Our wine expert pairs wines for holiday dinner

Our wine expert pairs wines for holiday dinner

Thanksgiving dinner is one of the more difficult meals to pair with wines because of the broad variety of flavors that many of us use in your traditional family dishes. One decision to make is whether to try and serve one wine that is versatile enough to handle every single item on the table or to serve a couple of different wines that complement the various dishes.

Diann Greene has provided us with a little of wonderful recipes for turkey with cornbread stuffing, spicy corn casserole and a sweet potato casserole with praline topping -- with ingredients that include onion, celery, brown sugar, butter, pecans and cayenne pepper. So just where do you begin in trying to select the perfect wine or wines that your dinner guests will enjoy with their meal? Well, I think a great place to always start is a sparkling wine.

Contrary to what many believe, sparkling wines are made to drink with food --- in addition to their universal use as a festive toast. These wines complement a wide variety of foods --- anything from brie and gouda cheese to spicy Asian foods to shellfish served with warm butter. In reality, the acidity that is found in sparkling wines cuts through the butter and provides a crisp, refreshing flavor.

One of my favorite sparkling wines is the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir. This wine is a non vintage, meaning it was produced by blending grapes from different vintages. Once you pour a glass you will notice that it has a faint light pink hue. This wine should taste somewhat creamy and lush, with an aroma of red berries and it will complement every of the above told dishes. The Blanc de Noir is produced in Sonoma County and retails for approximately $13 a bottle.

Dry Rieslings are typically very refreshing and also complement a large variety of flavors and spices. The 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Dry Riesling should also pair well with the spices and other ingredients that are used to make this Thanksgiving dinner. Specifically, I am looking forward to tasting this Dry Riesling with the spicy corn casserole. Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the largest producers of Riesling worldwide, making more than 660,000 cases of this particular wine which should make it well-to-do to find. This wine retails for $9 a bottle.

When the topic of wine selections and Thanksgiving dinner are discussed, I must confess that my first thought is Pinot Noir. In my opinion, a Pinot Noir with very light, soft tannins is the perfect complement to a roasted turkey and dressing. In an earlier column, I reviewed the 2006 Wente Vineyards Reliz Creek Pinot Noir, which was rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. This wine should pair very well, having previously enjoyed it alongside roasted chicken.

In addition, the 2007 Wild Horse Pinot Noir from the Central Coast of California is a great choice. This wine recently received an 89 rating from the Wine Spectator and retails for approximately $23 a bottle. It has flavors of red berries and nice soft tannins. The Pinot Noir is the flagship wine of Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards, which is named after the wild mustangs that used to freely roam nearby the wineries' vineyards.

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a festival paying homage to the harvest, which now we celebrate as a holiday feast with family and friends. Nothing is more enjoyable than to raise a nice glass of wine and give thanks for the efficacy to share this meal with those who mean the most.

Jim Rawe, a family attorney in Bradenton, is an avid collector of fine wines. His column appears weekly.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

While looking for persimmon bread, I found this recipe for Mary Patillo's casserole.

It is true that it has nothing to do with persimmons of any kind. I just bought a little of sweet potatoes as well as was remembering just how good a cook Mary was. I though that you might like it instead. This recipe feeds 10-12 individuals so you might want to cut it in half for a family of 4.

Ingredients:
7 cups of finely grated raw sweet potatoes
4 eggs
1 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon orange juice
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar or honey
2 cups water

Directions: Mix all ingredients. Pour into 1-1/2 quart greased casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 F. degrees for one hour. Remove cover and continue baking for 15 minutes longer.

I just can't support myself and I must tell you to add to this dish's dinner a green onion stuffed pork chop for each person, some green rice and hot rolls.

Don't ask me if this combination is good for you. It is just something I like. You could add a small lettuce and tomato salad.

That's good for you and adds color to your dinner.

Call me when you get it ready and I will be right over. It is Gooder'n Syrup. Von

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AGRILIFE: Holiday meals able to taste good and be healthy

AGRILIFE: Holiday meals able to taste good and be healthy

Buy fresh turkey and cook it in a cooking bag. It'll be moist and brown without extra fat and sodium. Substitute pork tenderloin or fresh ham for cured ham brined with salt. Check the label to ensure the pork tenderloin isn't brined.

Make corn bread for dressing with stone-ground cornmeal and whole-wheat flour. Add low-sodium broth or pan drippings with the fat skimmed off instead of lard or butter. Use herbs and spices for added flavor.

In casseroles, substitute reduced-fat, low-sodium condensed soups for regular canned soups. Use reduced-fat margarine, low-cholesterol egg substitute, reduced-fat cheese and evaporated skim milk. For topping, use whole wheat bread crumbs or low-sodium crackers.

For sweet potato casserole, substitute artificial sweetener for half the sugar or cut the sugar by a third. Use light margarine instead of butter or regular margarine.

In congealed salads, use sugar-free gelatin, fresh or canned fruit in its own juice and reduced-fat cream cheese.

Season cooked vegetables with a little olive oil and a couple of shakes from a commercial spice-herb mixture.

Serve whole-wheat rolls or bread. Accompany them with reduced-sugar fruit spread or a little olive oil.

Offer one or two desserts. Make one a lower-fat, lower-calorie dessert like regular angel food cake with warm fruit compote, baked apples filled with pecans or banana pudding made with sugar-free vanilla pudding, light whipped cream and reduced-fat vanilla wafers. Have a basket of seasonal fruits on hand as an alternative.

If you are making pan gravy, first skim the fat off pan drippings. For cream or white sauces, use fat-free (skim) milk and soft tub or liquid margarine.

Use vegetable oil for biscuits instead of lard or butter and fat-free (skim) milk or 1 percent buttermilk instead of regular milk.

Mash sweet potato for pie with orange juice concentrate, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon and exclusively one egg. Leave out the butter.

For cakes, cookies, quick breads and pancakes, use egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Two egg whites could be substituted in many recipes for one whole egg.

With meats and poultry (chicken and turkey), trim away completely of the visible fat and take off poultry skin.

To keep calorie counts low, use the smallest plate accessible and leave space around each food item. Pile food no higher than the thickness of a hand --- laid flat, not propped on its side.

Wait at least 15 minutes after the meal before choosing a dessert.

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Reporter trades pens for pots and pans, lives to tell tale

Reporter trades pens for pots and pans, lives to tell tale

The first thing you ought to know about Laurie Kuzneski is that she either has the patience of St. Monica or is a patient in St. Monica's. I'm not yet sure which.

Nonetheless, either aptly explains how it is that she could conduct weeklong, children's cooking camps in her house kitchen. And it explains why she would open her kitchen to me, a stranger whose history strongly suggests a natural inclination toward personal disaster. Especially, that is, when open flame, sharp objects and heavy machinery are involved.

To wit: I once accidentally lit my car on fire. And I once buzzed my thumb on a spinning table saw blade while building a prop for a Halloween costume.

Now the other thing you ought to know is that she is a good cook, self-taught. Or at least she seems to be. I'm not a proper judge. For lunch the other day, I ate a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat with chili sauce. She owns a home-based peanut brittle business, Miss Laurie's Gourmet Kitchen, and she is preparing to ship a 600-pound order, more than a quarter-ton. That, I'll argue, gives probable cause.

*
With that in mind, I'll bring you to the point of this story, which is to explore what happens when a hopeless bachelor attends a class on how to cook an honest Thanksgiving dinner.

The supposition, at least from the editors who assigned this to me, being that the turkey suffers third-degree burns, firefighters are contacted and much hilarity ensues.

q q q

If nothing else, the editors picked the right man for the job, as evidenced by the contents of my refrigerator, which are, at the time of this writing:

Cheese, two slices, processed American. Individually wrapped.

Chili sauce, Heinz. Bottled.


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Steak and cheese sub, 9th Street Deli. Remnant.

Apples, three. Rotting.

Tomato, one. Sliced.

Mayonnaise, one jar. Light. And separating.

Now, in my defense, I do eat three squares a day. Literally. That's the shape of the packaging my meals come in.

And I have worked professionally in kitchens. I spent about a year at a Subway knockoff chain before accepting a position at an Auntie Anne's pretzel stand. There I was promoted to certified employee. Even had to take a 100-question test, which I passed flawlessly, mostly due to someone slipped me a copy of it in advance.

q q q

I arrived at Laurie's house. It's a Tuesday night, and for once, I'm on time. And proud of it. But I'm disappointed in myself for having failed to bring a bottle of wine.

I had obtained one, but I didn't pay much mind to what I was obtaining.

It was red. It had a cork. And it wasn't in a box. Good enough.

Only later did I look at the name on the label, a French term for a sinful living arrangement. But as applied to the wine, it refers to the three types of grapes used to make it.

From this arises a dilemma in social etiquette: Do I show up empty-handed or do I present my hostess with a suggestively named wine?

Fearing an awkward moment even before the evening had a chance to start, I opted for the former and hoped that hard work and charming personality would mitigate this faux pas.

q q q

Laurie invites me in, and I take note of the kitchen.

Stone countertops. Kettle faucet. And a commercial-grade, gas-fired oven. I'm fairly sure it has enough BTUs to smelt copper.

Yup. I'm already in over my head.

``How about we make a martini?'' she asks.

Capital idea.

It's pumpkin, and it tastes good. I'm not discerning about my drink; I'll drink a Schlitz if you put it in front of me.

The recipe, she explains, is courtesy of her sister-in-law, the Martini Mistress. Really. She has a Web site and everything.

``She's not shabby, my sister-in-law,'' she said.

q q q

Soon, my classmates arrive. We're completely gathered around the island, and we get under way.

Laurie explained to the class that I am to serve as her sous-chef.

``God help you all,'' I said.

``Which is why I cooked an entire meal ahead of time,'' she interjects.

On the menu that evening: turkey and gravy with stuffing and mashed potatoes. Cranberry sauce. ``Not the kind that's in the shape of a can,'' Laurie said. Sweet potato casserole. Brussels sprouts. Roasted garlic and butternut squash soup. Pumpkin pie. And pumpkin martinis.

``I was thinking soup to nuts, so this'll help you deal with the nuts,'' she said.

So over the next three hours, I performed many tasks foreign to me. I mashed the mashed potatoes. I salted with a sea salt grinder. I whipped the whipped cream.

I asked Laurie's husband if his wife realized that grocery stores sell tubs of this stuff, already made.

``Don't tell her that,'' he said. ``She might beat you.''

She even let me pulse the cranberries in the food processor.

``You've graduated to power tools,'' one of my classmates said.

q q q

As we're cooking, I thought back to my childhood Thanksgivings, which traditionally were at my grandmother's.

Dinners there were never so much a dinner as they were a chow line in the mess hall. A bird that took I don't know how numerous hours to prepare usually was ravaged in five minutes.

And afterward, everyone would fall asleep, save for my aunt, mother, and grandmother, who were left to do the dishes. And that was the extent of that day.

Ah, memories.

So if anything, I left Laurie's kitchen that night with an appreciation for the work that goes into a big dinner. And a sense of accomplishment in having not ruined anything. You have to take pride in the small things, right?

And I learned a couple of things, too.

Such as that there is a difference between stuffing and dressing. Stuffing, as it turns out, is what is stuffed inside the turkey. Dressing, meanwhile, is stuffing that isn't shoved in the bird. Really, though, it's all still cubed bread if you ask me.

But most importantly, I learned that I do not have a passion for cooking, which is why I suspect I'll continue to use chili sauce as a sandwich condiment.

I'm sure this news will greatly disappoint my mother, who lately has been asking, in a pleading way, ``So are you going to cook dinner this year?''

Nope, I tell her. But I'll make the martinis.

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Faith briefs for Nov. 21

Faith briefs for Nov. 21

Editor's note: Send items about church events for the Faith section to: faith@nwfdailynews.com. Photos should be jpeg attachments. Regular deadline is 5 p.m. Saturday to be eligible for the next Saturday's section. Items are run on a space-available basis.

Thanksgiving event

FORT WALTON BEACH --- Wright Baptist Church invites the community to a Thanksgiving Celebration noon-2 p.m. today.

Turkey, dressing and completely the trimmings'll be served.

Music and fellowship included.

And it's all free. Call the church office at 862-4123.

12th annual Gift Fair

FORT WALTON BEACH -- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will hold its 12th Annual Mission Gift Fair titled, "God's Work --- Our Hands" 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday in the early Christian Life Center, 363 Miracle Strip Parkway.

Shop for unique gifts such as goats, pigs or baby chicks as donations to support children and families across the world. Learn about the global and local missions supported by Holy Trinity Lutheran through this event.

Donations are accompanied by a gift card for the recipient. Prices range from $1 and up.

Admission to the fair is free.

Chili supper

FORT WALTON BEACH --- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will host its annual family-style Thanksgiving Eve Chili Supper at 6 p.m. Nov. 25.

Members will bring their favorite pots of chili, soup, or stew to the new Christian Life Center. The annual Thanksgiving Eve worship service with communion will follow at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Everyone is welcome.

The Season of Advent begins on Nov. 29 at the 8:15 and 11 a.m. services with the focus on the Second Coming of Christ. A series of mid-week Advent services will be held on Wednesdays, Dec. 2, 9 and 16 7-7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Thanksgiving dinner

FORT WALTON BEACH --- Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church will serve its annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 26 at the church, 102 S.E. Fourth St.

The public is invited to worship. Call the church at 850-243-2024.

Thanksgiving Dinner

FORT WALTON BEACH --- Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, Trinity United Methodist Church will celebrate its 9th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner and all are invited.

Bring family and friends anytime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to enjoy fellowship and to give thanks for the numerous blessings from God.

The menu is: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, reen beans, sweet potato casserole, rolls, and an ssortment of pies (apple, sweet potato and pumpkin).

No reservations required. Catering is by Golden Corral.

Fruits of the Spirit

FORT WALTON BEACH --- Living in Real Faith Conference continues at 6 tonight at Northwest Florida State College Campus Auditorium in Fort Walton Beach.

Praise music will be provided by First Baptist of Mary Esther Saturday night. Soloist Jeana Marie Gowens also will perform.

Speakers are Mary Esther Mayor and missionary Chuck Bolton, Okaloosa county Tax Collector and evangelist Chris Hughes, and missionary-evangelist the Rev. Billy Gray.

Christmas project

NICEVILLE --- Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas project, is calling on local children, families, churches, businesses, schools and community groups to fill shoe boxes full of gifts for children overseas who are suffering from disease, famine, war, terrorism and natural disaster.

National Collection Week is Nov. 16-23.

Relay Centers in this area are at Village Baptist in Destin, The Community Life Center in Gulf Breeze, Pine Level Baptist Church in Jay, First Baptist Church of Milton, First Baptist Church of Baker, First Baptist Church of Niceville and Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

For more information, visit samaritanspurse.org online or call 850-217-4177.

Crafts exhibit

FREEPORT --- Freeport Presbyterian Church is sponsoring a celebration today of the artistic gifts God has blessed its congregation with. The event will be held in the church's Fellowship Hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Note that this is an exhibit only. Information for all of the artisans and crafters will be available to contact any of them later regarding purchases.

The church is at 340 State Road 20, on the south side.

St. Nicholas Fair

SHALIMAR --- Anglican Church of the Resurrection will hold its first St. Nicholas Fair and Craft Show 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 5.

Hand-crafted jewelry, Advent trees, bookmarks, Christmas cards, Christmas gift tags and more will be offered for sale. There will be a children's "Secret Santa" (ages 12 and under) and face painting.

The event will be at the Parish House next the church on the corner of 8th Street and 9th Avenue.

Contact: Sheila Kingman at 651-2894, or sheila_14@cox.net.

Crop crop slated

DESTIN -- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in conjunction with the Society of St. Andrews will host a crop drop in the parking lot of Grace Lutheran Church in Destin 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Nov. 21.

Local food banks and soup kitchens will arrive throughout the day to collect produce in time for their Thanksgiving needs. About 300 volunteers from local Lutheran churches will be on hand to direct recipients, bag produce, load and unload vehicles and provide food for other volunteers.

Call Jaclyn or Dave Saviola at 850-337-4750.

'Such a Night as This'

DESTIN --- The dinner theater production, "Such a Night as This," will be presented by the multidenominational drama group 2nd Acts on Dec. 4, 5 and 6 at Grace Lutheran Church, 4325 Commons Drive West.

The Friday and Saturday shows are at 6:30 p.m., and the Sunday show is at 5 p.m.

Tickets are available at Eagle's Wings Book & Gifts, 14071 F, Emerald Coast Pkwy. (Bealls & Office Max shopping complex). Tickets must be purchased in advance. No telephone reservations will be accepted.

Store hours are Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Visit the 2nd Acts Web site at 2ndActs.net.

Gospel concerts

Gospel music concerts are scheduled for: Nov. 24 at 7 p.m., The Bowling Family, Pace Assembly Of God, Pace. Nov. 28 at 7 p.m., The Dixie Echoes, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Laurel Hill.

'Touch of Christmas'

The Christian Symphonic Band & Strings will present "A Touch of Christmas" at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive, and at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Navarre United Methodist Church, 9474 Navarre Parkway.

Admission is free; a love offering will be collected during the concert.

The program includes unusual as well as conventional music. Selections include "C'est Noel," "I Saw Three Ships," "A Canticle of Angels and Kings," "Joy to the World," "We Need a Little Christmas" and many others.

Director is Carole Williams. Special guest Kim Cannon will performa t the Destin concert, and Deanne Smith will perform at the Navarre concert.

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Hot potato

Hot potato

At Ruth's Chris Steak House, an entire section of your menu is devoted to potatoes, and one of my favorites is our sweet potato casserole. With sweet potatoes and pecans, this simple, yet decadent dish is the perfect side to any fall meal and'll wow friends and family when accompanied by a Thanksgiving turkey.

One of the best flavors of fall, the sweet potato is versatile. In this simple recipe, its natural sweetness and soft texture shines through, and the color is incredibly vibrant. A hearty vegetable, the sweet potato is filled with vitamins and nutrients. One serving has nearly 800 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A, 65 percent of Vitamin C and is filled with fiber.

Sweet potato's natural sugars blended with the addition of sugar, brown sugar and vanilla make sweet potato casserole quite a treat. One of my favorite ways to enjoy sweet potato casserole is for dessert, served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. In fact, we often have numerous Ruth's Chris regulars who request their sweet potato casserole this way as a sweet end to their hearty steak dinner.

Whether or not you serve sweet potato casserole with dinner or dessert, it is one dish that is simple, delicious and sure to please a crowd -- just in time for the holidays.

If you prefer to take a break from the kitchen this Thanksgiving, order our sweet potato casserole and any of our different delicious sides to go with a 48-hour advance notice. You could join us at any of the four metro Atlanta locations on Thanksgiving Day and enjoy our regular dinner menu in addition to a traditional turkey dinner. SP

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Sweet Potatoes: It's a sweet time of the year

Sweet Potatoes: It's a sweet time of the year

The arrival of what passes for fall in our part of the world caught me by surprise.

That's not really hard to figure, though, since the arrival of autumn's often very hard to spot. It usually happens on a Thursday afternoon, right about 2 p.m. when everybody is at work, then it is gone inside about 20 minutes.

No, if you're a new arrival to the humid subtropics, fall is not what you call a protracted. Summer --- that lasts forever. Fall is not so much a season as a transition from Indian summer to Mardi Gras.

But one sure sign of the arrival of fall in our neck of the woods is the appearance of farmers and other independent contractors selling sweet potatoes by the sack-full on the side of the road. Hand-lettered signs proclaim the arrival of Baldwin-grown sweet potatoes.

holloway portions.JPG

Speaking only for myself, I'd much rather eat a fresh sweet potato than put on a sweater and enjoy a modify in the season.

My favorite way to enjoy this is the simplest, baked with just a hint of butter and cinnamon for flavoring. If they are especially sweet, then I skip the butter and the cinnamon and eat them as nature intended.

But there comes a time when you crave something more from your sweet potatoes, when you want to raise the bar a bit and make them something extra special.

As has been habit for the past several years, I was latterly asked to help judge the Baldwin County Sweet Potato Recipe Contest. It is open to middle and high school students in the county and is one of the highlights of my year.

The ingenuity these young cooks show and the recipes they concoct are always a very good.

The winning recipe in the junior division was from Jarrod Shreves of Central Baldwin Middle School. You have to like a man who gives credit to his mama.

Mom's Best Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups boiled sweet potatoes

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 stick butter

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

For topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, softened

Wash sweet potatoes and cut into pieces. Put sweet potatoes into water and boil for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Drain potatoes and cool. After potatoes have cooled enough, peel off the skin.

In a large bowl, mix sweet potatoes with the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed. Put sweet potato mixture into a 2-quart dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, make the topping.

Mix together completely topping ingredients with a mixer on medium speed. Remove sweet potato mixture from oven and put the topping on top and bake an additional 25-30 minutes.

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Be My Sweet Potato

Be My Sweet Potato

We recently added Cocoa Tree to our record of walkable, skateable snack destinations that combine fitness and food. Once you've exercised your way to the pretty Cocoa Tree display cases, it's so hard to decide. Anything with orange, yes. Anything with coffee, yes. A raspberry chocolate -- oh yesyesyes.
Because we're training for a long walk, we added one more bon bon to the little boxette: a sweet potato chocolate.
cocoa_tree_sweet_potato.jpg

The smooth chocolate center has a hint of sweet potato flavor and the warm, sweet spices of a sweet potato casserole. It's topped with --'s that a sliver of chewy dried sweet potato? Like Willy Wonka's flavor-changing gum, it summons an entire season in a bite or two, and was completely satisfying. Except maybe it could have a marshmallow on top, like sweet potato casserole.

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Bob Hosmon suggests wines for Thanksgiving Day

Bob Hosmon suggests wines for Thanksgiving Day

When it comes to wine to serve with the Thanksgiving feast, there's no one complete choice. With white and dark turkey, sage dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and the different family favorites on the table, no one bottle complements all.

The solution is to provide options. And if you want to provide just two, I recommend a zinfandel and a rose.

As Thanksgiving is such an American celebration, the choice of zinfandel, a American wine, is appropriate. The taste of red zinfandel (not blush zinfandel) goes well with roast turkey (and goose or duck, if you prefer) and dressing made with sage, mushrooms or chestnuts.

It works well with mashed potatoes and gravy and even a casserole made with green beans and cream of mushroom soup.

As for the sweet potato casserole that includes raisins and marshmallows, there is really no appropriate wine to serve with that.

A great rose able to be a refreshing alternative and also complement most of the foods on the table. (Even the sweet potato casserole works better with a rose than with a red.) I also find that those who are not particularly fond of wine tend to gravitate to a rose as their wine of choice because it's light with very fresh fruit flavors. Remember to serve it chilled.

The choice in zinfandels is enormous, and you should select whatever label fits your budget. Some of the best include those made by Rancho Zabaco, Ravenswood, Ridge, Rosenblum, Dry Creek, Frei Brothers and Kunde Estate.

Two favorite roses are Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare and Macrostie Rose of Pinot Noir.

Availabilty/Suggested Retail: Sold in wine shops and some food markets, prices for zinfandels range from $10 to $40 a bottle, and wineries such as Ravenswood and Rosenblum make several versions that span that price range.

The Bonny Doon rose is a "best purchase" at $14; the pinot noir-based Macrostie sells for $20.

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Recipe: Lemon-glazed sweet potatoes

Recipe: Lemon-glazed sweet potatoes

What Thanksgiving meal's complete without a sweet potato dish? This recipe includes ingredients from Friendly Farms in East Meadow.
For a locavoreraquo;s Thanksgiving dinner,

Photo credit: Newsday / Rebecca Cooney | For a locavore's Thanksgiving dinner, Erica Marcus prepared roasted sweet potatoes garnished with lemon at Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue. (Nov. 3, 2009)

This was inspired by a recipe in "The Gift of Southern Cooking" by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock (Knopf, $32.50). To achieve this decorative spiral pattern, select narrow sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes from Friendly Farms in East Meadow

Ingredients:

1 lemon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
3 pounds sweet potatoes
Thyme leaves or chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. With a fine grater, remove zest from lemon. Set aside. Cut lemon in half and squeeze out juice. You should have about 4 tablespoons.

2. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and salt with 3/4 cup water. Simmer until sugar dissolves, remove from high temperature and stir in lemon juice, pepper, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons butter.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and cut into slices 1/8 to 1/2 inch thick. Use 1 remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a 10-inch circular (or 8x10-inch rectangular) casserole pan. Place sweet potato slices, overlapping, in casserole. They should be in one layer, but because they'll shrink when they cook, pack them tightly. Cover with syrup and then with bits of remaining butter. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

4. Turn oven to 450 and bake until most of liquid has evaporated and sweet potatoes begin to brown on top, 10 to 25 minutes depending on the moisture content of sweet potatoes. Sprinkle surface with a little of of the grated lemon peel and, if desired, thyme leaves or parsley. Makes 8 servings.

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9 ways to 'green' your Thanksgiving

9 ways to 'green' your Thanksgiving

Want to make your Thanksgiving a bit more eco-friendly than last year's celebration? Consider adopting one or more of these suggestions:

1. Break out the fancy fabric napkins this year. Or, if you're using disposable napkins, try ones made from recycled materials.

2. Serve at least one local food. Root vegetables as well as squash are in season, so make your mashed potatoes, your sweet potato casserole or your pumpkin pie from a local source.

3. Starting today, save plastic containers and lids from products like sour cream to send home leftovers with your guests.

4. If you're going to someone else's house and you know you'll be sent home with leftovers, take your own reusable containers so your host does not must use plastic bags or other disposable items.

5. Delete one item from your menu. There's always too much food anyway, right?

6. Carpool to dinner with someone close by.

7. If you're hosting dinner, turn your thermostat down 2 degrees. The heat from the kitchen and your guests will help warm your home.

8. Serve organic or locally made wine or beer.

9. Compost your food scraps.

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Restaurant to offer something different to Coshocton area

Restaurant to offer something different to Coshocton area

COSHOCTON -- A Tuscarawas County man has brought a taste of Texas to Coshocton.


As he meets the goal of a lifetime today, Jim Wickiser as well as his family are a little nervous.

"We want to make a good first impression, but we're excited and we're ready," he said.

The grand opening of Hickory Heaven, owned by Wickiser and his wife, June, is going on now at 406 S. Second St., the former Edie Ryan's Restaurant location.

Although from Gnadenhutten, Wickiser has ties to the area. His daughter, Tarra Duling, and husband, Bill, are Coshocton residents, and they now work at the restaurant.

"I like this town, I like the atmosphere," Wickiser said. "I felt Coshocton needed something like this, the opportunity came up, and my wife and I took the leap. It's been my lifelong dream to open a barbecue place."

Although originally from Ohio, Wickiser spent a number of years in law enforcement in Texas, where he learned about smoking meats and barbecue.

"I was in a little of cooking competitions down there for charities and things like that," he said.

Most of Hickory Heaven's meat offerings are smoked -- like the beef brisket, smoked sausage, pork ribs and quartered chicken.

The business uses a special spice rub on the meats, and offer four types of barbecue sauce it has developed -- sweet, gold, house and a hot sauce that's accessible by request.

Wickiser urges patrons not to be concerned if their meat shows a little red -- it's supposed to. Smoking the meat is about cooking low and slow, and most are in the smoker from six to 12 hours, depending on cut and size. The red smoke ring means there's been a reaction between the smoke and the cooking meat and shows you've done a good job, Wickiser said.

The restaurant also offers some uncommon side dishes such as sweet potatoes or corn-battered French fries, sweet potato casserole, sweet corn bake and deep-fried pickle spears. Desserts include deep-fried hickory logs, apple or chocolate, and blackberry or peach cobbler.

There's also a children's menu, and Tarra Duling said a smoky-flavored three-bean soup'll be a daily offering, in addition to a soup of the day such as chili or vegetable. There also will be daily or weekend specials, and plans are to eventually add wild-game meats such as venison as a special, she said.

Besides Duling and her husband, Wickiser has hired eight different employees include chef Ryan Willams, who cooked at the Old Warehouse and Garfield's Restaurant.

Special events will be going on all day today with a contest for children to name the flying pig, the one on the sign and inside the restaurant.

"It (the restaurant) was founded on 'when pigs fly,'" Wickiser said.

He wants the refurbished location to reflect a family atmosphere.

"I've stressed to everyone, we want to be very, family oriented," he said. "I want people to be very, very comfortable, and want to serve large portions of good food at good prices."

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SOUTHERN COOKING: Your freezer can be your holiday best friend

SOUTHERN COOKING: Your freezer can be your holiday best friend

The thought of Thanksgiving dinner can sometimes bring feelings of dread for the hostess, but you can take the hassle out of preparing that big meal by planning ahead.

My first suggestion would be to make your freezer your friend. Actually, several menu items can be made several weeks ahead and frozen. One of those's the traditional Southern cornbread dressing. In fact, I initiate several months ahead freezing cornbread. I simply crumble any left cornbread, no matter how small, and freeze it in a gallon-sized zip-close bag. I continue adding to the bag until it is full.

If you prefer, you can actually mix the dressing a week or two ahead and freeze it. It will need to be removed from the freezer the day before Thanksgiving and placed in the refrigerator to thaw overnight before baking.

Cooked sweet potatoes are another food item that I sometimes freeze several weeks ahead. This cuts down on the time spent producing my sweet potato custard or sweet potato casserole. If prefered, the sweet potato custard can be frozen after it is baked.

I like to freeze pecan pies as well as many cakes, except the ones with an egg white icing. For those, you can freeze the layers and then make the icing a couple of days before the dinner.

All three of the following recipes freeze well.

SIMPLE SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

4 cups crumbled cornbread

2 or 3 slices white bread, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 large egg

Sage, to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Combine completely ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) for flavors to blend. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

SWEET POTATO CUSTARD

3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs and nutmeg. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature immediately to 350 degrees and continue baking for an additional 35 minutes or until a thin knife blade comes out clean when inserted into the center of the custard. Cool completely before slicing. 6 to 8 servings.

CRANBERRY PECAN PIE

3 eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange peel

3/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

1 cup pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat eggs with a fork, just until blended. Stir in the corn syrup, brown sugar, butter and orange peel. Sprinkle the cranberries in the pie crust. Arrange pecan halves on top of cranberries. Pour syrup mixture cautiously over pecans. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until filling is set. If the edges of the pie crust browns quickly, cover with a strip of foil to prevent further browning.

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Thanksgiving might leave wallet fatter

Thanksgiving might leave wallet fatter

Don't skimp on the milk in your sweet potato casserole. Whip up many cream to top that pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving'll be a little cheaper this year.

The price for a typical Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has dropped by 4 percent this year, down $1.70 from last year's total, according to American Farm Bureau economists.

It's not a large number, but it's something to be thankful for. After all, who does not want every penny they could get?
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The drop in the price of turkey, milk and cream reflects a decrease in demand and too much turkey and dairy products produced by farmers, said Farm Bureau economist Jim Sartwelle.

The average prices were gathered by the American Farm Bureau, which has conducted a similar survey annually since 1989. Farm Bureau shoppers look for the best prices that aren't linked to coupons. More than 200 volunteer shoppers in 35 states took part in the survey.

What's behind the price changes?

TALKING TURKEY FOR LESS

With the economic slowdown, turkey hasn't been as popular. The oversupply led to lower prices and many growers losing contracts, said Jim Sartwelle, National Farm Bureau economist.

A DROP IN DAIRY PRICES

A drought Down Under made 2008 a prime export year for U.S. dairy farmers. This year, farmers produced too much, heading to a glut of dairy products and prices at "crisis level," said Sartwelle. Some dairy farmers have lost between $50,000 and $80,000 every month, said Norfolk farmer Mike Henn.

STUFFING A LITTLE STEEPER

Not everything has dropped in price. Cubed, pre-packaged stuffing is more expensive due to processed food prices don't decline as fast as raw food prices.

PIE WILL BE PRICIER

The price of pie shells went up for the same think cubed stuffing did, Sartwelle said. Pie mix is more expensive, in part, because of wet weather that delayed the harvest and ruined some of the crop, making a pumpkin shortage.

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Michael Goforth: Keep alive the tradition of the Thanksgiving table

Michael Goforth: Keep alive the tradition of the Thanksgiving table

We all have your Thanksgiving traditions.

In my family, my grandmother always burned the dinner rolls. So, even after her death, someone would be in charge of burning the rolls.

One year, the green bean casserole exploded, sending beans as well as fried onion rings onto my head. I was not allowed to sit near the casserole as it cooked in the future.

There had to be rice and giblet gravy for my brother, oyster casserole for my mother, cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole for me.

Regardless of the menu, though, the Thanksgiving dinner is a time for friends and extended family to gather together. It is a time to eat and pray. A time to eat and talk. A time to eat and laugh. A time to eat and maybe sing. A time to eat and eat many more.

We eat much. But, we also eat slowly. Thanksgiving dinner and fast food are at opposite ends of the dining experience. And, that makes Thanksgiving special, if exclusively for once a year. We savor the conversation and the ties of friendship as much as we savor the turkey and dressing.

When I was growing up, fast food meant eating a tomato right off the vine. Or chasing a chicken after its head was cut off. From experience, I could tell you that could be very fast food.

There was nothing fast about breakfast, lunch or dinner. Then came TV dinners and family time around the table quickly began to change.

Today, fast food has become so much a part of our lives that we don't think here can be another way. But, two decades ago, a Slow Food movement began in Italy by Carlo Petrini when McDonald's opened near the Spanish Steps in Rome. The goal is to encourage locally produced food to profit the economy, environment and health, and to preserve the cultural aspects of food. There are now more than 100,000 members of the movement in 132 countries.

The Gold and Treasure Coast chapter of Slow Food was co-founded by T.A. Wyner of Fort Pierce, the manager of farmers markets in Port St. Lucie, Palm Beach Gardens and Abacoa.

Wyner told me that before the Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving Day, the Spanish in Florida had their own thanksgiving celebrations to mark important events. One of those events would have been the Feast Day of St. Lucia on Dec. 13. It was on that date in 1565 that the Spanish built a stockade in this area, which became well-known as St. Lucia, in honor of the day, and, later, St. Lucie County.

To mark the Spanish founding of the county, a celebration'll be held at the Fort Pierce Community Center on Dec. 12. As part of that celebration produced by Wyner, there will be historical presentations, including Scripps' own Joe Crankshaw portraying the late landscape artist A.E. "Bean" Backus, exhibits, and a feast e.g. the Spanish would have created for their thanksgiving celebration.

That feast will include roast pig. (The Spanish brought pigs with them on their ships.) Also, there will be a traditional Spanish stew of chicken, dried beans and Spanish sausage.

Future feasts are expected to include original Florida pumpkins, which are now being grown.

Whatever is at the center of your Thanksgiving feast --- turkey, pig or something else --- enjoy the time together as it has been enjoyed for generation after generation, with great food and good company.

And, in my family, maybe this year I'll be in charge of burning the dinner rolls. Traditions matter.

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Intern's Turn: A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Intern's Turn: A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is upon us, as well as I cannot delay to stuff my face with completely of that delicious food.

Although I love any holiday that involves eating mass quantities of corn flake potatoes and pumpkin pie, I do find Thanksgiving a bit sad considering all of the turkeys that are being feasted on.

Contrary to favorite belief, Thanksgiving does not need to include a turkey, at least not in my house.

For the past two Thanksgivings, I have gotten along just fine filling my plate with sweet potato casserole, green beans, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, potatoes and buttered rolls and have not felt like I missed anything. In fact, it was right before Thanksgiving two years ago I decided to become a vegetarian. I was a little skeptical at first, wondering if I should wait until after my second favorite holiday (first is Christmas) to take the vegetarian plunge. Then I figured I would be too grossed out to eat turkey that day anyway, after being enlightened on where it probably came from (but we do not need to get into that right now).

Last year I was not alone in my decision to forgo meat products, my dad went vegetarian about three years before and together we proudly filled your plates with everything but the turkey. My mom even made us mushroom gravy to put on our vegetable stuffing (which was probably better than the regular gravy if you consult me).

This year, my sister joins the vegetarian ranks, and my dad and I are proud to have converted her. Since my family is now three-quarters vegetarian, this Thanksgiving, my mom bought us a tofurkey (that's a turkey made of tofu); which came already stuffed and ready to bake.

It is not like we are celebrating the first Thanksgiving back in 1621. It is 2009, and we have alternate options. So although many people think that vegetarians miss out on Thanksgiving, they are quite wrong. We don't miss anything. And this year, a turkey'll have something to be thankful for, not being eaten by me.

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Have many wine with that turkey for Thanksgiving this year

Have many wine with that turkey for Thanksgiving this year

My absolute favorite holiday in the world is coming up. No, not Christmas --- Thanksgiving. An entire holiday built around cooking, food, wine and friends. What could be better?

My sisters and mother --- scattered from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. --- know not to even think of inviting me for the holiday. From the day I was old enough to heft a 20-pound turkey, this is one meal I insist on producing and serving in my own home.

Over the years, definite rituals have evolved. The ordering of the fresh --- not frozen --- turkey (this year it'll come from a local farm as part of my efforts to support local purveyors); the purchase, soaking and all-day baking of the country ham (while exiled in Pennsylvania we once had to import said ham via our University of Virginia son); the night-before-Thanksgiving dinner (either Chinese or pasta); the arrival of our best friends from Norfolk for the weekend; the pecan pie and stuffing my friend makes and the pumpkin pies and cranberry relish I make. Oh, and two kinds of potatoes: mashed white for the incredibly picky 15-year-old and mashed sweet for the willing-to-try-more-foods 12-year-old.

And, of course, the selection of the wines.

From now until Nov. 26 you will be reading way too many stories about choosing the "perfect" Thanksgiving wine. This will not be one of them. Instead, if you take nothing away from this column but the following, you will be in good shape: Forget about trying to match the wine with the food for this meal.

One wine for Thanksgiving? Seriously? Consider our table: We'll have the savory turkey and gravy, the sharp, salty ham, the sweet-and-sour cranberry relish, and the honeyed yams. What wine is going to go with all that?

Oh, you'll read stories about how Pinot Noir able to stand up to the variety of flavors on the Thanksgiving table; or how Zinfandel provides the complete "American" touch for this very American holiday (not sure why since Zinfandel's roots actually lie in Croatia). One article I found, in which the author asked wine shop owners for suggestions, recommended: a grenache/syrah blend, a white blend, a red blend of nine grapes, a pinot noir, a moscato d'asti (a slightly fizzy Italian wine), a gamay (think beaujolais), and several varietals I'd never heard of, such as a Spanish mencia (similar to cabernet franc) and an Italian prie blanc. Even a port!

I say, bring them all on! For, as you could tell from the wine shop owners' recommendations, there is no "perfect" Thanksgiving wine. While a Christmas standing rib roast cries out for a rich cabernet sauvignon or Bordeaux, Thanksgiving, thankfully, has no such obvious choice.

So we uncork a variety of wines and put at least three glasses at every place setting. Then we pour several at once so we can mix and match as our palate desires. Take a bite of the salty ham dipped into the sweetish/sourish cranberry relish and wash it down with a semi-dry riesling or a crisp gewurztraminer, maybe even a sharp sauvignon blanc for its contrast. A forkful of the turkey and stuffing is oh-so-much-more-flavorful with a pinot noir or zinfandel. Another white we love that is incredibly food friendly is a Caymus Conundrum, a California blend (the winery never tells you what's in it) that manages to be both dry and slightly sweet at the same time. Try that with my sweet potato casserole, garlicky green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts! And with the pecan and pumpkin pies? My husband is planning a sauternes and a vintage port.

So here is another think I love Thanksgiving so much: Because the philosophy of wine around this holiday mimics my own all year round: Keep an open mind, try lots of wines, drink what you like and to hell with the rules.

To you and yours, a happy Thanksgiving!

---------

THANKSGIVING NEWS TO USE

The "I-hate-to-recommend-specific-wines-but-my-editor-made-me"

These recommendations are culled from my husband's wine diary of the past year. Some are accessible in stores; others might need to be ordered. All prices are approximate. Don't get hung up too much on the year; if it's not available, try another year.

Pinot noir: 2005 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley). Smokey, leathery and well-balanced. $42

Zinfandel: 2005 Dutch Henry Rutherford Bench Zinfandel. $28. Consider decanting to open up to its full spiciness.

Sauvignon blanc: Kim Crawford Marlborough (any recent year). $12.99.

Gewurztraminer: Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley 2005. Rich and spicy. $10.99

Riesling: 2005 Richard Hamilton Slate Quarry Riesling. $16.99.

Sauternes: Lilly Pilly Noble Blend. While this Australian dessert wine (a blend of traminer, riesling and semillon) is not "officially" a sauternes (true sauternes hail from the Sauternes region of Bordeaux, France, and are a blend of semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle grapes), it still has the classic honey and pear notes that comes from "noble rot," i.e., the botrytis fungus.

Port: Any of the big names --- Taylor Fladgate, Cockburn, Graham's all come to mind --- will work, but if you can afford it, select a vintage port that is at least 20 years old.

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Thanksgiving Recipes : Sweet Potato Souffle

Thanksgiving Recipes : Sweet Potato Souffle

As I sit there going through my Thanksgiving recipes, I'm reminded by my daughter not to forget to make sweet potato souffle this year. While it's a family favorite, I have to admit that I do forget( on purpose) at times. Truth is, I am lousy at making a good meringue, as well as not to great at making Jello, either. That said, I admit it took me years before I figured out the sugar/egg white ratio and developed the patience to whip the add into soft peaks.
Hopefully, you're not as scatterbrained as I have been and will give this delicious recipe a try...it truly is worth any meringue frustration you might feel!

You will need

Large , heavy saucepan
large mixing bowl
medium mixing bowl
3-4 quart casserole dish
Cooking spray ( I use Pam for this )
Potato masher
Electric mixer

4 large sweet potatoes
3 Tbs virgin olive oil
1/2 cup milk ( might use low fat )
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate ( small frozen able to )
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
4 large egg whites
2 1/2 Tbs sugar
2 oranges, sliced thin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*

Grease casserole dish with cooking spray

Cover potatoes with water in saucepan. Bring to boil on medium high heat. Reduce heat and continue boiling until potatoes are fork tender...about 20-25 minutes.
Drain and peel potatoes. Put in large bowl and mash well.

Add brown sugar, orange juice, nutmeg,cloves, olive oil, milk, sherry, cinnamon and salt. Blend well with mixer.

Ladle or spoon potato mix into casserole dish.

Bake 20-25 minutes.

Now for the meringue..usually my downfall. While the potatoes are in the oven, beat the egg whites in med. bowl until they are just about stiff. Slowly add the sugar and keep beating until peaks form. I have to exercise patience with meringue!

When potatoes are done, remove from oven and top with meringue. Place back in oven and bake until meringue is a light brown. Watch close as time varies!

Garnish with the orange slices, serve and enjoy!

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Sweet Potato Casseroles

Sweet Potato Casseroles

Sweet potatoes, also called yams there in the United States, are a Thanksgiving staple, especially in the South. They're most often served candied, with a simple sugar syrup occasionally with several citrus or apple fruit flavorings. I'm not for a moment knocking candied yams. In fact, I'm sure I'll make them a time or two myself during the holidays.

However, there is a whole world of different sweet potato recipes out there. My favorite is the sweet potato "pudding," which isn't exactly a traditional pudding recipe but uses the starch of the potato to set up nicely. The flavors of both these recipes are superb. The first is from my own recipe file, the second another offering from soul food guru Willie Crawford.

Sweet Potato Pudding


2 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and grated
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 (12 oz) able to evaporated milk
1 c. whole milk
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Preheat oven to 375?.

Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole.

Combine the sweet potatoes and melted butter in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until light and lemon-colored. Add this to the sweet potatoes and stir just until blended. Gradually whisk in the two milks, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Pour into the prepared casserole.

Bake, stirring well two or three times, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the top is lightly browned, about 60-70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Pudding


1 8 oz. can sweet potatoes,drained
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
1/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 beaten eggs
1 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk
Sweetened whipped cream
Toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Mash sweet potatoes in food processor or put through a sieve.

In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, mashed sweet potatoes and orange peel.

In another mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves and 1/4 tsp. salt;stir into pumpkin mixture.

Add beaten eggs and coconut milk; combine well.

Spoon mixture evenly into 6-oz. souffle cups or custard cups. Bake in 350? oven about 50 minutes, or until set in center. Serve with whipped cream and garnish with coconut if desired. Serves 6. Enjoy!!!

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Healthy lifestyle: Bringing the turkey to your table

Healthy lifestyle: Bringing the turkey to your table

It's that time of the year when we again think about turkey as well as the celebration of the American tradition, Thanksgiving, now celebrated in many homes in Jamaica by Americans and Jamaicans alike. You may travel to the United States to enjoy your mother's Thanksgiving dinner every year.

I would hardly miss Desna Foster's special Thanksgiving Dinner in Windsor, Connecticut. It has individuals travelling from far to enjoy her blend of American and Jamaican dishes from her homely kitchen where she prepares for more than 80 persons.

You could make your Thanksgiving dinner special too. Like any different celebration, it means pulling food join togetherfor a meal, and usually the turkey forms the centrepiece. You may be a first-timer in preparing the turkey this year or, if you are accustomed to doing the turkey, you can refresh your mind with tips and guidelines as we talk turkey.

What'll you serve?

Your menu should be inspired by what you like to prepare, such as family favourites and a little of new classics. Suggestions include turkey and sides:

Orange-scented Roast Turkey: The heady scent of oranges, aromatic vegetables and roasting turkey wafts through the house for a homely feel.

Turkey with Port Wine Sauce and Rice Stuffing: Give your turkey dinner an elegant makeover by serving with rice-stuffing recipe and adding a delicious, decadent port wine sauce.

Sorrel Ginger Chutney: Turkey's traditionally served with cranberry sauce, but the Jamaican twist - a healthy dose of ginger and sorrel - is a combination not to be missed. The sorrel chutney produced by through the Scientific Research Council should grace your table this year.

Balsamic-roasted Sweet Potato Wedges: The flavours of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar create the perfect glaze for this already sweet vegetable.

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew: A tasty vegetarian dish with tomatoes, warm spices and a touch of peanut butter. Microwaving the sweet potatoes helps you finish in a flash.

Harvest Casserole: A great dish to accompany a holiday turkey or ham. Vegetarians will appreciate this meat-free, yet filling recipe.

(Hearst Communications, Inc)

Cook Stuffing Outside the Cavity of the Turkey

Do not cook the stuffing inside the bird. The cavity of a turkey is the perfect place for bacteria to thrive and multiply so it is not risk less to cook the turkey stuffing inside the bird. Instead, bake the stuffing in a separate casserole dish. The high temperatures will prevent bacteria growth. The centre of the dressing inside the bird if you do stuff it or bake it in a separate baking dish must reach a temperature of 165F for food safety.

Buying Your Turkey

The first thing to do is to have a bird in hand, so if you are not getting a turkey, you will have no choice but to purchase the bird. There are many types of birds to select from - fresh, frozen, organic, among others. It is advisable to stay away self-basting turkeys, which are often injected with butter or other fat and may have additives such as MSG.

Frozen: Turkeys labelled frozen are flash-frozen down to 0F right after processing. They are just as flavourful as fresh ones. If you purchase a frozen turkey, allow plenty of time for it to thaw in the refrigerator or up to 12 hours in a sink in very cold water, making sure to modify the cold water every 30 minutes. For food safety, never thaw your turkey at room temperature - in the sink or on the kitchen counter.

Self-basting turkeys are injected with solutions to enhance flavour and sold in a frozen state.

Fresh: Fresh turkeys are kept at a temperature below 40F and above 26F and, therefore, have a shorter shelf life than frozen turkeys. They do not need thawing, which makes them more convenient to use.

Organic: Organic turkeys, often called free-range, are raised on organic feeds and are raised without antibiotics. They are allowed to run freely around and get plenty of sunshine, fresh air and exercise. Organic turkeys come frozen or fresh.

How much to purchase?

A huge challenge in buying the turkey is to know how much to purchase for your celebration. First, you must identify how many persons will be dining, then allow 1 to 11/2 pounds of turkey per person. You can select the type of turkey you want and place it in you freezer. (dailydish@southbeachdiet.com)

HISTORY & TRADITION

Why are we so hooked on this Thanksgiving tradition? Though here is no real evidence that turkey was served at the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, over time it has become an indispensable part of the Thanksgiving tradition. The tradition of turkey is rooted in the History of Plymouth Plantation, written by William Bradford some 22 years after the actual celebration. In his letter sent to England, Edward Winslow, another Pilgrim, describes how the governor sent "four men out fowling" and they returned with turkeys, ducks and geese.

Unfortunately, the Bradford document was lost after being taken away by the British during the War of Independence. It was rediscovered in 1854. Since then turkey turned out to be the most popular symbol of the Thanksgiving Day. (TheHolidaySpot.com)

The turkey

The wild turkey is native to northern Mexico and the eastern United States. Later, it was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe early in the 16th century. According to

Roast Turkey with Molasses Glaze

1 (16lb) fresh turkey

1 tbsp sage, chopped

1 tbsp thyme, chopped

Salt and fresh pepper, to taste

2 onions, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 tbsps molasses

3 tbsps soy saucek

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 325F. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season inside and out with sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stuff turkey loosely with your favourite stuffing and truss. Place the turkey in a roasting pan with the chopped vegetables and place in the centre of the oven. In a bowl, whisk the molasses, soy and mustard together. During the last two hours of roasting, baste the turkey every 20 to 30 minutes with the molasses mixture. The skin will become dark. Tent with foil if necessary. The turkey should take approximately 41/2 hours to cook. Let the turkey rest for 20 to 25 minutes before carving.

Source: www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/4764

Chinese Turkey Vegetable Casserole

Chinese vegetables and mushrooms give this turkey casserole its Oriental slant.

1lb French-cut string beans, drained

1lb Chinese mixed vegetables, drained

1 can (81/2oz) water chestnuts, sliced and drained

1 can (8oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

4 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)

1 can (103/4oz) cream of mushroom soup

1oz sherry

1 cup milk

2 onions, cut in rings

Alternate layers of vegetables, cheese and turkey in greased 9x13-inch casserole.

Combine soup, sherry and milk. Pour over casserole.

Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.

Remove foil; sprinkle onion rings on top. Bake 20 minutes longer.

Serves 6 to 8

(Source: About.com: Homecooking)

Bringing the HolidaySpot.com, the late Benjamin Franklin, the scientist and United States statesman, strongly favoured making the turkey the national bird instead of bald eagle.

When you see a turkey, you cannot miss it. It has brown features with buff-coloured feathers on the tips of the wing and on the tail. The male turkey is called a 'tom'. It is larger and brighter and more colourful. The fleshy, wrinkled, brightly coloured fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat, well-known as the wattle, is a distinctive feature of the turkey. The female, called a 'hen', is generally smaller and drab in colour. Thanksgiving/turkey.htm

Thaw in Time

Having bought your turkey, the next challenge is to cook it for the enjoyment of your guests. Plan ahead and thaw your turkey in time. Turkeys take a long time to thaw, so make sure you allow enough time before Thanksgiving to completely thaw the bird. For refrigerator thawing, allow 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. A 14-pound turkey, for example, should be in the refrigerator three to four days before the holiday; a 20-pounder should be out of the freezer and in the refrigerator four to five days before Thanksgiving. In order to keep your refrigerator tidy during the thawing process, place the turkey (still in the store wrapper) in a shallow pan in the lower shelf.

What if the turkey is not fully thawed on the morning of Thanksgiving Day? Your kitchen sink will come to your rescue. Wash the sink thoroughly and fill with cold water. Place the turkey in the water and modify the water every 30 minutes until it is thawed. You may add some salt to the water. It is important to remember not to thaw the turkey at room temperature on the kitchen counter, as this will increase the bacterial count in the meat.

Allow Enough Roasting Time for the Turkey

High-roast the turkey at 325^(o)F. If roasting at lower temperatures, allow 20-25 per pound, plus allow another 20 minutes for the turkey to stand (covered in foil) before carving. Do not cook at very low temperatures overnight because this can facilitate bacterial growth.

FOOD SAFETY

Cook stuffing outside: Do not cook the stuffing inside the bird. The cavity of a turkey is the perfect place for bacteria to thrive and multiply, so it is not safe to cook the turkey stuffing inside the bird. Instead, bake the stuffing in a separate casserole dish. The high temperatures will prevent bacterial growth. The centre of the dressing inside the bird - if you do stuff it or bake it in a separate baking dish - must reach a temperature of 165^(o)F for food safety.

Use a food thermometer: Place it at an angle near the leg but not touching the bone. You will know that the turkey is done when the internal temperatures reach 165^(o)F. Be careful of the pop-up timers packaged with the turkey as the probe is too short to penetrate the thicker parts of the bird in the test for doneness.

Keep food at proper temperature: During Thanksgiving dinner, it is well-to-do to forget how long foods are being kept at room temperature. Clear foods away after the meal is over and refrigerate any leftovers promptly. Keep foods at the proper temperatures. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. (http://seasonalcooking.suite101.com)

Heather Little-White, PhD, is a nutrition and lifestyle consultant in Kingston. Send comments to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223.
Cutting to the chase


Hold end of drumstick and cut through meat between thigh and body. Pull drumstick away from body and remove by cutting through joint where thigh connects to body. Separate thigh from drumstick by cutting through joints that hold them together.


Steady the bird with carving fork and cut horizontally into the breast just above the wing. Remove the entire breast by cutting from the top of the bird down to the horizontal cut, using the breastbone as a guide for your knife.


Put the breast on a cutting board and slice meat in even pieces. Carve the thigh and drumstick in slices if desired. Arrange turkey slices on a serving platter.

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Adapt Thanksgiving favorites to reduce fat and calories

Adapt Thanksgiving favorites to reduce fat and calories

We've all heard about portion control at the conventional Thanksgiving feast. But cooks able to do their part to make the holiday a bit healthier without ruffling any feathers at the dinner table.

Cut calories and fat -- without sacrificing flavor -- by using healthier alternatives in place of high-fat ingredients whenever possible. This could help minimize the affect of a meal that can pack at least 1,500 calories and 65 grams of fat. Ouch!

That's exactly what Karen Gard, 46, of Troy wanted to do when she attended a Mirepoix cooking class last week at Holiday Market in Royal Oak. There, chef instructors put a healthier spin on traditional Thanksgiving fare.

"I am originally from New Orleans," says Gard. "All I know how to cook is Southern food, which is not particularly healthy."

Gard typically prepares a Thanksgiving meal that includes turkey with pats of butter under the skin, stuffing made with high-fat sausage and a sweet potato casserole with plenty of cream and butter.

"In the class, they showed us how to tweak and modify ingredients and still get good taste out of the dish," she says.

Take the sweet potato casserole, for example. Instead of marshmallows and lots of cream and butter, Mirepoix's recipe has healthier ingredients like whole wheat flour, orange juice concentrate and pecans.

Stacy Sloan, director of culinary education at Mirepoix, says there is nothing "inherently wrong with the typical foods in a Thanksgiving meal."

"If you learn how ... to pair foods together, you can learn how to prepare healthier foods," Sloan says.

She recommends using reduced-fat products (not fat-free) to make healthier versions of many dishes.

The exception, Sloan says, is plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt.

"You can use it in dips and to create a creamy texture in many dishes," says Sloan. "It adds a nice tang."

Her advice to holiday cooks: Focus on the vegetables.

"With the stuffing that we prepared in the class, you wouldn't think it's low fat," says Sloan. "It has lots of vegetables, a nice flavor, a little sweetness from the pear."

It is the high-fat ingredients, she says, "that causes the whole thing to completely derail."

Side dishes can do the most damage, says Gail Posner, a registered dietitian and president and owner of Healthy Ways Nutrition Counseling in West Bloomfield.

"The huge calories are not because of the turkey, which is a fabulous lean protein, especially the white meat," says Posner. "It's the side dishes that go with it."

Green bean casserole, for example, is high in calories and not a "nutrition all-star," says Posner. She suggests boosting its nutritional value by topping the casserole with grilled fresh onions instead of canned fried onions and low-fat cream of mushroom soup or less soup overall.

Posner also advises producing vegetable dishes e.g. roasted butternut squash and serving salads with dressing on the side.

Recipe: Turkey Italian Sausage Stuffing
Turkey sausage stuffing (SUSAN TUSA/Detroit Free Press)


Serves: 12 (about 3/4-cup servings) / Preparation time: 20 minutes Total time: 1 hour


8 cups (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 12 ounces)


1 pound turkey Italian sausage


Nonstick cooking spray


5 cups chopped onion (about 2 pounds)


2 cups chopped celery


1 cup chopped carrot


1 package (8 ounces) pre-sliced mushrooms


2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled Bartlett pear (about 2 medium)


1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil


2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon


1 teaspoon salt


1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth


1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden. Leave oven on. Place in a large bowl.


Remove casings from sausage.


Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add the sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the cooked sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine. Set aside.


Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; saute' 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in the mushrooms; cook 4 minutes. Stir in pear, basil, tarragon and salt; cook 4 minutes or until pear begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine. Stir in broth and pepper.


Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the bread mixture in the dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.


From Mirepoix cooking school at Holiday Market, Royal Oak. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 199 calories (24% from fat), 5 grams fat (1.6 grams sat. fat), 29 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams protein, 694 mg sodium, 22 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole (SUSAN TUSA/Detroit Free Press)


Serves: 12 (about 1/2 cup each) / Preparation time: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour


Nonstick cooking spray


2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks


2 large eggs


1 tablespoon canola oil


1 tablespoon honey


1/2 cup low-fat milk


2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1/2 teaspoon salt


TOPPING


1/2 cup whole-wheat flour


1/3 cup packed brown sugar


4 teaspoons frozen orange juice concentrate


1 tablespoon canola oil


1 tablespoon butter, melted


1/2 cup chopped pecans


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square or similar 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.


Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium high temperature until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well and return to the pan. Mash with a potato masher. Measure out 3 cups. (Reserve any extra for another use.)


In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and honey. Add mashed sweet potato and add well. Stir in milk, orange zest, vanilla and salt. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish.


To prepare topping: Mix flour, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate, oil and butter in a small bowl. Blend with a fork or your fingertips until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle over the casserole.


Bake the casserole until heated through and the top is lightly browned, 35 to 45 minutes.


From Mirepoix cooking school at Holiday Market, Royal Oak. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 242 calories (37% from fat), 10 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 36 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 170 mg sodium, 46 mg cholesterol, 4 grams fiber.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (SUSAN TUSA/ DFP)


Serves: 16 (1-inch slices) Preparation time: 35 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes (plus chilling time)


2 cans (15 ounces each) pure pumpkin


1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps (about 24 cookies)


3 tablespoons melted butter


2 tablespoons packed brown sugar


CHEESECAKE


1 cup nonfat or 1%-fat cottage cheese


2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened


1 cup packed light brown sugar


1/4 cup all-purpose flour


2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice


2 eggs


2 egg whites


Cranberry Topping (optional) or fat-free whipped cream


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.


Drain the pumpkin by lining a fine mesh sieve with 100% cotton cheesecloth or paper coffee filter over a bowl. Spoon in pumpkin; set aside while preparing crust.


For crust, in a small bowl stir join togethergingersnaps, butter and brown sugar. Press mixture onto bottom and about 1 inch up sides of 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Bake 5 minutes or until firm. Cool completely on rack.


For the cheesecake: In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the cottage cheese until smooth. Add the cream cheese and process again until smooth.


Place the drained pumpkin (discard the liquid) in a mixing bowl and mix in the 1 cup brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the cream cheese and cottage cheese mixture, the flour and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Stir in eggs and egg whites by hand.


Pour the filling into the prepared crust, spreading to sides of pan. Place in the oven and bake 70 minutes or until filling appears set when gently shaken. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. The top may crack as it cools.


Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. With small sharp knife, loosen crust from sides of pan; cold 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with Cranberry Topping.


To make Cranberry Topping: In small saucepan, combine 1 cup fresh cranberries and 1/2 cup light-color corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until berries begin to pop. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup cranberry sauce or relish.


Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, November 2009. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 219 calories (32% from fat), 8 grams fat (4 grams sat. fat), 31 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 280 mg sodium, 48 mg cholesterol, 1 gram fiber.

Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole
Mashed potato casserole with sauteed onions (REGINA H. BOONE/Detroit Free Press)


Serves: 12 / Preparation time: 10 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes This casserole can be prepared up to one day ahead. Because these are mashed, then baked, they are a bit drier than stovetop mashed potatoes. A small amount of melted butter can be drizzled on top before serving.


5 pounds favorite baking potato


Salt to taste


1 tablespoon unsalted butter


8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese


3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream


1/2 cup 2% milk, warmed


1/2 teaspoon white pepper or to taste


Chopped fresh chives, optional


To prepare the potatoes: Fill a large pot at least halfway with cold water. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in the pot. Stir enough salt into the water until it tastes mildly salted. Cover tightly and bring to a entire boil over high heat, reduce to medium so the water is just over a simmer; set the lid askew. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.


Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pot. Add the cream cheese and, using a handheld mixer, mash the potatoes until the cream cheese melts. Beat in the sour cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper.


Transfer to the prepared dish and completely cool. The potatoes can be prepared at this point up to 4 hours ahead; cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Or they can be made one day ahead at this point. Cool, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.


To heat the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the casserole until the potatoes are heated through, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with chives, if desired.


Adapted from "Thanksgiving 101" by Rick Rodgers (Broadway Books, $15). Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 213 calories (20% from fat), 5 grams fat (3 grams sat. fat), 37 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 90 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

Peel as well as boil sweet potatoes till tender.

Mash well with butter, milk, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Cool mixture a little, then add eggs.

Beat well.

Spread mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish.

Combine flour, sugar for the topping, cut in the butter till mixture's the size of peas.

Stir in pecans.

Sprinkle over the potato mixture.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

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The dessert we eat with the turkey

The dessert we eat with the turkey

"So, have you as well as your sister nailed down the Thanksgiving menu?" I asked my lovely wife.

"Pretty much," she said.

"So what are we bringing?"

"We're not obligated to bring anything," she replied, "since we're coming from so far away. But Renee wants sweet potato casserole. She loves your sweet potato casserole."

"Why's that a problem?"

"Well. She loves it the way we make it."

Ah, I see, I think to myself. It's one of those annual Thanksgiving mysteries; "why is it," the refrain goes, "that I followed Aunt Emma's recipe exactly, but mine does not taste as good as hers?"

It's ironic that Rhonda's sister, Renee, thinks that our sweet potato casserole is the best ever, due to we think that ours is somehow not as good as my sister Peggy's, from whom we got the recipe, and who swears she is not holding out any secret ingredient or technique.

The fact is, all cooks impart something of themselves into everything they cook. Call it the cook's hand, or cook's shadow, or whatever; each person who prepares a dish adds something intangible to the final product.

And this is especially true, it seems to me, for dishes like sweet potato casserole, for which there are about a million different recipes, most of them similar, yet each one a little different.

Of course most of those million different recipes originated here in the South. We eat sweet potatoes year round down here, but in numerous parts of the country, sweet potatoes are seldom found on fine tables except at Thanksgiving, and maybe Christmas, usually in some tooth achingly sweet combination like sweet potato casserole.

It's pretty much that way all over the world; in warmer areas, individuals love sweet potatoes and eat them all the time, in all sorts of ways, but in colder climates they either have never heard of them or do not concern for them.

But that notwithstanding, and as frequent and plebeian as the dish is, you are still likely to find it on the most elegant and sumptuous tables in America this Thanksgiving for one reason, and one reason exclusively --- it is delicious.

Sweet potatoes themselves are an uncommon food, with a fascinating history, part of what historians refer to as the Columbian Exchange, that group of foods, animals, products, diseases and whatever else that moved from the old world to the new, or the early to the old, as a happen of Columbus's discovery of the New World and subsequent explorations.

Columbus specifically mentioned sweet potatoes in his diary on his fourth voyage. They were called batatas by the natives, and sometime around the year 1500, someone brought some of them back to Spain. Then, inside a couple of years, Spanish explorers had taken them to the Philippine Islands and the East Indies. From there they spread to India, China and Malaysia, and finally to Japan.

They came to the United States in the early 1600's and were cultivated in the Virginia Colony as early as 1648. Not too many years later they were being shipped into New England. Northern and Southern taste preferences manifested themselves from the beginning, with Northerners preferring the "dry fleshed" varieties while Southerners loved the softer "moist fleshed" varieties referred to, incorrectly, as yams, which are actually a different food entirely.

And speaking of names, for many years after their introduction n the Old World, sweet potatoes were referred to just as "potatoes" because they were the only potatoes anyone knew about.

White potatoes, such as those we refer to as "Irish potatoes," did not make their way to Europe until 1570, 70 years after the introduction of the sweet potato.

Originally sweet potatoes were eaten as savory vegetables, partly because sugar was very, very scarce, but sometime, possibly late in the 19th Century, recipes began to appear for "candied sweet potatoes," some of them topped with something called marshmallows, others covered with sugar and nut praline topping. People still argue over which is better.

Me? I'm like a hitchhiker in a bad town when it comes to the issue of what to put atop a sweet potato casserole; I could go either way.

But at our house, although we sometimes make one with a buttery, brown sugar and pecan combination, we usually prefer a crown of bubbly, golden brown mosaic of toasted marshmallows.

But what, exactly, are marshmallows? Next week we'll talk about how an Egyptian cake-like dessert evolved into something that is nearly as much a part of our American Thanksgiving as the turkey and the pumpkin pie.

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When could you find aid if not on Thanksgiving?

When could you find aid if not on Thanksgiving?

When my family arrives for dinner next Thursday, they'll know exactly what'll be on the table:

Roast turkey (simple, coated with herbs). Mashed potatoes (with sour cream, cream cheese and butter). Gravy. My sweet potato casserole. Green bean casserole (yes, that one). Frozen corn. Dressing.

Also cranberry sauce, my mother's lime-cheese gelatin salad and mini-cream puff muffins with currants.

For dessert: pumpkin pie with real whipped cream sweetened with raw sugar. And to drink: sparkling apple and grape juices.

Boring?

How about comforting?

Life is chaotic and stressful enough all year and fixing dinner each day a struggle. For this one meal, when Americans lift their forks as one, I want the same meal I always have. The foods we like. The foods everyone expects. Thanksgiving dinner, to me, is all about family tradition.

Emphasis on the word "family."

Every student of history knows that what a little of consider to be the "traditional" Thanksgiving meal, a la Pilgrims, is rife with myth and misinformation. There really is no such thing. And modern-day traditional Thanksgiving Day foods vary considerably by geographical region.

What's traditional at Thanksgiving for us really began when I set up my own household.

Aside from my mom's gelatin, and mashed potatoes of many kind, I can't say I make anything I grew up eating as a child on the holiday.

I do not roast a duck (though I do so miss duck gravy - it's the best). I don't prepare my mom's dressing, baked separately, with its ground-up giblets, raisins and celery and lots of sage. Nor do I make her cranberry gelatin salad, pocked with chopped apples, celery and walnuts - truthfully, not my favorite.

But after 30 years of doing Turkey Day my way, I barely remember those.

My daughters, on the different hand - 23 and 26 years into this annual feast - know their mother's menu inside and out. They'd be OK with maybe one new dish, they said, but otherwise they want things left alone.

"I think it's all the smells and all the ritual of it that makes it feel like Thanksgiving," said my eldest, Gwen. "Otherwise it's just another meal. This is the only time of year you mix all those dishes together."

Noting the power of smell to trigger memories, she added, "If you mix it up, it's not going to feel like Thanksgiving."

In my defense, I am not 100% rigid. Recognizing that tradition is "a guide and not a jailer," as W. Somerset Maugham once wrote, I have ventured from my comfort zone for some Thanksgivings past.

One year I made four versions of pumpkin pie: the regular (off the Libby's can, with double the spices), one with a custard layer, another with a cream cheese layer and finally, a chiffon pumpkin pie with a gingersnap crust.

They were all good, but guess which one everyone liked best?

Every other year or so, I try a new cranberry sauce. There have been some winners, but heaven help me if I don't also serve that ridged cylinder of garnet gel from the can.

I added dressing to the menu one year after my second marriage, at my husband's request. Last year Tofurkey shared oven space, for the two vegetarians at the table. If time permits, we add a special cauliflower dish to the meal, one we all like.

Recalling what Thanksgiving dinner meant to him, my husband gave me yet another reason to stick with tradition.

As a kid, Thanksgiving was for him and his cousins "the day we had Grandma's fruit salad and her dinner rolls and creamed corn."

"There are some foods that go with the day," he said. "Especially if you're inviting the little ones over, and especially to Grandma's house, they all have their favorites, and they look forward to them being there. If you experiment, they don't know what they're walking into. You want that reputation when you're a grandma?"

(Well, I'm not one yet, but no!)

He noted, sadly, that his grandmother's dinner roll recipe died with her.

"Thirty five years later we're still in mourning that we don't have that recipe."
Nancy's Thanksgiving recipes

I made up my own version of this sweet-potato-apple casserole when, 11 years ago, Cook's Illustrated came out with a similar recipe. This one is a blend of the two. I always use nuts, and I prefer the earthy flavor of black walnuts to the sweeter pecans (plus, they have sentimental value).

In keeping with my marriage to tradition, I have not tried any of the variations listed below.
Maple Sweet Potato-Apple Casserole
Makes 8 to 10 servings

5 medium sweet potatoes

3 to 4 large baking apples

7 tablespoons real maple syrup (divided)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or black walnuts (optional)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons apple juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

To bake casserole in oven: Peel sweet potatoes, halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. In large pot of boiling water over high heat, parboil sweet potato slices until bright orange and point of sharp knife easily pierces but does not break apart slices, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, while sweet potatoes are boiling, peel, core and slice apples, then saute' in non-stick skillet in 2 tablespoons maple syrup over medium heat until softened but not mushy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place sweet potatoes in even layer in buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish, overlapping as needed. Top evenly with apples. Sprinkle evenly with pecans, if desired.

In 2-cup measure, whisk join togethermelted butter, remaining 5 tablespoons maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In small bowl, whisk together apple juice and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk into butter mixture. Pour evenly over apples and sweet potatoes.

Cover tightly with foil and bake in preheated oven until liquid is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until liquid thickens to glaze potatoes and apples, about 15 minutes.

To make ahead and reheat: Cook sweet potatoes in skins in microwave; pierce first with a fork and cook on high 12 to 14 minutes, turning over halfway through, until tender. Let cool, peel and slice. Cook apples as above. Layer in souffle' dish, alternating sweet potatoes and apples and sprinkling with nuts (if desired) and pouring butter-maple-cornstarch mixture over every layer. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Bring to room temperature and heat with turkey in 325-degree oven last 30 minutes of roasting time, or until hot. Or, heat in microwave 3 to 4 minutes on high (100%) power.

Variations:

. Substitute rum or bourbon for apple juice.

. Layer some drained, canned crushed pineapple with the sweet potatoes and apples.

. Layer some plumped golden raisins or plumped dried cranberries with the sweet potatoes and apples.

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It wasn't a holiday meal at my house - Thanksgiving dinner included - without this simple gelatin salad. It's the only such salad I still make, though numerous others populated my childhood table.

The fluffy concoction is sweet enough to stand as dessert, but of course, that spot is taken up by pumpkin pie.
Lime-Cheese Jell-O Salad
Makes 5 to 6 servings

1 could (81/4 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice (do not drain)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 small package (3 ounces) lime gelatin

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup pineapple juice

3/4 cup grated yellow cheese (medium or sharp cheddar or Colby)

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

In medium saucepan, cook pineapple, sugar and gelatin over medium-low heat, stirring just until gelatin is dissolved.

Stir in water and the 1/2 cup pineapple juice. Transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator until it is partially set, about an hour and a half.

Fold in cheese, whipped cream and nuts, transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill until firm. (Or, divide among individual dishes, such as dessert cups or small salad bowls, and refrigerate until set.)

Note: I double this for Thanksgiving.

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Enjoying a sweet 'n' savory sausage casserole

Enjoying a sweet 'n' savory sausage casserole

Sausage -- it's not just for breakfast anymore! It's not just for mixing into cornbread stuffing or cramming into mushroom caps. You've got a complete cold weather comfort food in this Savory Sausage and Sweet Potato Casserole, which takes advantage of two prime specimens of the season: apples and pears. Add in some gorgeous orange yams, and you've made a fabulous dinner for a dreary, rainy day!
Bowl of Apples.JPG

Beautiful specimens of the season: apples and mums ....

Mary Bilyeu, Contributor

This recipe came about as a challenge. My son Jeremy never used to like Shepherd's Pie, a glorious combination of meat and vegetables and gravy and -- one of his very favorite foods -- mashed potatoes. He would eat each item individually, but something about them sharing space was a problem. So I was determined to find some version that he would eat ... and thus, this variation on the theme was born. There's meat, there's produce, there's gravy, and there's a non-crust topping; Jeremy has loved it from the first moment he tried it.

So when I found out that Jimmy Dean and Taste of Home magazine are sponsoring a contest with a possible $2500 cash prize, this was the obvious choice for my entry. Unfortunately, the casserole is not very photogenic; I took pictures of it in the baking dish (a vast swath of orange), on the plate (a pile of brown with flecks of orange), on a fork (a tidbit of brown with a hint of orange) ... I would be embarrassed to have any of you see the pile of mush that it appears to be when facing a camera. And yet, the aroma is amazing and the taste sublime! Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a delicious sweet and savory dinner by its lack of supermodel beauty ....
Jimmy Dean sausage.JPG

Mary Bilyeu, Contributor

Savory Sausage and Sweet Potato Casserole

3 large yams
1 pound Jimmy Dean Mild Country Sausage
1 small onion, chopped
2 large Ambrosia apples, peeled, cored, quartered, chopped into 1/2" dice
2 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored, quartered, chopped into 1/2" dice
2 cups apple cider, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425? F. Pierce the yams with a knife and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until very tender.

Meanwhile, saute' the sausage in a 10" skillet over medium high temperature until nearly brown. Add the onion, apples and pears; cook for 2 minutes, stirring, then cover the skillet and cook for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, bring 1-1/4 cups cider to a boil along with the cornstarch and nutmeg; turn heat to "low" and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir cider into the sausage mixture, and place into an 8"x8" casserole dish.

When the yams are ready, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash the yams with the remaining 3/4 cup cider, then spoon the mixture over the sausage. Serve hot.


Mary Bilyeu has won or placed in more than 60 cooking contests and writes about her adventures as she tries to win prizes, feeds hungry teenagers and other loved ones, and generally just has fun in the kitchen. The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured next to the blog's title) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15, and is a wish for all her readers as they cook along with her ... may you always be happy here!

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