 Something is going to go amiss this Thanksgiving. A side dish will burn, you'll be short a chair for an unannounced guest, your aunt will question all of your life choices in front of an assembly of your loved ones; it could be one of a million little (or large) mishaps. The world will not screech to a to a gravy-spattering halt. We promise. Over the next few week, we'll help you prepare and gird your loins as best we can, with our own time-tested hosting tips and recipes, as well as plenty from chefs, hospitality experts, celebrities, hosts and home cooks we love. Our goal – sending you into Thanksgiving with a confident smile on your face, and seeing you emerge on the other side with your sanity intact. This is not your fault, and the best thing you can possibly do is plan ahead and manage expectations - both your own and those of your guests. Start today by issuing your Thanksgiving invitations and asking your potential guests (and their guests, because strays are a lovely inevitable) to finish this sentence: "It's not Thanksgiving without ________." Then scheme with them about how to get it on the table. You can attempt to make it yourself, but it would not be out of place, or make you a bad host, to see if they'd care to bring it themselves. Thanksgiving is a highly collaborative holiday and people, for the most part, like to be of use. This takes the onus of at least one dish off your metaphorical plate, ensures that guests' appetites for nostalgia are sufficiently sated, and gives them a chance to share their own history. And if they can't or won't - so be it. Your best effort is good enough, and if goes spectacularly awry, you've all got an excellent story for next year's dinner. Today's Burning Question Q: How do you make mashed potatoes without animal products? I should rephrase that. I meant GOOD mashed potatoes. - Josh A: This one's a cinch: olive oil. There are so few ingredients in this dish, there's nothing to hide behind, so it's worth a couple of extra bucks to splurge on a full-bodied, dressing-quality oil, which you'll end up using on everything. Wash two large pounds of Yukon Gold or russet potatoes and, depending on your preferences, leave the skin on or peel it. Halve the potatoes, or quarter them if they're large, place them in a large pot, cover with cold water by one inch, add one tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the water, saving about 1/2 cup of it. Then place the potatoes in a large bowl, pour in 1/3 cup of olive oil and either whip with an electric mixer, or mash with a potato masher. Add enough of the reserved water to achieve the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you'd like to amp up the flavor even more, stir in chopped chives, minced tarragon or parsley, ribbons of basil or any of your favorite herbs. Serve, sit back, and wait for the compliments to roll in. But wait - there's more! We've got plenty of fun surprises planned over these next few weeks, but in the meantime, consider printing out these mantras and cross-stitching them on throw pillows or possibly taking them to the tattoo parlor: 1. Don't be a martyr, be a host. And a word to the wise - the sooner you get a beverage or appetizer into your guests' hands, or assign them the task of doing so, the more quickly they'll ease into the swing of things. Un-buckle up, follow our ongoing Thanksgiving advice, and get set to have an absolutely delicious day. - Guzzle wine advice from Terroir and Food & Wine Got a Thanksgiving query or dilemma? Need techniques for roasting turkey or just looking for recipes to bust up your holiday rut? Wanna know what one of our anchors eats for T-Day? We're here to help. Post your question in the comments below and we'll do our best to assist. |
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Amend this classic with celery root, parsnips or apples. Don't be shy. Also you can then make some killer GNOCCHI!
I would expect CNN to use proper grammer.
You are saying "grammer" and intending irony by it, right?
Here is an excellent idea for helping others during the holidays...
http://godusessinners.blogspot.com/2011/10/holiday-meal-challenge-help-needy.html
Nice! I like any holiday survival tips.
Ever since I came back to the 'states, I haven't but felt dumbfounded at how primadonna-like and indolent folks here have become. Last year I loaded family and suitcases in the car the morning my Thanksgiving vacation started and drove from Augusta, GA to Dallas-Fort worth to spend it with my oldest daughter, grandson and son-in-law, stopping only for gas, bathroom breaks and two small meals. When we got there the very next morning I took my daughter to a bodega to buy all the ingredients for a family recipe Thanksgiving dinner for 12 people, helped them move a recently purchased bedroom set into their upstairs master and prepared/seasoned a large turkey, sides and family recipe stuffing for the oven late into the night. That day, and the following three, I suffered the pain of passing a kidney stone, but a whole lot of beer and the loving company of 12 friends and family got me through it. I also drove back myself, 13 hours with only 1 stop, to work the next day. How is it that big ole' people here whine and quiver over a little cooking?
Mmmmmmm... cowpies
LMA O!
"How do you make mashed potatoes without animal products?"
You can't, now grow a pair and go buy butter, buttermilk and sour cream.
LMAO!
WIN!
You can't, so why bother?
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Score the potatoes from side-to-side and top-to-bottom then pressure cook for 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 8 minutes. Instant cool if necessary. Use a dish-washing glove to handle the hot potatoes. Hold the potatoes under a drizzle of cold water. The skins slip right off.
But I like the skins in my mashed potatoes! There's nutrients & fiber in them that's just being thrown away.
Now I'm sad for the loss of the skins.
Embrace the cult of Chaos....
Ultimately you can only free your essence from the universe by becoming pure chaos, thus preventing all awareness.
Join this cult now!
PS: Send Money
But I thought the old, traditional, "conservative" traditions were becoming taboo. Why even celebrate Thanksgiving let alone worry about it?
Where did you get that idea? FTR, our family is doing the traditional t-day dinner with all the trimmings including cranberry-jelly-not-the-sauce please and thank you very much.
Butter,Butter,Butter...Where's the Love Y'all ?
Hello there, I found your web site by the use of Google whilst scenahirg for a related topic, your web site got here up, it looks great. I've bookmarked to favourites|added to my bookmarks.
This had one of the most bizarre front page headlines – "Embrace chaos to be a great host".
After reading about crazy Amish cults, it felt oddly religious and parasitic.
1. Buy yourself a ricer if you like smooth, creamy mash. Mashers and mixers will work the potato too much in an effort to eliminate lumps and your mash will end up gluey. A ricer will produce a finer and much lighter texture.
2. After ricing the potato, spread the potato on a sheet tray and let some of the moisture evaporate. This will let it absorb more fat, whether that's olive oil (meh) or cream and butter (yay) or cream with duck fat/bone marrow/foie gras (HOORAY!)