Inside the November 2014 Issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Take a look at the November 2014 Issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, on newsstands Oct. 21. 

Your Thanksgiving Weekend Survival Guide, Party Ideas for Autumn Afternoons, Edible Gifts for the Season, Easy and Delicious Pumpkin Recipes, plus…The Totally Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner Plan

A Totally Make-Ahead, Thoroughly Modern Thanksgiving (Page 106): Let this Thanksgiving be your most delicious yet - with an extra side of stress-free. Recipes like maple sage turkey, cream cheese mashers with kale pesto, garlic rosemary dressing or sweet potato cauliflower fritters might sound complicated – but we’ll let you in on a little secret. These delicious dishes and more can be made anywhere from a day, to a week, to a whole month in advance. Faith Durand, make-ahead master and editor of thekitchn.com, refreshes the menu and shares the tips and tricks that make it possible.

Serve Up Thanksgiving Weekend (Page 55): Thanksgiving isn’t just about dinner - there’s a long weekend of togetherness to be had. Start by creating the perfect guest room with the coziness of home and the conveniences of a five-star hotel. Turn to-do lists into assignments for kids to make set-up simple and keep everyone busy. Serve up a buffet of activity options on game day – like puzzles, trivia, and board games - for even non-sports fans to enjoy. Make the most of your leftovers with our twists on turkey sandwiches, frittata recipes, and back seat eats to send with guests on the road. Our family activities and hosting strategies will make your holiday weekend manageable, memorable, and most of all, fun!

Easy Holiday Baking (Page 154): Pumpkin season has arrived, and we can’t get enough. Blogger Joy the Baker spotlights the canned good that keeps on giving with a delectable collection of treats all made from your pantry shelves. Whip up mouth-watering recipes like pumpkin pie with pecan praline topping, salted pumpkin caramel thumbprints, dark chocolate and pumpkin swirl loaf, and pumpkin bars with marcona almonds.

Make and Share (Page 86): Share homemade deliciousness all season long with a few simple gifts you can make in a pinch. Toasted sea salt in a mason jar looks gourmet – but takes minutes to make and requires just a few pantry staples. Accompaniments like herbed nuts in honey or spiced bourbon cherries pair well with appetizers – and easy-to-make syrups like candied ginger, pomegranate-herb, or vanilla-jalapeno varieties can be bottled for cocktail mixers. Add glass jar containers, handwritten tags, a ribbon or kitchen string – and these homemade gifts will look almost too pretty to eat.

Harvest Cheese & Cider Tasting (Page 17): What’s the best recipe for a delicious autumn afternoon? Good friends, a table full of cheese, and a few crisp ciders to pair. Create a casual affair where guests feel comfortable trying a little bit of everything. Place clip-on blackboard signs on a cheese board to let friends know what they’re tasting. Accompany cheese with toppers like chutney, jam or honey that guests can pair with crackers. Pick your ciders wisely, and mix up house specialties like popcorn tossed with dried blueberries, cranberries, roasted hazelnuts, and powdered blue cheese. Artisanal cheese maker and co-owner of Rogue Creamery, David Grimmels, shows us how to set the scene.

Once Upon A Time There Were Two Black Fridays

Until 1939, Thanksgiving was held in early December. But merchants wanted more time to peddle their Christmas wares so they lobbied President Franklin D. Roosevelt to move Turkey Day back a week. The change naturally angered much of the public and some refused to honor what they called "Franksgiving." As a result, for a very short time, America celebrated two Thanksgiving Days and two Black Fridays.

To learn more about the surprisingly interesting history of Black Friday, check out Coupon Sherpa's post "Once Upon a Time There Were Two Black Fridays?"

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Cyber Monday Special

This Cyber Monday, November 29th, several incredible sites, with gifts for just about everyone on your list, are offering online discounts!

Essential Journeys (www.essentialjourneys.com) is the perfect present place for women of any age as well as the eco-conscious people in your life.  Essential Journeys is a handcrafted, handmade soap, lotion and lip lube company.  These are not just beauty products, they truly are beautiful.  And they come in all shapes, colors and scents.  Plus, the lotion is all-natural, the soap is vegan and the lip lube is made from natural bees wax.  On Cyber Monday, Essential Journeys will offer free shipping with the coupon code: CYBERFREESHIP  

The Friendship Stone (www.thefriendshipstone.com) is a unique and meaningful gift.  The semi-precious Tiger’s Eye stone are hand-picked from South Africa.  No two stones are alike, just like our friendships and relationships.  The stones are a concrete and symbolic reminder of the people that impact your life.  The stones can be carried in your purse or pocket, or you can get necklaces.  On Cyber Monday, The Friendship Stone is offering 15% off everything with the coupon code: CYBER  

Blamtastic (www.blamtastic.com) is the perfect stocking stuffer.  The lip balm was created by two young sisters.  It comes in flavors and colors both boys and girls will love.  And mom will love the SPF 15.  Plus, you get a really cool sleeve for your “blam” so it can hook onto backpacks, notebooks, purses and more.  On Cyber Monday, Blamtastic is giving all shoppers free shipping!

Add Flavor to Sweet and Savory Dishes This Thanksgiving

The tastes and scents of Thanksgiving food are a source of cherished memories over generations. The feasting table will always have room for time-honored traditions, as well as new interpretations of classic recipes. Chefs at restaurants and home cooks alike often have a secret weapon in their kitchen to give dishes that extra "something." Many times this weapon comes in the form of pure flavor extracts.

Adding pure flavor extracts to dishes can offer convenience and flavor without compromising your dishes. When Pure Coffee Extract is added to cocoa it makes a delicious mocha drink and you can punch up the flavor of tea by adding a touch of Pure Lemon Extract. Manufacturers like Nielsen-Massey Vanillas offer top quality pure flavor extracts that are ideal for both sweet and savory fare.

The most exciting part of working with pure flavor extracts, for many cooks, is finding out how to make new and creative flavor pairings that are unexpected, and delicious. Vanilla and sweetness will always go hand in hand, but the flavor and scent profile of different types of vanillas can vary widely. Nielsen-Massey's Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract has a creamy, sweet, velvety flavor that is perfect for a range of products from baked goods to ice creams, salad dressings to barbeque sauces, while Nielsen-Massey's Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract is known by its creamy, spicy flavor that has a special affinity for dishes that contain chocolate, cinnamon and other warm spices, and Nielsen-Massey's Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract is especially symbiotic with fruit-based products such as fruited yogurt and sorbet.

It's the variety and complexity that make vanilla perfect to experiment with in new and treasured Thanksgiving recipes. Home cooks can also intensify tastes with other pure flavor extracts such as Pure Chocolate Extract that can add a rich character, without sweetness, or Pure Peppermint Extract that can bring the standard pairing of lamb chops and mint jelly up to date.

Thanksgiving feasts are the perfect opportunity to get in the kitchen and prepare delicious cool weather treats. The savory flavors of fall are ideal to accent with extracts like Orange, Lemon or Coffee. Wow the crowd this Thanksgiving with an added twist to these autumn favorites.

Rich Corn Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon each salt and sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12 x 16 inch pan or large cast iron skillet. Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and vanilla. Add eggs lightly beaten with milk and beat until the batter is thoroughly blended. Stir in heavy cream and butter. Spread the batter into baking pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until well browned.

Golden Squash Bisque
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, peeled and quartered (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups (or more) organic chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 whole fresh sage leaves
1 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed
1/2 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the squash in a covered baking dish with the water. Bake for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute until golden brown. Whisk in the flour until blended. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock gradually, whisking constantly. Add the squash, salt and white pepper. Mash with a potato masher. Add the bay leaf and sage leaves. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove the bay leaf and sage leaves. Spoon the squash mixture into a blender. Add the warm cream a little at a time, pureeing after each addition. Add the orange extract. Pour into the saucepan and reheat thoroughly. If the bisque is too thick, you may change the consistency by adding additional stock 1/4 cup at a time.

Serves 4 to 6.

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey's Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar and Certified Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Beans. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas recently introduced a line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are Allergen-Free and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

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Andouille Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

•           2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

•           1 pound Andouille sausages, cut into 1/3-inch pieces

•           1 12-ounce package breakfast-style bulk sausage

•           3 cups chopped onions

•           2 cups chopped celery

•           2 cups chopped red bell peppers

•           1 cup chopped green onions

•           2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

•           1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

•           1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

•           12 ounces dry corn bread stuffing mix

•           1 1/2 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

Directions

1. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add all sausages and cook until brown and cooked through, breaking up bulk sausage with back of a fork, about 5 minutes.

3. Add onions, celery and red bell peppers. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.

4. Stir in green onions, thyme, hot pepper sauce and sage. Transfer sausage mixture to large bowl.

5. Stir stuffing mix into sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

6. This recipe can be prepared one day ahead:  Cover and refrigerate. 

         Touch Bayou Catering is an upscale, full-service, off-premises catering company specializing in Cajun, Creole and Beyond (International Cuisine) and serving all of New Jersey, the Philadelphia area and parts of New York. The company provides delicious multi-cultural, international menus, arranged beautifully in the client’s setting of choice, with professional and personal service. Touch Bayou has been placed on the Preferred Caterer’s List of the Newark Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, WISOMMM Cultural Center in Newark, the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) and the Welmont Theater in Montclair, NJ.

            For more information about this unique catering company, call Jennifer Tyler-Washington at (856) 629-0988 or email her at tywash664@comcast.net. The website is www.touchbayou.com.

Thanksgiving Decor for your Dining Room

Grace your Thanksgiving table with a centerpiece that gives back, featuring seasonal styles from OrganicBouquet.com, the largest online provider of eco-friendly and organic floral gifts. Each purchase from Organic Bouquet helps to improve the life of a flower farm worker, their family and the local floral community – and your purchase can help give an entire community a reason to give thanks.

Use the code FALL15 for 15% off through December on OrganicBouquet.com.

Holiday Slowdown: How to Live the Slow While on the Go

The Big Three are around the corner: Halloween, Thanksgiving and the December holidays. Despite our very best efforts, we often slip into a familiar frenzy as our already fast-paced lives ramp up a notch. But whoever said the last three months of every year have to be one long string of adrenaline-drenched events? It can also be a time to challenge yourself to go slower than you normally do all year ‘round.

October

As the leaves drift to the earth, take a moment every morning to ground yourself. How you begin your day informs how the rest will go. Use this month to seek out solace before life begins one more day. Whether it is a meditation practice, five deep belly breaths before you get up, or a stated intention of what this day will bring, make it a ritual to start off your morning on a positive note.

Before the holidays are in full swing, list what you would like to accomplish by December 31^st. Be as specific as possible. Plot out times when you will work toward those goals.

Brainstorm how you would like the December holiday season to look. Visualize how you would like to feel at the end of the year. Now ask yourself what things need to be in place for those feelings to occur.

If you budget for the holidays now, you will be less likely to overdraw your account. Pay cash where you can. Manage your friends’ and family’s expectations about what you can afford.

November

You have over three weeks before Thanksgiving is upon us. State what you are grateful for every day. Start an email or Facebook gratitude list that you send to your friends. Encourage others to reflect on those things that are most important to them.

Plan a potluck holiday feast. Spread the love (and the work) by ensuring everyone plays a part in designing the meal itself. Instead of storming the malls on Black Friday (or the Internet on Black Monday), use that time to make a list of the people to whom you would like to send holiday cards. Stamp and label the envelopes now.

December

Consider how many holiday parties you want to attend this month. Determine your limit and stick to it. Practice the power of slow by saying ‘no’ to extraneous requests that would overstep your capabilities. Remain centered by remembering your commitment to a life worth living, not one worth escaping.

Celebrate with loved ones and practice a little extra forgiveness for yourself and others this month. Remember that even in the darkest of days, we have access to the very light that resides within us every day of our lives.

Start living the slow today.

Download your free three-month holiday planner at http://bit.ly/slownews to ensure you do!  

~© 2010 Christine Louise Hohlbaum, American author of The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in Our 24/7 World, lives near Munich, Germany with her husband and two children. She occasionally takes on small TV and film roles to satisfy her inner thespian. Her book-related blog, http://PowerofSlow.wordpress.com, shares tips on how to slow down every day.

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