Colossal and Crisp!

I gathered these extraordinarily large Sycamore leaves from the median on Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park. They are beautiful when left to dry naturally.

Leave as is if you have toddlers inclined to eat centerpieces. Or follow my lead by taking them outside to mist with gold hardware-store spray. Let the paint dry thoroughly and then later/MUCH LATER if any odor lingers/scatter on your Thanksgiving table.  

Simple and sensational particularly when positioned next to pumpkins sprayed with just a hint of gold as well. Less is more.

Leaves should last a lifetime if stored in a sturdy box. 

Turkey Breast with Walnut and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

Thanksgiving is almost here/how did that happen?  

The following recipe is a delightful alternative to the traditional turkey. I've used it several times, most notably when oven space was restricted or baking times were in question, as in high-altitude, Tahoe-type, cooking.  

Not only is this far less hassle than the traditional turkey, it cooks in about one-third the time of a whole bird, fits in every oven, and is easy to carve.

Save time and frustration by asking the butcher to do the butterflying.

Turkey Breast with Walnut and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

• 1 boneless turkey half breast (about 5 pounds)
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup /3 ounces dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup/2 fl ounces red wine
• 2 tablespoons/1 ounce butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups/4 ounces diced bread
• 1 1/2 cups/12 fluid ounces chicken stock
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/8 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Butterfly turkey and pound slightly with a meat mallet to even the shape.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. For stuffing, soak dried cranberries in red wine for approx. 30 minutes or until berries are soft and plump.  In large sauté pan over high temperature, heat the butter until very hot.  Add onion, shallots and garlic and sauté for approximately 2-3 minutes.  Add the cranberries and wine and cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated.
3. In large bowl, toss the diced bread with the sautéed onion mixture.  Add enough chicken stock to soften the bread.  Add eggs, walnuts, thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.  Cool completely in refrigerator. 
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
5. Spread cooled stuffing over the butterflied half breast.  Roll the turkey and tie it with kitchen twine.  In a large roasting pan over high heat, heat the olive oil until smoking hot.  Place the turkey in the roasting pan and bake for 15 minutes or until it is golden brown.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey is 155 degrees.
6. Place on serving platter and set aside for 2 minutes before carving into generous slices, accompanied by seasonal vegetables.

from Caprial's Cafe Favorites by Caprial Pence

Make Ahead Gravy

Thank you, Sally!  Here is the concept that she shared at our October meeting. Originally printed in the May, 2007 Women’s Day Magazine, I found it on Food.com. 

Make Ahead Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 lbs turkey wings
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup water
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange wings in a single layer in a large roasting pan.
3. Scatter onions over top.
4. Roast 1 1/4 hours until wings are browned.
5. Put wings and onions in a 5-6 quart pot.
6. Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom.
7. Add the brown bits to the pot.
8. Add 6 cups broth (refrigerate the remaining 2 cups) add carrot and thyme.
9. Bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1 1/2 hours.
11. Remove wings to cutting board.
12. Save wing meat for another use if you wish, or discard.
13. Strain broth into a 3 quart saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible.
14. Discard vegetables.
15. Skim fat off broth and discard.
16. If time permits, refrigerate broth overnight to make fat skimming easier.
17. Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups broth until well blended.
18. Bring broth in pot to a gentle boil.
19. Whisk in broth flavored mixture and boil 3-4 minutes to thicken gravy and cook flour.
20. Stir in butter and pepper.
21. Serve now or freeze up to 6 months.

AN EVEN EASIER SOLUTION?  They make it. You take it! Harry's Hofbrau, 1909 El Camino, Redwood City, CA. 

Pine Cone Place Cards

A darling idea that was easy enough for a school-age child to construct.  

Click to Download PDF

Materials

• red thread
• red felt for turkey bodies
• another color for eye surround/gray used on this version
• 2 moving eyes
• pinking shears

Instructions

1. Cut two of each pattern piece.
2. Pink along outline from point A to B.
3. Sew heads together, continuing to base of neck on front while ending the stitching at point B.
4. Sew tails together, leaving base open.
5. Glue eye surround with movable eye on top.
6. Fit on pine cone, filling head and tail with paper/batting/?/should you want a sturdier model.

Thanks, Shannon & Susan!!!  Thanks, W!  It does take a village!

Easy, Cheesy T Day Snack

One final, super simple Thanksgiving idea.

Bringing the Turkey to Your Thanksgiving Table

Garnishing a turkey has never been a strong suit. Here is one of many lovely ways to go about it.

source

Benefits of Moroccan Argan Oil

While Essaouira was not part of our trip, our bus was definitely all a buzz about this remarkable oil. Restorative and age-defying? I'm in. Will you recognize me? Will I recognize myself? I'm slathering it on as I write.

Read the rest. You, too, may be stocking up, slathering on and consuming Argan.

Marvelous. Magical. Morocco.

Back from one wildly wonderful, incredibly well-organized National Geographic Photographic Adventure in Morocco. More thoughts and images to come. An extraordinary two weeks.

I nearly fell off my camel while trying to take pictures of the spectacular end-of-day shadows. 

Tiny Turkey Tarts!

Could these be cuter?  Easy, TOO. 

Here's the recipe.  

Here's another site with basically the same cute tart concept if the first link isn't functioning.

On to Thanksgiving!

Oh dear.

I, too, thought that these tee pees were quite cute.

Read on to discover the backlash based on info about the earliest American's lodgings.

Really?

Could it be cake or ice cream inside the cones? Or, perhaps, nothing and later filled with ice cream?

More.

And here's a variation on the theme in question.

And the source.

AND I just found this that might be helpful.

Here's how.  They use different cones but the concept is the same.

And there's always Martha, who cooks from scratch, of course. I think I'd skip this step and find a healthy, whole-grain, packaged mix.

Pretty beautiful. Where does one find an ice cream cone/cake holder? What else could it be? Martha knows. I don't.

Terrific Thanksgiving Pie Ideas

Easy ways to make pies look terrific.

Turkey Appetizer Tray

This could be the best Thanksgiving appetizer I've ever seen. Best of all, it's easy to do.

source

The Nicer Dicer

What's not to love about this little slicer/dicer.

Compact and easy to clean. Contains everything you need for cutting, dicing and slicing. Chop onions, zucchini, peppers, celery, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and fruits.

I love mine. I think it's a great gift. Order one for yourself and see what you think.

Amazon's the go-to spot/many options.

Olive Tapenade + 10 Ways to Use It

I adore tapenade/see yesterday's post.  Here are some more ideas.

Jerusalem-Style Hummus

How great does this look? Surprisingly the recipe doesn't indicate garnishes which, I think, make the dish so spectacular. My best guess: whole cooked garbanzos, toasted pine nuts, tapenade, slivered basil and olive oil.

Obvious shortcut: Costco or any other readymade hummus with toppings.

Note: I sent my husband out for hummus and tapenade. I should have been more specific. He arrived home with a red pepper hummus and a really insipid green tapenade. The flavor was good/the combo was not pretty. Choose a plain hummus and a dark tapenade and I think you'll be quite happy.

recipe

Massaged Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

It's November but still we have tons of kale in our garden. It's also prevalent in our local Farmer's Markets this time of year.

But while beautiful and vitamin packed, I found it tough to consume other than when juiced or pureed in smoothies.

Not so. 

Unless you know how to prepare it.

I obviously did not.

Until today.

Read on and then enjoy this super healthy, flavor-filled salad. 

Read the rest.

Cabinet Conversion: Now a Doll House

What a terrific idea. A wonderful way to use that piece of furniture that has no home in your current life. 

Source.

Turkey Snack Plate

 Could not be cuter/more flavor- or fruit-filled. There's more you'll enjoy on this website.

 

Hugh Jackman

I've watched Les Miserables more times than you can imagine.

If you haven't seen the Hugh Jackman/Anne Hathaway version, see it now via Amazon, Apple or...

Turns out, I am in love with Hugh Jackman. What an sensational singer/actor. How have I missed this amazing man until now?

I found him on YouTube. And I think that you, too, if you haven't already, will fall in love. Again and again.

And, Anne H., what a terrific performance in Les Mis AND in the Oscar Ceremony I apparently missed as well. WOW.

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Dinner

Tonight.  LOVED IT. If you were to do anything to this recipe/which you don't need to do/I've found that in lieu of firing up the grill, you can carmelize onions, garlic, etc. on the stove top. You'll achieve many of the same subtle and sensational flavors while staying inside. 

Excellent recipe.