Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Don’t panic. Let us be your guide to creating the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends, right? For some people Thanksgiving turns into an all-out crazy fest in the kitchen filled with ranting’s and multiple trips to the supermarket. Never again! Read on for our simple, fool proof guide to hosting a stress free Thanksgiving meal. If this all seems like too much for you, we’d be happy to help you…just call!
Not only do we have an up to the minute timeline for your Thanksgiving prep, but we have the quintessential recipes for: Marcia’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey & Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie.
Thanksgiving is so…yesterday… It’s Black Friday…time to shop till you drop! Start your mad dash through those crowded aisles with Marcia Selden’s Killer breakfast burrito so you can load up your shopping cart with big screen tv’s, fluffy $1 scarves, and an array of other necessary items (note the hint of sarcasm).
While you would never think of running a marathon fueled on Dorito’s and Coke, Black Friday is, to many, a distance race, filled with surprise obstacles around every corner. Fuel your body with a high protein meal that will help you go the distance, and out run your fellow shoppers.
If the thought of eating a leftover Tom Turkey Sandwich doesn’t float your boat, consider a spicy egg and turkey burrito, which can be eaten with one hand as you careen your cart down the aisles looking to score that awesome deal. Here’s our recipe for a delicious (and healthy) Ole Turkey Burrito with a spicy kick. Heck, pack 2, betcha have enough turkey for it!
Michael Batt was recently named a winner on Food Network's "Chopped" program, but is his day job he provides great catering for clients including Ron Howard and Kathy Hilton and caters charitable events of all sizes for The American Red Cross, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, and more. He has a few favorite Thanksgiving side dishes that have proved tried and true, and Chef Batt has offered to share his recipe with us. Check out these great recipes for: Sweet Potato puree with Maple Syrup, Vanilla bean, Cinnamon & Orange; Brussels’ Sprouts with Roasted Garlic, & Roasted Baby Carrots & Parsnips with brown Sugar & Sage.
Thanksgiving is the most anticipated and sometimes the most daunting meal of the year. But, in the end, it is all about food, friends and family. Depending on the number of guests in your party, there are several options for celebrating the holiday that don't involve slaving away in the kitchen for days. Here are a few resources for those who would prefer to get a little assistance. (Readers: If you know of other Thanksgiving catering resources, please add them.)
Rosiein New Canaancan handle all your Thanksgiving needs. A full menu of classic sides such as Rosie’s homemade herb gravy, haricots verts with shitakes, & celery root apple fennel soup. Call (203) 966-8998.
Le Farm/ The Whelk will be closed on Thanksgiving, but will be offering LeFarm's Whipped Chicken Livers with bacon marmalade and/or The Whelk's Smoked Trout Dip to serve your family and friends for the holidays! Call to order: (203) 557-3701
Sugar & Olives: Everything but the turkey...but everything is REALLY tasty. Fig and Apple Stuffing Muffins, Pecan and Bourbon Turkey Glaze, Brussels Sprouts w/ Pomegranate Molasses + Duck Bacon. Call for more information: (203) 454-3663
Connecticut Yankees have always taken pumpkin pie pretty seriously—especially at Thanksgiving—according to culinary educator, food journalist and TV chef Prudence Sloane. When the Connecticut River froze early in the fall of 1705, creating what might have been called The Great Molasses Shortage of 1705, the leaders of Colchester, Connecticut, postponed Thanksgiving until enough of the precious brown goo could be shipped in for the requisite pies. Sloane will expand on this delicious topic, and share other Thanksgiving gastronomic tidbits and trivia during her presentations at the third 18th-Century Thanksgiving Dinner at the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, on November 17, 2013, from noon till 3 p.m.
Dressed in period clothing, Mr. and Mrs. Silas Deane will host the authentic Thanksgiving feast for up to 130 guests. Dinner will be preceded by a wine reception with light fare and 18th-century music in the musicians’ gallery. Guests can explore the Silas Deane House and engage the Deanes and Sloane in conversation before dinner.
Chef Bernard Bouissou of Bernard's in Ridgefield is somewhat of a Fairfield County legend amongst both chefs and diners alike. Talented chefs including Arik Bensimon and Bill Taibe have gained valuable skills in his contemporary French kitchen, and when it comes to entertaining, no one has a larger repertoire of beautiful holiday recipes.
Recently, Chef Bouissou stepped into CTbites' test kitchen to demonstrate his recipe for Baby Pumpkins filled with Pumpkin Mousseline, Sautéed Shrimp & Wild Mushrooms. These are stunning on a Thanksgiving table and simple to make. Watch the video for great tips while you try out this recipe at home (Recipe Below).
Chef Leticia Schwartz is the author of The Brazilian Kitchen, the cookbook that made Brazilian cooking accessible to the masses. She has appeared on The Today Show and teaches cooking classes in Fairfield County and NYC.
Welcome November! With the aftermath of hurricane Sandy and the elections behind us, I think we all want to move on to Thanksgiving, just around the corner, and the perfect occasion to be thankful for what we have. This is my favorite American Holiday and truly the biggest gourmet feast on the calendar year.
As a Brazilian living in the US, it took me a few years to understand the deep meaning of Thanksgiving— especially the repeated menu every year. On the other hand, the chef in me loves to see the whole country talking turkey and cooking this one giant meal.
One of my favorite desserts from the Thanksgiving picture is Pecan Pie. Over the last few years I have tried recipes from magazines, newspapers, cookbooks, and web sites. They are all good but in every recipe I wish something was different. There are just so many variables that impact the end result of a pecan pie.
Corinne Trang, author of The Asian Grill, and local Fairfield County resident, is back with some holiday recipes that will get you eating out of the traditional Thanksgiving box.
Thanksgiving is a holiday my family adopted when we moved from France to the U.S. in 1978. And eating turkey on that day meant that the bird would never be seen again at our Christmas table as tradition dictated in the past. Our new American holiday quickly became another excuse to get together with family and friends and eat all day until our stomachs would burst. In that way, we were no different than other families joyfully eating their way through a 20-pound plus bird, side dishes, and desserts, except that…
Thank you to Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant in South Norwalkfor this next Thanksgiving recipe, Jack Daniels Whipped Sweet Potatoes w/ Brown Butter, Maple Syrup & Goat Cheese. Excuse me...I think I may have just drooled on my keyboard.
If you're looking for a less boozy side dish (Lord knows why this would be), check out Matt Storch's recipe for MATCH's Luscious Whipped Potatoes. Light and creamy, these are sure to please guests of all ages...even that sister-in-law who never smiles.
Everyone's favorite winter harvest holiday is soon upon us and it's time to start lining up those Thanksgiving recipes. While some have tried and true favorites passed down from generation to generation, my family is slightly more A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder) about the whole affair. Every year becomes an "exciting" opportunity to test out new dishes (some savored...some spit out) and pave the way for new traditions. We have however found that the best recipes often come from our local chefs. Hence, CTbites brings you the first in a series of Thanksgiving recipes from the Fairfield County chefs you know and love, starting with Executive Chef Jon Vaast of The Dressing Room. Enjoy!
Opening up the latest issue of Fine Cooking, we found it impossible to take our eyes of the cover. So who better to kick off our series of Thanksgiving Day recipes than the good folks at Fine Cooking who came up with this amazing-looking recipe and have let us share it with you. So if you've got the bird in your sights but are lacking inspiration, here is one recipe you may want to consider.
Butter & Herb Roasted Turkey with Madeira
Serves 10 to 12, with a good probability of leftovers
It's the morning after. You swore the night prior that you would never look at turkey again, much less eat it. Alas, you walk downstairs, open the fridge and there it is staring you in the face. Not wanting to waste this tasty bird, one has to get creative....but not another sandwich...Turkey Pot Pie.
Napa & Co. wraps-up our Thanksgiving Day Virtual Potluck Dinner with a decadent take on stuffing...Chestnut Corn Bread & Fois Gras Stuffing to be exact.
A hearty thank you to all the chefs, bloggers and readers who took the time to share one of their favorite recipes on on of our favorite holidays.
Thank you to Gayatri Batra for her recipe submission for "The Yummiest Cranberry Sauce Ever."
My five year old son, Jai owns this sauce! When he was in pre-school, he learnt how to make it with his teacher Ms Michelle Fulton for a class Thanksgiving Feast. He could not get over how easy it was to make and how good it tasted. He was completely bowled over when he was complimented on his culinary skills! That sealed his ownership on this sauce and has converted him into a cranberry lover.
I know everyone has their favorite mashed potato method. Some like it lumpy, some like it smooth, some like it baked in the oven so the top gets nice and crispy. This is a method of making super rich and creamy mashed potatoes using a ricer or food mill (cheap device you can find in any food store). I like the food mill better.
Note: Potatoes have a ton of starch, so if you do not want ‘gummy’ mashed potatoes, do not over cook them, and do not use a mixer or any other electric device to mix the potatoes. The idea is not to over work the potatoes.
When Michele Albano first got into pie-making, she burned out three ovens in her ski condo in Vermont supplying local farmers’ markets with pies made with “love and fresh fruit. ”Those days are long gone. She now operates Michele’s Pies out of a commercial kitchen and bake shop on Route 7 in Norwalk, delighting customers with award-winning crusted concoctions such as Chocolate Pecan Bourbon, Candyland and Ultimate Banana Split as well as old-fashioned favorites inspired by the pies she remembers her grandmother baking.
A cheese platter, like our "109 Thanksgiving Cheese Selection" is an easy and elegant way to ease into a holiday feast. Whether you buy a platter of craft your own, this is a great way to kick-off the holiday and can be endlessly repurposed into your holiday leftovers.
The first cheese selection is an award-winning Fiscalini Bandaged Cheddar, a mature cheddar aged in cloth from Modesto, CA. A little further south, I've chosen a smooth and bold blue with the Point Blue Reyes. For a lighter and creamier cheese, I chose the Vermont Butter and Cream Cremont an earthy selection from Vermont goats and cows. And finally, a Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper, a mild sheeps milk cheese from France with a slight nuttiness and nice body and one heck of a name.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Don’t panic. Let us be your guide to creating the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
