The Very Best Turkey Advice and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Whether you are celebrating or not, I want to wish you a happy day with people you love, a few quiet, reflective moments, and delicious food.  Two things that I am always thankful for are food (Surprise!) and comic relief.  This brilliant video by Mary Risley, of Tante Marie's Cooking School, combines food and humor with a healthy dose of practicality.  Mary's message for those who are experiencing turkey-induced stress:  Relax!  And grab the pinot noir.  :)

Mary says that one way to approach the turkey is to put it in the oven and go for a walk.  If you'd like to follow more detailed instructions, though, she also provides those here.

Have a fantastic few days, friends.  I'll see you back here next week.  xoxo

(Image by Tante Marie's Cooking School via YouTube.)

Fresh Cranberry Relish

With Thanksgiving sneaking right up on us (Tomorrow!), I wanted to share with you a favorite family recipe that usually appears around this time of year.  It's a raw cranberry relish that combines tart cranberries with bright citrus and sweet apple.  All of the ingredients are chopped, so, with some electric assistance, you can prepare the recipe in a snap.

Until just yesterday, I'd always thought that this cranberry relish was one of my grandmother's recipes.  Turns out, the dish made its way to my family via my aunt's good friend, P.  See P.'s recipe and hilarious notes below.  I've added just one comment, in brackets.

OK - Here goes. It's better if it can sit overnight. Mine is already done and on the porch!

You need: 4 cups of fresh cranberries (two bags and you'll have leftover - feed the birds or decorate your wreath), two navel oranges, one large red apple (not Delicious), 1 1/2 cups of sugar. 

Grate peel of one orange into large bowl. Peel and remove pulp on both oranges. Cut into chunks. Core and quarter unpeeled apple; cut into half inch pieces. Wash and sort cranberries. Chop cranberries and oranges in food processor.* [Be sure to pulse the food processor, rather than running it continuously, to avoid ending up with a slurry.] Add to apple and grated orange rind. Mix in sugar and let set in refrigerator (or similar cold place) overnight.

*Before the Food Processor came into my life, a task that now takes 20 seconds, took a cup of scotch and 3 1/2 hours cutting up all those cranberries. By the time the scotch was gone, I couldn't even catch the little buggers. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all.

A nice alternative to jelly from the can, right?  :)  (Don't get me wrong, the jelly has its place.)  Enjoy!

(Image via Eliza Domestica.)

Have a Lovely Weekend!

Hi, friends.  I'm waiting for some big news, and my nerves are at about a 22, on a scale of 1 to 10.  Needless to say, I am looking forward to the weekend and unwinding a little.  Tomorrow, I'm having dinner at a French place that I haven't been to in a while, which should be nice.  Otherwise, I'm expecting a pretty quiet weekend.  Will you be working through your Halloween treats, or maybe you've got something special lined up for Saturday, too?  Whatever this first weekend in November brings you, I hope it's good.  xox

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Banksy just wrapped up a month-long "residency" in New York with a graffiti-like tag, made from Mylar balloons and installed on the side of a warehouse.  See all of the recent NYC pieces here.

Uniqlo may be coming to D.C.  Fingers firmly crossed.

This clip of a dad lip-syncing his daughter's tantrum had me in stitches.

Beauty bloggers have been buzzing about this pressed powder, which gives you a glow as if you were in the most flattering light.

A nice interview with one of the men who you likely will see behind you bar if you stop into Off the Record any time soon.

Classic pieces for a fool-proof fall outfit.  (I'd say that combining neutral pieces made from natural fibers is a fool-proof approach to dressing year-round. :)

If you're looking for a sweet weekend project, this brown butter apple pie looks like a delectable option.

(Lip-sync video via Little White Lion.)

Have a Spooky Weekend!

Switching gears a bit: Halloween, OMG.  I'm going to a party this weekend.  I figured out my costume, which took a 180 from the idea I was planning on when I updated you last week.  If I muster up the courage, I may share a snapshot or two next week.  :) 

What are your plans for the weekend?  Will you be dressing up and going out, or staying toasty at home?  In any case, I hope you have lots of reasons to smile this weekend.  Here are a few bits and pieces from the web that I thought you'd enjoy.  xo E.

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One hint as to my costume: it involves this lipstick, which is the perfect strong red (more orange/brown than blue in the undertone department) and very emollient.  I never really have been one for bright lip color, but am kind of excited about this.

If you have a pug to dress up for Halloween, here are a few hysterical ideas.

If you still need to figure out what to wear, these are some imaginative ideas.

Here are a bunch of DIY fall craft ideas that will keep your creative juices flowing post-crazy costume.  Start collecting those fallen leaves now!

I made a variation of this thyme-roasted sweet potato recipe last week, and yum.

Cleveland Park eatery Palena will transform its current café space into a coffee shop concept, serving coffee and fresh baked goods in the morning and moving into lunchtime fare at midday.  It's not clear whether the café will continue to offer dinner service, but let's hope it does.

Google Maps now show D.C. Metro lines.  Cool, huh?  The quirks mentioned in the link seem to have been fixed.

Here is a smooth, sexy tune from Spanish crooner Pablo Alborán.  If you like what you hear, try this one, too (The video gives a glimpse of my old stomping ground in downtown Madrid.).  And this one.  The sentimental lyrics brought a lump to my throat.

(Image from Apartment Therapy via House Beautiful; Palena tip via Eater; craft ideas via swissmiss.)

Have a Relaxing Weekend!

Busy, busy it's been around here.  For me, the weekend will involve friends and finalizing my Halloween costume.  Till now, it's been just an idea (a very simple one :), so it's time to assemble the pieces and determine details.  I'm looking forward to the fun, low-fuss project, which may evolve into something with more pizazz than originally planned.  We'll see....

What are you up to this weekend?  Whatever your plans, I hope you have fun and enjoy browsing a few bits from around the web.  xo

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A dating site sees a spike in D.C. activity, thanks to the federal shutdown.

Local chefs look forward to new players in the District's restaurant scene.

Graphite drawings that the artist says are the product of "daydreaming and keeping track of it."

I found these German chocolate-glazed gingerbread cookies in the grocery store, and they are SO delicious.  Maybe a little early for the holidays, officially, but the delicate warmth of the spice is so lovely for fall.

Quirky DIY kids' Halloween costumes that will make you giggle.

I may be coming around to the idea of the heeled bootie.*  A refined ankle makes all the difference.  These and these and these pass muster.

A slouchy silk sweater that looks like it would be nice to live in. 

Would you order a custom-blended lipstick? 

This gnocchi looks like a hearty, indulgent weekend meal.

For the Why Didn't I Think of That? file: apple cider sangría.


*Yes, I know that they have been a thing.

(Image via The Editorialite, gnocchi recipe via Epicurious on Pinterest.)

Happy (Rainy) Weekend!

Apologies for the light posting this week.  Things got busy!

One highlight worthy of special mention is happy hour at BLT Steak.  The place always seemed to fade into a particularly non-descript block of I Street, so I'd passed it by many times before I stopped in this week.  It turns out that BLT achieves the dark, cozy steakhouse vibe without being stuffy.  Think dark woods and leather, combined with warm metal accents and beige walls.  I am a fan.  The happy hour menu offers exclusively $5 treats: beer, wine, cocktails, and mini appetizers.  The complimentary trio of snacks (popcorn, olives, and an Asian party mix that seems house-made) may be the real winner and is totally addictive.  Dare I say that it rivals the similar snack trio (olives, wasabi peas, and mixed nuts) at Off the Record?  

Hope you have a great long weekend ahead.  If you are in D.C. or the vicinity, stay warm and dry!  I am expecting a pretty perfect weekend for breaking in my slow cooker, nesting a little, and maybe catching up with The Newsroom.  Here are some bits and pieces from around the web, including a few excuses to get out of the house if you want to brave the drizzle!  xx E.

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Fashion Art Design Georgetown is happening this weekend, and lots of local shops and restaurants are hosting events that look like fun.  The sale tonight at Tari and Saturday night's closing party at Malmaison seem promising.

Washington Post dining critic Tom Sietsema has released his Fall 2013 Dining Guide.  Do you agree with Tom's appraisals?  Three-starred Le Diplomate is one of my favorites.

My weekend cooking adventure may feature something along the lines of the Pioneer Woman's white chili.  You know how I feel about beans.

These evocative photos of abandoned places will transport you.

I love these pointed-toe, half-d'Orsay flats.

Fall beer tasting on Saturday at Politics & Prose.

Russian eatery Mari Vanna's keys-for-VIPs policy gets more interesting.

This song makes me want to shake it all out and jump around.

If you haven't settled on a Halloween costume yet, you may want to consider these hilarious ideas.

Some of Ginnifer Goodwin's pitch perfect (including many fearless) beauty moments.

(Image via Sandy a la Mode.  Abandoned places photos via C., and Halloween costumes via A.)

Figs in Season

On my way home from work last week, I passed my neighborhood community garden, as I always do.  The garden is about an acre in size, and neighbors rent out little plots, separated by chicken wire, filling them with flowers and food crops that thrive in our Mid-Atlantic climate.  I always notice the garden, but never walk right beside it.  There's no sidewalk on that side of the street.  So, I usually just appreciate the greenery from afar and enjoy the fact of this quaint neighborhood endeavor. 

Last week, though, I noticed a bit of commotion near a large tree that's just next to the garden plot.  I began to walk toward the tree, crossing the street.  As I approached, I noticed the large, unmistakable shape of the leaves.  The tree was a sprawling fig, and two neighbors were admiring the ripening fruits on its branches.  Conscious of community garden etiquette*, I asked the neighbors if non-members could pick from the tree, since it was outside of the garden bounds.  One of the neighbors, presumably a garden member, said, sternly, "I don't think that anyone's policing it."  That was all the (extra) encouragement I needed.  I dropped my work bag at home, changed into more harvest-friendly duds, and returned to the tree, armed with a plastic bag for my booty.**  I've been checking on the tree about every other day since then, snapping up newly-ripened fruit, and savoring the luxury of fresh, seasonal figs.

Before coming to D.C. for law school, I lived in Cairo, where almost all of the available fresh fruits and vegetables were those that were locally in season.  That meant a bounty of figs and mangos in September.  The fruit seller folded figs into a paper cone (using brown butcher paper or newspaper, depending on what was handy), which always felt like a present to open once I began unpacking groceries at home.

Ripe figs are like fat little jewels, with complexity of flavor and texture that, in my book, stations figs among a select group of foods that are perfect in their natural state.

I haven't bothered to do very much with this season's treasure, besides happily gorge myself on the whole fruits.  Figs do work very well, though, in a fruit crisp recipe, like the Joy of Cooking's classic version.

And, of course, they're a fitting match with yogurt, nuts or seeds, oatmeal, and a bit of honey.

*What not to do.
**That first foray taught me a lesson in fig harvesting — beware of the milky latex contained in the green fig stems.  It can irritate exposed skin, which I learned after developing a pink rash where the latex had dripped onto my hands and arms.  The rash quickly dissipated after I washed up with soap and water.

(Really) Simple Food: Cannellini Bean Dip

I like making foods that are hard not to love. 

That's really what I aim for when I make food at home.  I want delicious, totally lovable food that elicits a (positive) verbal reaction.  If, in addition to being delicious, a food is both nutritious and cheap, then it stands a pretty good chance of meeting my definition of "totally lovable".

Beans, whether the canned or dry variety, have always been a favorite of mine.  My reverence for beans may rival Martha Stewart's love of eggs.*  I love beans for their versatility (universality, even) and humility.  They can fit any mood and most any meal.  They are remarkably nutritious and conveniently take the place of animal protein in a balanced diet.

It's no surprise, then, that beans star in one of my favorite, extremely easy go-to recipes, smashed cannellini bean dip.  Lately, I've been making a batch on Sunday in preparation for the week ahead.  I'll slather it on Wasa crackers for breakfast, or pack it in a plastic container with salad greens for a workday lunch.  It also makes a perfect, substantial-enough snack with pretzels or carrots. 

The ingredients and process are all so simple that I feel a little silly writing this out, but....

Yield: 2 cups
Time: 5 to 10 minutes

You'll only need four ingredients to make the dip:

Cannellini beans, 2 cans, drained (If you prefer, use two cups of cooked dry beans.)
Olive oil**, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 2 teaspoons
Red pepper flakes, a generous pinch (May be omitted, but why would you do that? :)

You'll also need something to transform the whole beans into a dip.  Lots of options would work just fine:

Molcajete or mortar and pestle
Food processor
Immersion blender and bowl
Bowl and fork, spoon, wooden spoon, potato masher, or other implement to smash with

Now, here's what I do.***  I rinse my canned beans thoroughly before putting them into the bowl/molcajete/food processor.  I tend to use a mortar and pestle, and I smash the beans in batches, before putting them into a smallish mixing bowl.  I smash until the beans are about seventy percent smoothish paste, and about thirty percent still-relatively-whole bean.  (If you want your finished product to be completely lump-free, then using a food processor or immersion blender is your best bet.)  I transfer the smashed beans into my mixing bowl and then add the seasonings, which are all to taste, though I've estimated quantities above.  I'm quite generous with the olive oil and salt, since they both highlight the buttery and savory qualities of the beans.  Apparently, cold recipes also need to be seasoned more than hot recipes, and generosity here, as in most instances, yields karmic benefits.  The pepper flakes add a nice edge to richness of the salt and fat.  They make the stuff harder not to love.

*Martha has said that eggs are her favorite food.  I don't think that I am making this up, but a quick Google search didn't turn up any proof of a statement, aside from tons of Martha's egg recipes.

**People always recommend using "good" olive oil.  Do not confuse "good" olive oil with over-priced olive oil.  For most recipes that call for olive oil, including this one, I prefer using a dark-colored, fruity extra virgin olive oil.  The darker oil contributes complex, fragrant flavor that lighter oils lack.  This difference is especially notable in cold recipes, or when the oil is added at the end of a hot recipe preparation.

***You could make major changes in your own recipe, and it would still turn out great.