Every Day with Rachael Ray - Talk to Us!

BROWNIE LOVE

every day gina — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:21:16 GMT

Editing the Eat & Run column is always a good time: I learn about delicious foods around the country, then sample them at the photo shoot. Even better, though, I get to give props to hardworking, often-unsung restaurants and small businesses, like Muddy's Bake Shop in Memphis. Owner Kat Gordon wrote us a little love letter on her blog, here. No, Kat, thank YOU for those brownies covered in mint icing! Mmmmm. Check out the whole brownie story, and let us know YOUR favorite bakeries around the country!

A Bed for Your Best Friend

every day rachel d — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:50:09 GMT

You guys love your pets -- that's totally obvious since we have more than 1,700 entries in our Best Pet Photo Contest in less than a week!

So, love 'em even more with a good bed. Here are some of my favorites:

Fatboy's Doggielounge and Catbags come in fantastic bright colors and super comfy (I've sat in one before, trust me!):

Kari Whitman's Greener Pup dog bed, filled with 100% recycled plastic and covered in recycled fabric, is a great eco-friendly option -- plus all profits go toward the Ace of Hearts, a dog rescue and adoption foundation. We all love that!

And so is West Paw Design's Eco Slumber Bed or Organic Bumper Bed, both made with organic cotton:

The Monogrammed Pottery Barn bed is a good classic choice:

What about you? What do your best friends sleep on?

What to Bring When You Don't Have to Bring Anything

every day cameron — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:04:26 GMT

Thanksgiving is still a week away and I've already been getting holiday party invites—usually I make a bunch of cookies and wrap them as hostess gifts, but since I'm so busy with my first Thanksgiving this year I'm thinking I'm going to pick up some store-bought treats. I'm eyeing these, based on the type of friend who's hosting:

YOU'RE NOT VERY CLOSE: Chocolate Covered Apples
You can't go wrong with chocolate, caramel and apples. Mrs. Prindables has Jumbo apples (1.5 pounds!) that could serve the whole party. (starting at $23, mrsprindables.com)

IT'S BEEN A STRESSFUL YEAR: Body Scrub
Anti-aging, exfoliating, pampering, what more do you need? AHAVA's Stress Melt Butter Salt solves post-party stress. ($24, ahavaUS.com)

FIRST-TIMER: Wine Charms
Help avoid wine glass mishaps (it's flu season afterall) with Wine Cellar Charms ($18, target.com )
THIS IS OLD HAT: Stylish Apron
Kitchenware? Check. Wine? Check. She'd never buy this adorable Onyx Apron for herself. ($39.95, surlatable.com

Want more ideas? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide.

Who's shopping for Thanksgiving this weekend? Raise hands.

every day diane — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:38:21 GMT

Are you hosting Thanksgiving, or cooking part or all of it? I'm having guests -- nine grown-ups and two kids, I think, which is pretty reasonable size-wise. But even with people helping bring dishes, I still have to get in gear and pick up a cartload of groceries. And that's gotta happen this weekend! So, tomorrow I'm headed to the farmer's market with friends. We usually walk if the weather's nice: It's about a mile downhill going, and a mile uphill coming back -- yeah, ugh. So we'll need to figure out how to lug back all the heavy-but-yummy squash, sweet potatoes, onions, greens, apples, pears and more ... but that's tomorrow's problem. Then I started calculating the if-I-buy-a-frozen-turkey-when-does-it-thaw countdown, figuring I need to hit the supermarket on Sunday so I can have a bird that's ready to cook by Thursday. Plus at the store I need to get everything else, too. Here's where a list comes in handy, right? Tonight I'm going to make a list of recipes, then put my ingredients in the supermarket aisles (still loving that tip from the magazine), then head to the store.

Will keep you posted.

Burger Bash

every day cameron — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:55:58 GMT

Yesterday we were taste-testing burgers from our Burger Bash contest. We had a ton of great entries, narrowed down the finalists and then had a cook-off!

Bring in the finalists! Recognize your burger?

Our testers with their ballots.

Holiday Wine Buying 101: What to Bring, What to Serve

every day diane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:07:08 GMT

We asked Joshua Wesson, co-founder of Best Cellars wine stores, how to solve our wine dilemmas: what to bring and what to serve. As Rach says, "Joshua does for wine what I do for food—he makes it accessible and fun."

Q: What kind of wine makes the best gift?
A: If you don't have a clue what your giftee likes, wrap up a bottle of sparkling wine or a tawny Port, which is more complex than ruby Port and more affordable than vintage Port. The bubbles need not hail from France's Champagne region; the United States, Spain, Italy, Australia and even other parts of France—such as the Loire Valley, Alsace and Burgundy—make boatloads of fine fizz.

Q: How do I match wines with a holiday dinner?
A: Serve wines that make peace with just about any dish. All-purpose whites include Chenin Blancs from California and the Loire Valley; Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand and Washington state; and unoaked Chardonnays from all over. Versatile reds include Shiraz-Grenache blends from Australia; Primitivos and Nero d'Avolas from southern Italy; and Pinot Noirs from New Zealand and Oregon.

Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon, the perfect accompany for the New Moon release

kellied — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:44:52 GMT

Before you and your girlfriends or significant other head out to the latest Twilight saga, New Moon, start off with a bottle of Vampire wine. Vampire — like its counterpart, Dracula Wine — was at one time made in Transylvania, but has now moved operations to Paso Robles; that just bites, no pun intended.

Half the fun of drinking Vampire was the storied location where it was made. Thankfully, the change in venue has not resulted in ghastly juice.

I’m first enticed by the aromas of blood-red, ripe fruit. The scent calls to me and I can’t resist taking a small nibble, er, sip of the garnet colored liquid swirling in the glass. On the first taste I’m hit with a lip smacking, succulent flavor, with a finish leaving me wanting more. Just one thing to do: Join the ranks of the other vampires and finish the glass.

Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Paso Robles region of California’s Central Coast. Moderate day time temperatures and cool night time temperatures provide for an extended growing season. Mix in the perfect soil composition, and the region provides optimum growing conditions.

The winery’s head bloodsucker is entertainment attorney Michael Machat, who began branding the Vampire label in 1985 as a syrah. In 1989, the first 500 bottles were sold to Alice Cooper and MCA records in London. Sangiovese (Italian for blood of Jove) grapes were planted as well, and more than 600 bottles were shipped to the Anne Rice Fan Club in New Orleans.

Since 1985 Vampire has continued to expand and now produces eight different varietals. In addition to the cabernet sauvignon, Goth wine fans can suck on merlot, pinot noir, syrah, chardonnay, pinot grigio, and white or regular zinfandel. The winery doesn’t divulge the lead winemaker’s name, but one of its wines recently received an impressive 96 rating from the Wine Spectator.

Location of production moved several times from France to Italy, then to Transylvania, and finally to its present home in Paso Robles, CA. The most recent move has made the wine available year round, but I must confess I save Vampire for Halloween.

Pair this wine with steak and garlic knots and I’m sure you’ll survive to see the sun another day, if you can wake up in time for work if attending the midnight showing.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Beef + Beer Stew

every day diane — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:43:02 GMT

I came across every day tracey's Beef + Beer Stew recipe the other day and was really into the idea of cooking down a tough cut of meat for hours in a beer base, leaving behind a salty, savory stew that we could enjoy after a long day. I figured since I was going to be turning on the oven for my Sunday night roast chicken dinner, I could get all French-grandma (have you heard this proverb? I can't recall the source, but basically, that French grandmas are known for saying, once you turn on the oven, use it? Probably a leftover from war-time, when you didn't want to waste the heat.) So I was all set to pick up brisket as the recipe called for, but instead got sidetracked in the supermarket by a pre-rolled, pre-tied piece of beef round that just jumped in my cart. (Hello! How did *that* happen?) I also picked up a can of diced tomatoes, and some extra carrots that would sub in nicely for the potatoes, which I decided to serve on the side.

So, while roasting chicken, I took up a little rack space for this multi-tasker:

which I reheated Tuesday for about a half an hour and we chowed down. Really good!

Twists and turns in the road of life

kellied — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:08:17 GMT

Tonight’s wine selection, Turner Road Shiraz 2003, reminds me of all the twists and turns my life has taken this year. I got married in May at a doughnut shop (it was great!), hours at work reduced to part time and I took up writing about wine. As I make my way down this new path, I take time to reflect on not only my past experiences but what new ones lie ahead. In the next few weeks, be sure to check out the new Wine Chicks Guide website (assuming I can figure out how to set it up) and all the new info that will be part of the site.

I promise I’m not scouting these wines out but Turner Road was once a division of Sebastiani Vineyards prior to being sold to Constellation Brands. This is just getting scary, what winery hasn’t a member of the Sebastiani family run? Constellation acquired the brand in 2001. Unfortunately Constellation does not provide any info on how the wine was produced or where the vineyards are located.

The aromas consist of oak and blackberries. The flavors are uncharacteristically dry for a Shiraz. Generally I find Shiraz to be a little sweet and sometimes taste like grape jam. This Shiraz was closer to an Italian wine and was quite pleasing to drink.

I was surprised to see a Lodi, California wine with the Shiraz label as the US along with many other countries typically use the name Syrah for this grape varietal. Shiraz is generally used by Australians even though they are the same grape. I can tell you Wine Specator gave the 2003 vintage 79 points.

This is one wine I’ll definitely add to my regular rotation of great tasting inexpensive wines.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Holiday in a Glass

every day cameron — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:20:37 GMT

Last night I went out with friends and had a cocktail called Holiday Cheer, which was like a fireside Thanksgiving meal in a glass. Since I'm fully in Turkey Day mode, I asked what was in it to see if I could make it at home. Most of the spices I already had on hand: cloves, allspice and cinnamon. You blend those with rum, maple syrup, lemon, lime and apple cider. So good! Cruzan Rum, who created the drink, suggested infusing the rum overnight with the pumpkin-pie spices, which I thought was a pretty cool idea. I know we have a whole party of spice rack cocktails like Pumpkin Pie Martinis, Cinnamon Snaps and the Pumpkintini which uses actual pumpkin pie filling. But this drink was definitely worth its cheers..

Holiday Cheer Spiced Holly Highball

(Photos courtesy of Cruzan Rum)

steakhouse chili

Kerry Ruiz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:37:50 GMT

I made the steakhouse chili for my husband's monday night football crew. There is about 20 guys and it was a big hit. I quadrupled the recipe and it was fantastic..

Giveaway

BreeLaw — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:52:52 GMT

Are you supposed to sign up for the giveaways just once for everything or everyday that there is a new prize sign up each day or each week until the giveaway contest in done? I am confused and never done it before. Somebody please help me understand better. Thankyou

Puerto Rican Bread Pudding

Luzita — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:18:30 GMT

Mention bread pudding to my friends and you'll get a gazillion variations to how everyone makes it. Mention Puerto Rican bread pudding and everyone asks, "What's that?" hahaha I can't tell you how many friends I've made over this simple dish....a family and potluck favorite! Although there are many ways of making bread pudding, our family prefers this more traditional bread pudding and although I hate milk (no, I'm not lactose intolerant), I too partake of this DELISH (as RR says) dish. Is there a brave soul out there who wants to try it? Let me know what you think.....

BREAD PUDDING

(PUERTO RICAN STYLE)

9x13x2

1 lb. French or white bread 1 Tsp. Cinnamon

3 ½ cups milk 2 Tsp. Vanilla

1 ¼ cups sugar 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) melted butter

3 eggs ½ cup raisins

½ Tsp. salt *butter/margarine for pan

Directions:

1. Break the bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl.

2. Add milk and let it soak until soft. Use a fork and break up pieces even further.

3. Add the melted butter to the bread mixture.

4. Preheat oven to 375° and “grease” 9x13x2 pan with butter.

5. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and raisins to the bread mixture.

6. Place eggs in a bowl and break up (gently) with a fork; do not mix or whip, then add to the bread mixture.

7. Stir everything together with a large spoon until well mixed then pour the bread mixture into the prepared pan.

8. Bake for 1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

NOTE: Due to variances in oven temperatures, if after 1 hour, the bread pudding has browned too much, turn the oven down to 350° for the remaining 15 minutes. NEVER turn your oven up higher than 375°. If it takes 1 ½ hours to bake, so be it.

(NOT SO) SECRET TIPS

Use white sandwich bread (less expensive and breaks down easier).
If you want to save on calories, use fat-free milk (Whole, 2% or 1% is fine). DO NOT use soy, goat, rice milk, etc…
Add 1 Tsp. nutmeg, cloves or another Tsp. of cinnamon to the mixture. You will learn to adjust by scent (yes, your nose will tell you what the mixture needs) as well as by taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Soak your raisins (any kind) in hot water while you soak the bread. This will ensure that your raisins are moist, even after baking for 1 ¼ hours. Don’t forget to drain them before adding to the bread mixture.
Use a glass baking dish as metal pans tend to darken or overcook the bread pudding. Also, you won’t ruin your pan when you slice the bread pudding.
The bread pudding tastes great hot or cold so if you’ve just pulled it out of the oven and can’t wait for it to cool down completely…then don’t! Make sure to wait at least 15 minutes to give the bread pudding time to “set” and keep from burning your tongue.
Enjoy!!

Ah, Sunday Supper: Roast Chicken with Vegetables

every day diane — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:12:05 GMT

There's one tradition I like to keep up with in the fall -- making a Sunday-night dinner that basically cooks itself, with a huge pan of roast chicken and vegetables. Because who wouldn't want a cozy one-dish dinner that takes zero effort? I came to this no-longer-a-recipe recipe from my mom and my cookbooks and my friends, which is by this point so natural that I could probably make this dish with my eyes closed. Basically: Take chicken and whatever vegetables, cut into uniform size (a trick I was reminded of by every day teri). Put in a roasting pan in a single layer, keeping the less sturdy vegetables out on the sidelines until halftime if you want them to be less browned. Drizzle with EVOO with a slightly heavier hand than not. Toss to coat, and sprinkle with S&P. Place chicken skin side down and put in a preheated 350' oven. Put a few baking potatoes on a separate sheet if you want. Go do something else for 45 minutes. Flip the chicken, toss the vegetables, add the ones who were patiently waiting their turn. More S&P, herbs if you feel like it, and put the whole pan back in the oven for another 45 minutes, or whenever you finish having your conversation/reading your book/watching the game/playing with the kids. Take pan out, let cool on stovetop for 5 minutes, and dig in. Yum.

Aquinas Cabernet Sauvignon

kellied — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:55:34 GMT

Last week as the banana leaves were shredded due to Hurricane Ida’s passing by, we were forced to stay indoors; not because of any rain as that was much appreciated and needed in the Bay area but rather we may have been blown away, kind of how I feel about Aquinas Cabernet Sauvignon, blown away.

The wine is a deep rich red with plum hues. Aromas are full of ripe fruits, spice and oak. Flavors of cassis, coffee and black currant along with a lingering finish make this wine smooth and very easy drinking.

Aquinas is produced by Don Sebastiani & Sons who established the Three Loose Screws winery. Don Sebastiani and his family were profiled in the Green Acres review last week. Don along with sons Donny and August, run Three Loose Screws as well as The Other Guys winery. Three Loose Screws was established in 2004 and caters to upscale yet moderately priced wines while The Other Guys portfolio is focused on a direct and personal approach to the consumers and wine. The grapes used for Aquinas are grown in one of their Napa Valley vineyards.

It was purely accidental that I selected this wine after just having written about the Sebastiani’s family and the demise of their 100 year old winery. The first two wines have been memorable and as I look at the Three Loose Screws portfolio, I notice I have another Don Sebastiani & Sons wine just waiting to be consumed. I’m truly looking forward to that tasting too.

This wine can be found at your local wine shop for around $8.99.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

life is a mess

jeani42 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:28:01 GMT

my name is jeani . i am at the end of my rope!we have always had a hard life. I am living in a small rv that leaks has no heater no cooler , everything is falling apart. We are raising a granddaughter she is 9 years old we have had her since she was a baby. she has too sleep on the couch, she has no room of her own. Now i have my father living in his car on our property he is 76 yrs old .I am disabled unable to work! I use too be a waitress for 35 yrs and a volunteer emergency medical technician for 13 yrs. my husband works 2 jobs. We are about too lose everything! does anybody know what I can do .

Thankful for Thanksgiving

tristinedenise — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:23:48 GMT

Today I'm getting ready to hunker down and make my grocery list for Thanksgiving dinner. I love using my iPod app, Grocery IQ. This is an amazing app that keeps me focused in the grocery store and right on budget as it calculates my cart items before I'm shell shocked at the register!

Because it's our son's first Thanksgiving, my husband and I will be hosting Thanksgiving in our new home, and we couldn't be more excited about it.

Thanksgiving to me has always started the season of "family." My grandparents always hosted great summer cookouts. That was the only time I can remember my grandfather even coming close to handling uncooked food! He loved being the Master of the Grill, wearing a red and white striped apron that said, The Devil Made Me Do It.

Our summertime gatherings were always fun; filled with laughter, the smell of charcoal and barbeque chicken, potatoes wrapped in tin foil, and all us grandkids running around the yard playing tag, splashing in the kiddie pool, or kicking a ball down the long driveway.

I've always loved Fall. The way the sun hangs low during the day and the air gets a bit crisp. You could smell the bitterness of burning leaves throughout the town, while puffs of sweet smoke hung high above each block. We were dazzled by the bright, bold colorful leaves dancing on tree limbs, and the Pumpkin Farm was a place where fantasy met reality.

Living in the Midwest, Fall went by all too quickly. It's seemed to last only a few days until Winter's harsh reality forced itself on us. Always sooner than expected. Just when we got used to the change in weather, the leaves disappeared from the trees and snow would pile high above our heads. We found ourselves stuck inside, gazing longingly out the windows wishing for summer's return. Those snow days from school, and nights sledding on glistening snow, were warmed by sweet hot chocolate, but it never seemed to compare to what summer had to offer.

I come from a very loud, boisterous, outspoken, opinionated family. When I was a young girl, those loud debates always made me feel like I was stuck in the middle of a TV Western showdown. Add the flavor of liquid courage like Pabst Blue Ribbon, or Whiskey Sours to the mix, and you’ve got a full blown World War. I used to stomp my feet and cry, “Please stop fighting!!” My family would stop fighting, turn to me, and laugh. My grandfather would draw me close and say, “We’re not fighting. We’re just talking loudly.” And then he’d give me a soft, gentle hug, with a chuckle, to let me know it was all going to be okay. My biggest fear was that our family would get divorced, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing them like I felt I had with my father when my parents got divorced.

Family holidays were even louder, because now added to the mix were twenty more opinionated “loud talkers.” The walls would vibrate, the floorboards would rumble, and the debates seemed to go on for an eternity. I got used to it though. I learned to ignore it and play around it, and eventually even picked up the ear piercing habit, which to this day still seems to throw people off guard because they think I’m mad. But I don’t refer to it as, “talking loudly,” I call it passionate.

Thanksgiving was the first of family holidays where the kids were forced to endure those ruthless debates. There really was no escape. While the rest of the family was in the basement family room and bar, talking loudly about this or that, I lingered around the warm kitchen upstairs with my grandmother humming happily as she cooked one dish or another. Butter basted, moist and juicy turkey, rice mold casserole stuffed with meaty mushrooms, homemade savory sausage stuffing, thick, lumpy mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with gooey, caramelized marshmallows, and luscious, flavorful pumpkin pie topped with a dollop of freshly made whip cream.

My grandmother reminded me a lot of Lucille Ball. She had this amazing sense of humor that apparently only I understood. She never seemed to get too involved in all the hoopla. She was sweet, loving, and utterly adorable. She loved her family to the point of worrisome madness that sometimes drove her children nuts. But she had great pride in her family, and she found immense joy cooking and entertaining for them.

When my grandmother died twenty years ago, our family died, too. Some of us tried to keep the traditions alive, but she was the glue that kept us all together. When she died, the family I had known deteriorated in a blink of an eye. It ended almost as quickly as her death. And since then, I have always longed for another loud, passionate family gathering.

My past is filled with sorrowful, abusive relationships. Five years ago I gave up all hope that I would ever know love, or have a family like the one I remembered from my childhood, even if it was a bit glamorized in my own memories. I was always searching, but usually latched onto the first thing that came my way, which typically caused a lot of chaos and pain in my life. But two years ago I met the man of my dreams. Jared swept me away from all that heartache and showed me what real love meant and felt like. Jared and I are now married and have a 5 month old son, Tavin. Jared’s family embraced me almost immediately, and I felt like I was home again. They are loud and opinionated, just like me. They come with baggage and weird issues, just like me. But they are passionate, compassionate, wonderful people—just like me—I couldn’t live without. My grandmother would be proud.

She would also be proud of the way I take great pride in entertaining for my family. That it means as much to me as it did to her, providing an outlet for loud laughter and heated debates, all the while serving up fantastic feasts. I know I picked up some of those bad traits of arguing, debating, and talking much too loudly sometimes, but I’m also carrying on the tradition of family that my grandmother held so closely to her heart.

My dad loves to tell the story of one Thanksgiving when I was five years old. There isn’t a Thanksgiving in my lifetime that my father hasn’t told someone, or everyone, the story about how we were all sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner, with gorgeous China plates and fancy silverware at every seat, and the turkey was shining with a golden, crisp skin, while the aroma of sweet potatoes and warm pumpkin pie wafted through the house. I was sitting very contently at my seat, waiting quite patiently for a five year old, for my gravy covered meal, when out of nowhere I threw up on the entire, beautiful Thanksgiving spread. Not just on my plate, mind you, but clear across the table. We call it, “The Year Tristine Ruined Thanksgiving Dinner.” Now my parents don’t seem to recall how sick I was. All they remember is that we had to leave and they missed that delicious Thanksgiving dinner. To my dying day, I will always be reminded of that Thanksgiving. My older son, Josh, who is 24, is now carrying on the tradition—even though he wasn’t even there!—by bringing up the fact that my father will most definitely bring up the story sometime before Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving is special to me. It’s Tavin’s first. It’s the first one that I’ll be hosting with most of my family together. My husband’s parents and brothers, my mom, my older son Josh, and a few friends. We will miss my husband’s sister and her husband, Alaira and Jake, who live out in Utah, and my father, who lives in sunny Arizona--although we won't miss the story of, "The Year Tristine Ruined Thanksgiving."

I’m making two turkeys for our family feast. One will be Mexican style (not because anyone in my family is Mexican, but because I absolutely love the intense, bold flavors of Mexican food and thought it would be a nice change of pace). The other turkey will be traditional style. Each turkey will be accompanied by a variety of married side dishes.

We will begin with hors-dourves: Mixed Green Salad with Warm Cream Cheese Croutons, Sautéd Mushrooms with Butter Garlic and Thyme, Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts, Pancetta-wrapped Garlic, Mini Caprese Bites, Marinated Mozzarella, and each guest will receive a Cone of Plenty Sweet Spiced Nuts.

My Mexican turkey will be a recipe I found in Food Network Magazine: Butterflied Turkey with Apple-Cranberry Glaze, featuring spices that are sweet with heat combining apple cider, ginger and chile peppers. Spicy side kicks will be Bacon Jalapeno Stuffing, Chile-Roasted Acorn Squash, Tex-Mex Mashed Potatoes, and Spicy Cranberry Salsa, with Pumpkin Flan for dessert.

The traditional turkey will be a Roasted Turkey with Wine and Herbs, featured in Sunset magazine. Side dishes will include Pancetta Sourdough and Apple Stuffing, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples, Mascarpone Chive Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Sesame-Crusted Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Cointreau Sauce, and Chived Yorkshire Pudding. Dessert will consist of Baked Apples stuffed with Cranberry Molasses, with a scoop of my husband’s homemade Rum Ice Cream. And I haven’t yet decided on the Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie or the Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake. Maybe I’ll just make both…

This Thanksgiving I’m grateful for so many things: My fabulous, thoughtful, loving husband. My sweet, big-spirited son, Tavin. My lovely, warm home. And my big, loud, boisterous family! I'm also grateful for all the other blessings that God has poured on me these last couple of years. I'm so very thankful for family members who have been there when we needed them, especially when Jared was injured on the job last year when I was pregnant and trying to prepare for Tavin's arrival, and when my car broke down a couple of months ago. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are today. I'm also grateful that although it was a rough year for the tourist industry, I still had a job to go to when so many other people were losing theirs. And many tourists found it in their hearts to tip me, never realizing just HOW MUCH they were blessing me and my family! Those blessings helped us get through a very rough summer when my husband's employer decided to stop paying him injury pay and provide medical assitance to fix his injured knee. It's been a terrible struggle, but through it all, Jared and I have found such incredible joy watching Tavin grow, each day filled with new ways to amaze and entertain us. God, thank You so much for entrusting us with such a brilliant and wonderful gift.

I hope your Thanksgiving is scrumptiously filled with love, laughter, thankfulness, and healthy debates—and no one throws up on your well thought-out, fancy meal.

*Thanksgiving recipes and hors-dourve recipes were all gathered from a variety of resources: Every Day with Rachael Ray, Food Network Magazine, myrecipes.com, First magazine, and Sunset Magazine.

The Flavor Comeback!

tristinedenise — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:25:02 GMT

Rachael has been redeemed!

After my disappointing experience with a few recipes I tried from Every Day, I still wanted to try a few more with a bit of my own additions to kick up the flavor. As I mentioned in my last blog, the recipes have great potential, and I didn't want to give up. I wasn't ready yet. I needed to find a way to like these recipes.

Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie: I'm not a fan of cooked carrots (unless they are glazed with brown sugar and butter), nor do I appreciate the texture of celery. Although the recipe called for both, I found a way to compromise. Instead of celery, I used a dash of celery salt. I also added some garlic salt, as well as...NUTMEG! Not a lot, mind you, but for some reason the idea of a pie, even though a beef pie, I felt it needed a nice nutty flavor. I also used my new favorite "freebie," freshly ground sea salt. This pie was utterly outstanding! Minced garlic by itself is good, but if you're like me and you truly love the taste of garlic, sometimes you need to give the real thing a good kick in the pants with some garlic salt. It wasn't overpowering by any means. I also used an iron skillet, which I think helped give the crust on the bottom a nice crisp to it. Added the salt and fresh ground cracked pepper to the top and, "Yum," was rightly advertised on the top of this recipe.

Steakhouse Chili: Oh. My. God! This chili was BURSTING with an amazing flavor of homemade steak sauce. But here's a little trick I used: instead of 4 tablespoons of chili powder I used 3, and then added the last tablespoon with McCormick's Cocoa Chille Powder. (If you haven't tried this spice, you must! My husband actually puts this in his coffee in the morning, and he uses it on his Java Crusted Rib Eye Steak rub. It's a very versitile spice.) I also, again, added extra garlic salt. We also ground our own sirloin. My family devoured it, and we were all fighting for the last spoonfuls at the bottom of the pot. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough to truly feed a hearty 4 people. It fed four, but we all loved it so much, I wish I had made a double batch, and next time I will! For sure, this will become a regular on my winter menu planning. I also made homemade potato biscuits with this, and it was a great combination.

Peruvian Roast Chicken: By far THE best chicken I have ever had in my life!! I followed this recipe to the tee. The only thing I did different was marinate it for 2 days. This was a fluke, as we had something come up the day I was supposed to make it. I'm not sure if this made a difference or not, but when I make this again, I will follow the fluke. This marinade, stuffed under the skin of the chicken (I used fryer chicken instead of a whole chicken), and sitting for 2 two days, penetrated deep inside the meat for an amazing flavor explosion!! When my husband and I looked at all the chicken on the platter we both figured we'd have a lot of leftovers. No way! We ate every last bite we could force down. The chicken was juicy and the skin was crispy and tasty. This was literally the flavor comeback, because I didn't improvise on anything with this recipe. If you haven't made this recipe...YOU MUST! The picture also showed homemade fries, which I also made. I learned a valuable lesson not too long ago on the FoodNetwork about making homemade fries. Cut up the potatoes, soak them in a big bowl of water (to get the starch out) for about 15 minutes, pat dry and then fry a few fries at a time so they don't "sweat" and get soggy.

These recipes really redeemed the magazine. Although a couple needed some extras here and there to help improve the blandness I had experienced before, all in all, these recipes are now on my most favorite list and will definitely be on my menu rotation.

Hard to find

smower — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:45:23 GMT

I was wondering what would you use to substitute for some of your fresh ingredients if you live in a small town and don't have access to many of the fresh veggies and fruits that you find in so many recipes?

None of the trimmings

every day stacy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:20:16 GMT

No matter how far in advance I buy holiday gifts, I never (ever!) get to wrapping them before the very last minute. (Am I alone here??) Time to put an end to the scramble once and for all.

Living Ethos 100 percent cotton gift bags eliminate the cutting and taping. (Some call it cheating. I call it genius.) They come in four sizes—some big enough to hold a bottle of wine for my aunts and uncles, others just right for video games for my brother or costume jewelry for my sisters—and with pre-trimmed ribbons made from recycled PET from plastic bottles. The best part: They're reusable, so passing one on is like a gift all in its own. ($28 for a set of four at livingethos.com)

Do you guys have any unique gift wrapping ideas?

Green Acres Ranch is the place for me

kellied — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:57:55 GMT

Green Acres Ranch is the place for me

Halloween has just passed but you would be hard pressed to find many traces of the remaining fall season and the still to come Thanksgiving. The stores have already decked the halls, Digital Music is playing holiday music but I’m still looking at pumpkins.

Since I’m in no hurry to rush through the season, think I’ll linger awhile in the present with a bottle of Green Acres Zinfandel. Colors in the glass are dark red with purple hues. The aromas burst of oak, black pepper and spice. The flavors are smooth and well balanced with plums, raspberry, black pepper with easy, pronounced tannins. As I read the label, I realize I just read about the wine’s makers, the Sebastiani family, today in Wine Spectator.

The winery was founded by Samuel Sebastiani who left Northern Italy in 1895 at the age of 21 and set off for America arriving first in New York and making his way to California. Green Acres Ranch is located in Lodi, CA and was originally used as an aviary. Samuel established the winery in 1904 and began selling wine door-to-door for a nickel a ladle.

Shockwaves rocked the wine community last December when the family announced the winery had been sold. The winery is among the oldest wineries in continuous operation in California making the news of the sale even more stunning. Seems none of the Sebastiani heirs wanted to continue in the business and none of the other family members wanted in, or they were unable to buy out the heirs out. Some of the wineries better known wines, Vendange and Talus had already been sold in 2000.

Since the death of their father, August Sebastiani, siblings Don, Sam and Mary Ann have each had their turn at running the winery. A much publicized squabble ousted Sam from the helm and Don stepped in but later stepped down allowing Mary Ann to take control. The family concedes they did not want to let the family business go but this does give family members the opportunity to redirect their focuses.

The sale went to William Foley Wine Group who has added the acquisition to his collection of wineries. It saddens me to hear of so many California wineries being sold to either big conglomerates or individuals to put another feather in their cap. Unfortunately it seems to be a trend as wine maker’s age, economic shifts affect sales and a multitude of other reasons that I think will be saved for another article.

I recommend grabbing a couple of bottles of Green Acres Ranch while you can. I found this at a local wine & liquor store for $7.99. Check local stores to see if they carry.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Diabetes and red wine

kellied — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:55:57 GMT

Are you wine lover who is looking to reduce your sugar intake? Try dry red wines which metabolize the sugar more and have little to no residual sugar as the sugar in red dry wines has been eaten by the yeasts during fermentation and converted into alcohol. White wines, Dessert, Ice, or Late Harvest wines tend to have more sugar as the yeasts are killed prior to the sugar being used, leaving more residual sugars.

Sugars in wine are not an added product but rather are stored in the grape itself. The varietal of grape and environment dictates how much sugar is in the grape. The primary sugars found in grapes are glucose and fructose. There are no US regulations on labeling sugar content in wine but you can look for some key words to determine which wines have more or less sugar. “Dry” indicates less sugar while “semi-dry” will be sweeter. If the wine is European, up to 4 grams of sugar per liter of wine can use the label “dry” or “sec”. Wines with sugar levels between 4 and 12 g/L are labeled “medium-dry” or “demi-dry”.

Always check with your doctor or nutritionist before making changes to your diet, especially if you are a diabetic. Luckily there is good news for type 2 diabetics who are wine lovers. Researchers have found the Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, not only improves cardiac health and cholesterol levels but has been shown to reduce insulin resistance in mice. The antioxidants may slow the passage of glucose through the small intestine and into the blood stream. This finding has prompted researchers to try to replicate Resveratrol in a drug form.

If you are diabetic frequent blood sugar testing can tell you if red wine affects your insulin levels. After checking with your doctor, you may be able to enjoy a glass or two a day with no ill effects.

For more information on wine and sugars, you can search by Red Wine on the USDA website.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Salmon with Browned Butter

every day cameron — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:36:29 GMT

I tend to always cook salmon the same way: skin side down in the pan with a little EVOO, salt and pepper. Last night I wanted a change, so I made our Salmon with Browned Butter. The recipe called for baking the salmon skin side up, and I have to say, it was fool-proof. I made it exactly like the recipe, and even in my old 1970s oven it came out just right. After drizzling the fish with brown butter I served it with the broccoli mash (a great way to combine your starch AND your veggie) and it got raves from my table. Plus the whole meal took less than 30 minutes, which was even better.

So, now I have two ways I like to cook salmon.

A handy arrival

every day stacy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:26:28 GMT

I'm not ready to admit winter is coming (I'm still trying to pull off cropped pants and light jackets in lieu of boots and woolly coats). But my skin is giving me no choice: I feel the dreaded winter dry hands coming on. I knew it would only get worse—I'm in part-time culinary school so I've been washing my hands way more than usual during kitchen time—so I instantly popped open a bottle of a new hand cream from Ahava that crossed my desk this week. It. Felt. Amazing. It's their Mineral Hand Cream (it retails for $19 at ahavaus.com), and apparently contains water from the Dead Sea that's supposed to draw moisture toward the outermost layer of your skin. Science, schmience. It did the trick. My hands are baby soft, and the bottle has officially found a new home in my desk drawer.

Who has another beauty product they can't live without??

Holiday Shopping

every day rachel d — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:25:01 GMT

We just put up on Online Holiday Gift Guide, a little bonus guide to our Every Day Faves Gift Guide in the December/January issue.

My favorites?

This Bike Chain Bowl, made entirely of recycled bike chains. Cool, huh?

And how about these Chat Plates? So cute for a dinner party.

Finally, the Magneat is such a great stocking stuffer for my running friends.

What about you? Does anything catch your eye? What's on your holiday wish list this year?