Good Press

Bear with me ... there's a recipe in here. Thanksgiving is in one week. Since the beginning of the month, some of my friends on Facebook have been posting each day something for which they are thankful. I've thought about doing it but it seemed a little forced or hollow for me. I have always felt this way when I've been asked to tell what I'm thankful for at someone's dinnertable (this is not a tradition at my house) so I usually say 4-wheel drive (I am!) and coffee. But this week I have had experiences that illuminated things I am thankful for that I take for granted. I am grateful my husband does not raise his hand or his voice in anger toward me. I learned of a family in my community that has to carry buckets of water to bathe and another family that has neither bathroom or kitchen sinks or a kitchen table. My trailer is a castle compared to where others live and I need to stop being ashamed of my circumstances. While I am watching the checkbook balance and worki...

Last year, I posted an opinion piece that said food writers hate Thanksgiving because they are pressured to develop new recipes that will largely be ignored. Few consumers break with tradition when the day comes to break the wishbone. They will make green bean casserole and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes despite all the side-dish variations and innovations presented in magazines and newspapers. My experience has also been that people want Thanksgiving to taste a certain way -- the recipes prepared the way they remember their mothers or grandmothers making them. A woman at church complained last week that her aunt wants to put lemon pepper on the turkey this year because she saw Martha Stewart do it. The changes I have implemented in my holiday meals are, in my opinion, not that radical, but I have met resistance of varying intensities. My mother-in-law distrusts my cooking because, in part, one Thanksgiving I was assigned to bring the green beans . Instead of boiling them within an ...

Turkey seasoning rub In making the turkey this year, I am going against everything I advise about 1. Trying something new for a major dinner instead of having a trial run first and 2. messing with how people expect something to taste. I am going to rub a mix of seasonings under the skin instead of just butter. This recipe comes from TV show host and cookbook author Jim Coleman. COLEMAN'S RUB 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground sage 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon powdered cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme 1 teaspoon powdered coriander 1 lemon Wash turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towles. Using hands, lift up the skin (without tearing) and rub herb mixture onto meat under skin, starting near the neck and continuing to rump. Squeeze lemon over turkey and use remaining herb mixture to caot the top of the bird. I...

I almost added the word "easy" to the headline on this post. The recipe for Christmas Spice Butter is easy. Admittedly, the other technique -- for making dinner rolls shaped like doves -- requires some time and an eye for detail. If you like the sweet, spicy butter at Texas Roadhouse, this is a good knock-off. It is great on rolls and sweet potatoes. CHRISTMAS SPICE BUTTER 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon sugar Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and well-combined. Transfer to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Makes 1 cup. Shaping the doves is the hardest part of making the rolls because you're using thawed frozen rolls. It's no harder than rolling the bread dough into a rope and tying a knot. You'll need clean kitchen shears to snip the tail into feathers. Whole cloves are the eyes and sl...

These gingered sweet potato pancakes are quite capable of carrying the meal for a vegetarian dinner. I only added slices of ham to the plate because we had them leftover. Naturally sweet applesauce sets off the salty-earthy flavors. A food processor's shredding disk makes quick work of the potatoes you'll use in this dish. Go ahead and chop the onions with it too for tear-free preparation. GINGERED SWEET POTATO PANCAKES 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded 1 medium potato, peeled and shredded 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 teaspoons Canola oil, divided In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; toss to mix well. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet; press lightly to flatten. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining ...