Tired of Traditional Thanksgiving Turkeys?

Kick out the turkey and get creative with ham, duck, chicken, fish and lamb. Check out 8 mouth-watering recipes at Bon Appetit.

Thanksgiving not just for vegetarians, but Vegans as well! For 12 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes including Stuffed Winter Squash and Sourdough Stuffing, head over to Huffington Post.

Or if you don't want to be up to your elbows in gravy this Thanksgiving, let someone else do the work. Countdown to Thanksgiving guide at ClawsonPatch.

Thanksgiving: Don't Forget to Ask The Chef

Ask The Chef

Remember, I'm your virtual sous chef this Thanksgiving. I'd love to help! I will continue taking questions via my website through 2PM Thanksgiving day.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving 101: The Pilgrim's Feast

Did you know that the Pilgrims ate eel, oysters, and clams at the first Thanksgiving feast?

Did you know that a corn-based bread was served because the Pilgrims' wheat crops were unsuccessful, but corn flourished (thanks to their native expert advice)?

Did you know that pumpkin was a Pilgrim staple --- and not something they would have eaten when they lived in Europe?

Did you know that only four women survived the first year and so children played a large role in the Thanksgiving meal preparation (yes, they were the ones out collecting the eel, oysters, and clams)?

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the president who made Thanksgiving Day an official holiday in the United States?

Did you know that you could read President Lincoln's proclamation right here? Read on....

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

Thanksgiving 101: The Perfect Turkey

The Los Angeles Times' Test Kitchen

Inspired by Chef Judy Rodgers, owner and chef at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, the Los Angeles Times presented a recipe for a dry-brined roasted turkey in 2006. Due to its popularity and persistent reader requests, the Times' continues to run the unique recipe.

The technique is simple: the salt draws out the turkey's natural juices, and the dry brine technique produces a juicy but firm texture. Delicious!

Without further ado -

The Roast Salted Turkey

Total time: 2 hours, 50 minutes
Servings: 11 to 15
Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting. The Times' Test Kitchen recommends a fresh turkey for this technique.

1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey
Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.

Source: Los Angeles Times, Food

Thanksgiving 101: Turkey Safety

Photo: Susie Cushner

What is the center of the traditional Thanksgiving feast? Yes, the perfectly roasted turkey.

Roasting a turkey doesn't have to be scary or complex. However, it does need to be done right. Poultry requires specific handling to ensure your dinner guests' safety.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when handling your bird:

* Wash your hands carefully! Yes, a standard cooking must, but always good to be reminded.

* Frozen turkeys should be thawed in either the refrigerator or in a container of regularly changed cold water. Thaw breast-side down and in a self-contained dish to avoid the the thawing turkey's uncooked juices from spilling. A thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days prior to cooking.

* Use paper towels, not cloth towels, to clean-up an uncooked juices from the turkey or to pat dry the turkey.

* Wash any containers, trays, utensils, cutting boards use when preparing the uncooked turkey with hot water and soap.

* Determine the turkey's doneness with a meat thermometer. The final temperature should be 180 degrees in the thigh, and stuffing cooked in the bird should read 165 degrees.

* Package and store turkey leftovers --- without bones -- within 2 hours of pulling it out of the oven.

source: food safety tips

Ask The Chef

Don't forget -- I welcome any and all questions about cooking times, turkey prep, ingredient choices, etc. Contact me via my website, with any Thanksgiving, food-related question!

A Time of Thanks

aka, Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is fast-approaching. I want to spend some time discussing the holiday, its cuisine --- and, most importantly, how to produce a healthy, happy meal. Food safety tips, on their way!

Ask The Chef

This Thanksgiving season, consider me your virtual Thanksgiving sous chef.

I welcome any and all questions about cooking times, turkey prep, ingredient choices, etc. Simply contact me via my website, with any Thanksgiving, food-related question, and I will gladly provide an expert answer!

Recipe For You - Spinach with Garlic & Pine Nuts

Spinach with Garlic and Pine Nuts
Ingredients

1 pound spinach leaves (I like to use the ready-to-use bagged spinach)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon pine nuts (almonds also work great in this recipe!)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. 3. Add spinach to the pan, in batches if necessary, and sauté until starting to wilt. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all spinach is wilted and liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve. This would make a great side dish at your Thanksgiving dinner!

Makes 4 (3/4-cup) servings


Some cool things to know about spinach: it is rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamin K. Also, if you do decided to forgo the bagged spinach, please know that the thicker leaves are better for sautéing/cooking and the flatter, thinner leaves are better for salads and eating raw.

Turkeys...Fresh or Frozen?

When it comes to buying turkey, there are so many options out there, we thought we should put together a guide to help you pick out the right one for your dinner.

Frozen: Turkeys labeled "frozen" are flash frozen down to 0°F right after processing. They're every bit as flavorful as fresh ones. If you purchase a frozen turkey, allow plenty of time for it to thaw, at least 3-4 days. The best and safest methods to thaw the bird are: in the refrigerator or for up to 12 hours in a sink in very cold water, making sure to replenish the cold water every 30 minutes. Never thaw your turkey at room temperature (like on the counter) to avoid harmful bacteria.
Fresh: Fresh turkeys are only chilled and thus have a shorter shelf life than frozen turkeys. Because you don't have to thaw them, they are a more convenient option and my personal favorite.
Self-basting: Turkeys labeled "self-basting" have been injected with a solution intended to make them more flavorful and tender, which ends up saving you time, since these turkeys have been salted or otherwise seasoned. This means you can skip brining or marinating that can take several hours — plus, you're virtually guaranteed a moist and flavorful bird.
Organic: Organic turkeys come frozen, fresh, and self-basting, and are raised on organic feeds and without antibiotics. (This is the type of turkey I buy every year...the flavor really can't be beat!)

No matter which type of bird you choose, figure that you need 1 to 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person. Once you've determined the type and weight range you need, find the roundest bird available. Then clear out the freezer or refrigerator to make room for the turkey! Have a great dinner!