Al Dente

Magnum Opus: A Carafe for All Seasons

I am always on the lookout for beautiful tabletop designs, but at the holidays I truly revel in the search, buying hostess gifts, presents for friends, tokens of appreciation, stocking stuffers, and occasionally just a little something for my own holiday (or everyday) table.

It's not easy to find an elegant way to serve filtered tap water, so this Rosendahl carafe is quite a find. It's simple lines make it perfect for both formal or informal dining. The work of Danish designer Ole Palsby, the Opus Carafe holds a full liter of liquid and the lid keeps dust and odors out if you're chilling your water in the fridge. 

Water is always on the table at our house, but there's no need to limit this carafe to H2O. Its lovely proportions mean red and white wines or brightly colored fruit juices will look stunning on the table. But first you've got to put it under the tree.

--Tracy Schneider

Chill Your Beer with Air

I just found this tip in the new issue of WIRED magazine, and had to share. I think this falls under the "WWMD (what would MacGyver do)" category, but after researching it online it seems like a fairly common practice. Place your beer in a container, then grab a can of compressed air (the type used for cleaning out keyboards), and hold it upside down so it releases its contents in liquid form. Coat most of the beer in frost (just not the top where you'll be drinking from it), wait a few seconds for the buildup to fade, then pop the top of your frosty beverage and enjoy! Please note: I haven't actually tried this, but would love to hear success stories from anyone who has.

--AndreaLeigh

Will Fried Chicken Be A Hot Trend for 2010?

I just read predictions on Epicurious about what's hot/what's not for the coming year and had to smile about the thought of fried chicken fever. Everything old-fashioned really is new again. (Mac-and-cheese, anything wrapped in bacon, hot dish casseroles and cupcakes are some of the nostalgic fare that's blown up big in the past couple of years.)

As far as I'm concerned, fried chicken has always been on the front burner. But only once or twice a year because it's so incredibly messy to make.

My daughter invited a couple of friends from college for dinner over the holiday weekend. One was from the South and feeling homesick. What a great excuse to fry some chicken using a slightly streamlined version of my absolute all-time favorite fried chicken recipe from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock's wonderful book, The Gift of Southern Cooking.

I brined the chicken for a few hours and then marinated it in buttermilk overnight. (It's supposed to be a two-day process, with one day for brining, another for its buttermilk bath.)

Because I didn't have any country ham to render in lard, I used a bit of bacon instead. Yes, this recipe calls for chicken to be fried in lard. Another reason I cook it just once or twice a year.

It turned out as golden as a Tuscan sunset and so crispy it crackled. (I think the inclusion of cornstarch play an important role in the texture of the fried chicken.) The homesick Southerner ate four pieces.

I'm so glad he liked it. That made the extensive clean-up a little easier to take.

-- Leslie Kelly

Thanksgiving Leftovers Still? Tetrazzini to the Rescue!

Tired of Thanksgiving leftovers? Wondering just what to do with all that turkey still left in the fridge? Turkey Tetrazzini to the rescue!

My friends Zachary and Clark tell me that Luisa Tetrazzini, a great operatic soprano of the early 20th century, was much beloved in San Francisco, her favorite city. In her honor, a local chef created Chicken Tetrazzini, a delicious concoction that combines a classical French sauce with an Italian pasta to make an American casserole.

This year, after they'd had their fill of turkey with gravy and then turkey sandwiches, Zachary and Clark turned their leftovers into Turkey Tetrazzini, substituting turkey for the chicken breasts and turkey stock for the chicken broth. It was a winner!

Turkey Tetrazzini is too easy not to try once. And too good not to file away with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Do you have any traditional recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers? Let us know!

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked and diced
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup sherry
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Paprika
Chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 10-by-10 inch ceramic dish. Season and saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until well browned; set aside. Cook spaghetti.

2. Make a white sauce using the stick of butter, flour, half-and-half, chicken broth, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil until thickened. Add chicken, mushrooms and sherry to white sauce; heat through.

3. Place spaghetti in ceramic dish and pour on sauce. Cover with bread crumbs, Parmesan and almonds. Sprinkle on paprika. Bake 20-25 minutes until well-browned. Garnish with parsley.

--Tracy Schneider

Zwieback Toast: R.I.P. And Another Attempt at Cheesecake

My husband is still on a mission to find the cheesecake of my youth, the dense, not creamy, deli cheesecake that I've described to him for years, with no luck so far. But I do have some interesting news.

For those who have been following my cheesecake saga, let me fill you in on the AWOL zwieback, the critical ingredient in the crust of a cheesecake my husband made a few weeks ago. After multiple but fruitless searches for zwieback up and down cookie, cracker and baby food aisles in a variety of grocery and specialty stores, I contacted Kraft Foods to find out where I could purchase their zwieback toast. I heard via email from a spokesperson there that the company no longer makes it. Zwieback R.I.P.

Back at our house, now cheesecake central, my husband has become more than a little obsessed with cheesecake. Over the holidays he made pumpkin cheesecake instead of pumpkin pie, and he decided to take on another mission--to find the cheesecake of his youth. The cheesecake that lives in his memory has a graham cracker crust, a sour cream topping and a rich creamy center. His Cousin Bob used to make it, but lost the recipe ages ago.

My husband recently ran into Bob and begged him to take one more look through his recipe files. After turning them inside out Bob found the lost recipe. (Thanks, Bob!) This particular cheesecake recipe is incredibly easy to make and comes by way of the Frankfurter, a hot dog stand that has had many outposts over the years, but is now down on Seattle's waterfront and at Seattle Center. Don't go looking for a slice of heaven at the Frankfurter any time soon, they haven't sold cheesecake in years. 

The Frankfurter Cheesecake

Cake:
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1/4-1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Topping:
2 cups sour cream
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Crust:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Scant 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter 

Directions:
1. Beat eggs. Then add sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice. Mix well and add cream cheese in small pieces. Blend for several minutes until smooth and creamy.

2. Mix crust ingredients and firmly press crust mixture into bottom of a spring-form pan. Add cream cheese mixture and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes. While cake is baking, mix together topping ingredients. After 20 minutes, remove cake from oven and pour topping over baked cake.  Return to 500 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Chill several hours or overnight.

Serves 10-12

--Tracy Schneider

Out of Finnair: This Glassware Is a Work of Art

If you're sprucing up your holiday table, looking for a very special hostess gift or a great Christmas present, look no further than the Ultima Thule, Iittala's icy take on glassware. I'm as crazy about its appearance as I am its history.

Originally created by Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala for Finnair's new route to JFK in the late 60s, this cool glass looks like a dripping chunk of ice that was recently brought in from the cold. In fact, the labor-intensive technique that creates its shape was pioneered by Wirkkala and is called the ice glass technique.

The Ultima Thule comes in a variety of sizes, from cordial to cocktail to tumbler, so you're sure to find one to fit any and every need. I love the tiny cordial glasses, perfect for serving limoncello or nocino after dinner, as well as the somewhat larger, but still short and stout cocktail glasses and tumblers that once graced Finnair meal trays.

More than a glass, the Ultima Thule is a work of art. And a sensational gift.

--Tracy Schneider

(Black) Friday Links for Food Lovers

It's Friday again! Full up from Thanksgiving goodness, you may be wondering what other culinary challenges lie ahead. A few suggestions:

• These chocolatey waffle cookies aren't (just) for breakfast.
• Another possible breakfast choice, double chocolate pecan pie.
• Chocolate chip cookie brittle. Or, as the baker says: "Basically an entire pan of the crisp, brown-buttery, sugary edges of the very best chocolate chip cookie, aka The Best Part."
• On a healthy note, stacked pear salads that make a statement.
• And, back to the sweet stuff: chocolate caramel bars look delectable.
• Food52 serves up the Piggyback. More proof bourbon and bacon go together.
• In case you're already missing turkey, a parting shot of a super bacontastic one from Wan Life to Live:

Photo courtesy of Wan Life to Live

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, you might also be looking for Black Friday deals. Check out Amazon's deals on kitchen and dining essentials, while supplies last:

• KitchenAid Professional 6-quart stand mixer in Meringue
• Keurig Elite Gourmet single-serve coffeemaker
• Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus food processor
• Tom Douglas by Pinzon 10-inch chef's knife
• Mikasa Parchment Red 40-piece dinnerware set
• Pinzon wine box stand

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

What Are You Eating for Dinner Tonight?

There's always a lot of interest in what's on the menu Thanksgiving Day. Turkey or some facsimile. Dressing with pecans or cranberries or chestnuts. Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. Or without. And we all know what we'll be eating the day after Thanksgiving. But what I want to know: What you are eating for dinner tonight?

I'm so geared up for turkey, I was tempted to stop by our local hangout for a hot turkey sandwich. But instead I'm eating Korean food, the antithesis of turkey and stuffing.

Crunchy seafood pancake to start. Stingingly hot and spicy tofu soup. Lip-smacking marinated short ribs. There's just nothing like it, and certainly not on Turkey Day. 

What about you? What are you eating on the eve of Thanksgiving? Are you stretching your stomach or starving it? Are you hitting the local diner for some pre-Thanksgiving cheer, or turning to a meal with no similarities to the big day at all? If you have a delicious Thanksgiving Eve, won't you let us know?

--Tracy Schneider

Perfect Post-Holiday Papaya Salad

I know we're still thinking about turkey, turkey, stuffing, and pie. Still, long before the leftovers are gone, we'll be ready for something tangy, fresh, and alive with flavor. That's partly why I've pre-emptively had Christina Arokiasamy's Green Papaya Salad on my mind. I'm a fan of her book, The Spice Merchant's Daughter, and I made papaya salad in the cooking class I took at her home a few months back.

At the hands-on class, I was wowed by how neatly perfect papaya shreds fell into the bowl, thanks to the tool Christina handed me to grate with. I had to ask what it was called. She told me something to the effect of, "Oh, that's a papaya twizzler!" And then I had to ask where she got it. "At Ikea!" Oh, OK. 

Pause. 

"In Bangkok."

When I told that story recently, Christina let me know she picked up a spare twizzler for me on her last overseas trip, which I can't wait to try out. She says it's the same as this "Miracle Knife". And, she kindly allowed me to share her salad recipe, which is spectacularly tart and complex and so plain delicious it deserves a holiday of its own. 

Green Papaya Salad

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2-1/2 tablespoons palm sugar syrup (make this by cooking an 8-ounce block of palm sugar in 1/4 cup water over medium heat, without stirring, until melted) or brown sugar
1 small green (unripe) papaya
5 garlic cloves
2 to 3 serrano chiles, to taste, sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)
3 ounces yard-long beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
10 green cabbage leaves, torn into 2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, crushed

Directions:
1. To prepare the dressing, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar syrup in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.

2. Peel the papaya and cut it in half. Scoop the white seeds out with a spoon and discard. Shred the papaya. Grate only the green fruit, stopping when you come close to the inner white layer. Set aside.

3. Combine the garlic, chiles, and dried shrimp in a mortar and mash with a pestle. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the papaya, long beans, and tomatoes. Pour in the dressing and toss well.

4. To serve, place the salad on a serving plate and arrange the cabbage on the side. Garnish with peanuts. To eat, each person may use the cabbage to scoop up the papaya salad.

Serves 4.

-- Rebekah Denn

My (Last) Ultimate Gourmet Magazine Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday--and no wonder...it centers around food! Like most people, I have Thanksgiving recipes I cherish and look forward to 364 days of the year. I also have a tradition I look forward to each year--devouring the Thanksgiving issue of Gourmet magazine and dreaming up my ultimate Thanksgiving dinner from the menus they recommend (see: 2007, 2008). This year is bittersweet, of course. With the demise of Gourmet, I nearly cried when I opened my mailbox and pulled out the Thanksgiving issue. One more time, with feeling, my ultimate Gourmet magazine Thanksgiving dinner:

• Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs
• Golden Onion Pie
• Cider-Glazed Turkey
• Rye Bread Stuffing
• Cranberry and Celery Relish
• Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Acorn Squash
• Sautéed Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Chile and Mint
• Toasted Sweet Corn Pudding
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
• Grape and Almond Frangipane Tart

Thanks Gourmet, for all the Thanksgiving dreams. Happy eating, everyone!

--KitchenMaus

“Punch” Up Your Holidays!

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, many (most!) of us are in planning mode for the biggest meal of the year. And along with the turkey and the trimmings comes another important part of the meal: what to drink.

Instead of the usual suspects--Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or Chardonnay--I’d like to propose something quick, easy, and economical that serves a crowd and looks lovely on the buffet table to boot: warm wine punch.

In their enticing book Hot Drinks: Cider, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Punch, and Spirits (Ten Speed Press, 2007), my friends Mary Lou and Robert Heiss, who run an atmospheric tea, coffee, and kitchenware shop in western Massachusetts and are the authors of several authoritative books on tea, serve up 50 recipes for classics such as Hot Buttered Rum and Spicy Mulled Cider, along with new inspirations such as Hot Wasabi Red Snapper and Pan-Asian Pear William.

In the Welcome Cups and Party Punches chapter, the husband-and-wife team feature 10 recipes including Glögg, a wintertime favorite in Sweden made of red wine, Aquavit, and brandy. Glühwein is another winter warmer featured in this informative and beautifully photographed book. “European punch” includes hard cider, brandy, dark honey, all manner of spices, not to mention citrus slices and twists.

You’ll want to go a’ wassailing when you read the recipe for Wassail, an ale-based punch that Brits drunk on Twelfth Night (January 5), at the end of the Christmas season. According to the recipe’s headnote, “The holiday Wassail bowl is popularly associated with medieval England, but is also part of even earlier Norse and Saxon traditions of celebrating the passage out of the darkest night of winter into a new year.”  Sounds promising.

I’ve included the Heisses’ recipe for Cranberry Claret Cup--a contemporary warm red-wine punch--below. Should you have any left over (highly unlikely), it makes a perfect poaching liquid for fresh pears or a heady foundation for a hot fruit soup.

Cranberry Claret Cup

Serves 12 or more

Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 ml) red Bordeaux wine
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup (8 ounces) brandy
1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 whole allspice berries
8 whole cloves
8 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 (5-inch) Ceylon cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 lemon cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Ladle into heatproof punch cups or demitasse cups and serve warm.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Hot Drinks: Cider, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Punch, and Spirits. Copyright © 2007 by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss, Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Cranberry Claret Cup photo by Marshall Gordon.

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

Kathy Casey Talks Turkey: How to Avoid the Top 10 Turkey Sins

The holidays are upon us and it's time to start planning those holiday dinners for friends and family. Everyone has their favorites--from old-school marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, to the classic green bean casserole. But for me it’s all about the turkey! Juicy and golden, it graces most of our holiday dinner tables. But, alas, there can be many turkey tragedies, “turkey sins” I call them. From the overcooked and dried out, to the not-fully-defrosted-and-then-baked-raw travesty! Zowie!

Ample planning and some good rules of thumb can ensure a low-stress turkey roasting day. Below, I’ll walk you through the 10 turkey sins, and provide tips on how to have a d'lish holiday meal.

Turkey Sin #1: Roasting a Half-Frozen Bird
If you’re buying a standard bird at the grocery store, take into consideration most of these babies are frozen or "half" frozen. The rule of thumb is: You should start defrosting your bird in the refrigerator about five days in advance—up to seven if it's a biggie! If you can order one fresh, then great; get your order in at least 2+ weeks ahead at your favorite market or butcher/poultry shop. Remember to get to “know your turkey”--if your going for local and free range it will cook a bit quicker (and need more seasoning) than a traditional “plumped” turkey.

Turkey Sin #2: Leaving the Bag of Giblets in the Bird
How many of you have seen these left in during baking?! Once your bird is ready for the big day, take it out of the wrapper. Remove the bag of "goodies and giblets" from inside, and also check inside the neck cavity. (NObody wants a turkey “butt” surprise.) You can use the neck and giblets to make a little pan of turkey stock for adding to gravy if you like.

Turkey Sin #3: “Steaming,” Rather than Roasting, Your Bird
Roasting your turkey in a big old deep roasting pan creates steam from the turkey juices and does not make for a crispy-skinned bird. To avoid this, rinse your turkey inside and out; then pat it dry. Place in a wide shallow pan, up on a roasting rack. Stick some aromatics, such as quartered onions, an orange, and a few big sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage and rosemary, in the inside cavity.

Turkey Sin #4: Underseasoning
All the gravy and cranberry sauce in Plymouth Rock can’t hide an underseasoned bird. You can carefully stuff fun things, like fresh sage leaves, sprigs of thyme, fresh basil leaves, and small tufts of rosemary, under the turkey’s skin, but watch out for tears in the skin. Herbs will add a nice flavor to the meat. Season your turkey liberally with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper--or I love to use my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt! This means really season it well--rub it all over, under the wings, on the back of the bird--massage that baby! For a medium-sized turkey, you want to use at least 1 tablespoon of kosher salt plus about 1 teaspoon of pepper or about 2 tablespoons of my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt.

Turkey Sin #5: An Undercooked or Overcooked Bird
Undercook your bird, and put your guests at risk. Overcook your bird, and you’ll need to offer guests a LOT of wine for washing it down…which could lead to family drama! Cooking your bird just right is tricky. To start with, there are a million different methods. I'm a roasted-turkey gal, but I know there are lots of you turkey-fryers out there. And it does make a good bird (but beware of garage fires!)--but I gotta have my gravy. To keep it simple, get yourself a good instant-read thermometer and be sure to preheat your oven. See my favorite recipe and tips, below, for roasting. To avoid overcooking your bird, plan your day. When are you serving dinner? Work back from there. Unless you are cooking a 40-pound monster turkey or eating dinner at 11 a.m., there is no need to get the bird in the oven at 6 a.m.!! Yes, I have succumbed to eating one of those roasted-for-eight-hours birds, and it wasn't pretty! Turkey sin #5-B, note--do not leave the thermometer in the bird when you are roasting it--see photo….

Turkey Sin #6: An Improperly Carved Turkey
After all that hard work put into creating a picture-perfect, delicious-tasting bird, do not let the knife get into inexperienced hands! It may be tradition to let the man of the house perform the ceremonious carve, but not if he’s going to hack it to death (Family Note: Seen at the in-laws frequently--for God sakes just let me do it)! Give the bird 20 minutes to rest. This will allow you to get the rest of the dinner on the table. To start carving, take off the breast first, and slice thin. Disjoint the legs, thighs, and wings and slice the thighs if desired. My in-laws use an electric knife (it was probably a wedding gift from the 60s!) and, actually, the thing works pretty darn well. I favor my super-sharp Henckels chef’s knife. But, hey! use whatever gets you the nicest slices.

Nuts About Nocino!

Our neighbor Sandro just returned to Seattle from his hometown of Modena, Italy and brought back with him a local specialty. Not the balsamic vinegar that Modena is known for around the world, but Nocino, a liqueur made from unripe, green walnuts. 

If you're a fan of limoncello, the lemon liqueur that is a specialty of Italy's Amalfi Coast, you'll be happy to discover this far less well known after dinner drink or digestivo. While limoncello is made by soaking lemon peel and sugar in alcohol like eau de vie or vodka, nocino is made with walnuts.

I think it's the perfect liqueur for this time of year--rich, dark and syrupy. And it's said that the properties in green walnuts help in digestion, certainly a good thing to know with  Thanksgiving right around the corner.

In Italy, if you're a dinner guest in someone's home, it's common to be served a digestivo (or two) at the end of the meal, which is exactly what we did for Sandro's welcome back dinner. I can't be sure that it aided anyone's digestion, but it was a great way to finish off the night.

--Tracy Schneider

Norene Gilletz's Flaky Ginger Ale Pastry

Are you looking for an easy versatile pie crust that can be made quickly in the food processor? If so, then try Norene Gilletz’s Flaky Ginger Ale Pastry, featured in her cookbook The Food Processor Bible.

Norene and I correspond via email quite frequently, and last week she included a tip noting that this particular pastry crust was really good.  I’ve learned that Norene’s subtle email hints are awesome tips worth trying.  With Thanksgiving nearly here, I’ve admittedly been waffling on which pastry crust to use for my pies.

I decided to get down to business last night and made the Flaky Ginger Ale Pastry.  The recipe only calls four ingredients—flour, frozen margarine, ginger ale, and vinegar. Norene notes in her book that the pastry is dairy free.  I asked Norene if butter was okay to substitute as I don't like margarine. A quick response indicated YES! The recipe seemed so different, I just had to try it.

So, I purchased some organic all-natural ginger ale and went to work.  I found the pastry easy to make in my Cuisinart and even easier to roll out. While other pastry doughs can tear, this one did not. 

Norene suggests using the pastry dough for everything from tuna strudel to rogelach.  I opted to make the Crumbly Apple Pie, also featured in the book.  I have a few  boxes of organic apples in my garage and opted to use the Honeycrisp and Cameos. The result is pictured here and the “Yum Factor” is five star. I don't think this pie will last until Thursday...

Flaky Ginger Ale Pastry

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
½ cup frozen margarine, cut in 6 or 8 pieces
¼ cup ginger ale or soda water
1 ½ teaspoon vinegar  or lemon juice

1. Steel Blade: Process flour and margarine with 4 or 5 on/off pulses (2 to 3 seconds each time), until mixture looks like coarse oatmeal. Add liquids through feed tube while machine is running. Process just until dough begins to gather in a mass around the blades, 8 to 10 seconds. Do not overprocess.

2. Remove dough from machine, divide into 2 balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour or overnight. The colder the dough, the easier it is to roll. Roll out on lightly floured surface (or on a pastry cloth, using a rolling pin stockinette cover for easier rolling). Use as directed. Dough may be frozen baked or unbaked. Recipe may be doubled.

Recipe from The Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz (Whitecap, 2002)

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

Virginia’s Corn Spoon Bread Makes Thanksgiving Tastier

I know, everyone likes their Thanksgiving traditions (my family: broccoli cheese casserole). But I think it’s also okay to add a little something to the menu, to start a new, delicious, tradition. This year, if you decide to go this route, let me suggest that the new menu item is Virginia Willis’ Corn Spoon Bread (if eating this is already a Thanksgiving tradition, then consider yourself lucky). The recipe is from Virginia’s delightful cookbook Bon Appétit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking (Copyright 2008, Ten Speed Press), and as she says, it’s “more like custard than bread, and less like a casserole than a soufflé.” Which means it cuddles right into those spaces left by the potatoes, stuffing, and turkey. So, don’t be afraid to try something different this Thanksgiving (and, don’t be shy about visiting Virginia’s website for even more tasty ideas).

Corn Spoon Bread

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
2 cups whole milk
1 cup very fine yellow cornmeal
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scraped kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 large eggs, separated

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an ovenproof casserole or round 2-quart soufflé mold.

2. To prepare the batter, in a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cornmeal over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking rapidly and constantly, until very, very thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the corn kernels, chives, and the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring after each addition.

4. To beat the egg whites, in a separate bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the warm cornmeal mixture.

5. Transfer the lightened cornmeal mixture to the prepared pan; smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until puffed and risen and the inside is firm, but moist, and the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately while puffed and risen.

Shake Up Your Traditional Thanksgiving with Pumpkin Cheesecake

My husband has been searching for the cheesecake of my youth. He's tried a few recipes, without success. And I wasn't kidding when I mentioned the possibility of eating cheesecake for Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie if the "holy grail" had not been found.

It looks like pumpkin cheesecake will be the menu this Thanksgiving. It come from Van's Cousin Bob, who said these days he's happy to shake up tradition and actually prefers pumpkin cheesecake to pumpkin pie.

I'm not convinced. The pumpkin cheesecake was delicious, if you like that sort of thing. But I'm still on the lookout for a cheesecake that will take me back to New York Delis circa 1970. And I'm hoping someone else will be have made a pumpkin pie for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanks to several suggestions, we'll be testing more cheesecake recipes next week. If you make a cheesecake that's dense, not creamy and contains NO graham crackers, let me know. It might be just what we're looking for.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
9 whole graham crackers, (5 ounces), broken into large pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1-1/3 cups (10-1/3 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1-1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream

FOR THE CRUST:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the crackers, sugar, and spices in a food processor and process until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, drizzle the melted butter over, and mix with a rubber spatula until evenly moistened.

3. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and spread the crumbs into an even layer. Using the bottom of a ramekin, 1 cup measuring cup, or drinking glass, press the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan. Press the crumbs as far as possible into the edges of the pan. Uisng a teaspoon, neatly press the crumbs into the corners of the pan to create a clean edge.

4. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on aa wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap the outside of the pan with two 18-ince-square pieces of heavy-duty foil, set the springform pan in a roasting pan.

FOR THE FILLING:
1. Bring about 4 quarts water to a simmer in stockpot. While the crust is cooking, whisk the sugar, spices,
and salt in small bowl; set aside.

2. Line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin on the towels and cover with a second triple layer of towels. Press firmly until the towels are saturated. Peel back the top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold the pumpkin in half; peel back the towels. Repeat and flip the pumpkin onto the baking sheet; discard the towels.

3. Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer set at medium speed to break up and
soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber
spatula. Add about a third of the sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined,
about 1 minute; scrape the bowl and add the remaining sugar in two additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined,
about 45 seconds; scrape the bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1
minute; scrape bowl. Add the remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45
seconds; scrape bowl. Add the heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45
seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and give a final stir by hand.

4. Pour the filling into a springform pan and smooth the surface; set the roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken, and the center of the cake reads 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours. Set the roasting pan on a wire rack and cool until the wateris jsut warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and set on a wire rack; run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the cake and cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

5. To serve, remove the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the pan bottom to loosen, then slide the cake onto serving platter. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Editors' notes: Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1
1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels.

Baking Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen, 2004

Serves 12 to 16

--Tracy Schneider

Turkey's Out, Salmon's In For Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

I am trying hard to follow New York Times columnist Mark Bittman's advice and chill when it comes to the prospect of making Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family. But it's become a challenge because I've decided to throw out my original menu and do something completely different less than a week before company is due to arrive.

This change of menu happened after my daughter and I watched "Food Inc.", the Academy Award-nominated documentary that lays bare the pitfalls of depending on multi-national corporations for our food supply. It was hard to watch, but I'm glad I did.

The next morning, I started reinventing the Thanksgiving Day game plan. I was also inspired by the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance of Seattle's contest to cook local and win a dinner prepared by award-winning chef and eat-local advocate Tamara Murphy. (Click here to check out the rules.)

I was too late to order a turkey directly from the farmers, but that wasn't a hardship. Our family frequently goes in a non-turkey direction on this holiday because we don't like post-meal food coma it can induce.

Heading to the U-District Farmers Market, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to make, but also wanted to be open to what was available.

First thing to make a big impression was at Willie Greens, a farm run by a former chef. They were serving curried delicata squash soup and it was stunning. Sold!

Then, I bought oysters for oyster dressing and salmon, flash frozen. I got a mess of greens -- spicy turnip greens, collards and kale -- to saute. And found a huge fennel bulb I'm going to slice thin and use as a bed for baking the salmon.

I also scored some cranberries from Foraged and Found. Because even if we're not having turkey, we've got to have cranberries. I'm going to make a cranberry chutney vinaigrette to toss with tender salad greens.

Whew.

I'm still not sure how it's all going to turn out. To take some of the pressure off, I've asked my friends to bring dessert. There won't be a pumpkin pie, either. It'll be apple crumb and brownies.

Sounds like we've got a whole lot of tasty reasons to give thanks.

-- Leslie Kelly

A Collection of Family Recipes: YOURS!

It's the season of giving, and I've been thinking a lot about presents, particularly for my sister, Jennifer. This past summer she got married. What could she possibly need after four bridal showers and wedding? I've finally decided to give her a collection of family recipes.

I've learned from experience that a project like this can be overwhelming. It's best to start simple. A full-on cookbook is more than I could handle. If I had to assemble several dozen recipes, this project would never get finished.

My plan then is to to put together a small collection of Thanksgiving recipes. Jennifer loves Thanksgiving dinner, and my Aunt Flossie has been cooking it for the last 30 years. The collection I envision will have all those family recipes: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes (yes, she needs a recipe for this), gravy and cranberry relish.

There are lots of companies that will help you publish a cookbook of your own, but I'm not that ambitious. I'd like to make a small book of five to ten recipes with photos.

I'm particularly excited about this project because I've heard so many sad stories about family recipes disappearing. I don't want that happen to ours. If you've done a similar project, maybe you'd like to share your tip. If you haven't, maybe you'd like to do this with me. Wish you had a recipe collection of your family's Thanksgiving meal? How about a collection of Christmas cookies? Or all dishes you enjoy over Christmas? Won't you join me? 

--Tracy  Schneider

Spicy Pecans for Serving, Snacking & Gifting

I just couldn't wait another day to start celebrating the holidays, so I pulled out my recipe for salty, sweet, and spicy pecans. It's one of my favorite recipes for nuts, with a flavor combination that is truly addictive.

I thought they'd be perfect to bring to a brunch we're invited to on Sunday and to serve to guests for dinner that same night. But who am I kidding? I really made them for me! Let's get this party started!

Spicy Pecans

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (2-1/2 cups) pecan halves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine pecan halves, sugar, vanilla, salt black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss together until pecans are well coated.

2. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook stirring occasionally, until sugar starts to caramelize and pecans are toasted, 8 minutes. Remove tray from oven, and continue stirring occasionally while nuts are cooling. Set aside.

Tracy's notes: It's best to check the pecans every few minutes. Don't step away from the oven when your pecans are cooking. I've burned a bunch that way. Otherwise, this recipe couldn't be easier.

Martha Stewart Living, November 1999

--Tracy Schneider

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Is Geared Up!

With Thanksgiving nearly here, are you wondering exactly how much turkey you need to feed 11 people, four of whom are teenagers? Are you worried about timing and internal temperatures?  Are you thinking of brining your bird this year?  Would you like recipe ideas for holiday dishes that incorporate many of the basic pantry items you already have on hand? Are you hunting around for ideas on how to avoid waste and use all those leftovers?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, you might consider calling The Butterball Turkey Talk Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372). This all-American seasonal call center has been serving harried holiday cooks for 29 years now. In addition to “live” help from home economists, Butterball has expanded its website and now offers many online features, such as serving calculators, new recipes, bilingual features, and email queries. All of the recipes on the site have been developed and tested in the Butterball kitchen by specialists.  There’s also a special section called “New Cook Know-How.”

For more information, see the website or call the All-Star Turkey Talkers directly!  The phone lines are open on Thanksgiving, but call ahead, if possible, because the phones are ringing already!

Photo courtesy of Butterball.

--Melissa A. Trainer