Thanksgiving 2011: Going Easy!

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Thanksgiving 2011 will be a little different for us this year. Why you ask?

Because this is the year of Easy!

As in lets keep it easy and simple and just enjoy the day, visiting and catching up with family and friends and just not making the food the focus of the day and being so tired from cooking that we can’t enjoy it. So we are saying so long & adios! to a lot of our “must haves” from previous years and trying some new items and maybe we are going to start some new traditions as well (hey hey you never know….)

We are thinking about this meal as  a “Nice Family Dinner” (a bit more than the average Tuesday Night din-din but still manageable ), instead of this crazy Eat-A-Thon where you have so much food that you have trouble cooking it all, eating it all,  and storing all the leftovers ? forget it …Arggg….

So here is what we are planning right now. There are some of the usual suspects that are Thanksgiving regulars, some new items and we are also planning and buying less, so we don’t have food to last until December 1st.

Our Menu Thus Far:

  • Trader Joe’s 1/2 Cooked Turkey (yep, only a half a bird AND  just heat and eat…sweet!)
  • roasted veggies (diced sweet potatoes, turnips and parsnips)
  • stuffing (OK yes homemade here, recipe to follow )
  • steamed green beans
  • mashed  potatoes
  • Cranberry Sauce (OK trying a new, raw recipe here… I will let you know how it turns out)

Easy Appetizers:

  • Cheese & Crackers
  • Veggies
  • Nuts

Easy Dessert:

  • Apple Blossoms
  • Sweet Potato  Bites

Right… No Sweet Potato Casserole and no pies either!

So while we will not have LOTS of leftovers to eat from for the rest of the weekend, we will have the peace of mind that we did not have a stressed- out cooking day to recover from.

Instead we can make gingerbread houses (our big family tradition), and just relax and enjoy the day with one another.

What about you?  Are you going all-out this year, or are you scaling back like we are?

Share your  Thanksgiving menu with us below or on Facebook!

Thanks!

 

How To Use A French Press

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Are you curious about the French press? We got a lot of emails this week on what exactly is a French Press Coffee Maker and how/ why would you use such a thing.

We have used a French Press Coffee maker on and off for a number of years now.  We seem to go through times when we drink more tea than coffee and vice- versa.  Right now (November) is one of those time when we are  going through a “heavy drinking” cycle.

There are many reason why you might like to try a French Press Coffee maker.

  • Washable/ Reusable Filter
  • Small and convenient size
  • Coffee does not get “old” tasting

There are many more reasons why you might like a French Press, but these are the biggest ones for us.

Oh yeah…. for best results, use coffee that has a course grind to it…. We use the notch one before the last one, all the way on the left side when we grind coffee at Trader Joe’s . It says something like “course” or “Percolator” I think …. Anyway almost all the way to the end….

How to Use a French Press:

1. Scoop the desired amount of coarsely ground coffee into the French Press.  You may have to adjust the amount to your tastes but a good rule is to try 1 scoop (or Tablespoon) for every cup of coffee.  Too weak? Add more coffee… Too Strong? Add less.

2. Pour in freshly boiled water. We use an electric kettle that sits on the counter. You can use that or also good is a whistling tea kettle that goes on the stove. Now place on the cover – but don’t hit the plunger just yet.

3. Wait 4 minutes (for the coffee to brew).  Now, slowly press the plunger down to the bottom of the pot. Again, do this slowly….  This is the “Press” part…

4. Pour and enjoy….

We just love the “fresh” tasting coffee that is created by the French Press and also LOVE the fact that you are not running around early on a Saturday morning because you forgot to buy any coffee filters last week…. ugh!

Click below to see French Press Coffee makers at Amazon:

Snazzy colors too…

Here is the kind of Tea Kettle that we use and Like… heats water up FAST!

What do you think? Do you like to use a French Press? Share your comments below or on Facebook! ~Thanks!

Smooth and Mellow Blend Coffee

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Smooth and Mellow Blend Coffee from Trader Joe’s is a nice middle -of -the -road coffee for those of us who like to drink a more milder coffee.  This is our second can of this coffee, as it is starting to get colder out I guess I am drinking more ….  I have really been enjoying hot coffee in the AM as well a cup of tea. hmmm….

We first were introduced to the Smooth and Mellow via the sample table. (Don’t you just love those samples!) We tried it one morning and thought …. hey, this is really good coffee! So we ground up a can and made it at home.

And it was still good at home too!

[ Side note: This has not always been our experience, unfortunately. Sometimes I get to chatting and sampling the other items  and don’t realize how much creamer (both the half -and -half or the delicious Soy milk) is going into my tiny little coffee “shot”/ sample cup. This means that when I get home, and make it my regular way…. disaster! WOW the coffee is way to strong or has a really dark roast going on. ]

So now when I find a coffee that is yummy…. I will carefully read the package for those key words such as “mild” or medium or light roast and avoid coffee that is labeled “dark” or “French Roast”.

In any event, we are really enjoying this coffee and recommend it if you are a more “mild” coffee drinker.

Also… If you are interested in a fast and easy way to enjoy coffee we suggest trying a French Press.  Click on the link below from Amazon to learn more about Making Coffee in a French Press

 

 

Kumato Brown Tomatoes at Trader Joe’s

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Have you tried the Kumato Brown tomatoes at Trader Joe’s yet?  These tomatoes sure caught our eye when we saw them in the store as,  no lie, the tomatoes are brown.

OK so I love those heirloom tomatoes, you know the ones that are yellow and orange and red and usually funny shapes (some are more like pumpkins than tomatoes really…) but I don’t remember ever seeing a brown heirloom tomato before… And Kumato? never heard of it….

So we bought a package….  we had to try them….

Well, we have to share that these brown tomatoes are fantastic!  We have had them in a salad and simply sliced up with a little salt and pepper so that their natural yummy flavor just comes out!

This is our salad with avocado, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers…The color and the flavor of the tomatoes was delish!

Have you tried the Kumato Brown tomatoes at Trader Joe’s? What did you think?

Share your thoughts below or on Facebook! ~Thanks!