Homemade Garlic Bread

I must admit, i've been MIA from the blog this week. After a delightful Thanksgiving, i've been slow-moving to get back in the swing of things this week!  I have been doing some brainstorming though, so don't fret- I will be posting many edible gifts and holiday party treats starting next week!

This weekend, my mom and sisters are coming down for a visit and to go see Smokey Robinson in concert tomorrow.  We saw Smokey when I was about 8 years old and I'm pretty sure we listened to the tape we purchased then in our volvo station wagon for the next decade!

Since everyone will be traveling to get here, I wanted to make something simple and comforting tonight in lieu of going out to eat.  I decided on Spaghetti & Meatballs, but since it's a special occasion, I thought i'd go all out and make some homemade garlic bread.  It's so simple and delicious, I don't think the frozen stuff has any means for comparison!  Here's how I make it:

Ingredients:
* 1 baguette, sliced horizontally
* 1/4 c. fresh oregano, chopped
* 2-3 garlic cloves (depending on size), minced
* 1/3 c. olive oil
* 2 tbsp. butter

Preheat the oven to 375.  Spread butter on one side of the baguette.  In small sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and oregano to the pan and sauté for one minute.  Remove the oil mixture from heat and use a spoon to spread the olive oil mixture on the opposite side of the bread from the butter.  Place the halves back together, wrap in aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until golden brown.  Slice into individual pieces and serve.

Hearty Beef Stew

This beef stew recipe is nothing short of Sunday dinner perfection. The first time I made it was actually after a very rare snow day in Wilmington.  I had all my friends over with the hopes of building snowmen, but of course, the snow practically melted before anyone could even get in their cars!  On the bright side, it was still a great excuse to have everyone over for a warm, comforting dinner and a side of Christmas movies (classic combo).

This recipe makes A LOT of beef stew, so it's great for company, or you can freeze the leftovers.


Ingredients:
* 2 lb. beef stew meat (I used to use 1lb, but since Mike tends to pick all of the meat out of it, I upped it to 2 so there's plenty of leftovers)
* 2 white onions, chopped
* 1 (15o z) can tomato sauce
* 1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
* 2 c. beef stock
* 1 (16 oz) bag baby carrots
* 1 (24 oz) bag small red potatoes, quartered
* 1/3 c. flour
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. sugar
* dash of Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 325.  In a large dutch oven, combine all ingredients with the exception of the red potatoes and half the onions (I like to add some of the onions later so they don't all disintegrate).  Stir well to combine, then transfer to the oven and cook for 1.5 hours.  Remove from the oven and add the potatoes and remaining onions.  Return to the oven and cook for an additional 1.5-2 hours hours, until the meat is fork tender.  **If you do not have a dutch oven, you can also make this on the stove by cooking on low, covered.  Serve with warm yeast rolls.

Thanksgiving for Twenty

This year may have been the best friendsgiving yet, thanks to everyone contributing amazing dishes.  This ended up being just the right amount of food (yes, it's a lot!) for twenty people.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Baked Brie

Cheese Plate: Cheddar cheese, blue cheese crumbles, Greek honey, rosemary crackers, granny smith apples

Mixed Green Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette 

Herb Roasted Turkey, Classic Gravy

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Green Bean Casserole

Squash Casserole

Annie's Cornbread Dressing

Stephanie's Maple Sweet Potatoes

Amber's Mac n' Cheese

Lindsey's Mashed Potatoes

Yeast Rolls

Brandon & Courtney's Brownies & Pumpkin Pie

Here's a few of my favorite pics from Friendsgiving 2012...

Annie, Courtney, Stephen and Lindsey enjoying the cheese trays!

Stephanie loves a good buffet line photo op.

I found these votive holders at World Market, love them! 

Mike loves ruining a photo op with a noogie...

Chad, Adam, Courtney and Brandon

Chris & Annie

Stephanie, Jim & Chris

You know it's a success when you find everyone here..

The aftermath of Friendsgiving... Too bad I forgot the before shot! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Mixed Green Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Some people don't think that a salad has any place on a thanksgiving buffet, but I beg to differ.  A light, festive salad makes a delicious accompaniment to the carb filled feast! Even though I make this salad and vinaigrette all year round, it's still elegant enough for a holiday celebration.

For this salad, I like to use mixed greens, blue cheese crumbles (goat cheese and feta are also delicious), dried cranberries, and some pecan pieces for crunch.  The homemade vinaigrette is what really takes this salad to the next level; the perfect combination of sweet and tangy.  Don't be intimidated by making your own dressing, it's simple to whisk up and can be made in advance. For this large salad, I doubled the recipe below. 

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette:

* 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

* 1 tbsp. dijon mustard

* 1 tbsp. honey

* 6 tbsp. olive oil

* salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and honey until they are well combined.  Stream in the olive oil while continuously whisking.  Once the dressing comes together (it will be thick), season with salt and pepper.  

Herb Roasted Turkey

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is not necessarily a time for experimenting.  Sure, you can add a new side to the mix, put together a special appetizer, even add some flare with an annual themed cocktail!  But once you've found the method of cooking the turkey that suits you, just stick with it.

Personally, I use the 3Bs: Brine, Butter, & Bake.  Here's how I make my traditional roasted turkey:









1. Brine: Soaking the turkey in flavored water for 24 hours will ensure that the turkey is super moist (even the white meat!), and incredibly flavorful.  Last year was the first time I brined my turkey and I have to say, the end result is SO worth it.  I make my brine by adding 3/4 c. salt, 1/4 c. brown sugar, and a bunch of fresh herbs- usually thyme and rosemary, to a pitcher of cool water.  Stir the mixture well to combine.  Place the turkey in a large pot, cover with the liquid, then fill the pot with water so the entire turkey is submerged.  Refrigerate for 24 hours before cooking the turkey.

 

2. Butter: I like to make a dense herb butter.  I use one stick of room temperature butter, mix in chopped rosemary and thyme, and the zest of one lemon.  When you're ready to put the turkey in the oven, remove it from the brine, dry the skin completely (this will help it crisp), and rub the entire turkey with the herb butter.  Use your fingers to separate the skin from the turkey breast (be careful not to break the skin) and use your fingers to push the herb butter under the skin.

 

3. Bake: Place the turkey on a roasting rack.  Cover the wings with tin foil so they do not burn and tie the two turkey legs together (this will ensure the turkey cooks evenly).  Place 1 can of chicken stock in the pan, then cover the entire pan with tin foil (be careful not to let the foil touch the turkey).  Bake at 325 until the turkey is cooked through (I always use the instructions on the turkey package; for my 28lb turkey, the roasting time was 4.5-5 hours).  During the last hour of cooking, remove the tin foil so the skin can crisp up. When the turkey is cooked through (use the pop up timer that comes with the turkey already!), remove it from the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for an hour at room temperature before slicing it.

Enjoy!