite weekend activities is waking up to Paula Deen whipping up some butter-soaked anything. During Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving, you can expect appearances by some of my own personal favorites including Bobby Flay, Giada DeLaurentis, Ina Garten, Alton Brown and Tyler Florence.

Am I the only one slightly obsessed with holiday television? Food Network? The Thanksgiving Day Parade for that matter? Are there any FN pundits to whom you feel a particular liking? Talk back in the comments, and happy food watching!

*Check local listings. I'm an East Coast gal, but I realize that not all of my fabulous readers are East Coasters!

Start Spreading the Butter...Pumpkin Butter

Just when I thought my love of pumpkin had come to total fruition with my Ginger Snap Crusted Pumpkin Pie, I dug up this article from Smitten Kitchen. The idea of making my own pumpkin butter had never occurred to me, but after seeing SK's beautiful photos, I could almost smell the simmering fall spices that comprise this fabulous spread. Sure I could head out to Williams Sonoma and snap up this little 13 oz jar of deliciousness for $9.95, but really? It's pumpkin butter. And by making my own I have enough for a small army packed away in my fridge.

Less like actual butter and more like a jam or spread, pumpkin butter is pretty fabulous on just about anything...toast, breads, biscuits, by the heaping spoonful, and I've heard it's pretty fabulous swirled into some vanilla yogurt (the latter is yet to be personally tested). And the very, very best part? It couldn't be easier to make.
Initially adapted from Allrecipes.com, check out SK's recipe along with (of course) my own personal changes.

Pumpkin Butter
Adapted from AllRecipes
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree, approx. 3 1/2 cups (I used 2 15oz cans)
3/4 cup apple juice (I used more like 1 full cup of the stuff)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (Due to the pungent nature of cloves, I used only 1/4 tsp)
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice of half a lemon (I left this out...mainly because when I got all my ingredients out and ready I realized that (gasp!) my fruit drawer had no lemons to speak of)

1. Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to taste. If you are in possession of lemon, stir it in to taste.
2. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Though the original recipe calls for actual 'canning' of the pumpkin butter, apparently this is highly frowned upon by government agencies. Not wanting to increase my risk for cancer, nor do I feel the need to learn anything about canning, I'm going with basic storage in the refrigerator.

So what do you think? Pumpkiny enough for you? Have any of you tried store-bought pumpkin butter - or any other butters for that matter - that've rocked your autumn world?

Tales from the Tailgate

On Sunday, I attended my very first Giants game. After years (and years) of attending Jets games with my Jets-fan husband, I finally got to cheer on my team from lower tier seats at Giants stadium, as opposed to from my comfy couch. And of course no football experience would be complete without a proper tailgate. For my first Giants game, we went all out. Here's the menu:

1 six pack Miller Lite
2 bottles water
2 cans diet orange Fanta
2 Yurgers (see recipe below)
2 Nathan's hot dogs
1 bag potato chips
1 bag Tostitos
1 container onion dip
1 container chicken salad spread
Condiments such as ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce
Before we get to the goods, can we take a moment for getting up close and personal with some of my favorite offense? (Though no Brandon Jacobs in this shot...)

Getting ready for the snap...Eli, Smith, Boss, Bradshaw

For the type of tailgate we designed, it required some help from our friends. And by friends I mean fancy tailgating appliances. We learned the hard way that when grilling in a windy parking lot, the charcoal chimney is a bonafide necessity. This little baby was a gift from my father-in-law and since we've added this to our tailgating repetoire, gettin' the grilling done has gone a lot more smoothly. Isn't she pretty? While I'm not sure where ours is from, you can find them on Amazon or at Target, Lowe's, Home Depot.

Of course, what's the point of the charcoal chimney without it's couterpart...the grill itself. Not sure how much tailgating we'd actually do this season, we snapped up this little guy at Target for a mere $29.99. Though a bit low to the ground, this little grill has been the perfect cooking tool for steaks, burgers, and dogs alike, and it's inexpensive to boot. Being as it's made it through at least 4 tailgates this season and still going strong, we've already gotten our money's worth.
Chimney + baby grill = a match made in tailgating heaven, don't you think?

Though I always try to take the reigns when it comes to cooking (because I love it so much), I leave the grilling to my very own personal Grill Master, Shaun.

The finished product. A perfectly cooked doggie with my favorite combo of mustard and ketchup, and Shaun's recreation of the Yurger - apparently a tailgating favorite created by none other than a fellow Giants fan. Though he altered the recipe a bit (no veal for this lady) the Yurgers were soft, juicy and basically the perfect tailgate companion. Check out his alterations below.

And of course no grill or burger would be complete without the perfect barbeque sauce. Though we've tried a few, our favorite thus far is the Olde Cape Cod Black Angus BBQ & Grilling Sauce. A perfect combo of smokiness, savory, and sweetness, this bbq sauce is a must. And no tailgate would be complete without my brandy new Giants t-shirt jersey featuring number 27, Brandon Jacobs.

So that's the tale of my first Giants tailgate. I guess I should mention the actual game while I'm at it. While the game was so exciting and we had a gorgeous night outside, unfortunately the Giants lost in the last few minutes of the game. Huge disappointment for this Giants fan (especially since they've been on a seriously downward spiral in the losing department). But the experience itself? Amazing. So much fun. I highly recommend it.

 Eli plotting his throw...Smith ramping up for a reception!

Shaun's Yurgers recipe:
1 lb ground sirloin
Shredded cheddar cheese (eyeball it)
Minced onion to taste
Chili powder to taste (this gives burger the flavor)
Salt/pepper to taste
Olde Cape Cod Black Angus BBQ sauce

Mix altogether, adding the BBQ sauce a little at a time so the mixture isn't too wet. Ok, it's not an exact science and the measurements are vague. But they came out fabulously! Just add the ingredients to your own taste (my favorite kind of recipe)! For the original, go here.