Category: thanksgiving prep

  1. Tuesday, December 1

    Cranberry Orange Sauce

    I know I already shared this Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe within the last week, but I finally took a picture of the final product and it’s just too pretty not to share again! Besides, I don’t think cranberries are only relegated to Thanksgiving, right?

    cranberry orange sauce web

    I also know that I already posted a photo of this pie, but I just love the leaves on top. The picture has been BEGGING to make an appearance on the blog. I have acquiesced. I promise to stop putting fall-ish pictures up now that Thanksgiving is over and we are all roasting chestnuts on an open fire.

    pumpkin pie leaves web

    CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE (in case you missed it the first time!)
    A recipe I found online somewhere, easy to make and very very yummy alternative to normal cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving
    - 1/2 lb cranberries
    - 1/2 C sugar
    - 1/4 C orange juice
    - zest of 1 orange
    - 4 oranges separated, pith and membranes removed

    Bring 1/2 C water to simmer. Add cranberries, sugar, OJ and zest. Simmer & stir until sugar dissolved and berries begin to pop, ~15 mins. Remove from heat – add orange segments

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:44 pm   6 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  2. Sunday, November 29

    Week 149 Menu…and an Ode to the Frozen Turkey

    I have to begin my post tonight with Ode to the Frozen Turkey, by Yours Truly.

    frozen turkey web

    How I love you, Frozen Turkey. Your ability to arrive in my kitchen pre-brined is unparalleled. Your little poppy-out-thingy informing me of the exact moment that you are perfectly cooked is a gift. You always come out just how you’re supposed to. You rule, Frozen Turkey. Okay, that Ode is BAD. But seriously, the BEST turkeys I’ve cooked have always been pre-brined and frozen, with the little poppy-outy-thingy. I’ve tried all kinds of turkey techniques. The dummy-proof frozen turkey is my favorite. This was one tasty bird, let me tell you.

    I actually just finished cooking our second Thanksgiving Feast for the week. I simply wanted more leftovers…and an excuse to make more Sweet Potato Souffle, by far my favorite dish from our menu (thanks for sharing the recipe, Mindy!).  Enough Thanksgiving chatter…on to the menu with leftovers galore!

    MONDAY:
    - Leftovers

    TUESDAY:
    - Leftovers

    WEDNESDAY:
    - Paninis

    THURSDAY:
    - Pasta of some sort

    FRIDAY:
    - Leftovers

    SATURDAY:
    - Eat out

    SUNDAY:
    - I’m actually going to consult with Cate on this…but she’s in bed, so I’ll fill in the plan later on.

    I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  And now that the holiday is over…get back in the groove and get your menus up here!

    PS…I’ve got a REALLY fun giveaway lined up for tomorrow…don’t miss it!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:15 pm   21 Comments
    Categories: weekly menus

  3. Thursday, November 26

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Have a happy thanksgiving, filled with great food and even better company!

    pumpkin pie2 web

    And, no, I did not make this beautiful pie. I happily handed my money over to my friend Faye the pastry chef. Word on the street is that she has perfected the pumpkin pie. We can’t wait to dig in later today!

    (If you live in Silicon Valley and are interested in buying one of Faye’s pies sometime, email info@thisweekfordinner.com. The apple pies she was baking yesterday I swear were 10 feet tall and unbelievably scrumptious looking. Aren’t I lucky to have Faye in my life?)

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:19 am   No Comments
    Categories: the goods

  4. Tuesday, November 24

    Thanksgiving Prep: Cranberries in Action

    Thanksgiving and cranberries go hand in hand. Today I thought I would share two of my favorite cranberry recipes with you.

    cranberries web

    The first is Cranberry Slush, a drink that is a Thanksgiving staple in my family.  Click here to read about it and see the recipe. The slush needs to be frozen, so don’t forget to make it a day or two before! Also…go for the quick version. That’s what we ALWAYS make. Sorry I don’t have a picture of the finished product…every year we drink it all up before I remember to snap a shot!

    Now, we like canned cranberry sauce as much as the next family, but I really do need to share this next sauce/relish recipe with you, in case you’re looking for something different. It’s easy to make…but everyone will be impressed when you come out with homemade cranberry sauce. Trust me, I know from experience. ;)

    CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE
    A recipe I found online somewhere, easy to make and very very yummy alternative to normal cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving
    - 1/2 lb cranberries
    - 1/2 C sugar
    - 1/4 C orange juice
    - zest of 1 orange
    - 4 oranges separated, pith and membranes removed

    Bring 1/2 C water to simmer. Add cranberries, sugar, OJ and zest. Simmer & stir until sugar dissolved and berries begin to pop, ~15 mins. Remove from heat – add orange segments

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:39 pm   5 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  5. Monday, November 23

    Thanksgiving Prep: Sweet Potato Souffle

    You ask, I deliver. Here is the recipe for the sweet potato souffle that my friend will be making this week for our feast. A nice alternative to the usual marshmallow concoction. My friend got the recipe from her sister who got it from a friend who got it from…well, you get the picture.

    sweet potatoes web

    Sweet Potato Souffle
    Base – mix together and put into a buttered glass cake pan:
    - 1/2 c. sugar
    - 2 eggs
    - 3 c. mashed sweet potatoes
    - 1 Tbsp. vanilla
    - 1/2 stick melted butter

    Topping:
    - 1 c. brown sugar
    - 1/3 c. flour
    - 1 c. chopped pecans
    - 1/3 c. butter (softened)

    Note from reader Matty: Use softened butter and mix with the flour and brown sugar (like a crumble). Once that is sprinkled over the sweet potatoes, cover with chopped pecans.

    Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:23 pm   8 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  6. Sunday, November 22

    Thanksgiving Prep: The Menu 2009

    I finally have a Thanksgiving menu plan put together (with the help of my friends who we’ll be eating with). Can’t wait to see what you will all be eating this Thursday as well!

    turkey in a bag web

    This is a picture of our turkey from last year. We cooked the turkey in an oiled paper bag and it came out nicely. Click here to read more about this technique.

    Here’s our menu for this year. We’re going to be eating with two families on Thursday and are dividing the cooking tasks, so I don’t have to do it all this year. Yea!
    - Turkey & Gravy
    - Mashed potatoes
    - Stuffing
    - Cranberry sauce
    - Cranberry slush
    - Broccoli casserole
    - Sweet Potato souffle
    - Green salad
    - Rolls
    - Desserts: pumpkin pie, apple cranberry pie and something chocolate

    Please share your Thanksgiving menu!

    If you’re looking for the usual weekly menus, please click here! (I put up two posts today…sorry if it’s confusing!)

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:18 pm   28 Comments
    Categories: weekly menus

  7. Thursday, November 19

    Thanksgiving Prep: Like a Mashed Potato…That Can Do the Twist

    Thanksgiving is only 1 week away! I think it’s time we start our preparations, don’t you?

    dirty garlic mashed potatoes web

    Let’s talk mashed potatoes. What’s a Thanksgiving feast without them? I thought I would share my various mashed potato recipes with you…some of them can do the twist, some of them like to keep it straight. Whatever your taste, one of these options should tickle your potato fancy!

    All of these recipes use russet potatoes. To cook, cut into similar sized chunks about 2 inch-square, place in cold water, boil over medium/medium-high heat until soft enough to mash, then drain the water.  For all of these recipes don’t be shy with the salt! That said, add a little at a time so you don’t oversalt your potatoes…but adding enough salt is key to successful mashed potatoes.

    Classic Mashed Potatoes: For my classic fluffy mashed potatoes I use cream (milk can work if that’s all you have), butter, salt & pepper. Peel the potatoes before cutting up. Cook as described above. Warm the cream and butter prior to adding to the potatoes. Add cream a bit at a time to achieve the right consistency, as well as butter (4 Tbsp per 2 large potatoes), and salt & pepper to taste. Blend well with hand mixer.

    Dirty Garlic Mashed Potatoes (pictured): Same recipe as the Classic, but don’t peel the potatoes and add some garlic cloves when you start mashing. For 2 large potatoes I added 2 garlic cloves, using my garlic press.

    BLT (Bacon, Leek, Tomato) Mashed Potatoes: This is an idea from Rachel Ray and they’re yummy. Chop up some bacon and cook on the stove, then sautee in some chopped leeks with the bacon. When mashing the potatoes, add the bacon, leeks & some chopped tomato as well as milk or cream, salt & pepper. Hand mash with a potato masher instead of with a hand mixer.

    Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes: Cate and I sampled butternut squash mashed potatoes at Williams-Sonoma last week and Cate loved them! They also are a nice complement to a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Simply make classic mashed potatoes and add a bit of the Williams-Sonoma butternut squash puree. If you want to make your own puree, the ingredients are squash, brown sugar, broth, cinnamon and nutmeg…I have no idea the amounts since I just read the ingredients off the jar!

    I know these recipes aren’t very exact. I never measure when I make mashed potatoes, but if you have any questions please let me know!

    Also, if you have your own mashed potato tips or another recipe to share, please do!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:13 pm   13 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  8. Wednesday, November 26

    Thanksgiving Prep: Just Desserts


    I think it’s time for dessert! This year we’re making Chocolate Mousse (in fact, my mom is making it as I type!), Pumpkin Pie and Apple Bavarian Torte. Click on the Recipes – Sweet Things page for the Mousse & Torte recipes…as for pumpkin pie, I’m just going to do what the can tells me…unless you have a fantastic pumpkin pie recipe to share!

    And feel free to share any other dessert recipes. There were some pretty fantastic-sounding desserts on your Thanksgiving menus, so I think it’s time to share recipes!

    Quick note: if you are going to make this mousse recipe, you need to make it one day ahead.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:27 pm   1 Comment
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  9. Tuesday, November 25

    Thanksgiving Prep: Veggies Galore!

    This year we’re having 60-second brussel sprouts, stewed green beans and sweet potatoes as our vegetable sides.  Be sure to click on the brussel sprouts and the green beans for some great recipes!  As for sweet potatoes, I think I’m just going to mush them up and add some butter, maple syrup, salt and pepper.

    If anyone has a great vegetable side dish recipe or preparation tip, please share!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:45 pm   2 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  10. Monday, November 24

    Thanksgiving Prep: Turkey in a Bag

    How are you cooking your bird this year?

    Last year I decided to roast it, breast side down.  I didn’t have the turkey raised high enough and the white meat at the top of the breast (usually the best part of the turkey) was like jello.  Literally.  So sad.  So, if you decide to go that route, make sure your turkey is on a rack high out of the juice!

    This year I think we’re going to try cooking our turkey in a brown paper bag.  My friend Dottie from Boston swears by it and the way she describes the finished product sounds delicious.  I’ve got my bags ready…I’ll report back next week on my success (hopefully!).

    Click here to see last year’s “Turkey” post, which has lots of good info, including directions from Dottie on how to cook the turkey in a brown paper bag!  And please share your favorite turkey tips here on this post, too!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:22 pm   5 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  11. Thanksgiving Prep: The Big Week!

    Thanksgiving is just a few days away…so we’ve got a lot of work to do this week!

    If you click here on Thanksgiving Prep,  you can see all of my Thanksgiving posts, including last year’s posts.  Last year we talked about gravy, stuffing and more!  Over the next three days I’ll share more recipes and tips and, as always, please share what you know!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:04 pm   No Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  12. Thursday, November 20

    Thanksgiving Prep: Cranberry Slush

    Everyone seems pretty excited about the Cranberry Slush on my menu, so I think I better get the recipe out there!  Plus, it’s one of the items you can make way ahead of time, so it’s perfect for this week’s planning.  In fact, you need to make it at least 1-2 days ahead so it has time to freeze.

    It’s my Great-Grandma Blomquist’s recipe.  Everyone in my family, from coast to coast, serves it on Thanksgiving.  Definitely a family tradition and one I’m excited to share!

    CRANBERRY SLUSH:
    There are two versions – the original and the fast. We always do the fast version and it’s fantastic.
    Original Recipe:
    - 1 lb cranberries
    - 2 cups sugar
    - 2 cups water
    - 2 quarts cranberry juice
    - 2 quarts ginger ale

    Cook cranberries, sugar and water until thickens. Run through collander. Add 1 quart cranberry juice. Freeze. When ready to serve, mash up frozen cranberries with 1 quart cranberry juice and 2 quarts ginger ale.

    Quick Recipe:
    - 4 cans whole cranberry sauce
    - 3 quarts cranberry juice
    - 2 quarts ginger ale

    Run 4 cans of whole cranberry sauce through collander. Add 2 quarts cranberry juice. Freeze. When ready to serve, mash up frozen cranberries with 1 quart cranberry juice and 2 quarts ginger ale.

    For those of you who like to make it “interesting”…feel free to spike your slush. I have a few friends who evolved dear old grandmother’s recipe with a little alcohol and were quite pleased with the results. Grandma’s rollin’ in her grave!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:09 pm   10 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  13. Wednesday, November 19

    Thanksgiving Prep: The Menu!


    Time to bite the bullet and settle on a menu. I need to get my shopping started!

    DINNER:
    - Turkey
    - Gravy
    - Stuffing
    - Mashed Potatoes
    - Green Beans
    - Squash OR Sweet potatoes
    - 60-second brussel sprouts
    - Cranberry sauce
    - Butterhorn rolls OR Squash rolls
    - Cranberry Slush

    DESSERT:
    - Chocolate Mousse
    - Pumpkin Pie
    - Apple Bavarian Torte

    I will provide more details on my menu items over the next few days, including recipes. Until then, once you have YOUR menu planned, please share it with us! You may inspire me to switch it up a bit and you’ll certainly inspire one another!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:43 pm   15 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  14. Tuesday, November 18

    Thanksgiving Prep: Pumpkin Butter

    I have a scrumptious Thanksgiving recipe that you can make this week, long before all the Thanksgiving cooking really begins.

    I recently purchased the Muirhead Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma. Love this stuff. (Try whipping it up with some heavy cream or cream cheese. Pure heaven.  Or use as a base for pumpkin pie!)

    But at $10 a jar, not the most frugal of purchases. So, I decided to try making my own. The recipe I found here was delicious. It’s just as good as the stuff from Williams-Sonoma. Although, not as sweet, which isn’t bad actually. (I do think I’ll add more sugar next time.)  Not only is pumpkin butter great for Thanksgiving, but also as a gift for friends this holiday season.

    One quick note. When it’s time to simmer the butter for 15 minutes…well, it’s so thick that it pops and makes a huge mess as it “simmers.” I put the next-size-up lid on my saucepan and kept it propped open with my wooden spoon…that way the moisture could escape to help thicken the butter, but your kitchen doesn’t look like the battleground for the Great Pumpkin War of 2008.

    Tomorrow I am going to finalize the Thanksgiving menu!  I’ve got some tough decisions to make…

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:28 pm   9 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  15. Thursday, November 13

    Thanksgiving Prep Begins!

    Thanksgiving is two weeks away!  Time to get planning!  Over the next two weeks I will share my planning process with you, along with recipes and more!  And I want you to help with the preparations!  Please feel free to share your ideas, recipes, anything…Let’s inspire one another!

    Today marks the start of my official Thanksgiving planning.

    • Finalize the guest list.  My list is all set…Mom, Dad and Little Sis are coming to town!  I can’t wait!
    • I’m going to start looking through all my November magazine issues, which I’ve yet to do this month. Hopefully there will be some good inspiration!
    • Email my guests to see if there is anything they want on the menu.

    I can’t believe it’s only two weeks out.  I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.  Where does the time go?

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:00 pm   9 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  16. Wednesday, November 28

    Featured Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake

    I know Thanksgiving is over, but as I was eating a slice of the pumpkin cheesecake I made last week, I thought I better tell you just how good the recipe is.


    My friend Adrianne sent the recipe to me and it is AWESOME. A great cheesecake and super easy to make. You don’t even have to do a waterbath when you bake it, which earns lots of extra points with me.

    One quick note: make sure you don’t overcook it…I took mine out a LITTLE late and the crust was a bit overcooked in the corners. I did a little research and found that you take a cheesecake out of the oven when the center 3-inches of the cake is still jiggly. Mine was firm, so I could have taken it out earlier and had better crust. Regardless, the cheesecake was great!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:49 pm   3 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  17. Wednesday, November 21

    Thanksgiving Prep: The Best of the Best!

    Nate said I should have done a Thanksgiving post where everyone shares their best recipes & food traditions. Gotta admit, that’s a great idea…so now’s your chance!


    My favorite Thanksgiving recipe that I make every year is Cranberry Slush. This is a Thanksgiving tradition from my mom’s family. It was my great-grandmother’s recipe and it is DELICIOUS. You’ll love it, unless, of course, you’re my sister and are CRAZY and don’t like it. She’s the only one I’ve met who doesn’t, but let’s keep in mind she actually said the following words last night: “I don’t really like chocolate.” Told you she’s crazy.

    Please share your Thanksgiving Bests!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:11 pm   11 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  18. Tuesday, November 20

    Thanksgiving Prep: Timing

    Timing is everything, right? That couldn’t be truer than when you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner. ESPECIALLY if you only have 1 oven. It is tricky. I thought I’d share my schedule – hopefully it’s helpful to some of you out there.

    Quick Jane tip – once the turkey goes in the oven and I know approximate times for everything (based on schedule below), I write the schedule with specific times on post-it notes and stick that to the wall above the oven, That way I don’t forget when to do things. It helps so much!

    A few days prior:
    - Get that frozen turkey in the fridge! You need 1 day for every 4 pounds to defrost in the fridge, and trust me, it’s much better to defrost this way rather than in water in your sink (that’s the fast way, but truly not as effective…think, partially frozen turkey Thanksgiving morning).

    Tuesday:
    - Cut up bread for stuffing – leave out on cookie sheet until stale. I’m doing this Tuesday so I’m sure it will be ready for Thursday.

    Wednesday:
    - Make the desserts (I’ve decided to go with Pumpkin Cheesecake).
    - Make any casseroles that can sit in the fridge overnight (in my case the Broccoli Casserole, minus the Ritz cracker topping. Will put the topping on on Thursday).
    - Cranberry Slush – the first half of the recipe. It needs to be frozen overnight.
    - Cook squash. I’m making squash rolls (on Thursday) and we’re eating squash as a side dish. Since I can cook the squash ahead of time, I’m going to.

    Thanksgiving Day:
    - Make the stuffing. (Whatever stuffing doesn’t fit in the turkey, refrigerate until later.)
    - Prep & stuff turkey in the morning and get in the oven. Butterball has an awesome online guide, which includes a calculator to determine how long you need to cook your turkey. My 13 pound stuffed turkey will take 3 3/4 – 4 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
    - Prepare corn souffle & top broccoli casserole – keep in fridge until later.
    - ~2 hours before turkey is done, start making the squash rolls.
    - ~1 hour before turkey is done – prepare & cook mashed potatoes. Keep in pan with lid on until dinner.
    - When turkey is done, take out and cover with foil until later. Casseroles & Stuffing into the oven (make sure stuffing doesn’t burn – probably won’t cook as long). When casseroles are done, put rolls in the oven.
    - Mix and heat up butternut squash that’s already been cooked (will just heat in the microwave)
    - Make gravy while casseroles are cooking.
    - Make husband carve the turkey. :)
    - Mix cranberry slush at the VERY END as your about to eat.

    Just writing this up is making me tired. Glad I have my sister here as sous-chef. :) Even though it’s a lot of work, it is totally worth it – I can’t wait to eat it all!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:15 pm   No Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  19. Monday, November 19

    Thanksgiving Prep: Dessert!

    Time to talk dessert. I have no idea what I’m going to do this year for dessert, so I can’t really give you my plan yet. I love dessert, but I always get so worn out from making the dinner that I tend to cheat a bit when it comes to the sweets. Hence, no real dessert insight here on the blog.

    I WILL provide you with an amazing (and easy) French Silk Pie recipe from my sis-in-law Cora’s family (see below). And as far as pumpkin pie goes, I always just follow the directions on the can of pumpkin and it comes out just fine (and yes, I buy pre-made crust). See, I am certainly no Thanksgiving dessert expert. Today I’m counting on YOU to share your best Thanksgiving dessert recipes! Please post!!!

    French Silk Pie
    - 3. oz unsweetened chocolate squares (melted and cooled)
    - 1/2 C butter
    - 1 C sugar
    - 1 T vanilla
    - 4 Eggs

    Melt and cool chocolate. Cream butter – add sugar and vanilla and mix. Add chocolate. Add 2 eggs and beat on high 5 mins. Add 2 more eggs beat on high 5 minutes. I use a pre-made graham cracker crust. Top with whipped cream. Keep refrigerated.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:09 pm   8 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

  20. Sunday, November 18

    Thanksgiving Prep: The Menu

    I can’t wait to eat all the food we have planned for Thursday! My little sister is coming to town and I’m going to work her hard on Thursday. It will be really fun cooking with her and having all those yummy leftovers afterwards!


    And now, ladies & gentlemen…the Menu. Click on the bold titles to see recipes!

    - Turkey
    - Gravy
    - Mashed Potatoes: I make with warm cream (milk if I don’t have cream), melted butter, salt & pepper, and a splash of soy sauce
    - Stuffing
    - Corn Souffle
    - Broccoli Casserole
    - Butternut Squash: Just going to cook it, mash it, add butter salt & pepper
    - Cranberry sauce: This year we’re going canned whole sauce, but click through for a yummy recipe for Cranberry Orange Relish that I normally make, when I’m not about to have a baby.
    - Cranberry Slush: This is one of my family’s traditions, going back to my great-grandmother. It is amazing. I have friends who have been known to spike it for extra kick – Great Grandma’s rollin’ in her grave! :)
    - Squash Rolls

    I’m also going to make some Rhodes rolls on Friday to use for leftovers – good for making little turkey sandwiches. Again, I normally make Butterhorn Rolls from the Better Homes & Gardnes cookbook, but I need to take it easy this year.

    Hope the menu is helpful and that the recipes come in handy! They are all excellent. Tomorrow we’re talking dessert – get ready to share your favorite recipes! Tuesday will be scheduling the cooking – the least fun but most essential part of a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:41 pm   6 Comments
    Categories: thanksgiving prep

Evo Speaking
Eat Less Meat
socialluxe generic 2010
Eat. Blog. Run
Pingg Affiliate