Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tips for creating an enchanting tablescape that’s also comfortable.
To catch up on Megan Swoyer's first 11 steps of the “turkey day” planning process, read the full series. There are dozens of torn-out magazine pages in my recipe files that don’t have recipes on them. Instead, the worn sheets showcase beautiful images and tips for the second (food is No. 1) most important key to a good meal: dining table ambiance. I come from the land of linger. My family sits at the table long after dessert is served, for coffee, after-dinner drinks, chitchat and big laughs. So the table décor, seating, etc. need to be as inviting as if we were sitting in front of the fireplace in the living room (which usually follows the table talk, before card games begin). I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving pretty regularly for the past …
Monday, November 21, 2011
These handy tips from the turkey trenches will help you with the last few crucial days of preparation.
To catch up on Megan Swoyer's first nine steps of the “turkey day” planning process, read the full series. Chef Jim Bologna of The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham could be considered a kitchen boy scout: He’s always prepared, especially when hosting a feast at home with family and friends. Here are some of his tips: Keep appetizers frozen until the big day: Bologna also is big on having cheese and crackers with some cured meats on hand — that’s “always a win and they will hold for quite some time, and go great with wine.” Plan, plan, plan: “Write your menu so that most of your items can be done ahead,” he said. “Most if not all of the sides can be done a day or two beforehand.” Plan the oven space: This is important so that everything that …
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Stock up now on bread, mayo, pickles, mustard and more to create a healthy or not-so-healthy sandwich.
To catch up on Megan Swoyer's first eight steps of the “turkey day” planning process, read the full series. A lot of people enjoy turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving. I don’t wait that long. Growing up, we indulged in turkey sandwiches around 10 Thanksgiving night. It was our family tradition to clear the big round table (used as a buffet for dinner), gather some chairs, pour some beverages, get out the poker chips, shuffle up the cards and ante up! My mom loves poker, and the poker chips didn’t fall far from the tree. We’d even play for money. These games would go on until well past midnight. But we’d always take a sandwich break, after maybe seven or so hands, and haul out the leftover turkey, white bread, mayo, etc. As a kid, I…
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Traveling down the bumpy (er, lumpy) road of whipping up perfect mashed potatoes.
To catch up on Megan Swoyer's first seven steps of the “turkey day” planning process, read the full series. “Megan said she’s doing the potatoes.” That’s what I heard upon entering my parents’ house one Thanksgiving a couple decades ago. There was a whirlwind of activity in the kitchen as I carried in a few sticks of butter and a bagful of potatoes, plopping them on the counter. “I’m here, no fear!” I told my mom and siblings as I took off my coat and got right to the task of potato peeling. No one paid much attention to me, until … I pulled out my huge, beat-up Betty Crocker Cookbook. “What’s that for?” Mom asked. “I know, weird," I said. "But, I want to be sure I do them right.” “Do what right? The mashed potatoes?” she asked. The …
42.544571
-83.217115
380 S Bates St, Birmingham, MI
Community House
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-8-one-potato-two-potato-three-potato-four
/locations/5843590
Friday, November 18, 2011
Local markets, hotels and caterers serve up a cornucopia of pick-up options for the big feast.
Follow along with Megan Swoyer as she prepares for Thanksgiving, with daily tips to keep you on track. Day 7 offers tips for takeout, from sides to the whole meal. One of my friends is a bit freaked about hosting Thanksgiving at her boyfriend’s home. “I’m a little crazed,” she told me. “His kids will be there and all of that (he’s divorced and has children who live out East). While she was sharing this with me, I was simultaneously reading email and had serendipitously received a note from the owners of Canapé Cart in Ferndale. “Hey,” I told my friend. “You can order all of your sides from this great place. It won’t be like you’re not cooking; you’re just making it easier and you can get to know his family better, etc. by not being a …
42.51779
-83.186334
Kroger Food and Pharmacy
30991 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-7-let-someone-else-do-the-work-d41a1162
709000
/locations/5842613
Thursday, November 17, 2011
What to do when Uncle Kenny hits the couch for a snooze and Grandma won’t move from the dinner table.
The Turkey Day Countdown Day 6 follows The List, Delegation, Choosing a wine, Gravy and The Turkey. While I was in Trevarrow Ace Hardware in Troy the other day, checking out aluminum baking pans for the Jennie-O turkey experiment last weekend (I opted for the pan without handles – less expensive!), I wandered into the candle aisle and lo and behold, I spotted my first Thanksgiving Day game prize — Yankee Candle votives, at $2 each. A hardware store is chockfull of affordable surprises at every turn. Ranging in scents from the new “Cherries on Snow” to “Pumpkin Pie” to “Sparkling Cinnamon,” these votives are as festive as you can get. Who can’t use a few new candles to jumpstart the holiday season? I’m known as “mistress of games” in my …
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Have you made your decision on what type of bird you’re after? Frozen, fresh, organic or free-range, here’s the lowdown.
To catch up on the first four steps of the turkey planning process, read the full series. It's time to plan, purchase or order a turkey for the big day. Whether you like your bird freshly processed or frozen, there are several options and sizes from which to choose. Some turkeys can go from frozen right to the oven. Over the weekend, I tried out a Jennie-O Oven Ready Bone-In Turkey. I was skeptical and so was my family. No thawing? It seemed too good to be true. It goes directly from freezer to oven and, because it cooks in a bag, the cleanup is a breeze. I just placed it (in its bag) into a foil pan with 2-inch sides, cut three small slits into the top of the bag and let ‘er roast for a couple hours. The pros: It’s gluten-free, …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Today: Get out your gravy recipes or head to the store to pick up a favorite brand. Don’t forget about those with allergies.
Follow along with Megan Swoyer as she prepares for Thanksgiving, with daily tips to keep you on track. Day 1 was The List, Day 2 was Delegation Day and Day 3 was Picking a Wine. Now, for the gravy. One of my favorite Thanksgivings involved a big discussion on gravy. It was the year my two younger brothers and I drove to Pennsylvania to celebrate the holiday with relatives – big doings, as it was the only time in our history that we weren’t with our immediate family (eight siblings) on Thanksgiving. My Uncle Harry wanted to get rid of an old desk and chair (a wedding gift to him from my grandparents) and I, at 24 furnishing my first real apartment and sentimentally swayed, wanted it. Thanksgiving seemed the perfect opportunity. Waving good-…
Monday, November 14, 2011
You can serve anything from a Riesling to a Rose with the big bird, say area wine experts.
Day 1 was The List; Day 2 was Delegation Day. Here's Day 3 of the Turkey Day planning process: If anyone knows about wine it’s Linda Jones of the Lansing-based Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. Come Turkey time, Jones starts contemplating her favorite pairings with a Thanksgiving feast. “For a Pure Michigan Thanksgiving dinner, I’d suggest with turkey a dry or semi-dry Riesling, perhaps by St. Julian, Chateau Grand Traverse, Black Star Farms, Bowers Harbor or other Michigan producers,” she said. Michigan wines are available at a variety of different stores in the area, including Meijer, Westborn Market in Berkley and Cloverleaf Fine Wine in Royal Oak. “Michigan wineries make a variety of Rieslings of varying sweetness levels," …
42.48432
-83.14409
Cloverleaf Acquisition
711 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
710449
/locations/5799074
42.487239
-83.144197
Elie Wine Company
405 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
709466
/locations/5799075
42.487355
-83.141398
Vintner's Cellar of Royal Oak
325 E 4th St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
710562
/locations/5799076
42.495063
-83.163973
Trader Joe's
27880 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
709194
/locations/5799077
42.45673
-83.11383
B. Nektar Meadery
1505 Jarvis St, Ferndale, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
1856913
/locations/5799078
42.50309
-83.18998
Hiller's Market
3052 12 Mile Rd, Berkley, MI
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
707428
/locations/5799079
42.47945
-83.14393
1203 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
Holiday Market
/articles/countdown-to-thanksgiving-day-3-choosing-the-right-wine
/locations/5799080
Sunday, November 13, 2011
It's Day 2 in Megan's "12 Days of Thanksgiving." On the path of organization, she is focusing on potluck pleasures and family chores.
I never feel bad about delegating, and that's how we do Thanksgiving in my house. This goes for cleaning, too. Today, I’ll ask my sons to wash the dining room windows (I know they’ve been dying to do this) and my husband will help me do a thorough job of dusting my cabinet of tchotchkes, which everyone seems to look at when they come to our home. My husband also is hanging new blinds today that will help cut back on reflection and glare on the television when everyone’s tuned into the Lions at 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Day 1, we made a list (Did you make a list? If not, there's time to catch up.) Today, refer to your list and jot down more specifics on what you’d like everyone to do and bring. Carolyn Hefner, owner of The China …
Megan Swoyer
1:14 pm on Saturday, November 19, 2011
My sister-in-law, Donna, makes great mashed potatoes, too. Her secret, like your mom's secret, is to cut up the potatoes really small before boiling. more ›