Thanksgiving The Right Way 2012

Nov 21, 2012

Whether it’s your first time hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner or you’re just looking for some new ideas, we’ve got plenty for you!  Here is your Guide to the best resources on and off the web for a great Thanksgiving.

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In this guide you will find help on WHAT TO MAKE,  BUYING KITCHEN EQUIPMENT, FINDING RECIPES, ORDERING MAIL ORDER, or FINDING A RESTAURANT and finally ENTERTAINMENT, so read on!  It’s mostly the same guide as last year with a few small updates for 2012.

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WHAT’S FOR DINNER, A TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING MENU: Of course people serve endless variations on the traditional, basic menu, adding hams, baked ziti, lasagna, even peking duck.  Anything you want to serve is fine.  But here are the traditional basics:

• Turkey.  The centerpiece of your meal.  Can be roasted, braised, deep fried or even grilled.
• Gravy.  For your turkey and your potatos.
• Mashed Potatoes.  With skin, without, with lumps or without.
• Sweet Potatoes.  In some form.  Yams, sweet potato pie, roasted, mashed or boiled.
• Cranberry Sauce or Relish.
• Corn.  Can be on the cob, usually isn’t.
• Green Beans.  Sauteed, steamed, or in an old school casserole.
• Dinner Rolls or Biscuits or Even Corn Bread
• Apple Cider
• Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie or Apple Pie for Dessert

       

KITCHEN TOOLS:  Now that you know what to make, you’ll need some basic equipment.  Or for some of you it might be time to replace your old equipment.  You can shop online at Amazon using our links, or at Bed Bath and Beyond, Williams Sonoma or any local cook store.  Here’s a few recommendations.

• Roasting Pan.  This is your number one tool, so if you have the money to spend this is where to spend it.  Rule #1, resist all temptations to buy a nonstick roast pan.  A stainless steel pan will brown your turkey better, and last you a lifetime.  We recommend All-Clad, , Calphalon,  or Cuisinart.  If you go off brand, that’s okay too,  just stay with a Stainless Steel pan and a nonstick rack and you can’t go wrong.
• Turkey Fryer.  Becoming more and more popular each year.  We recommend the Bayou Classic
  available online or at the Home Depot, or the Eastman Outdoors Fryer Kit.  Both include everything you’ll need but the turkey, the fire extinguisher and the first aid kit.  Be careful!
• Turkey Baster.  Look for stainless steel, the plastic ones can shatter and leave you picking plastic out of your food.  Basically helps you to keep your turkey moist.
• Silpat.  These nifty little mats turn any cookie sheet or pan into the perfect nonstick surface. Reusable.  Easy to clean, and browns almost as well as a stainless steel surface.  Great for cookies, rolls, pastry and more.  Buy a few extra to give as Holiday gifts.  They’re little miracle workers. Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Liner
• Potato Masher.  We suggest the zig zag shape.  Use it to smash up your potatoes real good.  Some people prefer a potato ricer, but we like to go the old fashioned way.
• Potato Peeler.  Nothing is worse than peeling potatoes so you want the most comfortable, fastest peeler you can find.  We like two.  The most comfortable is the OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler, and we also love the Kuhn Rikon Original 4-Inch Swiss Peeler.  It’s the cheapest, and you can’t beat this little workhorse.  Use it as a stocking stuffer too. 
• Chefs Knife.  A great knife will save your life.  For a basic home chef, a simple Henckels brand chef’s knife is your best bet.  We love all of their knives — even the inexpensive Eversharp line is wonderful. Range from $13 to $90.  You won’t go wrong with Wusthof either.  Need some little knives too?  Henckels makes a sweet set of paring knives with color coded handles.
• Instant Read Thermometer.  Just to be sure you don’t poison your guests with undercooked turkey! You can go simple and old school with Taylor Classic Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer or for a few dollars more, combine it with a kitchen timer with the Taylor Digital Cooking Thermometer/Timer.

        

RECIPES RECIPES RECIPES!  Unless you have a great cook in your family, you will need some recipes and there is an unlimited number of places to get them.  But how do you know which are good?  And you probably need some tips, techniques and how-to help too.    Here’s our recommendations.

• Cooks Illustrated.  The number one source for great recipes in every category on the internet, particularly if you’re looking for the best recipes for traditional cooking.  The downside is, you have to pay to join.  But it’s well worth it, and it’s the equivalent of buying a library of cookbooks. Plus they have a menu planner, a shopping guide, and best of all Recipe 911– advice for what to do when everything goes wrong.  And they offer a 14 day free trial!    Visit them here. 
• Williams Sonoma.  Their website is FREE and has many excellent Thanksgiving recipes as well as cooking tips, techniques and more.  Visit their thanksgiving headquarters here.
• Whole Foods.  You don’t even have to shop there to use their amazing Thanksgiving resources! It’s free, healthy and delicious.  Bookmark this site.
• King Arthur Flour.  An absolutely essential resource for bakers- King Arthur Flour provides the finest flours, pure extracts, and all kinds of baking tools… Everything a baker needs can be found at this excellent site.

    

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MAIL ORDER THANKSGIVING.  Sure it’s great to make everything from scratch, but sometimes you need a little bit of help.  Or a lot of bit of help.  Either way, here are some great resources to assist your Thanksgiving prep.  There’s no shame in buying.

• Williams Sonoma.  Once again, a first stop in Thanksgiving shopping.  We particularly recommend their Butternut Squash Puree (makes a great soup), Turkey Gravy Base, Pumpkin Butter and Focaccia Stuffing, all of which can be ordered online or bought in store.  You can also mail order Organic Turkeys, Fried Turkeys, Cajun Turkeys and more, but they’re on the pricier side for mail order turkey. Get everything here.
• Penzey’s Spices. These should fill your cabinets.  They make everything taste better.   Shop here.
• The Cajun Grocer.  This is where to order the world famous Turducken!  The wonderfully sinful deboned turkey stuffed with a chicken that has been stuffed with duck breast, with seasoned dressing layered between each of the layers.  Ranges from $85-125 including delivery. Get it here.
• Griggstown Farm.  Right from the field to your table.  Get your turkey, pheasant, duck, goose or capon straight from the farm, and order all your sides too.  Get it here.
• HoneyBaked Ham Co.  Order a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 4, only $112.95.  Order now.
• MH Foods.  Order a deep fried cajun turkey for $69.95.  Order here.
• Highland SugarWorks.  For the best maple syrup for any recipes that require it, like maple glazed sweet potatoes perhaps? It’s dark, sweet and so mapley! Order here.
• King’s Cupboard’s Organic Cream Caramel Sauce.   King’s Cupboard of Montana have been concocting delicious, all-natural dessert products for over twenty years. All good stuff, but in particular- their Organic Cream Caramel Sauce is an incredible drizzle over any of your Thanksgiving pies, ice cream, your own hand…whatever.  Buy it here.
• Jacob’s Andouille Sausage,  If your cornbread stuffing calls for andouille sausage, I’d highly recommend that you order the authentic spicy cajun pork sausage from Jacob’s in Laplace, Louisiana and you can get them online here.
• Boston Market.  It’s not as bad as you think.  They don’t mail order but you can place an order online to pick up at your local Boston Market. Very reasonably priced.  You can get a full turkey dinner for  12 including appetizer, dessert, a whole turkey, and sides for $94.  Visit their website for more info.

   

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GET OUT.  NO REALLY.  If you just want everyone out of your house, need a change of pace, or are tired of your Aunt Franny’s cooking, no matter where you are in the country you can find someplace that will cook your Thanksgiving dinner for you. (check with the restaurant confirm all prices). 

• Around the Country.  Get extensive listings for where to go on Thanksgiving Day near you here.  Updated daily.  Check out some of the nation’s biggest and best parades on huffingtonpost.com. 
• New York City.  Come in for the parade, and stay for dinner.  Want a guide to seeing the parade the right way?  New York Magazine has your back.  There are long lists of choices for dinner but we suggest Telepan ($85 per adult), Dovetail ($85 a person), Bar American ($80 per adult), Back Forty for a Farm to Table Dinner ($60 a person), and Perilla ($75 a person), the legendary Sylvia’s is serving up a soul food Thanksgiving ($34 per person).  Check out NY Mag’s guide to Thanksgiving in New York City for more restaurants to choose from or view 339 restaurants open for Thankgiving in NY on Opentable.com.
• Chicago.  Mercat a la Planxa (order a pig or turkey to go with 72 hours notice),  Zed451 ($48 per person), Gibson’s Steakhouse ($40 a person) and Mike Ditkas for a more casual Thanksgiving with an all you can eat four course feast. But for our pick of the night in Chicago– $100 will get you a ticket to Rickie Lee Jones and a three course dinner at City Winery.  Click here for the full list.  Don’t forget to check out the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day parade starting at 8am on State Street.
• Los Angeles.   The Bazaar by Jose Andres  ($65/adult), The Blvd ($125/adult), Jar Restaurant  ($85/adult),  Melisse in Santa Monica  ($89/adult), Palomino  ($27/adult for a more casual environment), Stefan’s at LA Farm ($45/adult)  Click here for the full list and read the LA Times Dining Guide here.
• Washington DC.  Ardeo + Bardeo  ($45/adult), Blue Duck Tavern  ($90/adult), Charlie Palmers ($60/adult) Founding Farmers  ($35/adult) Goodstone Inn & Estate, Joe Theismann’s  ($25/adult)  Click here for the full list. 
• For other cities, here’s where to dine out in Phoenix;  where to go in Tampa on Thanksgiving; Utah restaurants open for business on Thanksgiving, where to go in Atlanta, and Boston restaurants celebrating TG.

        

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I ATE TILL I CAN’T MOVE, NOW WHAT!? And of course, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, regardless of what you eat or who you eat it with, don’t forget to watch your  Thanksgiving Movies:

• Planes Trains and Automobiles (Rent it on Amazon or check local listings)
• Hannah and Her Sisters (Buy it on Amazon or check local listings)
• Home for the Holidays  (Buy it on Amazon or check local listings)
• Pochahontas (for the kids!): (Buy it on Amazon or check local listings)
• The Last Waltz (thanks for the reminder!)(Buy it on Amazon)
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Buy it on Amazon)
  
• Listen to the song Alice’s Restaurant  (on YouTube)

And finally, your Thanksgiving football schedule:

• Houston Texans vs Detroit Lions 12:30 pm est on CBS
• Washington Redskins vs The Dallas Cowboys  4:30 pm est on FOX
• New England Patriots vs New York Jets  8:20 pm est on NFL Network

    

Did we miss anything?  Send us your Thanksgiving ideas and favorites.