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Weekend Cook and Tell: Thanksgiving Pregame
My brother and his wife host Thanksgiving every year, and about a week before the big day, my sister-in-law emails everyone with "rules" based on what we learned the year before.
This year: Only she can use the stove (cuts down on prep time), so everything we bring has to be cold or microwaveable. Bittman's list is super-helpful in that regard, because I now have two sides that work.
Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'
My sister-in-law's spicy sausage stuffing baked in a pumpkin. Om nom nom.
Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Extreme Cuisine'
Dinuguan, because all my relatives told me it was chocolate stew.
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Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
The first year my brother and his wife decided to start hosting Thanksgiving was the year he also decided to start making deep fried turkeys. My sister-in-law held back on any concerned commentary, but when she realized my brothers, my dad, and her dad got drunk right before frying commenced, she made me take "before" shots for the insurance company. Then she made me stand by throughout the process with a fire extinguisher.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Thanksgiving Pregame
My brother and his wife host Thanksgiving every year, and about a week before the big day, my sister-in-law emails everyone with "rules" based on what we learned the year before.
This year: Only she can use the stove (cuts down on prep time), so everything we bring has to be cold or microwaveable. Bittman's list is super-helpful in that regard, because I now have two sides that work.
Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'
My sister-in-law's spicy sausage stuffing baked in a pumpkin. Om nom nom.
Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Extreme Cuisine'
Dinuguan, because all my relatives told me it was chocolate stew.
Cook the Book: 'How to Roast a Lamb'
Ohhh, most definitely gyros
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans - but I'm the only one out of my siblings who likes it! Everyone else has my mom's brisket (slow-cooked with onion soup mix) on the top of their list.
Cook the Book: 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks'
Other than the aforementioned?
- The Bitten Word, because they're local (to me) and awesome
- The Cookie Shop, because her Tres Leches Cupcakes made me the most popular person on the party circuit this weekend
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Totally easy - pumpkin pancakes from scratch, with whipped cream.
Video: Philippines Fast Food Mascot Dance-Off — KFC vs. Jollibee
I hate this video, because it makes me remember there's no Jollibee on the East Coast :(
Cook the Book: 'The Craft of Baking'
Chocolate cake layered with peanut butter cream, topped with chocolate ganache
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
My first cookbook was a graduation gift - it was a used copy of the first fundraiser cookbook for my high school, from my great-aunt and her sisters.
Cook the Book: 'Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon'
It reminds me of family breakfasts at Christmas!
What Fall Foods Are You Excited For?
Apple cider, apple cheddar strata, sauteed apples and chicken, apple sausage risotto -- aaaaand I guess some good ol' beef stew.
Cook the Book: 'Bite-Size Desserts'
Homemade fudgy brownie bites with a dollop of whipped cream
Cook the Book: 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
Graham crackers smothered in peanut butter and Nutella. Or pizza rolls. Depends on the day.
Do You Eat or Email First?
I usually turn on the computer first, but I eat breakfast while I check email and the weather. Last week, though, I unplugged and used the computer ONCE while at the beach -- it was glorious.
Cook the Book: Easy Gluten-Free Baking
White chocolate cake - a bakery in Va. makes a cake layered with a creamy white chocolate filling and frosting, then tops it with white chocolate shavings.
Any Bring-From-Home Snack Ideas?
Cracker sandwich packs, because you can always store them at your desk without fear of critters going for them. Yogurt, cherries, wasabi-soy sauce almonds, granola bars, dried fruit.
Cook the Book: 'Canal House Cooking, Vol. 1'
Corn, grilled, layered with mayo, parm, lime juice and cayenne
Cook the Book: 'Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies'
The worst disaster - the first cake I made from scratch. It was an Irish cream-chocolate layer cake for my mom's birthday. Both tries at making the cake resulted in pancake-thin, hard layers, and the cream filling ended up lumpy (but delicious when eaten straight from the bowl).
The best success - the peanut-butter chocolate layer birthday cake with ganache dripped over the top. We ate about a third before the birthday boy found us out.
The Joys of Unnaturally Flavored Sodas
Stewart's Key Lime soda is pretty fantastic, but I'm getting hooked onto this Brazilian soda called Guarana Antarctica. It's like a slightly sweeter and MUCH better version of ginger ale.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 75: Can (and Should) I Give Up the Flavored Liquid Habit?
I was a MAJOR soda junkie up until I graduated from college. Since weaning myself off, I find that I don't really miss soda (most taste too sweet now) but I do miss the carbonation. Switched to carbonated water or seltzer when I don't want water, but like many of you have said, you miss the flavor.
@ gringuitica - Throwing in a wedge of lemon or lime DEFINITELY helps, even with plain water. I also like cutting my juices (esp cranberry, cranberry blends or OJ) with selzter if I'm trying to avoid eating something sweet late at night.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Burgers
I feel like you can't really go wrong with any topping combo on your burger, as long as the burger's done right. Large, slightly flattened patties from some fatty chuck (no 90/10 here) and sprinkled with pepper and a little garlic salt.
What Weird Family Foods Did You Grow Up Thinking Were Normal?
@Koreanita - there's a Filipino dessert similar to what your grandmother made you; it's called ensaymada (more of a sponge cake texture than white bread, and cheese is added, but same essential idea, no?)
Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: A Piece of Cake
Chocolate cake layered with pb cream and drizzled with chocolate ganash.
But funfetti does in a pinch :)
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Every year I grab whomever is in my unit at Dland to treat them to a Thanksgiving dinner. The reason being that for about 4 years I had to work on Thanksgiving and Xmas and know what its like trying to find somewhere to eat on that day. So it has become a tradition to invite all the guys who had to work that day and couldn't go home.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My story is; I was born on Thanksgiving. No one had dinner that fateful day!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Story, story, story, story. I wish I had a good one for you. All I know is that the best food always was done by my Grandmother. Southern cooking and all. She learned from the best. Her dumplings are legendary.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My mom made really good gravy. I think I was in second grade. I was so excited about it, I got up in front of my class and told them about it. Not much of a story unless you know my mom and her cooking repertoire.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I can't say I have any particularly interesting stories. My parents never did the thanksgiving thing until I was at least in jr high and even now i'm not sure we really have a handle on it. this year i'm doing it, we'll see how it goes.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I was transporting a cooked turkey with the fixings to a friend's house. When I got there the gravy had spilled all over the trunk of my car. I had to clean the trunk and run home to see what kind of gravy I had in my freezer, couldn't serve turkey and fixin's without gravy. sharonaquilino(at)hotmail(dot)com
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I was newly married and it was my first attempt at cooking a turkey. I was completely repulsed by the gizzards and neck. So much so that I really couldn't even eat any turkey. I'm over that now.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
A couple of years ago, we decided to forgo the turkey and have a roast and Yorkshire pudding, with all the trimmings. My mom popped the pud in the oven and unexpectedly had to leave for a few minutes, putting my sister and me in charge of watching said pudding. Well, it was ready and my sister grabbed it out of the oven and the pudding took flight out of the pan and flew across the kitchen, landing broken on a (thankfully) clean floor mat. I just remember that time stopped and the look of utter shock on both of our faces. We pieced the pudding back into the pan before mom got back.....we were going to keep it secret until she finally commented that she didn't do a good job because of all the cracks. We fessed up and had a good laugh
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Update on the AB smoked turkey that I have been worshipping and coddling for 5 days. We put it in the smoker and after about an hour the new, fancy smoke box thingie malfunctioned, the wood and the turkey caught fire and I thought all was lost. We wiped the smoke off the bird and realized its bottom really didnt need to see the light of day so we just kept cooking and it is out now and resting. Havent tried it yet but I am hopeful.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
A couple thanksgivings ago some friends of mine decided to make a turducken. I think they liked the idea of it more than they really wanted to eat one, and none of them were (or are) particularly avid or experienced cooks. Anyway, they approached it sortof casually in terms of avoiding cross contamination and deciding when it was finished cooking. Turns out, that much meat takes longer to cook than you might assume. End result: awful food poisoning.
I am making thanksgiving dinner for the first time for my family this year, and that story helps me to calm down about the whole thing. As long as I don't sicken everyone, I am doing better than my friends did. Hooray for the instant-read thermometer! And non-amalgamated poultry.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My favorite thing about Thanksgiving, or any holiday really, is when the extended family leaves and my parents, siblings, and I all come back to the table again to REALLY eat.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I was living in France last thanksgiving and it was probably the best thanksgiving I have ever had the pleasure of organizing and attending. We had all the fixings and we made pilgrim hats and indian headdresses and all of our European friends wore them and stuffed their faces!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
For the first time ever we are going to have an "Alton Brown turkey". Yum yum.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
One year, the turkey was so inedibly dry; we had to order pizza. As a kid, I was far happier with the pizza.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I think this year is going to be the best story so far. Having discovered my culinary chops recently, I got put on point for Thanksgiving dinner. Promises to be a delicious day!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I remember most years growing up with the adults eating at the kitchen table and the kids eating at the "little table" - which was a tiny little tikes plastic table
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
All the awkward family get togethers.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
A word of warning....if your oven goes out right before Thanksgiving, make sure that the fast food poultry chain that offers fully cooked, rotissarie turkeys will have it warm and ready to eat when you pick it up. We picked ours up eager to get it home and carved. We had our side dishes in serving bowls, warm and ready to eat only to realize our turkey was cooked, but cold! We had to cut it up and try to warm it in our toaster oven. Thank goodness we had our oven fixed shortly thereafter.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
my sister forgetting to remove the bag of giblets...i think everyone does it once. the turkey tasted just fine!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
The first year I made Thanksgiving dinner for my family (taking over from my Southern grandma), I had everything down pat! Pies were baked, dressing was ready to go - I knew EVERYTHING! The thing I didn't know? Remove the bag of giblets before roasting the turkey! :) Thankfully, the turkey was still fine! Now every year - it's been at least 10 since then - my grandma asks if I remembered to take them out of the turkey!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I make the pies. One year I made two plain pies, and one where I went to town on the pastry. I made a whole fall scene on a 9" pie. And then my mother dropped it.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
The first thanksgiving my wife and I were married was also the first in our house. We had a bunch of people over and I decided to use the leftover turkey carcasses to make broth and have some turkey noodle soup. The house smelled great, and soup was pretty good too. It's been a few years, and we haven't been in a house big enough to host for a while, but I'll have to try again soon, definitely.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My best story is honestly any year that my drunk uncle Bob came to dinner. It was about 5 times and then he was requested not to come because he would drink and drink and pass out at the table every time! I thought it was hilarious, my family not so much!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
No good stories, but this is the first Thanksgiving my SO and I are spending together and away from family. While we didn't give in to the temptation to deep-fry a turkey Alton-style, here's hoping that any anecdotes that come out of tomorrow are more amusing than horrific.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
HAS to be the time one of my grandfather's best friend joined us for thanksgiving and even though he knew he wasn't supposed to be eating rich foods because of a medical condition, he still ate a ton of everything that was served. after dinner we're having coffee and he gets short of breath, and just passes out cold at the table. we called 911, the medics came and got him going again, and he was fine, didn't need to go into the hospital or anything. still, kind of scary!!
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The first year my brother and his wife decided to start hosting Thanksgiving was the year he also decided to start making deep fried turkeys. My sister-in-law held back on any concerned commentary, but when she realized my brothers, my dad, and her dad got drunk right before frying commenced, she made me take "before" shots for the insurance company. Then she made me stand by throughout the process with a fire extinguisher.