My husband and I, along with a crew of siblings, aunts, uncles, and even some work colleagues with nowhere else to go for the holiday, are about to descend upon my aunt's lovely home for Thanksgiving dinner. This is a time when a hostess gift is certainly called for. We want to take some small and luxurious token of appreciation, maybe even something homemade. Here are a few ideas, and we'd love to hear more from you!
As much as we enjoy cake and pie, sometimes a simpler dish is most welcome at the end of a big meal. Each of these fruit-based recipes is lighter than most traditional holiday desserts (several are also gluten free or vegan), yet there's no sacrifice in flavor or festive color. We also love how they really showcase the season's jewels, from quinces to cranberries and pears to persimmons.
Do you use a sifter? Ours disappeared in our last move, so we use a mesh sieve instead whenever we really need to sift something. But sifters can be really handy when you want to thoroughly combine spices and flour, or make sure your powdered sugar is totally free of lumps. Here's one sifter that we really like the looks of.
Last week, we shared all our advice from planning the dishes to setting the table, but we understand if you're still nervous. Thanksgiving dinner is a big deal! If you're a Turkey Day newbie, what are you most worried about? If you're a veteran, what advice do you have?
We pull out our vacuum a couple of times a week for a quick clean-up of crumbs, dust, hair, or whatever else is scattered on our kitchen floor. And vacuuming is essential before we get down on our hands and knees for a deep-cleaning scrub.
But we've started popping on the small attachments and using the vacuum for cleaning other areas of the kitchen. First came the stovetop, which was extremely dusty a few weeks ago. We know it sounds crazy—how could it be dusty when we use it so often?—but it was. Maybe from flour wafting around while we baked?
Then we tackled some long-neglected vegetable drawers in the fridge. Trust us, the vacuum worked better than any sponge or paper towel.
I'm planning to offer my guests a choice of these two cocktails on Thursday. One is cranberry-based, and the other is apple cider-based. They're pretty easy to make, and I'm planning to make them on the spot, but if I had more guests, I could multiply the recipes and add them to pitchers. Anyway, if you'd like to offer your guests something to sip on while they nibble their hors d'oeuvres and socialize, here are two options to consider!
On Friday we mentioned one of our favorite de-stressing tips for dinner parties: set the table the night before. Here is one other related tip for stress-less dinner parties: set up a dessert station ahead of time.
This weekend we found ourselves overwhelmed with a large amount of apples that needed to be used up. We set to work making them into applesauce and dried apple rings, but we hit one snag — we don't have an apple corer. Instead we busted out some circular cutters to pull double duty.
When we first saw this cozy, homey kitchen on Apartment Therapy, we said wow! That is exactly the kind of kitchen we'd like to cook in.
We admit to being a bit fanatical when it comes to making real whipped cream. There's just no way we'd make a beautiful homemade pie and then top it off with whipped cream from a can! Especially when making it ourselves is so incredibly easy and so very much better. See for yourselves!
Name: Quick Tap Entertainment Refrigerator
Store: Amana
Value: $799
Description: Available in red or silver, this 17.6 cubic ft refrigerator boasts a beverage reservoir that dispenses up to 3 liters of your favorite party drinks — like punch — from a self-service dispenser.
We have a love-hate relationship with our thermal carafe. When we bought it, it was something we thought we'd use just for big parties or other occasions when we needed to keep a pot of coffee warm. We've ended up using it every day; it's a rather indispensable part of our morning coffee routine. But this particular carafe drives us crazy.
Ah, nutloaf. Not the sexiest sounding main dish but that hardly matters once you've taken a bite. Rich, chewy, umami-loaded and very satisfying, Nutloaf has won the hearts and palates of many people, even non-vegetarians. Read on for the classic recipe, alternative serving suggestions and, of course, ideas for leftovers.
Q: Help! My office is having a Thanksgiving potluck. I need to bring a side dish or appetizer to share with about 30 people. I am looking for something that can be served at room temperature since we only have 2 small microwaves in the office kitchen.
Any suggestions?
Sent by Amy
A cute little clean-up brush for the kitchen, pencils made with the chef in mind, and strip steak quesadillas!
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