Dreaming of fantasy

Hosting your first holiday feast? It can be daunting: A menu of familiar dishes for which everyone will have expectations dc brushless motor, plus the pressure of executing a complicated meal in a timely manner, can make even the most experienced cook wish someone else would take over.

But there's really no need for this trepidation. Armed with good planning and some delicious, dependable recipes, you can calmly serve a wonderful holiday meal to friends and family. I've put together this menu of solid classics, plus I've shared tips drawn from my years of cooking, teaching, and writing about Thanksgiving. Finally, I've added a shopping list and a timeline to help you pull everything off with ease. Who knows—even seasoned cooks might pick up a few pointers here.


Build Your Skills Gradually

How do you think Grandma got so good at cooking Thanksgiving? Practice! If you're just starting out, there's absolutely no reason that every item on your menu has to be made by you, from scratch. Your first year, focus on just the turkey, stuffing, and gravy—have guests bring the other dishes (be sure to coordinate what everyone's bringing so you end up with enough of everything). Once you feel that you've mastered these three essentials, the next year branch out to some other dishes. Before you know it data backup, you'll have experience with the entire menu.

Supplement From the Store

In addition to having guests bring some dishes, don't be afraid to purchase things to round out the meal. The key to make it/buy it success is getting top-quality items: Ask your cheesemonger to recommend an assortment of interesting cheeses for a simple, delicious hors d'oeuvre. Find a good local bakery to supply crusty rolls for the main course and a fresh pumpkin pie to accompany the simple homemade apple cake. You may spend a bit more, but you'll save your sanity and, if you find good sources, the bought items can be as good as homemade. Eventually, as you build your skills, you'll be able to branch out to making pies and breads from scratch.

Rein In an Unruly Menu

In my humble opinion, there is just too much food on the typical Thanksgiving table. If I have spent hours in the kitchen, I want my guests to be able to savor the fare, not groan at the sight of food heaped on their plates. With both stuffing and sweet potatoes on the table, I see no need to serve mashed potatoes as well. But if you can't bear to give them up, feel free to add your favorite recipe to this menu. Another tip to bear in mind hotel jobs in singapore: Be careful not to have too many casseroles and other baked dishes that need last-minute time in the oven. A sautéed green vegetable, such as the green beans in this menu, can be cooked entirely on the stovetop, and will be a welcome contrast to all the baked carbs.

Rely on Lists, Not Your Memory

There's no such thing as too many lists when it comes to a holiday meal. For this menu, I've put together a grocery list and a timetable, but you'll also want to decide which beverages to serve and add them to the list, along with any sundries (candles, guest towels, camera batteries or film, etc.). If you can, buy all nonperishables in the weeks before the holiday to avoid a last-minute dash. Other organizational tricks that will make things easier: Label serving dishes with the items they'll hold, and tape up a complete menu in the kitchen so you don't forget to serve something. (I'm famous for forgetting the cranberry sauce in the refrigerator!)

Exercise Crowd Control

Thanksgiving is about hospitality, and sometimes the guest list can get pretty big. But this doesn't need to cause panic. Just be sure that you have enough plates and utensils, and if you don't have room for a seated meal, do the menu as a buffet. I've offered recipes for eight servings, but, with the exception of the cake, everything on the menu can easily be scaled up simply by multiplying the ingredients and using larger serving dishes. For more than 12 guests, make a second cake, or add another dessert.

Tighten Up Your Bar Selection

It takes time to make individual cocktails, and time is not something you'll have a lot of if you're hosting Thanksgiving. Consider serving a single "house" cocktail. The Neopolitan suggested here uses an infused syrup that can be made well ahead of time and is easy to mix up. For nondrinkers, replace the vodka with seltzer. Or simplify things by just combining vodka (or seltzer) with cranberry juice. At dinner, serve one white wine and one red—a full-bodied Pinot Noir or Chardonnay would pair perfectly well with everything on the menu.

Some of the most historic and artistic sights in India are to be found near Bangalore: the ornate temple complexes of Belur and Halebid, and the great awe inspiring statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola. If you are ever in Bangalore, you must spend a day visiting all three of these places, for they are sights that you will never forget Loop app android.
 
Belur and Halebid are both elaborate temple complexes that date back to the 12th century. They are famous for the elaborate stone carvings that adorn the buildings, illustrating stories from the great Hindu epics. Images of gods and goddesses, bulls, and mythological beasts, carved in amazing, intricate detail fill every inch of wall space. Here, you will feel transported back in time as you marvel at the thousands of miniature statues carved straight out of rock.
 
Shravanabelagola is a pilgrimage site for followers of the Jain faith, where you climb steps up a steep hill at the top of which towers a 57 foot high statue of Bahubali, a Jain saint. Over a thousand years old, it is carved from a single rock and is the tallest monolithic statue in the world.
 
The climb up the steep hill to the Bahuabali shrine can be quite exhausting, so it is a good idea to fortify yourself with a paper cone of freshly roasted peanuts or a refreshing drink of green coconut water at the base of the hill.
 
When driving from Bangalore to all of these places smartone, there are plenty of opportunities to stop at the many roadside cafes along the route and sample authentic local fare. We made sure to stop at several of them! I always started with Rasam (spicy tomato soup), to warm me up. Our meals often expanded to include dosas (thin crepes made with a fermented batter of rice and lentils, stuffed with spicy potatoes), idlis (steamed rice cakes), vadas (deep fried lentil cakes, often served dipped in rasam or with coconut chutney on the side) and upma ( semolina cooked with spices and vegetables). Just getting to Belur was half the fun!
 
Rasam, a staple in every South Indian meal is considered to be a digestive. The recipe varies from region to region - sometimes it is just tamarind water cooked up with pepper, herbs and spices and other times it is tomatoes, lentils and spices cooked together to make a thin soup. My personal favourite is the one that combines all these elements in one recipe, the one I have provided here.

This is a hearty blend of tomatoes, lentils, tamarind, spices and herbs. In addition to being healthy, one bowl will banish all colds and put a smile on your face for the rest of the day!

This delicious spicy tomato lentil soup is fantastic for chasing away winter blahs. Add some leftover rice to it and you've got a perfect lunch to warm you up! If you'd like to make it spicier, invest in some rasam powder - it's a ready made spice mix for preparing rasam, available in Indian grocery stores Private Cloud.
Rasam

♪cup *Tur Dal (split pigeon peas) or red lentils
♪1 lb. ripe Italian plum tomatoes (about 6), substitute canned if desired
♪1/4 inch piece of ginger
salt to taste
♪tsp turmeric
♪30 *fresh curry leaves
♪1 tsp *Rasam powder, optional
♪1/2 tsp *tamarind paste or 2 tbsp lemon juice
♪2 tbsp vegetable oil
♪2 dried red chilies
♪1/4 tsp each: black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, *fenugreek seeds (optional)
♪1 small onion, finely chopped
♪2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
♪1/2 tsp each: ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, sugar
♪2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

Wash lentils and soak in water for 15 minutes. Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Drain lentils and place them along with the tomatoes and ginger in a deep saucepan. Add 3 cups water, salt, turmeric and 15 curry leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook till very soft, about 30 minutes. Puree mixture with a hand blender and then strain. Stir in Rasam powder and tamarind (if using) .

Warm oil in non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chillies, mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds. As soon as they begin to splutter, add the chopped onions, garlic and remaining curry leaves. Saut�� for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add dal mixture to skillet along with pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander and sugar. Stir to mix, and cook for about 5 minutes, then mix in the chopped fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice (if using) and serve hot.

I'm lucky to be the occasional recipient of Josey Baker experimentations. The other day Josey handed me a still-hot loaf of 100% einkorn bread - substantial, fragrant, a dark brown crumb with a craggy top-crust Power Wing Displays. It smelled like a great brewery - all malt, and grain, and warmth. And it begged to be treated right.

The first question to come to mind was slicing strategy...the consensus was: 1) Allow the bread to cool completely. 2) With this loaf - not too thick, not too thin. Not to digress too much, but when it comes to toast, the thickness or thinness of the slice is key. Some breads lend themselves to a thick slab - Blue Bottle Cafe (in downtown San Francisco) cooks an egg-in-the hole of Acme's pain de mie. Perfect. There are other breads I like thinly sliced and extra-toasted - Josey's rye comes to mind, also Anna's Daughters' Rye - a beautifully distinctive local bread.

Once this was sorted, Josey got on with his afternoon, and I started thinking about what I'd eventually put on the bread. Silvena Rowe's book had been in my bag for a few days, I was reading it when I was on the bus, or waiting on a coffee. So I started paging through, and settled on a beet spread I knew would be beautiful - the sweet earthiness of the roasted beets accented with toasted walnuts mathconcept, chives, dates, a bit of booziness, and a swirl of creme fraiche.


Silvena has written a couple of other books I have in my library - I suspect a good number of you might find them inspiring as well. I first purchased Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume: Cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean, and then Orient Express: Fast Food from the Eastern Mediterranean.

The beet caviar was a nice accompaniment to the einkorn, and I imagine it would be brilliant as a spread or dollop on just about anything - from toasted pita, to a harvest soup. A swirl would be nice in risotto, or as part of a mezze spread Interactive Digital Signage. Enjoy!

The number of banana baked goods here on BoB is a direct result of how many bananas we buy that don’t get eaten before they get overripe. I’m sure I’m not alone in turning good banana-eating intentions into bread Fine Wine, cake, bars, and anything else that lets me use them.

In fact, I make sure to keep several banana recipes bookmarked for those times I spy perfectly overripe bananas on my kitchen counter. I’m not sure if that makes me overly prepared or just resigned to the fact that we’re likely not to eat all the bananas we buy.

In any case, the last time we got bananas, I was secretly hoping that they’d go uneaten so I could make this cake. I’ve had my eye on it for a while for several reasons. First of all, I love the flavor combination of bananas, chocolate, nuts Pegboard Displays, and cinnamon. Secondly, I do love a good coffee cake. And, of course, I’ll take any excuse to get out a Bundt pan.

The cake was all I wanted it to be and more. It’s less dense and more delicate than most coffee cakes I’ve made. The banana flavor is subtle but works so well with that gorgeous ribbon of chocolate, nuts, and cinnamon.

Go check your counter for your current banana status. Then, get to baking or save this one for the inevitable day you want to stop some bananas from going to waste Voting System.

Days have been busy and the summer heat is not letting up. I console myself with the hypnotic, almost unbearably sweet smell of summer fruits ripening in my fruit bowl, mangoes and pineapple. The fruit bowl I put square in the middle of my dining room table, serving as both a receptacle for sustenance and colorful decoration, making me feel smugly thrifty handmade jewelry.

I do like to think that I am a thrifty person. I know how to indulge, that much is certain. I have certainly parted with hard earned pennies for things I view as pleasures. Maybe it’s because I feel strongly that each of us deserves a treat every now a then (or more). If we won’t treat ourselves, who else will right? So yes, I do indulge and have nothing against spending what I can on things I believe will bring me joy (without breaking the bank of course).

I suppose what I really consider my thrifty side is the side that can’t abide by waste, especially food waste. I’ve spoken about it before and perhaps you’ve noticed that every once in a while I’ve posted about ways to avoid food waste or dishes made with leftovers or other odds and ends. I always get a sense of girl-scouty satisfaction every time I am able to use something that might have otherwise ended up in the waste bin.

This is a dish that does that.

Frittata with Fried Bread and Cheese
(Adapted from Ilva of Lucullian Delights)

Olive oil
1-2 slices day-old bread, torn or chopped into chunky cubes
3-4 tablespoons cooked peas
4 eggs, whisked
3-4 tablespoons grated cheese


- Heat a good swirl of olive oil in an 8-inch skillet. When the oil is hot, add the bread cubes and toast, turning once or twice, until all sides are deeply golden and toasted. Remove from pan and set aside.
- If the pan is dry, as the bread tends to sip up all the oil, add another generous swirl of olive oil. Add the peas and toss once or twice data centre hk, just to warm them up. Add the bread back and try to distribute the peas and bread evenly around the pan without making too big a deal of it. Pour in the eggs and cook over low heat until almost everything is set. I sometimes cover the pan towards the end just to speed this process up.
- When the eggs are almost set, through still wet in the middle, sprinkle the cheese over the top and transfer the pan underneath a pre-heated grill and grill until the cheese is melted. This happens very fast so do not leave your grill!
- Serve warm, although I’ve had this at room temperature to no ill effects.

How much bread you use will depend on the size of your slices. You could use only one, or may need two. What I do is place my bread cubes into my skillet (an 8-inch skillet is just right for this frittata) and judge from there if I need to add more. I like the bread to be evenly distributed throughout the pan without filling it up entirely.

This will make a lovely breakfast or brunch (or lunch) for two. I had this with little C and we had enough leftover for a midafternoon snack for me.

I love so many things about this simple frittata. Firstly, it is a fantastic way to make use of old bread! I mention day-old bread in the recipe but truthfully I have never made this with bread only a day old. I will go out on a limb here and confess that I often use bread that is already scratching-the-limits-of-decency old. Old bread has the heft and structure that lends itself perfectly to toasting in olive oil and then cooking in runny eggs…softening just enough without ever getting soggy. I have a bag of bread past its prime in the fridge especially for dishes like this (or for French toast…or bread crumbs).

This frittata is also a great way to make use of other leftovers. Here I’ve used some leftover peas, and some grated cheese from another recipe that needed using up. You can add whatever leftovers you have in sitting your fridge though that pairs well with egg (and that means a lot) – ham, bacon, potatoes, tuna, most vegetables, or herbs. I imagine this would also be excellent with some sautéed onions mixed through, and then topped with Gruyere. You can use any cheese you have on hand theradome reviews.

Also, it makes for a nice light meal…so if you have any leftover chocolate cake lounging around somewhere you can feel fully justified in polishing that off and further cleaning your fridge out. Lastly, it’s delicious!

If you have any good ideas for old bread, or for leftovers in general, do share. Meanwhile, let’s continue the battle against food waste!