Archive for the ‘Seasonal/Holiday Recipes’ Category

Thanksgiving Tip: Fresh or Frozen Turkey?

I’m sure you’ve seen signs in the grocery store urging you to order fresh turkeys now. But is fresh really better than frozen?

Actually, it’s really your preference because the quality of frozen and fresh turkey meat is about equal. Frozen turkeys are less expensive and can be stored in the freezer for at least a month with no loss in meat moisture and tenderness but require time to defrost. Fresh turkeys are more perishable and are therefore more expensive because of how they have to be handled to get them to market safely. Fresh turkeys should also be refrigerated until they’re ready to be prepared for roasting and should be cooked within a day or two of purchase to ensure maximum freshness. One key point: if you ordered a fresh turkey, make sure to pick it up the day BEFORE Thanksgiving at the latest as most grocery stores are closed Thanksgiving Day.

For more Thanksgiving tips and step-by-step picture book recipes designed to make your Thanksgiving as stress-free and FUN as possible, please check out the Thanksgiving Help page you can get by clicking this link or by clicking the tab as shown in the picture below.

Thanksgiving Help Page

 

 

New Year’s Eve Sparkling Wine & Rum Punch Blast


Sparkling Wine and Rum Punch BlastThis Sparkling Wine & Rum Punch Blast combines combines dry, crisp Italian Prosecco (sparkling wine) with white rum and the summery citrus flavors of lemon, lime, and orange for a great tasting, easy to make twist on the traditional New Year’s Eve bottle of champagne.  Read more »

Fresh Mai Tai: Full-On Tropical Holiday Flavor – All in Pictures

Mai TaiAll right, the winter holidays – every one of ‘em – is right here and now, and I sure wish you Happy Holidays!

The other day while I was in downtown Boston, a good friend of mine, Andrea, mentioned that she and her family were going to have a luau Christmas this year. Terrific! It turns out Andrea will be in charge of the drinks and was thinking about making mai tais. Great! “Only, I’m quite sure I know how to make them,” she said. No problem, I told her. I have a recipe – all in pictures – at my site. I drilled up the site on my phone to show her right then and there and realized that what I’d had available wasn’t quite as clear as wanted it to be. Again, no problem. That’s one of the beauties of working digitally.

I got home, reshot and rewrote the recipe, and now have it here good to go.

Mai Tai Picture Book Recipe Read more »

How to Remove and Store Meat From a Turkey – All in Pictures

Removing Meat from a Roast Turkey Now that Thanksgiving’s over – great holiday! – it’s time to think about leftovers that are limited only by your tasteful imagination…after first removing the meat from the turkey body and then storing that meat properly. 

Yeah, I know: I used to dislike removing meat from a turkey, but now that I know how to do it about as efficiently as possible, I don’t mind the job at all. Read more »

Stress-Free Turkey Roast and Easy Thanksgiving Help – All in Pictures

Carving Roast TurkeyHappy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving because all that’s expected is good company and a great tasting meal. At the same time, I sure understand that putting together that fantastically flavorful meal can mean a good deal of stress for those in the kitchen.  To help relieve that stress, here’s the easiest, most stress-free way I know to roast a moist and tender turkey, especially one that, like the majority of turkeys available, weighs less than 15 pounds. Read more »

Cycling: Winter Ride Fueled By Holiday Flavor

I tell people with a good smile, “Weather’s a state of mind – just be prepared”. Gotta’ say that line went from smile to laugh when I got out to a frozen car to get my son to school before dawn this morning and then came home to see this online.

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Crisp and Seasonally Flavorful Fall (Whiskey) Sour – All in Pictures

This past weekend I got some requests for the crisp and fully flavorful “fall sour” seasonal variation on the traditional whiskey sour shown in the picture with the turkey dinner below left. The picture below right shows the ingredients.  Click any picture on this page for a complete step-by-step picture book recipe.

Rule of Thumb: For every 1 1/2 ounces of lemon juice, add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1-2 teaspoons almond (orgeat) syrup, 3-4 ounces bourbon, and 2 ounces apple cider.

  

How to Remove and Store the Meat from a Turkey


ow to remove and store meat from a turkey

First, I hope you had a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving. Yah, I know for some of you that line’ll lay a good wry smile on your face. I had a good time stretched out on my toes in the traditional Thanksgiving family picture – and just managed stand with the tallest in the group. You bet, I’m smiling! Read more »

Stress-Free Roast Turkey


Here’s how the 15 1/2 pound turkey I roasted last night (Thanksgiving Eve) turned out after 2 1/2 hours of high heat roasting. After misreading a recipe and making adjustments years ago, using high oven heat (450°F/230°C) at 10 minutes per pound is my favorite stress-free method for ensuring a moist and tender turkey. Read more »

Quickly Thawing a Frozen Turkey in Water

Frozen Turkey Thawing in Water

It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Stores will be closed tomorrow. Hopefully, you’ve already bought a turkey if you plan to have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

If you bought a frozen turkey, here’s the quickest safe way to thaw it. Plan on 30 minutes thawing time per pound – about 6 hours total thawing time for a 12 pound turkey, 7 1/2 hours for a 15 pound turkey. Read more »

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