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legal question
karen r is correct!
Legally, the ingredients aren't protected under U.S. copyright laws, but the written directions are -- you cannot copy or publish the cooking instructions and call them your own.
Ethically, if a food writer has slightly altered a recipe, they will give credit to their source, saying, "based on a recipe from..." And it has been said that one should change at least three ingredients in the recipe.
Will Write for Food, and the Recipe Writers Handbook are two EXCELLENT sources for writing recipes.
Timing of Baking
Ditto. Freeze the dough, bake just before the holiday, or the morning they're being served.
Tell me if this cake idea sounds good.
You had me at cake...and then peanut butter...and then drizzle. It sounds divine!!
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Local honey from Clermont, FL
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How to store cooked pumpkin long-term?
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Caramel Pears with Salted Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
legal question
karen r is correct!
Legally, the ingredients aren't protected under U.S. copyright laws, but the written directions are -- you cannot copy or publish the cooking instructions and call them your own.
Ethically, if a food writer has slightly altered a recipe, they will give credit to their source, saying, "based on a recipe from..." And it has been said that one should change at least three ingredients in the recipe.
Will Write for Food, and the Recipe Writers Handbook are two EXCELLENT sources for writing recipes.
Timing of Baking
Ditto. Freeze the dough, bake just before the holiday, or the morning they're being served.
Tell me if this cake idea sounds good.
You had me at cake...and then peanut butter...and then drizzle. It sounds divine!!
How to store cooked pumpkin long-term?
Awesome, thanks for the confirmation on freezing, everyone!!!
-Dawn
Help! Ideas and New Recipes for Thxgiving Radio Cooking show?
I'd loved to come on and talk about pie, if you're looking for guests! Nab my email address from my profile URL and let me know.
Is your target audience college students? If yes, Thanksgiving dinner on a budget (for those who can't fly or drive home for the holidays) might be a great topic.
If they don't want to cook, alternative things to do on Thanksgiving might be of interest for those stuck on campus (i.e. help in a soup kitchen, volunteer someplace, go to the movies, etc.)
What to make with leftovers is another fun topic.
-Dawn
Pie Crust Advice?
I'm a Crisco National Pie Champ. Here's a how-to I wrote for Recipe Lion:
http://blog.recipelion.com/guest-post-perfect-pie-crust/
And keep checking Chef2Chef.net -- I wrote a more detailed how-to, with video, which should be online soon.
I tested crusts for two years, and found the biggest difference has been adding an acid to the crust -- it can be vinegar, lemon juice, or even vodka. The acid interrupts the gluten strands, giving the fat a helping hand in keeping the crust flaky. Using butter with the highest fat content possible also made a big difference. European style butter, found in any grocery store, will do the trick.
Mixing is a huge factor in the finished product. There are lots of mixing myths that I've hopefully debunked in the how-to above.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
I'm braising our turkey this year, trying something different. I made it last week to test and it came out perfect. I've been documenting on my blog (www.wickedgooddinner.blogspot.com). I might do a Coq au Vin braise instead of the one I did last week, just so we don't have to eat it again so soon. Braising, so far, has been my favorite way to cook the turkey. We tried roasted (a million times), and fried a few years ago (which was interesting to say the least).
Menu this year is:
Braised Young Turkey with Herb and Vanilla Citrus Butter
Goat Cheese Pan Gravy
Sour Dough Dressing with Apple, Fennel and Sausage
Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Pancetta
Maple Glazed Carrot Brulee
Whole Cranberry Granita with Orange and Ginger
Cauliflower, Acorn Squash and Yukon Gold Pinwheel Mash
Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie
Individual Ginger Pumpkin hand pies with Brandied Whipped Cream
Help me name my food blog (yes, another one!)
First ideas are often the best! I like Eat the World. I love the Wiki-eatia idea - that's great. Check on any copyright infringements though.
Maybe instead of Eat the World, it's "Eating the World." Here are some others that popped into my head:
Eat This World
We're Eating What?
Eating the Continents (and everything in between)
Staying for Dinner
Another Place Setting
A Forkfull of Culture
Culture Bites
Culture Fork
Culinary Passport (not sure if this has been used before)
Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving - 3 questions
12 pounds of potatoes should be plenty for 25 people, with seconds or leftovers.
Russet potatoes give that classic mashed potatoe texture.
For smooth potatoes, use a potato ricer (highly recommended!) or food mill. For chunky, use a potatoe masher.
You have a couple of options for transporation and heating:
(1) You can cook the potatoes ahead of time - steaming would be a great method. And then mash them upon arrival. Heat cream/butter/milk/seasoning -- you can also use sour cream or buttermilk. -- and then add to the riced/mashed potatoes. The warm milk mixture will reheat the potatoes without having to recook them.
(2) Make the potatoes ahead and store in a shallow baking pan. Add warm milk or chicken broth to make the potatoes creamy and hot again after you arrive to your destination, and pop them into the oven to keep warm until serving.
Be sure to taste for salt and pepper, too :-)
HELP! Butter free stuffing?
I'm not a big fan of soy or soy-based products. My recommendation is to stick with olive oil and chicken broth.
Kin in YOUR kitchen....good or bad?
Very Good! As long as you're attentive :-)
Fish and Chips
Something malty and tangy - chopped salad with a malted vinaigrette, or a salad of shoestring vegetables.
Simple cucumber spears marinated in salt water and spices makes a quick pickle.
Not-Boring Thanksgiving Recipes?
I just made a braised turkey with a citrus and vanilla compound butter for my blog and it was perfectly moist and didn't require brining (which I'm not a big fan of because it changes the texture of the meat).
The compound butter recipe is here:
http://wickedgooddinner.blogspot.com/2009/11/wicked-good-thanksgiving-compound.html
With braising success, I'm thinking of using a Coq au Vin Blanc technique with the turkey on Thanksgiving Day. I haven't written a recipe for this yet, but there's a coq au vin blanc recipe from Food Network:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/coq-au-vin-blanc-recipe/index.html
I also flattened the turkey by cutting the breast bone, which cut the cooking time almost by half.
Thanksgiving cooking with kids
We make stone soup every year with my daughter's school. Each child brings an ingredient and adds it to a pot full of broth. The older children help cut vegetables and meat, and the younger children make butter from scratch and corn muffins (she's in a montessori school, so they have a large age-range in her class). Then the entire class sits down and enjoys the soup and corn bread together, and they talk about everything they're thankful for.
We look forward to it every year - it's a lot of fun for all of the kids (and parents, too).
Brussels Sprouts
I love to blanch them, and then pan sear with lemon and pancetta:
http://wickedgooddinner.blogspot.com/2009/10/pan-seared-brussels-sprouts-with-lemon.html
Pre-searing Steaks
If the steak is really thick, you can definitely pre-sear. But if it's only about an inch or so thick, it won't make much difference as a time saver.
Thicker steaks can be seared and then placed in the oven to finish cooking. America's Test Kitchen did a demo of the opposite -- they found that starting steaks in the oven first, and then pan searing eliminated the gray ring around the meat.
Help with bolognese, please!
The texture will be different with whole meat, but you can still get the same flavor. I cook my sauce (gravy) with whole meats all the time, which is really a form of braising or stewing. Any tough cut of meat is perfect -- chuck roast, country pork ribs. Simmer in the tomatoes for 3 hours, and it should be fall-apart perfect.
Have you ever made braciole (meat rolled up tight with herbs, spices, cheese and bread crumbs)
Homemade Soups and Stocks ...
Forgot to add...
Refrigerate for one week, or freeze for one month.
Homemade Soups and Stocks ...
I love making stocks - they're super easy! You can make any stock with the following method:
-Roast ingredients (whether it's meat, vegetables or both)
-Deglaze the roasting pan with a flavorful liquid -- wine, stock, cider, beer
-Add roasted ingredients + deglazing liquid to a stock pot
-Fill stock pot with water, 3/4 full
-Add sachet of herbs (herbs tied up in cheese cloth)
-Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer
-Simmer for 2-4 hours for beef or other meats. Simmer 45 minutes for vegetable stock. Skim off any foam as it floats to the top. Do not stir as it will make a cloudy stock.
-Season with salt when ready to use
Great Food Photography in Cookbooks
Three cheers for excellent photography -- it makes any cookbook or foodie book a true treasure.
Cookbook for an 11 year old?
Annabel Karmel also has some great books - I believe she also has one for older children.
Small top sirloin roast--cooking method question
Sounds like a braise is in order. Too bad you can't sear it though...can you remove part of the paste to sear, and then apply again?
Cookbook for an 11 year old?
Williams Sonoma has a great kids cookbook available -- it's grown-up looking, but with kid-friendly language.
If she's really into cooking, the Martha Stewart Cooking School cookbook has wonderful step-by-step photos.
Photos are the key at that age - they're super helpful and reassuring to new cooks who aren't quite sure what or how something should look like after mixing, baking, etc.
marinara separating?
Sounds like you need to let your sauce reduce a bit more, or, as suggested, eliminate the water/juice from the tomatoes at the start.
You will, however, never form a permanent emulsion with water and oil - they'll always eventually separate. How much oil are you adding? If it's more than a tablespoon, it will always float to the top of your sauce.
You might try a gravy separator, or try skimming the oil off the top of your sauce before serving.
Personally, I love and crave the oily part of the sauce that's been infused with sweet tomato and garlic - perfect for sopping up with a giant chunk of Italian bread.
100 (okay, 50) Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do
lemonfair - totally agree
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
There will only be four of us, and none of us are huge turkey fans. So dinner will be a little different.
A steak of some sort (or standing rib roast, whatever)
roasted fingerling potatoes
some kind of vegetable
a salad perhaps
pumpkin pie
maybe an apple pie
a bread of some type
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
Yum to everyone, and I second the request for @dbcurrie to share some more info about the bubble salad. Sounds like a must-do!
My meal will serve 10 people on Thursday, and then we traditionally do Second Thanksgiving on Friday for all of our friends who are required to spend time with family on actual Thanksgiving Day, but for whom we want to give thanks. That's looking like a group of 14 this year. All food for Second Thanksgiving is leftover from the original meal.
Main Meal:
- Dinner rolls - Cook's Illustrated recipe, the triangle-shaped ones
- Beet salad with feta and cardamom dressing
- Turkey - AB's Good Eats version like some others, but spatchcocked or butterflied - that oven time is too precious!
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potatoes with orange juice and Calvados
- Thyme-roasted apples and onions - from Epicurious/Bon Appetit
- Green beans with ginger and soya
- Apple raisin stuffing
- Classic stuffing
- Corn Casserole - a bizarre mix of canned, fresh, and ground corn products that my best friend can't go without on t-giving
- Whole cranberry sauce
- Lots of extra turkey gravy - Cook's Illustrated recipe
Dessert:
- Pumpkin Pie
- French Silk Pie
- Cranberry-Walnut Cobbler
Drinks:
- Spiced cranberry punch - MAKE THIS! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Vodka-Punch-200563 If you like mulled drinks and don't mind getting rather silly, make this sometime this season. It's very strong, but the spices mask the alcohol brilliantly. It's always a huge hit.
- Sparkling juices
- Beer & wine
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
@dbcurrie: You MUST share more detailed instructions/recipe for the bread "bubble" salad; that sounds like the coolest thing EVER!
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
We are traveling to TX for the holiday and there will be at least 15 people there. Besides the normal roast turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, there will be many sides, a few of which will be fruit type salads andlots of delicious vegetables, a few pies plus I will be taking pumpkin squares, cranberry nut bread and a pineapple zuchinni cake. One of our favorite recipes is Paula Deen's Tugboat turnips and another is our TX corn casserole. Someone will make the green bean casserole which I hate and won't eat. I much prefer fresh beans! I am thinking about taking a few new cookie recipes too! These are my grandchildren!
legal question
Just to add to my previous comment:
Just because this isn't a copyright issue, there could still be other problems. There could potential claims of unfair business practice, interference with another's property interest, and unfair competition, as well as possible other claims in both tort and property. One need only look at the litigation surrounding Pearl Oyster Bar in NYC to see that it's possible for Baking Pro Chef to have a viable legal claim against your friend. Therefore, I reiterate, he needs to see a lawyer. One, I would hate for him to not know his full legal rights and obligations before sinking a lot of time and money in an endeavor that could make him vulnerable to litigation. Two, it is illegal for anyone not a lawyer to give legal advice. I hope this helps (and by the way, no, I am not a lawyer).
Timing of Baking
I wouldn't bake them today. Why serve week old cookies when you can serve fresh ones? Freeze your dough in a log or disk and roll or just cut the log and bake. Trust me-cookie lovers will know if your cookies are old! Especially a ginger cookie which are not known for being chewy and moist.
Timing of Baking
Most cookies will last till next week if you bake them let them cool completely and then store them in a cool, dark, place in a nice sealed tin or container. I will be baking tonight all my cookies (4 kinds currently)
Usually a recipe tells you how long they store for.
Anything moist or filled with jelly or something liquid will not last more than 72 hours.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
@lakeloverhh - I am making these pumpkin cake squares instead of pumpkin pie. I sampled them at a Williams Sonoma years ago and they are always a hit.
http://www.recipezaar.com/Williams-Sonoma-Pumpkin-Dessert-Squares-263086
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
@lakeloverhh
"Something pumpkin-- not in the mood for pie. Don't want to make a cheesecake. I would love any suggestions from the SE crowd."
Well...
It's called pie, but is more custard in an unusual and lovely presentation...
Baked Whole Pumpkin Pie
4 to 6 lb (2 to 3 kg) pumpkin
6 eggs
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) molasses
1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) allspice
1/4 tsp (1 ml) powdered ginger
2 TBS (30 ml) butter
Remove the top of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and membranes as though you were making a jack-o'lantern. Mix the remaining ingredients together EXCEPT the butter and pour into the pumpkin. Top with the butter, put the lid of the pumpkin in place, and place in a large baking dish. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the mixture has set. Serve from the pumpkin at the table, scraping a little of the pumpkin flesh to accompany each serving. Serves 6 to 8.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
Brined turkey
roast pork w/ apple topping
stuffing
mashed potatos
buternut squash
greenbean caserole
homemade mac&cheese
cranberry compote
apple pie
chocolate cream pie
funfetti holiday cupcakes
rolls
gravy
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
Cooks' Illustrated Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Spatchcocked Turkey smoked or roasted haven't decided which
Gravy
Apple and Sausage stuffing in a crockpot
PW's Sweet Potato Casserole
Yeast rolls
Indiana noodles (MIL)
Green Bean Casserole (MIL)
Scalloped Corn (MIL)
Cranberry Sauce
Also thinking about Roasted Asparagus
Apple Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sugar Cream pie (MIL)
HELP! Butter free stuffing?
For those of us with kosher kitchens, this is a common and HUGE problem. I used to use margarine, and occasionally still do, but my personal preference is just a really flavorful olive oil. I know it doesn't give the same richness as butter, but in the end it works just fine (and if you are a preservative/chemical-phobe as I am, it's all natural!)
HELP! Butter free stuffing?
@Lorenzo - you are forgetting the onions and celery, without those it won't taste like stuffing, just wet buttered bread. The fat in the butter carries the seasoning and aromatic vegetable flavors. Leave out the fat and vegetables, and stuffing is wet salty bread.
Tell me if this cake idea sounds good.
Of course it sounds good! Better than good, actually.
Pie Crust Advice?
Oh my gosh - so much information! Thank you all so much! I can't wait to sit down with these and a cup of tea and make my plan of attack. One more question if anyone is still reading - if I pre-bake the crust, and then fill with pumpkin and bake it again, won't it burn?
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
We are having a pretty traditional Thanksgiving.
For appetizers:
Roasted spiced nuts
A cheese board
Roasted Vegetable tapenade served with toasted pita chips
For the main meal:
Roast turkey + an additional breast that I'll roast the day before
Amazing gravy (my favorite part of the meal ... everything tastes better with gravy!)
Mashed potatoes
Dressing with sage
Carmelized pearl onions
Broccoli cheese casserole
Corn that we cut off the cob and froze during the peak of corn season.
My great great grandmother's clover leaf rolls ( I made these this past weekend and froze them)
Brown sugar glazed sweet potatoes
Homemade cranberry sauce
For dessert:
Something pumpkin-- not in the mood for pie. Don't want to make a cheesecake. I would love any suggestions from the SE crowd.
Apple pie.
Brussels Sprouts
This is an age old debate. Most of us weren't introduced to brussels sprouts as kids, and only discovered them in our adult lives. Last year, there was a host of recipes posted, and I made one that was pan-roasted with garlic and balsamic vinegar that barely made it around the table once, they were so popular. I will probably do the same thing this year - though I'll double the recipe! Hmm, bacon, now that's a thought....
HELP! Butter free stuffing?
Butter? You mean the reason my stuffing has never tasted quite like Grandma's is because we don't use butter? We generally just make stuffing by moistening bread cubes with chicken stock to which we added some sage, thyme, etc.
Help! Ideas and New Recipes for Thxgiving Radio Cooking show?
chiffonade, no i don't TEXT, and don't understand why some folks brains force them to shorten common words. my brain tells me that they do it to be part of the herd.
Not-Boring Thanksgiving Recipes?
I regularly make a potato dish that treads the line between 'traditional' and 'different': Cider Scalloped Potatoes. Instead of broth, use good, fresh cider so you get a good tang & some sweetness, and then smoked gouda to add another element to the taste. I've done it with regular potatoes, with turnips, with celeriac and even with sweet potatoes. It's amazing and people ask about it years after...
It's a riff off an old Cooking Light recipe: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222496
HELP! Butter free stuffing?
I don't celebrate Thanksgiving (British guy). But I'd love to. Any excuse for roast turkey!
Anyway, I usually use a stuffing that I think would work great for you when I roast chicken; surely you could just use more?
I take 1/2 cup dry couscous and put it into a bowl with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt and some chopped up dried dates (as many as you like). Pour over a cup of boiling water, and when the couscous has absorbed it all, stir through 1 tbsp honey. Stuff the chicken. You'd have to double it to go inside a turkey. Maybe even triple.
If you are baking it separately, put it in a buttered dish, and dot with butter before it goes into the oven.
Hope that helps. :)
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
@betteirene - hope you get this. Sounds like you are busy and I won't rush you, but sometime next week after your Thanksgiving, will you please post your method of cooking sweet potatoes in gingerale with the fresh ginger and butter? Out of all the posts here, this one intrigues me the most. Up here in Canada, sweet potato pies with marshmallows and brown sugar, etc. are almost unheard of, and frankly, they do not sound appetizing. However, your recipe sounds like it would be worth a try. Thanks and have a great day - we have large family celebrations as well and I know how much fun you will have.
How to store cooked pumpkin long-term?
Look up a good apple butter recipe and treat your pumpkin puree the same way -- great spread on toast.
Thanksgiving Menu what is yours?
Everybody brings something to my mom's, but it is usually always the same:
Turkey
Sausage stuffing (veggie version for me)
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potato casserole with sweet pecan topping
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli-cheese casserole
Mashed turnips
Cranberries (canned and homemade)
Cranberry nut bread
Pecan pies
Apple pie
Birthday cake (for my uncle)
I am making Pioneer Woman's olive cheese bread and pumpkin cake squares.
Recent Posts
Local honey from Clermont, FL
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, November 21, 2009 at 6:55 PM
How to store cooked pumpkin long-term?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, November 15, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Cinnamon Caramel Pears with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, November 3, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Caramel Pears with Salted Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, November 2, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Pan seared Brussels sprouts with lemon and pancetta
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, October 27, 2009 at 10:55 AM
I *heart* America's Test Kitchen on PBS
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, October 24, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Crisco National Pie Championships on Food Network this weekend!
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, September 9, 2009 at 12:03 AM
Hilton Head/Savannah that cater to food allergies?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, July 26, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Food Inc., so what are we supposed to do now?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, June 25, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Chicken that has not been fed soy?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, January 31, 2009 at 2:28 PM
What's Your Signature Snack for the Super Bowl?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, January 21, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Alternative to Cream Cheese — or a Brand Without Junk?
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, January 19, 2009 at 3:06 PM
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Cinnamon Caramel Pears with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Posted by WickedGoodDinner, November 3, 2009 at 9:55 AM
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About WickedGoodDinner
Website: http://www.wickedgooddinner.blogspot.com
Location: Orlando, Florida
About: Dawn Viola is a food writer and award-winning cook on a mission to teach others how to cook with creativity and purpose using sustainable, local and organic ingredients whenever possible, with an improvisational approach to cooking.
Favorite foods:
Last bite on earth: Pizza strips and spinach pies from Federal Hill in Rhode Island, and then clam cakes and chowder on the jetty by Block Island Sound.
These are so cute!