What's on Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu? Depression Glass, America's Test Kitchen

What's on Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu?

Roasted turkey

Thanksgiving is upon us, and I'm excited about selecting my dinner menu. My family won't be joining me this year, so rather than cook, I've decided to purchase prepared food. I'm going to miss cooking this year, but because I'm burning the candle at both ends this semester, I look forward to just eating and curling up on the couch all day long! Thankfully, one of my favorite gourmet grocery stores, Whole Foods Market, offers delectable alternatives to my traditional home-cooked holiday meal. This store carries great prepared foods year-round, but their holiday menu is awesome. Check out their mouth-watering selections. The great thing about shopping here is you can sample anything before you buy, eliminating the risk of wasting money on an unfamiliar dish that you don't like. I will order the herb-roasted pork loin with green beans, pecan cornbread stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts, and my favorite seeduction rolls! I'll also be adventurous and try something new like the orange mashed yams with cranberries. When it comes to dessert, I'm not a huge fan of traditional holiday pies, so I will purchase a small Italian cream cake from my favorite dessert shop, Dessert Gallery.  FYI - leftover roast pork loin makes a great sandwich. Try it thin-sliced on whole grain bread with your favorite toppings (don't forget the dijon mustard). I guarantee that pork will taste better than the day before!  What's on your Thanksgiving dinner menu this year?

Depression Glass

Sugar dish, creamer, and butter dish--Depression glass

I'd like to share a pic of a serve ware set that my grandmother gave to my mother, and my mother in turn handed down to me. It includes a sugar dish, creamer, and a covered butter dish. Initially, I just thought of it as a treasured family heirloom, but when I learned of Depression glass, I did a little research and found that this set shared the same characteristics and was likely manufactured during the depression era. Depression glass is clear or colored translucent glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost, in the United States and Canada around the time of the Great Depression (1930 - 1940). The Quaker Oats Company, and other food manufacturers and distributors, put a piece of glassware in boxes of food, as an incentive to purchase. Movie theaters and businesses would hand out a piece simply for coming in the door. (Wikipedia.org) I tried to find this pattern online to no avail. However, I did find a website, Kejaba Treasures, which carries similar collections from this era. Some of the patterns are very intricate and fun to look at. I guess this means I own a piece of culinary history! Do you own any heirloom cookware or utensils that you'd like to share with us?

America's Test Kitchen

I've watched America's Test Kitchen many times on PBS, but last week I discovered the America's Test Kitchen website. It is a comprehensive website that covers seemingly everything food--even food science. The feature that I enjoyed most is America's Test Kitchen Radio. You can browse episodes and listen on demand to a whole host of topics. Episodes are also available via podcast. This weekend I heard an interesting discussion on the secret to making a good hamburger. The hosts informed the audience that freshly ground chuck works best--not the pre-ground beef that comes in the roll. They also discussed the differences in meat grinding processes and what type of grind works best for a desired outcome. In addition, the hosts offered tips on how to handle ground beef while seasoning--the more you work the meat, the tougher the burger.  Also available on demand at America's Test Kitchen TV are recently aired episodes. Overall, I think this site is vibrant,engaging, and a great resource for recipes and encyclopedic culinary information. If you register and create an account on the website, you can elect to receive a FREE issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine! Check out the website and let us know what you think.

Karen's Homemade Hamburgers - While growing up my mom made homemade burgers and fresh cut french fries for the family. We enjoyed every scrumptous bite, but didn't really appreciate it. Nowadays with food preparation being so convenience-driven, a homemade hamburger is a real treat. Here's my burger recipe:

• 1 lb. freshly ground chuck (80/20)
• 2 T worchestershire sauce
• 1 t dried thyme leaves
• 1 t Wright's liquid smoke
• 1 t dried granulated garlic
• 1 t dried granulated onion
• 1 T sea salt
• 1 t freshly ground black pepper

Gently combine all ingredients and shape into four patties. Cook to medium well or whatever your preference. (I like to cook burgers on my George Foreman grill.) Allow burgers to stand undisturbed for 5 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Serve with your favorite bread and toppings. Enjoy!

What is your take on a good homemade hamburger?

Calling All Foodies!

Hello and welcome to my new foodie blog! I can't say that I would have taken time to share the culinary experiences that sparked my love of everything food if it were not for this New Media Production course, but I'm excited about sharing them now. My purpose is to communicate my passion for all things food. Dictionary.com defines a foodie as "a person keenly interested in food, especially in eating or cooking." While I consider myself a foodie, my blog will not narrowly focus on my favorite foods and recipes. It will delve into a variety of discussions with the hope that you (foodie or not) will be inspired to explore new adventures that may prompt a whole new appreciation for food. I will also share anecdotes about my culinary journey. The predominant goal in all of this dialogue is to simply have tons of fun!

About Me

I was born in south Louisiana where creole and Cajun cuisine reign and are central to the culture. Where I'm from, we not only eat to live, but we live to eat and take great pride in what we serve family and friends for holidays and special events. I come from a family of good cooks. My mother was an outstanding cook who prepared many memorable meals, but she shined during holiday time by cooking big Thanksgiving dinners and making world-famous pecan pralines at Christmas time. My mother’s older sister was a foodie who loved to cook gourmet food and garnered inspiration from the famed French chef, Julia Child. Another dear aunt was a restaurateur who specialized in creole cuisine. Growing up with all of this influence motivated me to become a foodie, and I love it! I have had some great experiences with food over the years that I want to share in this blog, and I hope to build a legion of foodies who are willing to share their adventures, too!

Featured Blog Topics

50-year old aluminum dutch oven
handed down by my aunt

Home Cooking - Discussions on home cooking will cover family traditions and recipes as  well as new twists on those traditions. In addition, home cooking explores cookware and utensils, including heirlooms! Does your love of family shine through in the meals you prepare for them?  Do you get a wonderful sense of satisfaction after you’ve cooked a delicious meal and everyone tells you what a good job you did?  I know I do. Here is where followers can share those innermost thoughts and feelings that may not surface during a typical food conversation.  We will also share special childhood memories, trivia, quick tips, cookware and utensil selection, favorite recipes, and family traditions.


Restaurant dining room

Restaurant Dining - Almost everyone has a favorite restaurant, and my blog will include lots of discussion centered on dining out--tips for dining on a budget, selecting eateries off the beaten path, upscale dining, entree recommendations, establishments with great service, most memorable restaurant dining experiences, and the value of customer reviews. I rely on restaurant reviews, especially when considering a new restaurant. Blog participants are welcome to post information about their restaurant experiences.

My spice rack built
in the pantry door

Flavor Exploration - One of the most exciting journeys that pack a lot of adventure--and one of my favorites--is what I call flavor exploration! Experimenting with a variety of herbs and spices and condiments can broaden your taste horizons to unimagined heights. I used to confine herbs and spices to certain types of cuisine, i.e., sesame seeds and ginger go with Chinese fare and oregano was used with Italian food. As I try new recipes and develop my own concoctions, I quickly found this to be a fun outlet for culinary creativity. Flavor exploration can tantalize your taste buds and motivate you to try more flavorings in unorthodox ways. This segment will give followers an outlet to learn about new possibilities and to share their new discoveries!



Food Network logo

Media Inspirations - When I began cooking as a young girl and wanted to learn how to cook a new dish, the cookbook and the local newspaper were my primary sources for recipes. These days digital and television media are flooded with all things food. One of my favorite sources for information is the Food Network. I've been a huge fan since it stormed the airwaves about 20 years ago. Not only does the network offer an abundance of shows that showcase new recipes, cooking techniques, and food trivia, the comprehensive Food Network website can be likened to an online food encyclopedia where infinite culinary discoveries abound. Followers are encouraged to share their favorite sources with the blog community. These discussions will surely open doors to new knowledge and experiences.




Gourmet grocery store

Gourmet Shopping Excursions – Shopping for new foods and gadgets—what a blast!  Here is an area where foodies can really venture out and try new and exciting products.  I love shopping at gourmet grocery stores and specialty shops. A few of them allow you to taste products before you buy, giving you an opportunity sample before spending money on an item.  In addition to shopping for food items, I have a lot of fun shopping for cookware and unique utensils. So this blog will be a forum for participants to share information on special tasting events, store openings, and the like.