Monday Musts - Thanksgiving

As today is the Monday before Thanksgiving it is only fitting that this week's post have to do with the big day. While I will not be preparing a big meal this year I feel that if the task were placed in my hands that I would be fully prepared. It seems that every show on TV for the month of November has revolved around the preparation of the big feast. Many of the shows have been giving the same tips over and over so they must be key in preparing the perfect dish. Many of you might not know these so I thought that I would pass along my new found thanksgiving knowledge to you. I hope the following five hints help you out this season or at any time of year, because a good meal should not be saved for just the holidays but enjoyed year round. Happy cooking to those of you who are taking on the task and for us who are just coming to indulge do not forget to thank the chef!

{If you choose to put out appetizers keep them light with a simple Antipasto platter}

{Be sure to keep plenty of stock at hand, you will use it in many

dishes and can pour over a turkey that turns out a little dry}

{Use a nice whole loaf, from a bakery, for your stuffing bread cubes, sandwich

bread will actually become moldy before they become crispy}

{Canned Cranberries are a must at any table, even if they are simply for nostalgia}

{When making a pie crust make sure your butter is nice and cold to get a flaky crust}

Penny Pinching Tip

As the holidays approach everyone is looking for a way to save to some money. I thought that it would be a good idea to share with you how I will watching my pennies so that you can also stretch your dollar. My first penny pinching tip is for all of the bakers out there. If you are like me you find baking to be very therapeutic, and makes the house smell good. While baking usually consists of simple ingredients i.e. flour, sugar, and eggs, stocking up on spices can get quite expensive. If your recipe calls for two or more spices your once $3.00 cake can turn into your most expensive meal of the week. My advice is to buy in bulk, not 5 lbs bags, but rather in the bulk food section. If you are fortunate enough to live in a metropolis like Houston then you can visit Central Market or any other speciality market. If you live outside of Texas I recommend first looking for a Whole Foods in your area. Buying in the bulk food section will allow you to purchase just the amount that you will need for whatever you dish of the day is. So instead of having to buy an entire jar of cloves for $6.00 you can purchase the 3 tsp. that you need for $0.50. If you are not an avid baker I would not only buy my spices this way but sugar, flour, and vinegars this way as well. So the next time you are thinking of baking a delicious gourmet cake to cheer yourself up, go for it, it might be the cheapest thing you do all week. Let me know what techniques you use to stretch your dollar! Happy Baking!

{Some Balsamic Vinegar and Honey}

{You can buy spices, nuts, and even pasta in bulk}

Renaissance Festival

Last weekend we took a relatively short road trip to the 43rd Annual Texas Renaissance Fair. Having never been to a Renaissance fair I was very interested to see what all was involved. I knew about the giant turkey legs, people in costumes, and jousting but did not realize the magnitude of the event. Unlike all other festivals, this is not just a fairground with tents set up, but rather an entire city built in the middle of the forest. The food is in abundance ranging from fair favourites such as elephant ears and chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick to giant hickory smoked turkey legs and fried alligator. There are games, shows and a jousting competition. Overall the road trip was a success. If you have a free Saturday I would recommend going. Dont' worry if you arrive and are short on cash because believe it or not there are plenty of renaissance period ATM machines strewn across the city.

{John with his giant turkey leg}

{One of the very elaborate costumes}

{The Jouster representing France}

Apple Crisp in the Fall

Fall is a season unlike any other. I feel that there are two fall seasons. There is the fall that starts with back to school and leads up to Halloween and then there is the Harvest fall. As we transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving I wanted to start testing out my baking skills so that when the big day comes I will be ready to wow everyone. I decided to start out with a simple and fall inspired apple crisp. I used this recipe and hope that you will enjoy it as well. Let me know what your favorite dish is to bake during fall.

{Apple-crisp hot out of the oven}

{Instead of ice cream I like to add some Cool Whip on top}