The Food Network has been highlighting Thanksgiving recipes for the last couple of weeks, and I have been completely into it. I now know how to brine, deep fry, roast, smoke, and grill a turkey. Of course, I'm having my Thanksgiving dinner at the country club so I'm not sure how useful any of this information will be, but I'm available in case you have a Thanksgiving-food related question.
My favorite shows are related to what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. I love watching food morph into different food with a completely different flavor. This is the essence of Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals and Sandra Lee's Round Two Recipes. Who hasn't had leftover chicken and thought, "What should I do with this?" These types of recipes are really helpful for me because my husband is not a fan of leftovers. I can freeze something and he'll eat it weeks later, but he's not interested in having last night's dinner for lunch tomorrow.
The leftover segments got me thinking about my own leftover situation this year. Because we're eating at a buffet, we sadly won't have any Thanksgiving leftovers. We're also eating at 1pm so I fully expect to be hungry again by 8pm. I might actually have to cook something... but what? It seems like this would be the perfect time for Thanksgiving leftovers, but I don't want to make Thanksgiving dinner just to have leftovers! Hmm.
I'm also being fairly budget conscious, especially as we head into the holidays. Even though I'm not making Thanksgiving dinner, I'm still taking advantage of the great sales on Thanksgiving foods - cans of pumpkin, crescent rolls, sweet potatoes, chicken stock, cranberries, etc. These are foods I either already use frequently or like but don't usually make because of availability/cost. But now is a great time to stock up or plan menus around these items.
This is what I offer to you. Over the next couple of days, I'm going to post some ideas and recipes for using "Thanksgiving ingredients" in different ways. I'll also post a few leftover recipes for good measure (I may finally share my Thanksgiving braid recipe).
I'll start with what we had for dinner tonight. These recipes highlight sweet potatoes, which I've been eating a lot lately, and those French's Fried Onions that I've only ever used for green bean casserole.
French's Crunchy Onion Chicken
I linked the recipe from the French's website (it was also on the back of the can) because it is pretty close to what I made. I made the three-serving (read: 3 chicken breasts) Dream Dinners version tonight, and I don't remember exactly what was in it. The major variation is that instead of an egg dip, I melted minced garlic (1 tsp maybe?) and worcestershire sauce (1 tsp maybe?) in a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan and dipped the chicken in that before rolling it in the crushed onions (I didn't use flour). I baked at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes and then broiled for 2 minutes. It was absolutely delicious - very moist and full of flavor. It was a great way to use those onions so buy the big canister when you're making the green bean casserole!
Candied Carrots and Sweet Potatoes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
salt to taste - I used about 1/2 tsp
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam the sweet potatoes and carrots until tender. Put vegetables in a baking dish (probably a 9x13 - I used an 8x8). Melt the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until the brown sugar dissolves and it starts to bubble. Pour the brown sugar mixtures over the vegetables and bake for 45min-1 hour. I stirred up the vegetables a couple of times to make sure the brown sugar and butter continued to coat the vegetables.
These vegetables are definitely sweet - they are called candied afterall - but I thought they were a great balance to the savory and somewhat salty flavor of the chicken. Sweet potatoes are full of Vitamin A and inexpensive right now so I am a huge fan of playing with different preparations, flavors, and textures right now. Stock up!
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Christmas Gift Idea 3: For "The Office" Fan
When you hear words "stapler" and "jello," what do you think of? Maybe Jim Halpert, Dwight Shrute, or The Office. I think Christmas present!
How I did it:
I started with gel candle wax, yellow food coloring, a glass jar (mine had a lid but it doesn't need one), and a mini stapler. I followed the directions on the package for melting the gel and added the food coloring while it melted. (Fragrance can also be added to the gel.) I poured a little of the melted gel into the jar, put the stapler in, and slowly poured the rest of the gel into the jar. The stapler was big and heavy enough that I didn't have to secure it in place while I was filling the jar. Let the jar cool completely. TA-DA!
By using the mini stapler and gel wax, it's small and non-perishable so it can easily decorate a desk which was my intention. I made this for my sister, who also watched The Office, so she could put this on her desk at work. I knew she and her co-workers often talked about the show, and I thought they would get a few laughs from it too!
This may have been one of my favorite gifts ever. It was obviously very easy, but just the idea of it made me laugh. I mean really, how stupid is this? (And by stupid, I mean awesome.) I had so much fun making it and was very excited to give it to my sister on Christmas.
I started with gel candle wax, yellow food coloring, a glass jar (mine had a lid but it doesn't need one), and a mini stapler. I followed the directions on the package for melting the gel and added the food coloring while it melted. (Fragrance can also be added to the gel.) I poured a little of the melted gel into the jar, put the stapler in, and slowly poured the rest of the gel into the jar. The stapler was big and heavy enough that I didn't have to secure it in place while I was filling the jar. Let the jar cool completely. TA-DA!
By using the mini stapler and gel wax, it's small and non-perishable so it can easily decorate a desk which was my intention. I made this for my sister, who also watched The Office, so she could put this on her desk at work. I knew she and her co-workers often talked about the show, and I thought they would get a few laughs from it too!
This may have been one of my favorite gifts ever. It was obviously very easy, but just the idea of it made me laugh. I mean really, how stupid is this? (And by stupid, I mean awesome.) I had so much fun making it and was very excited to give it to my sister on Christmas.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Trading Spaces
Do you remember this show on TLC? I recently discovered re-runs on one of the random UVerse channels I have, and I've started watching it again. I used to watch it religiously. In fact, TLC was my Bravo before Bravo existed. I always got tons of ideas from the show about how to decorate on a budget. I learned a lot about creating my own artwork and revamping furniture to be used in new ways, and applied a lot of those ideas to my first house. I learned to embrace color and that walls can always be re-painted if necessary.
TLC and HGTV focused heavily on these types of decorating shows for a while, but then these shows disappeared and were replaced with real estate shows. Of course, TLC now features shows on "unusual" families, and after watching what is happening to the Gosselin children, I'm now longing for the days of Trading Spaces and While You Were Out.
I'm sure there are many, many reasons why Trading Spaces went off the air, but I personally believe that the primary reason is that the show started focusing on creating drama and controversy and stopped focusing on design. Sure, every Trading Spaces fan remembers the "crying Pam" episode or "I hate brown Jessie," but what made those episodes memorable was the reaction of the participants to decent-looking room makeovers. Unfortunately, the ratings from these episodes made the producers think "If we can get more people to hate their rooms, we can have even BIGGER ratings!" Designs like "White, Whoa" (a room done entirely in white) or a room inspired by an egg (black walls, yellow dining room furniture) become the norm. And then people like me, who are looking for ideas to incorporate into my own home, turn off the television.
The demise of Trading Spaces represents what I hate most about reality television. I hate the drama, but I really hate when situations are manipulated for the sake of creating drama. I feel uncomfortable and then I change the channel. I know a lot of people love all the juicy conflicts shown on reality television, but I think those shows become predictable and boring after a while.
Don't get me wrong, I like to watch reality television, but I'm becoming turned off by the cattiness and overall bad behavior. I'm concerned that so many shows glorify and reward people who have no real talent (or intelligence), and in many cases, engage in manipulative, abusive, and destructive behavior. I miss the days when the only reality drama was whether to take down a ceiling fan.
TLC and HGTV focused heavily on these types of decorating shows for a while, but then these shows disappeared and were replaced with real estate shows. Of course, TLC now features shows on "unusual" families, and after watching what is happening to the Gosselin children, I'm now longing for the days of Trading Spaces and While You Were Out.
I'm sure there are many, many reasons why Trading Spaces went off the air, but I personally believe that the primary reason is that the show started focusing on creating drama and controversy and stopped focusing on design. Sure, every Trading Spaces fan remembers the "crying Pam" episode or "I hate brown Jessie," but what made those episodes memorable was the reaction of the participants to decent-looking room makeovers. Unfortunately, the ratings from these episodes made the producers think "If we can get more people to hate their rooms, we can have even BIGGER ratings!" Designs like "White, Whoa" (a room done entirely in white) or a room inspired by an egg (black walls, yellow dining room furniture) become the norm. And then people like me, who are looking for ideas to incorporate into my own home, turn off the television.
The demise of Trading Spaces represents what I hate most about reality television. I hate the drama, but I really hate when situations are manipulated for the sake of creating drama. I feel uncomfortable and then I change the channel. I know a lot of people love all the juicy conflicts shown on reality television, but I think those shows become predictable and boring after a while.
Don't get me wrong, I like to watch reality television, but I'm becoming turned off by the cattiness and overall bad behavior. I'm concerned that so many shows glorify and reward people who have no real talent (or intelligence), and in many cases, engage in manipulative, abusive, and destructive behavior. I miss the days when the only reality drama was whether to take down a ceiling fan.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Christmas Gift Idea 2: Cookbook for the television lover
Last week, I mentioned that I needed a project to keep me occupied. I still haven't found one, but I thought I'd give you an example of the type of project I'm looking for, and also share another Christmas gift idea with you.
During one of my husband's trips last year, I found myself bored and in need of a project. My youngest sister, who is my default source of entertainment when I'm bored (and by "source of entertainment" I mean that I stalk her on Facebook, text relentlessly, chat, call, and otherwise bother her while she's trying to work), suggested I watch my Gilmore Girls DVDs. I generally don't need encouragement to watch Gilmore Girls, but I knew simply watching Gilmore Girls wasn't going to cut it. No, I needed something to do. However, while watching Gilmore Girls, I noticed how many food references were made and how much time was devoted to eating in each episode. Thus, the Gilmore Girls Cookbook was born.
How I did it: I watched every single episode of Gilmore Girls with a pen and paper or my laptop in front of me. I waited for food references, and then wrote down the quote, noting the season and episode. After I compiled an extensive selection of quotes, I re-read them and looked for funny sayings that I could turn into recipe names, and then searched my favorite food websites for recipes. I looked for recipes that were both appropriate for the created name and fairly simple since I was planning to give this cookbook to my sister who is a novice cook.
Here's an example:
Lorelai: Ooh, meringue.
Sookie: Yeah, I thought I'd do a variation on a Baked Alaska for dessert tonight.
Lorelai: What kind of variation?
Sookie: Yeah, I hadn't thought of that yet.
~ Season 1, Episode 12: Double Date
I entitled this recipe "Variation on a Baked Alaska" and included this recipe from the Food Network magazine. When I printed the cookbook, I used a booklet format so that the quote is on the left side, and the recipe is on the right-hand page, and I had the booklet spiral bound with the cover made of card stock with a plastic cover so it would be durable.
I ended up with 30 recipes, including such gems as:
I think this is a great gift for any television addict and amateur foodie. I chose Gilmore Girls because it is a show that my sister and I both love, but any television show or movie could work. It's also practical - she asked for recipes and cookbooks for Christmas and I intentionally chose recipes that I thought were easy to make and sounded delicious. It's also the kind of homemade gift that I think most people appreciate - inexpensive, but thoughtful and very personal.
Do you have any ideas like this? Please share!
During one of my husband's trips last year, I found myself bored and in need of a project. My youngest sister, who is my default source of entertainment when I'm bored (and by "source of entertainment" I mean that I stalk her on Facebook, text relentlessly, chat, call, and otherwise bother her while she's trying to work), suggested I watch my Gilmore Girls DVDs. I generally don't need encouragement to watch Gilmore Girls, but I knew simply watching Gilmore Girls wasn't going to cut it. No, I needed something to do. However, while watching Gilmore Girls, I noticed how many food references were made and how much time was devoted to eating in each episode. Thus, the Gilmore Girls Cookbook was born.
Here's an example:
Lorelai: Ooh, meringue.
Sookie: Yeah, I thought I'd do a variation on a Baked Alaska for dessert tonight.
Lorelai: What kind of variation?
Sookie: Yeah, I hadn't thought of that yet.
~ Season 1, Episode 12: Double Date
I entitled this recipe "Variation on a Baked Alaska" and included this recipe from the Food Network magazine. When I printed the cookbook, I used a booklet format so that the quote is on the left side, and the recipe is on the right-hand page, and I had the booklet spiral bound with the cover made of card stock with a plastic cover so it would be durable.
I ended up with 30 recipes, including such gems as:
- Yale Special
- Emily's Burning Loin
- Sleeping with the Zucchini
- Devil's Starchy Fingers
- Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
I think this is a great gift for any television addict and amateur foodie. I chose Gilmore Girls because it is a show that my sister and I both love, but any television show or movie could work. It's also practical - she asked for recipes and cookbooks for Christmas and I intentionally chose recipes that I thought were easy to make and sounded delicious. It's also the kind of homemade gift that I think most people appreciate - inexpensive, but thoughtful and very personal.
Do you have any ideas like this? Please share!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Giuliana and Bill
Do you watch this show on the Style Network? It's my new favorite reality television show. I watched the first two seasons off and on, but I am hooked on the third season.
The first and second seasons focused on being newlyweds, adapting to their new living arrangements, building their house, etc., but also provided glimpses into their professional lives as well. The second season also touched on starting a family and difficulties getting pregnant, with Giuliana unsuccessfully undergoing IUI.
Thus far, the third season has focused on getting pregnant. Giuliana went through IVF and got pregnant! She and Bill bought their "family home in the suburbs" and began planning for life with kids, but then they suffered a miscarriage at eight weeks. That episode, and the one that followed, were just heartbreaking to me. Both Giuliana and Bill were hurting, but they expressed it in very different ways. Bill threw himself into working on the house, trying to be encouraging and positive, while Giuliana reached out to friends and saw a therapist to address her sadness. And I admit to tearing up a bit when she asked her therapist, "Why are we being punished?"
I think it's really brave of them to talk about infertility and miscarriage on television. They've said that they want to erase the stigma associated with miscarriage, and I hope they do. I know so many people who have gone through this horrible experience, and they've kept it private or have felt ashamed, but they're not alone. I hope that the show will help others in the same situation.
The first and second seasons focused on being newlyweds, adapting to their new living arrangements, building their house, etc., but also provided glimpses into their professional lives as well. The second season also touched on starting a family and difficulties getting pregnant, with Giuliana unsuccessfully undergoing IUI.
Thus far, the third season has focused on getting pregnant. Giuliana went through IVF and got pregnant! She and Bill bought their "family home in the suburbs" and began planning for life with kids, but then they suffered a miscarriage at eight weeks. That episode, and the one that followed, were just heartbreaking to me. Both Giuliana and Bill were hurting, but they expressed it in very different ways. Bill threw himself into working on the house, trying to be encouraging and positive, while Giuliana reached out to friends and saw a therapist to address her sadness. And I admit to tearing up a bit when she asked her therapist, "Why are we being punished?"
I think it's really brave of them to talk about infertility and miscarriage on television. They've said that they want to erase the stigma associated with miscarriage, and I hope they do. I know so many people who have gone through this horrible experience, and they've kept it private or have felt ashamed, but they're not alone. I hope that the show will help others in the same situation.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Must See TV
The new fall line ups are here! I'm not talking fashion line ups, but the line up of our favorite tv shows! It's nice to be out of reruns and have something new to watch! On the other hand, I watched a lot new tv throughout the summer. I watch many of the shows on Bravo, and they don't follow traditional seasons of the major networks. But, my favorite shows are still the sitcoms and dramas so I was happy for their return.
Over the last few years, many of my favorite shows have run their course (sigh, Gilmore Girls) or gotten cancelled, and I haven't replaced them. I was a diehard fan of NBC's Thursday night "Must See TV" in all its evolving formats - Cheers, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Friends, Frasier, Will & Grace, and ER- I loved them all. I suppose it's no surprise that two of my favorite shows are still on NBC Thursday nights - The Office and Community.
I have watched The Office from the beginning. I heard a lot about the BBC version, and watched a few episodes that I thought were hilarious, so I knew I had to give the American version a try. The episode from the first season entitled "Diversity Day" got me completely hooked. I used to tell people who weren't sure whether to watch The Office to watch the episode specifically. If people found that episode funny, they would become Office fans. If not, they weren't going to like it. The show has evolved quite a bit since then - I don't want to spoil it for you, but Jim and Pam are married now and they have a daughter - but I still think it's funny and one of the best shows on television. This season is going to be Steve Carell (Michael Scott)'s last, so I'm curious to see how his storyline will evolve. Next season will certainly be interesting without him.
Community is only in its second season, but I'm already hooked. I probably would've given this a shot because it's an NBC Thursday night show, but I had a special interest in it because I know someone on the show! Danny Pudi, who plays Abed, went to my alma mater and I knew him through an activity we both participated in during our college years. He is an extremely nice guy and incredibly talented so I naturally had to support his show - and good thing for him, I loved it! It's a great ensemble cast, but of course I think he's the true star of that show. This season started with a bang, having Betty White as a guest star and capping the show off with a new rap that harkens back to the original La Biblioteca rap that really highlighted Abed and Troy as comedic partners. I highly recommend this show - it's so ridiculous sometimes (see paintball episode) that it's also absolutely brilliant.
The other scripted show I watch regularly is Law and Order:SVU. I like all the Law and Orders, but there's something about SVU that has kept me watching. Honestly, I think it's that the detectives haven't changed, unlike the original Law and Order. The format has stayed the same over the years, and I expect it to get old, but somehow they've managed to keep the show compelling. Don't get me wrong - the content is incredibly disturbing and sometimes too intense for me, but I still really enjoy that show.
I also watch 30 Rock, though I don't DVR that one. If I miss it, I miss it and I'm okay with it. I think Tina Fey is a genius, and the show is brilliant, but I'm just not as into it as I am the other shows.
I'm trying to pick a new show to watch this year. So far, the front runner is Glee. I love musicals, and I love a good teen drama (see Dawson's Creek, starring Katie Holmes who went to my high school). However, the Brittany Spears episode from this week was weird, and I'm not really a fan of a show that celebrates Brittany as "influential." The verdict is still out on that.
I tried Dexter and ... no. I generally don't like shows where the main character is a serial killer. This also rules out shows about vampires. Also, I'm not interested in anything that begins with CSI.
Is there anything else on television?
Edit: Lest you think I only watch three shows, I thought I should include my list of unscripted (reality) shows to demonstrate that I really watch waaay too much television:
Over the last few years, many of my favorite shows have run their course (sigh, Gilmore Girls) or gotten cancelled, and I haven't replaced them. I was a diehard fan of NBC's Thursday night "Must See TV" in all its evolving formats - Cheers, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Friends, Frasier, Will & Grace, and ER- I loved them all. I suppose it's no surprise that two of my favorite shows are still on NBC Thursday nights - The Office and Community.
I have watched The Office from the beginning. I heard a lot about the BBC version, and watched a few episodes that I thought were hilarious, so I knew I had to give the American version a try. The episode from the first season entitled "Diversity Day" got me completely hooked. I used to tell people who weren't sure whether to watch The Office to watch the episode specifically. If people found that episode funny, they would become Office fans. If not, they weren't going to like it. The show has evolved quite a bit since then - I don't want to spoil it for you, but Jim and Pam are married now and they have a daughter - but I still think it's funny and one of the best shows on television. This season is going to be Steve Carell (Michael Scott)'s last, so I'm curious to see how his storyline will evolve. Next season will certainly be interesting without him.
Community is only in its second season, but I'm already hooked. I probably would've given this a shot because it's an NBC Thursday night show, but I had a special interest in it because I know someone on the show! Danny Pudi, who plays Abed, went to my alma mater and I knew him through an activity we both participated in during our college years. He is an extremely nice guy and incredibly talented so I naturally had to support his show - and good thing for him, I loved it! It's a great ensemble cast, but of course I think he's the true star of that show. This season started with a bang, having Betty White as a guest star and capping the show off with a new rap that harkens back to the original La Biblioteca rap that really highlighted Abed and Troy as comedic partners. I highly recommend this show - it's so ridiculous sometimes (see paintball episode) that it's also absolutely brilliant.
The other scripted show I watch regularly is Law and Order:SVU. I like all the Law and Orders, but there's something about SVU that has kept me watching. Honestly, I think it's that the detectives haven't changed, unlike the original Law and Order. The format has stayed the same over the years, and I expect it to get old, but somehow they've managed to keep the show compelling. Don't get me wrong - the content is incredibly disturbing and sometimes too intense for me, but I still really enjoy that show.
I also watch 30 Rock, though I don't DVR that one. If I miss it, I miss it and I'm okay with it. I think Tina Fey is a genius, and the show is brilliant, but I'm just not as into it as I am the other shows.
I'm trying to pick a new show to watch this year. So far, the front runner is Glee. I love musicals, and I love a good teen drama (see Dawson's Creek, starring Katie Holmes who went to my high school). However, the Brittany Spears episode from this week was weird, and I'm not really a fan of a show that celebrates Brittany as "influential." The verdict is still out on that.
I tried Dexter and ... no. I generally don't like shows where the main character is a serial killer. This also rules out shows about vampires. Also, I'm not interested in anything that begins with CSI.
Is there anything else on television?
Edit: Lest you think I only watch three shows, I thought I should include my list of unscripted (reality) shows to demonstrate that I really watch waaay too much television:
- Project Runway (Tim is feisty this year, isn't he?),
- Top Chef (getting lame, barely watched this season)
- Real Housewives of ___ (although not DC and probably not Atlanta or Beverly Hills)
- The Rachel Zoe Project (although probably no more since Brad left)
- Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
- Deadliest Catch (WTF is going on? First Phil, now this?)
- Giuliana & Bill
- Monday Night Football and various other sporting events
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Real Housewives have gone too far
I said I'd talk about the series so here's the first blog about it... and it's to say that I think the show has crossed the line.
Let me first start by talking about why I liked the show initially. It was, as the name implies, real. The housewives did and said stupid things, had children who sometimes acted imperfectly, and were married to husbands messed up but generally meant well. I remember the episode where Kimberly struggled after a biopsy and wondered whether she had cancer, and Lauri had to deal with her son's drug addiction, and Jeanna took her son on a college/recruiting visit. It was dramatic in that it was relatable.
Of course, the housewives and their children caught a lot of heat. The parenting skills were called into question, the children were criticized as being spoiled or disrespectful, and their marriages suffered. That's when I think the focus of the show changed. The housewives, acting to protect their kids and their families, refused to put their children in the spotlight and instead focused on the relationships among the housewives. That's where it went wrong.
Atlanta is almost unbearable to watch. Orange County has become about the men. New York has potential but Jill acted like a petulant child, LuAnn is a shit stirrer, and Kelly is a nut job. I said I relate to the Jersey Housewives, but without the drama, and I think that's true. They're all about family, friends, and food with one exception - the drama queen that is the "other" housewife. I'm pretty convinced she's a sociopath and I feel really sorry for the rest of the housewives who have to deal with her. I've read blogs that argue that without her, there'd be no drama and that the show would be boring. I disagree. I have three sisters and we bring plenty of drama - that's the beauty of filming families. They fight, they make up, they love!
Along the lines of the sociopath, I think any time an encounter ends with police being called or hands being laid on another person, the lines have been crossed. Also, I think anytime one cast mate ends up suing another, lines have been crossed. Those things happen when people are put in unnatural situations for the purposes of making "good tv," rather than acting like human beings. When cast mates run to the press to tell lies about another person, that is defamation. I don't care if you signed up for your 15 minutes of fame, nobody signs up to have lies told about them and then be forced to interact with the person telling lies just for the sake of "good tv."
And frankly, I don't think it's good tv, I think it's sad.
Here's good tv: Albie Manzo fighting to get readmitted to law school. Learning disabilities and discrimination are real issues and deserve the tv audience they're getting. Kudos to Caroline and Albie for being brave enough to put it on television. It's a real issue and is reminiscent of the old show.
Shame on Bravo for mixing all of the other garbage into the show.
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