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Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:45:30 -0800

Use a combination of white, bronze, and gold to create a rich looking Thanksgiving table. Cover the table with an embroidered runner and mirrored place mats. On each setting, place a white plate and a gold napkin. Paint mini pumpkins with bronze paint, tie a pretty ribbon to the stem, and attach to a hand-written place card. Goblet-style wine glasses work for both white and red wine. A branch-like candelabra looks stunning on a nearby banquet. Copper votives glow with candles at the table. Lush, white bouquets add a touch of refined elegance.

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Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:30:39 -0800

At Thanksgiving, impress your foodie friends with a sophisticated cocktail. A blend of sweet and dry vermouths and bourbon, the perfect turkey is a seasonal variation of the classic Manhattan. The potent flavor of the whiskey will pair nicely with the rich appetizers. Prepare a pitcher, shake and serve as guests arrive.

Have champagne on hand. Nicolas Feuillatte has some lovely, affordable options. For the meal pour a pinot noir. To look at the recipe for the perfect turkey, read more.

Perfect Turkey
From Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1/4 cup Wild Turkey bourbon
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet vermouth
1 1/2 teaspoons dry vermouth
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice and nutmeg

Directions

Shake bourbon, sweet vermouth, and dry vermouth with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Serve in a Martini glass with a spice-sugared rim (mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice and nutmeg). Garnish with orange peel.

Makes 1 drink.

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Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:00:57 -0800

A caramelized pumpkin trifle is the perfect finish to a foodie Thanksgiving. A seemingly simple dessert, a trifle is really quite complex. Before assembling you have to make the components. In this case, the flavors of classic pumpkin pie are layered to make an exciting new dish. Candied pumpkin, pumpkin bread, and cinnamon pudding come together to create the ultimate dessert. To look at the recipe that allows you to show off your trifle dish, read more.

Caramelized Pumpkin Trifle
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Bread, (recipe below) sliced 1/4 inch thick
Candied Pumpkin (recipe below)
Softly whipped cream, for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 1/3 cup of the half-and-half.
In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the remaining 1 2/3 cups of half-and-half with the sugar mixture and the cinnamon. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens and comes to a boil.
Remove from the heat and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and press plastic wrap on the surface. Refrigerate until chilled.
Arrange one-third of the Pumpkin Bread slices in a large glass bowl, overlapping them slightly. Spread one-third of the cinnamon pudding evenly on top. Top with one-third of the Candied Pumpkin with its syrup.
Repeat the layering process two times. Garnish the trifle with a few dollops of whipped cream, the candied ginger and mint sprigs.

Serves 8.

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup fresh or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with wax paper. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the pumpkin puree. Stir the vanilla into the milk. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions at low speed, alternating with the milk mixture.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool.

Makes one 9-inch loaf.

Candied Pumpkin

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups diced ( 1/2 inch) sugar pumpkin or butternut squash
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add the pumpkin and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup, ginger and cinnamon and remove from the heat. Let cool and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Makes about 3 cups.

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Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:00:44 -0800

With rich flavors, luxe ingredients, and complex cooking techniques, this delicious Thanksgiving menu is sure to wow your foodie friends. Start with brioche toasts topped with foie gras, date purée, and pomegranate seeds. Caviar with cream cheese on peppered crackers is another hors d'oeuvres option that comes together easily with elements from a gourmet grocery store. A slow-smoked turkey with cane syrup-coffee glaze is a showstopping centerpiece to the main event. Before being smoked, the bird is braised in a mixture of coffee, apple cider vinegar, and cane syrup, so make sure you have a pot large enough to hold a whole turkey.

A decadent stuffing with bacon, sage, and fresh-shucked oysters is a delightful accompaniment to the smoked bird. Sweet potatoes reach new heights when served in souffle form stuffed inside a phyllo dough. To get these recipes for the more advanced home cook, read more.

Foie Gras With Date Purée and Pomegranate
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1/4 pound Medjool dates (packed 1/2 cup), pitted
1/2 cup boiling-hot water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 large brioche loaf or challah loaf (1 to 1 1/2 pound)
1 (6 1/2-ounces) block foie gras, chilled
Garnish: pomegranate seeds (from 1 pomegranate)

Directions

Soak dates in boiling-hot water (1/2 cup) in a bowl 10 minutes. Transfer dates with a slotted spoon to a mini food processor or a blender along with 1 tablespoon soaking liquid. Add pomegranate molasses and purée until smooth.
Preheat broiler.
Cut enough 1/4-inch-thick slices from brioche to cut into a total of 32 (1 1/2-inch) squares (without crust).
Broil brioche squares on a baking sheet 4 to 5 inches from heat, turning once, until pale golden, about 1 1/2 minutes total. (Watch carefully; brioche toasts quickly.)
Dip a sharp paring knife in hot water, then dry it and halve foie gras lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 16 slices (32 total), dipping and drying knife after each cut. Put each slice as cut on top of a brioche toast, then top with a small dollop of date purée and a few pomegranate seeds.

Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres.

Make ahead: Brioche can be cut (but not toasted) 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Date purée can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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Slow-Smoked Turkey With Cane Syrup-Coffee Glaze
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 gallons water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ground coffee, preferably chicory coffee
1 large onion, halved
12 large thyme sprigs, tied together
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 cups light brown sugar or 3 cups cane syrup*
One 11-pound turkey
About 3 cups hickory chips
Vegetable oil, for brushing

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 1 gallon of the water to a boil; keep warm. In a large stockpot, combine the cider vinegar, coffee, onion, thyme, salt and peppercorns with 1 3/4 cups of the brown sugar and the remaining gallon of water. Bring to a boil.
Holding the turkey by the legs, carefully ease the bird into the hot brine, neck end down. Add enough of the hot water to the stockpot to cover the turkey and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Carefully remove the turkey from the stockpot. Strain 2 cups of the braising liquid into a heatproof bowl and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Discard the remaining braising liquid.
Meanwhile, light a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. A few minutes before the turkey has finished simmering, add 2 cups of the hickory chips to the coals. When the chips start smoking, brush the turkey breast with oil.
Set the turkey, breast side down, on the grill. Cover and smoke over a low fire or flame for 15 minutes. Baste the turkey with the reserved braising liquid; turn it breast side up and baste again.
Cover the grill and continue smoking the turkey for about 40 minutes longer, basting occasionally with the braising liquid and adding more coals or hickory chips to the grill as necessary.
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165°. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Serves 10 with leftovers.

*Cane syrup is available by mail order from Steen's.

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Oyster Stuffing
From Saveur

Ingredients

11 cups 1⁄2" cubed white French bread (about 14 oz.)
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1⁄4" strips
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for
greasing the pan
6 shallots, thinly sliced
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
40 medium oysters, such as bluepoints, shucked (about 1 lb.), with 1 cup of the liquor reserved
1 cup chicken stock
1⁄4 cup madeira or port
1⁄3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp. chopped thyme leaves
2 tbsp. chopped sage leaves
1⁄2 tsp. Tabasco
1⁄4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 250. Arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
Put bacon into a 12" skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp and its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes.
Add 4 tbsp. of the butter and heat. Add shallots and celery, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add oyster liquor, stock, madeira or port, parsley, thyme, sage, Tabasco, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and stir in the bread cubes and oysters. Set aside to allow the flavors to come together for 10 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400°. Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-qt. oval baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue baking until golden brown and crusty, about 30 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

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Sweet Potato Souffle Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, pierced with the tines of a fork
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup melted, plus more for pan
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more if needed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
9 sheets phyllo dough, (17 by 12 inches) thawed if frozen
Pinch of cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes until tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle.
Peel potatoes, and press through a ricer into a large bowl (you should have about 1 cup); let cool completely. Stir in ground ginger, vanilla, salt, egg yolks, and brown sugar; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat milk and fresh ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just under a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in milk mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 1 minute. Stir into potato mixture.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan, and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
Stir 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl.
Brush 1 phyllo sheet with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Fold in half crosswise; brush with butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon-sugar mixture, and fit into prepared pan, folded side in, allowing a 2 1/2-inch overhang. Repeat, overlapping sheets to cover bottom.
Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.
With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Whisk one-third of the egg whites into potato mixture. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg whites.
Pour over phyllo; fold overhang over filling. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture (if needed, combine 1 to 2 tablespoons more sugar and a pinch of cinnamon).
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake pie until puffed and just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand until slightly cooled and center has fallen, about 20 minutes.

Serves 10.

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Come Party With Me: Foodie Thanksgiving - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:15:19 -0800

Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year; the entire celebration revolves around the meal. Thus, I'm planning a Thanksgiving dinner for foodies - those who love to cook and eat. From the invite to the decor I've got you covered. Take my ideas to make your own memorable and scrumptious Thanksgiving. Let's start by sending elegant, homemade invitations. To see how I made the invites shown here, read more.

To make a similar invite you will need the following supplies:

cardstock in several different Thanksgiving themed colors
leaf-shaped hole punch
scissors
glue

To assemble the invite:

Create a new document in Microsoft word. Choose a more formal font (I used Snell Roundhand Bold in size 16) to set the sophisticated mood of the dinner and write out the details:

You’re invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner
That celebrates the bounty of the season.

Thursday, November 27th
3 o’clock in the afternoon

PartySugar’s House, San Francisco
Please rsvp. 415.555.5555

Print on plain white paper and check for any errors.

Once satisfied with the look and feel of the text, print out on the colored cardstock.
Punch out leaf shapes in three colors.

Glue the leaves to the cardstock, creating a border on the top and bottom of the text.
Cut the invite down to size. Slide into an envelope and send.

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Foodie Flashback: Butterbake Your Turkey

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:28:19 -0800

The only thing better than vintage recipes and cookbooks are vintage-cooking videos. While looking for Thanksgiving ideas, I came across this vintage commercial for a turkey made with real butter. You pat lots of butter all over, cover it with cheesecloth dipped in melted butter, and bake it slowly, basting with butter. Sounds like a recipe Paula Deen could really get behind. If you're interested in how to butterbake a turkey, or are just looking for a bit of Thanksgiving circa 1959, then check out the commercial, just read more

TV Dinners: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:11:33 -0800

As a child, one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving - besides the turkey, pie, and Macy's parade - was the annual viewing of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I love the way that Snoopy and the gang had their own Thanksgiving without adults. Even though Peppermint Patty freaks out over the lack of turkey and pumpkin pie, I always thought it looked like a lot of fun. What child wouldn't want a a smorgasbord of treats - two pieces of buttered toast, pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans - while sitting around ping-pong table? Looking back on it now, I see part of the message is that it doesn't matter what you're eating, as long as it was made with love. So despite how your feast turns out - be it fantastic or forgettable - remember to take a deep breath and enjoy the day.

To see a clip of Snoopy and the gang prepping for their Thanksgiving feast, read more

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Foodie Thanksgiving Invites: Step by Step

partysugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:02:41 -0800

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:30:29 -0800

We've got seven pumpkin pie suggestions - as well as a pumpkin cake.
PartySugar plans a Thanksgiving meal that's a foodie's paradise.
One of our many Thanksgiving tips: Get a head start by planning the menu.
Get up to speed on the new Top Chef, and what Lauren really thinks of Padma.
We taste tested Baconnaise, and our lives may never be the same.
Mac and cheese gets a healthy, seasonal makeover with the addition of butternut squash.
Finally, enter to win our Ultimate Thanksgiving Giveaway from Williams-Sonoma!

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:30:23 -0800

Meet Nola's quintessential fried oyster po'boy.
Reinvent your Thanksgiving leftovers with these creative meal ideas.
Shocker! Gordon Ramsay is reportedly having an affair.
Missed out on Wednesday's Top Chef? PartySugar catches you up on the details.
Test your knowledge of sandwich classics with our quiz.
These savory madeleines will give you a whole new pastry point of view.
Shop for your favorite foodies this season with the help of our holiday gift guides.