November 24, 2009

I’ll be taking our family’s go-to tater recipe – Holiday Make-Ahead Potatoes – to Thanksgiving lunch at SisMama’s house this year.  If I needed to whip up anything else, you can bet I’d be choosing from this group of fab-you-luss recipes!

Breakfast

• Mom’s Monkey Bread from Ezra Poundcake

• Cinnamon Eggnog Scones from Baker’s Banter

• Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls from Girlichef

Appetizers

• Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms from Food & Wine

• Parmesan Artichoke Crisps from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

• Aged Gouda Biscotti with Walnuts from Food & Wine

Side Dishes

• Shiitake Mushroom Stuffing from RecipeGirl

• Savory Cranberry Walnut Biscuits from Food & Wine

• Tomato and Corn Pie from Eat Me, Delicious

• Cheesy Cornbread Pudding from FoodNetwork

• Mashed Potatoes with Manchego and Olive Oil from Food & Wine

• Zippy Baked Carrots from Taste of Home

• Creamed Spinach from SmittenKitchen

• Herb-Gruyere Biscuits from Food & Wine

• Mushroom Green Bean Casserole from Taste of Home (no canned soups or canned fried onions)

• Brussels Sprouts Hash with Caramelized Shallots from Epicurious

• Chantilly Potatoes with a Parmesan Crust from Food & Wine

• Sweet Potato Casserole from AllRecipes (no marshmallows!)

• Wild Mushroom and Spinach Stuffing from Epicurious

Desserts

• Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake from AllRecipes

• Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake from the Food Librarian

• Caramel Apple Bars from SugarPlum

• Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bundt from My Baking Addiction

• Pumpkin Swirl Brownies from Meet Me in the Kitchen

• Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip Bundt from the Food Librarian

• Spiced Apple Cake with Eggnog Sauce from Epicurious

• Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars from Meet Me in the Kitchen

• Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies from Baking And Boys

• Easy Refrigerator Pumpkin Cheesecake from Ezra Poundcake

• Brown Sugar and Spice Cut-Out Cookies from Bake at 350 (Have you seen this lady’s decorated cookies?  Go, now!)

• Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars from Evil Chef Mom

• Texas Pecan Pie from Taste of Home

• Caramel Pumpkin Pie from Epicurious

• Pumpkin Ice Cream from David Lebovitz

• Thanksgiving Cherry Berry Pie from Cookie Madness

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

~BigSis

November 30, 2008

We’re back home now, and our long week of celebrating Thanksgiving and BigSis’ birthday in Las Vegas is winding down.  Here’s how it all went.

First, in Vegas:

• LilSis had a smooth flight in on Tuesday, but BigSis and SisMama got stuck in Amarillo on Monday for over 4 hours due to mechanical problems.  There was a problem that caused hydraulic fluid to spill out all over the runway as the plane was about to take off, and the jet had to be towed back to the gate.  Southwest doesn’t have mechanics in Amarillo, so the part and the mechanics had to be flown from Dallas to Amarillo, and then it took them a couple of hours to fix the plane.  Thankfully, they did a great job and BigSis and SisMama got to Vegas safely, although they lost half a day of their time there.

• Once we all got there, Vegas was fun fun fun!  And no, we didn’t get into any trouble.  There was no reason for you to worry, Big T.  It was a very “G Rated” trip.

• We were not thrilled with the service at our usual favorite hotel so we decided to check out as many others as we could on this trip. We really liked Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino and love that The Miracle Mile Shops are attached to the casino. We tried to get out to look at the “infamous” pool on the 6th floor but it was closed due to the weather. We loved Caesar’s Palace and The Forum Shops and just might stay there on our next trip. We each fell in love with a purse from the Coach store at The Forum Shops but we resisted buying them. (It took every ounce of willpower.)
  

  BigSis wanted this one!

  

  Lil Sis wanted this one!

• We did see Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis, a girl who looked like Sarah Jessica Parker, two hookers, and two drunk Europeans.

• The weather in Vegas was not great, especially on Wednesday…BigSis’ birthday!  How dare it be rainy and cold and windy!

• BigSis came away with about $60 in winnings against around $80 total in losses, so a net loss of $20 in slot machine fun isn’t too bad!  You can’t even see a movie and buy popcorn for that!  LilSis and SisMama didn’t fare quite as well, but none of us are big gamblers so we can’t cry about our small losses.

• If anyone EVER recommends to you that you take the Deuce mode of double-decker transportation, DON’T DO IT!  Let us just say that we had a terrible experience with it, and lost about 2 hours out of Wednesday.  Nuff said.  Don’t do it.  Take a ding dang cab.

• We had some fabulous meals in Las Vegas!  On Tuesday, our dinner at The Palm at Caesar’s Palace was by far the best!  They had the best creamed spinach that any of us had ever eaten. The recipe is also in The Palm Restaurant Cookbook. Wednesday, we had a great birthday lunch for BigSis at Taqueria Canonita in the Venetian (delicious mushroom tacos). And The Studio Cafe in MGM Grand actually has one of the best breakfasts in town (excellent omelets and hashbrowns).
  

  The Palm in Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas

Then, back at home:

• LilSis made her first homemade pecan pie. She made the 2008 Thanksgiving Pecan Pie from Cookie Madness and the Eagle Brand Basic Pumpkin Pie . They both turned out great!

• LilSis and her family had an excellent Thanksgiving dinner, in spite of her flying in that afternoon and spending 2 hours in traffic getting home from the airport.  The turkey was perfect and the Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes were the big hit, as usual. Thanksgiving dinner was great and everyone was thankful to be together.

• BigSis and SisMama also flew back to Texas on Thanksgiving, but opted for the Furr’s Cafeteria buffet instead of cooking, since they’d done the family meal on the previous Sunday.  The pros: no cooking, no clean-up, and only $9 per person.  The cons: it was good but not like homemade.

• On Black Friday, BigSis and SisMama braved the crowds at Galleria Mall to see the lighting ceremony for the largest indoor Christmas tree in the country. Can you say “crowd control”?  Great googly moogly there were bajillions of people there!

Ok, girls and boys, start your engines!  The Christmas season is now here in full swing!  Since we had a late Thanksgiving, we have a short period of time until Christmas.  In the coming weeks, we’re going to focus on Christmas, of course.

BigSis is organizing a bake sale on December 15th at her office building to benefit the Dallas SPCA, and her team’s goal is to raise $3000.  She will have much more to share about that project in the next couple of weeks.

LilSis and SirHoney have to get busy putting up the exterior Christmas lights. It just hasn’t felt like Christmas yet in California since it’s been 75 degrees and sunny almost every day. LilSis also has to get busy on shopping since she has to ship all their Christmas gifts.

We hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving week, and that you’ll stay with us throughout the Christmas season!  We love Christmas, and we’ll be talking about shopping, decorating and merry-making!

November 27, 2008

THE PILGRIM AND THE INDIAN

Okay, just because we are celebrating Thanksgiving, a very traditional holiday, doesn’t mean we can’t laugh, right?

~LilSis

November 27, 2008

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

George Washington wanted Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated on November 26th each year. If he would have gotten his way, we would be celebrating BigSis’ birthday on Thanksgiving Day every year! However, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln asked that all Americans set aside the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

Regardless of which day we celebrate Thanksgiving, we feel it’s important to remember what this day is all about.  We are thankful and grateful for being blessed. On this Thanksgiving Day, we want to share this favorite quote. It says it all.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It turns a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”  Melody Beattie

~LilSis

November 23, 2008

Thanks for all the recipes, BigSis! I love the Spinach Artichoke Casserole recipe but since HayHay doesn’t like artichokes, I’m going to do the Crumb-Topped Brocolli Bake for something different.  I might even use the french fried onions on top instead of the crackers. I love the different versions of the Green Bean Casserole, too. They all look yummy! For me, I would really like to have two “green veggie” sides, but I’m trying to simplify this year since it’s only the four of us.

You’re right BigSis, those Turkey Candy Corn Cookies are seriously cute! I love those! And no, I don’t have any candy corn left from Halloween! Since I don’t have SisMama here to make the pies, I’m going to make a couple ahead and freeze them. (My family will actually be in shock. They are so deprived when it comes to dessert.)

Since I’ve been reading some really great food blogs lately, I’m getting inspired to try more baking. I’m really going to make an effort to bake more homemade goodies for the guys!

Both of those desserts from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody look awesome! The Cranberry Streusel Cake from Amanda’s Cookin’ is definitely one that I’m going to try. I love cranberries and I don’t like cakes with loads of frosting so this one looks like a winner to me.  Another from Amanda’s Cookin’ that looks amazing is the  Blushing Pom Holiday Cheescake. I’m really not a big “cake eater”, but man, oh man, cheesecake is another story!

Since I have to freeze my desserts this year, I’m going to try the Eagle Brand Basic Pumpkin Pie recipe that Cookie Madness has in her Thanksgiving Menu. She says it is easy enough for her daughter to make, so I thought it was a good choice for me, being a “novice baker”. And, for my first ever homemade pecan pie, I’m going to make the 2008 Thanksgiving Pecan Pie from Cookie Madness.  She says this recipe freezes well.

My pie baking day was supposed to be today, but HayHay won 2nd place in his surf contest yesterday morning, so now we have to be back down at the beach this morning for finals! I’ll just have to survive on little sleep for the next two nights.

So, here is my Thanksgiving Day Menu.

• Roasted Turkey from Tip Top Meats

• Refrigerator Potatoes (Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes)

• Crumb-Topped Broccoli Bake

• All Recipes Creamed Corn Like No Other

• Canned Jellied Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce (I prefer homemade, but my family prefers canned)

• Eagle Brand Basic Pumpkin Pie

• 2008 Thanksgiving Pecan Pie

I know, I know; there’s no stuffing on the menu.  If SirHoney wants stuffing, he’s going to have to pick it up at TipTop when he picks up the turkey.  Not only do I not have time, but I can’t make it the way his Mom does, so I don’t even try anymore.

We’ll have a big relish tray full of giant green olives, black olives, and sweet pickles.  And I’m sure I’ll end up baking some “store bought rolls”.  No time for homemade rolls either!

I also didn’t include a gravy.  I LOVE SisMama’s giblet gravy.  Again, I don’t have time to make it, but my guys “drench” their potatoes with creamed corn anyway. They won’t miss the gravy, but I’ll sure miss it! Hey, SisMama, wanna freeze some and bring it with you to Vegas for me? (tee hee)

~LilSis

November 22, 2008

Since I’ve been vegetarian for over 14 years, you won’t find any turkey tips here today.  I’ll have to leave that up to LilSis or SisMama.  What you will find are a few quick links that might give you an idea for something a little out of the ordinary this Thanksgiving.  LilSis, these first 2 links and photos are for you and your candy corn obsession!  Do you have any left from Halloween?  No, I didn’t think so.

Turkey Candy Corn Cookies from Pillsbury start with refrigerated sugar cookie dough and are seriously cute!

Thanksgiving Turkey Candy Corn Cookies

Turkey Pops from Bakerella are adorable and beyond imaginative!

Bakerella's Turkey Pops

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody looks scrumptious!

Mini Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecakes are also from Peabody…she’s got this pumpkin thing DOWN!

Cranberry Streusel Cake from Amanda’s Cookin’ looks like a fabulous use of the berries.

Gramma’s Woozie Cake from BetterRecipes is made with sweet potatoes in a cake instead of pie.  Grand Marnier puts the “Woozie” in the cake!

Chef’s versions of Green Bean Casserole from DallasNews take a classic and add a twist.  The Green Bean Tempura with Cream of Mushroom Mousse and Fried Onion Praline from Anthony Bombaci at Nana sounds amazing!

~BigSis

November 21, 2008

LilSis, I hear that you put a call out for easy Thanksgiving recipes, and I have one for you.  I’m not a huge expert on what is freezable and what is not, so I can’t make any promises about that.  I can tell you that this Spinach Artichoke Casserole is so so easy, that it’s almost as quick as a made-ahead frozen dish.  The hardest part is cooking the onions, and I bet Big T will do that for you!  Most casseroles with these two vegetables have cream cheese, heavy cream and/or canned soup.  This one does have small amounts of Parmesan and sour cream, but I think it’s lower in fat than the others, and the flavor is fantastic.  I’ve made this a couple of times.

Spinach Artichoke Casserole

2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter (or olive oil)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use more!)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Cook onions in butter or oil until tender.  Meanwhile, arrange artichokes in bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Drain spinach very thoroughly, pressing out as much water as you can.  I like to just pick up a handful with clean hands, and squeeze it completely dry.  To the cooked onions, add the spinach, sour cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and peppers.  Spoon spinach mixture over artichokes and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes or until completely heated throughout.

I also found a couple of recipes from AllRecipes that I thought sounded really good for Thanksgiving.  How about Carrot Broccoli Casserole with cheese, but without rice or canned soup? I love carrots and broccoli together, and cheese would just make the combo even tastier!  Crumb-Topped Broccoli Bake sounds delicious too.  Again, no rice since you have those scrumptious mashed potatoes for your starch.  It has crushed Ritz crackers on the top, and calls for a can of process cheese sauce.  I think that means Cheez Whiz!

I hope you like one of those.  Maybe someone will have an idea we haven’t thought of yet!

~BigSis

November 20, 2008

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is next week! And, guess what else that means? Vegas, Baby!  SisMama, BigSis, and I will be in Vegas for BigSis’ birthday celebration! They will be flying from Dallas to Vegas on Monday; then I’ll join them on Tuesday. We will celebrate BigSis’ birthday, which is on Wednesday, then we’ll fly back home on Thanksgiving Day! It will be a quick trip but fun, fun, fun!  We’re staying at one of our favorites, MGM Grand.

MGM Grand

We’re SO bummed that Elton isn’t going to be in Vegas while we’re there this time. I was just thinking about the last time we saw him. It was Summer, 2006 and SisMama treated us to the Elton John Red Piano show, which we all LOVED!

I’ve seen him three times and still haven’t managed to get on stage when he sings “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”. And believe me, I’ve tried!

Before the show, we took Daddy and Sis Mama to the Toby Keith I Love This Bar and Grill at Harrahs. Daddy loved that place. He tried their famous chicken fried steak and he said that it was the best chicken fried steak that he’d ever eaten. Good Ole Comfort Food!

Toby Keith's Famous Chicken Fried Steak and Country Gravy

Sorry, I got a little sidetracked; I get excited talking about Vegas. Back to Thanksgiving…I’m feeling a little guilty about going to Vegas right at the holiday and leaving SirHoney and BigT in charge of the food!  Don’t feel too sorry for them, though. SirHoney will pick up the “cooked” turkey from our favorite spot, Tip Top Meats in Carlsbad, on his way home from golfing. They do a great job at roasting a turkey so I won’t feel too guilty that I didn’t cook it myself.

I’ll make these Refrigerator Potatoes before I leave on Tuesday so they will be all ready to heat up on Thursday.  I know, I know, make ahead mashed potatoes? Don’t knock it til you try it. My family LOVES them! (If you’re trying to watch your fat and calorie intake; run far, far away from these potatoes!) They are really hard to resist! The men in my family love these so much that I have to double the recipe and make ten pounds.

That leads me to the other side dishes.  If anyone knows of a couple of good side dishes that freeze easily so I can make them ahead this weekend, please leave a comment.  I probably won’t make stuffing this year and we aren’t big sweet potato eaters, so I’m drawing a blank! I would like something green; maybe some type of spinach dish instead of the traditional green bean casserole.

Thanksgiving Day, I will arrive back in San Diego at noon and home by 1:00.  I can’t wait to see if dinner is all ready for me when I walk in the door!

~LilSis