Thanksgiving is the one meal each year than never fails to induce drama, anxiety and other seasonal stressors.
Relax!
Stock up on my essentials for festive table decor that will put your mind at ease and smiles on your guests faces at my Open Sky page. And let this checklist be your guide to a stress free and thankful holiday. The key is to prepare ahead of time. The more you get done before the big day, the more time you'll be able to spend with your guests the day of.
With Halloween just behind us and Thanksgiving just around the corner, I think it's about time we get in the holiday spirit.
Read MoreDirections Place the onion, garlic, spinach and zucchini in Cuisinart and blend. Place the ground meats, breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork.
Read MoreAfter serving this bite sized appetizer at countless parties, I came to the conclusion that my Sweet Pea Bruschetta was an all time favorite.
Read MoreLulu's Gazpacho
Grind the almonds and garlic in a food processor. Slowly add all the other ingredients. Garnish with cilantro, basil or scallions. If you like avocadoes, chunk and place them on top.
Serves 6 to 8
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2. Spread the asparagus on a jelly roll pan. Pour 1 tablespoon water and the olive over the top. 3. Bake for 10 minutes, turning the asparagus once. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Hollandaise Sauce.
Blender Hollandaise Sauce
Makes 1¼ cups
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 4 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco
1. Melt the butter on low heat in a small saucepan until very hot, but do not let it brown. 2. Combine the egg yolks, heavy cream, lemon juice, salt, and Tabasco in a blender. Turn blender on low speed and blend. 3. With blender on low speed, remove the cover and pour in hot butter in a steady stream. 4. Use immediately, refrigerate, or freeze. To freeze, transfer the sauce into a freezer container, leaving ½-inch space. Let cool, cover, and freeze. To reheat, heat the sauce in the top of a double boiler.
Lulu’s meatballs: • 1 pound ground veal • 1 pound ground pork • 2 pound ground beef • 1 cup zucchini • 1 bag spinach • 4 cloves garlic • 1 onion • 1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon all spice • 2 eggs, beaten • Vegetable oil • Olive oil
Lulu’s sauce:
• 2 tablespoon good olive oil • 2 cup chopped yellow onion • 4 cloves minced garlic • 2 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions
Place the onion, garlic, spinach and zucchini in Cuisinart and blend. Place the ground meats, breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs. Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.
If you don’t like chicken liver pate, try this. You will be a convert. 1 cup almonds 8 medium shallots, peeled and sliced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon sugar 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered 1 pounds chicken liver, trimmed, membrane removed 1 pound sweet Italian pork sausage ½ cup Calvados One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature 2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoned salt 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 2 teaspoons Tabasco 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the almonds until coarsely chopped; remove and reserve.
Add the shallots, garlic, and onion to the bowl of the food processor and process until finely chopped.
Melt 1 stick butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and onion mixture.
Add the apples to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add the apple mixture to the skillet and cook gently until ingredients are soft and transparent, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the chicken livers and sausage, breaking up the sausage with fork, and sauté over medium-high heat until nearly cooked through, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the Calvados and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Transfer the meat mixture to the bowl of the food processor and process for 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the cream cheese, salt, pepper, tarragon, allspice, thyme, Tabasco, and red pepper flakes and process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the almonds and pulse 5 to 6 times.
Let the meat mixture cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 7 days. You can freeze it for up to 1 month. Serve it as a spread with French bread, apple slices, or crackers.
This recipe is great on top of fish or mixed in pasta. Asparagus Bruschetta
1 bunch Asparagus, blanched or roasted lightly (you still want to have a little crunch) ¼ cup Parmesan ½ cup almonds ¼ ounce chives Rind of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste
Blend in food processor.
Blend in food processor.
