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Announcing Our Thanksgiving Recipe Challenge!

partysugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:34 -0800

Calling all home cooks: Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we want you to share your tried and trusted recipes in the community. Just join the Kitchen Goddess group and go hog wild! Does your giblet gravy get rave reviews? Do people fight over the last of your sweet potato casserole? Is everyone always asking for the secret to your green beans? Now's your chance to show us what you've got. Upload your recipes along with a photo and a brief description of the dish to the Kitchen Goddess group. All month long, we'll be selecting our favorite recipes and featuring them here on YumSugar. Imagine the satisfaction you'll have on Thanksgiving dinner when you sister-in-law says, "this stuffing is the best I've ever tasted," and you coolly reply, "I know. It was featured on YumSugar. I'll send you the link to the recipe." So what are you waiting for? Start typing up those recipes now! To learn how to post recipes, check out this guide.

Would You Rather Eat Pumpkin or Pecan Pie?

partysugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:30:50 -0800

Source: Flickr Users delgaudm and museinthecity

Thanksgiving: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:00:01 -0800

I'm an avid and advanced home cook. I'm passionate about food. I entertain at least twice a month. I even find the act of chopping wildly relaxing. Now that you know these things about me, you won't be surprised to learn that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I love everything about Thanksgiving from the planning to the turkey to the tablescape. While I'd like to think my enthusiasm for the third Thursday in November is contagious, there are some people who simply don't enjoy Thanksgiving. How do you feel about it?

Happy Hour: Sparkling Pomegranate Elderflower Cocktail

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:07 -0800

There's no better way to get in the spirit of the season than by pouring a fizzy and festive cocktail like this sparkling pomegranate-elderflower concoction. It's blushing color is reminiscent of Fall sunsets and falling leaves, while the effervescent texture screams holiday.

The elderflower adds a hint of syrupy sweetness that's not cloying or overly floral. This cocktail may be girlie, but it's elegant and smoothly sippable. Although a bottle of St. Germain is a bit of a splurge, think of the fragrant liqueur as an investment that you can enjoy through the New Year.

Start Thanksgiving with these rosy bubblers and during the weeks leading up to Christmas, make sparkling Shiraz punch! To get the easy, three-ingredient recipe, read more.

Sparkling Pomegranate Elderflower Cocktail
From The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions by Katie Lee

Ingredients

1 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 ounce pomegranate juice
3 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine

Directions
In a champagne glass, combine the elderflower liqueur and pomegranate juice. Top with Champagne.

Makes 1 drink.

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This Thanksgiving, Make Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie!

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:33 -0800

Although I can't deny the deliciousness of a slice of classic, cinnamon-laced pumpkin pie, in recent years, I've expanded my horizons to somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts. Pecan pie? Surprisingly easy, yet wildly delicious. Pumpkin meringue pie? An unexpected crowd-pleaser. Pumpkin cake with pecan brittle and whipped cream cheese frosting? Devoured in seconds. Triple chocolate pumpkin pie? Sign me up! When I came across this recipe, while browsing Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving central, I knew I had to try it. If you've made pumpkin pie in the past, you can master this. It's actually easier because the crust is made from graham crackers instead of a standard pastry dough. The resulting pie is dense and rich. Each bite is an experience of flavors: first you taste chocolate, then pumpkin, and finally the sweet crust. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust
2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped
For the filling:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 55 percent cacao), chopped
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ground cloves
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted

Directions

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of a deep, 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Bake until firm, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Return to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom and up sides.
Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/3 pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.
Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet, and pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack.
Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Before serving, drizzle melted milk chocolate on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 12.

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Thanksgiving Tip: Calculate How Much Food You'll Need

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:42:21 -0800

For an elaborate meal like Thanksgiving, it's crucial to consider how much food you'll serve. Too little, and you'll leave guests wishing they could gobble up more; too much, and you'll wind up with Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. To make sure your food doesn't go to waste, take time to do some adequate planning. A few pointers, when you read more.

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:50:03 -0800

When hosting any Thanksgiving dinner, be it a potluck or one where you do the majority of the cooking, it's a good idea to set the table a couple of days in advance.

Start with a seasonal tablecloth, then add the good china, polished flatware, and wine glasses. Serve the cocktails in tumblers and the turkey on a large platter.

Lots of candlelight creates a festive atmosphere, so place votives on the table and pillar candles around the dining room. Don't forget a bouquet or two of fresh flowers.

Consider the counter space; a lot of it might be in use during the hours before the meal, so a folding table where guests can place their contributions is crucial. If you are attending a potluck, make your dish in a vessel that has a cover or in a disposable pan that can be discarded at the end of the night.

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:49 -0800

If your house is the location of a Thanksgiving potluck, you're hosting duties not only include making the turkey, but also preparing a cocktail. When guests arrive offer them a glass to get things started. Since the meal is a big one, serve an apéritif - something not too sweet that will stimulate the palate like these campari triple-sec concoctions.

On the flip side, when attending a Thanksgiving potluck, don't show up empty handed. Bring a bottle of sparkling wine or Beaujolais Nouveau or a six-pack of festive pumpkin ale.

To look at the campari cocktail recipe, which can be easily adapted for a crowd, read more.

Bitter Orange Kindler
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 ounces triple sec
2 ounces campari
tonic water
orange peel, optional for garnish

Directions

In a tall glass combine the triple sec and Campari with 3 cubes of ice.
Fill the glass with chilled tonic water and stir to blend. Garnish with a strip of orange peel.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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Killer Apps: Clams Casino

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:38 -0800

Although appetizers aren't the first thing that come to mind when one thinks of Thanksgiving dinner, I like to give my family something to nibble on while they wait for the big meal. Usually I serve a luxurious bite like crab cakes or baked brie with mushrooms. This year, I'm offering a classic seafood crowd-pleaser, clams casino.

Even my mom, who's not into clams, enjoys these savory, finger-licking-good, bacon-and-shallot-topped clams. They can be assembled in the morning and baked later, making them ideal for an event like Thanksgiving. These delicious clams are also an excellent addition to a cocktail party menu, so bookmark the recipe now

Thanksgiving Tip: Use Food as Serveware

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:50:49 -0800

When planning a dinner as momentous as Thanksgiving, there are lots of elements to consider on top of cooking, like selecting the right menu (and bird!), detailing an oven plan, and considering your budget. But one thing I firmly believe you shouldn't have to stress about is doing the dishes.

Spare yourself - and the environment! - by using food as a serving vehicle whenever possible. Start off cocktail hour with cider poured in apple cups and homemade dip in a bread bowl. Or, if soup is part of your meal, offer it in festive roasted acorn squash. Not only is this serving method a fun surprise for guests, but it's also delicious, filling, compostable, and easy on the cleanup.

What serving tips do you have to cut down on the dishes at Thanksgiving?

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