Reading in the Hall Recap

Last Wednesday, we had our monthly book club meeting where we read Jeffrey Eugenides's book The Marriage Plot.

Overall, the members of the book club found it to be a good read, with an insightful treatment of mental illness, but they were unconvinced by the romances among the characters. Was this a case of the author trying to subvert a genre or simply not succeeding in writing within a genre? Pick up the book and decide for yourself!

Quotes from book club members:

"The book felt disjointed."

"I loved it...especially the way he wrote Leonard's battle with depression."

"Madeleine was passive and blah."

"I thought Madeleine came across as shallow."

"I felt like Madeleine's character arc only began at the very end of the book."

"The portrayal of mental illness was absolutely realistic."

"I thought it was brave to write Mitchell's character having a hard time working among the poor."

Next month's book will be Astray by Emma Donoghue - book club will meet on the 16th of December at 6:30PM.

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Tips

The holiday is almost upon us! Just in case you don't have time to run in and grab a Thanksgiving how-to handbook, here are some tips and tricks to make your Thanksgiving the best, most stress-free holiday of all!

Turkey:
Turkey should not be allowed to defrost at room temperature because of the risk of bacteria developing. Instead, take your bird out of the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw completely. Here are the approximate thaw-times by weight:

5 - 8 lbs: 18 - 24 hrs
9 - 11 lbs: 24 - 36 hrs
11 - 15 lbs: 38 - 72 hrs
15 - 20 lbs: 3 to 4 days

What's that? You were so busy prepping cranberries and making custom place-cards that you forgot to take the turkey out of the fridge? Don't worry, you can quick-thaw (this still takes time and it's best not to wait until the morning-of to start.

Guide to Quick-Thawing a Turkey:

• Get a five gallon bucket and fill it with cold water.
• Place the turkey inside the bucket, still in its wrapping. 
• If the turkey floats, weigh it down so that it is completely submerged.
• The turkey should then thaw at a rate of 2 lbs for every 1 hour it is submerged.
• Be sure to change the water every hour so that it doesn't become too warm - you might want to put the bucket in a bathtub.

To Stuff or Not to Stuff:

In general, it is not recommended to stuff a turkey - the heat takes the longest to reach the cavity when cooking and as a result, when the turkey reaches the recommended temperature of 165° the stuffing inside might still contain bacteria that have not been cooked out. If you wait for the stuffing to reach a safe temperature, the turkey itself might overcook. 

A nice compromise is to cook the turkey and the stuffing separately, until both are at a safe temperature to eat, and then to stuff the turkey with the hot stuffing while it rests. That way the stuffing will soak up delicious flavor and not un-delicious bacteria.

Mashed Potatoes:

No one likes a gummy potato, to avoid having potatoes that resemble paste, follow these simple guidelines.

• Avoid using waxy potatoes like fingerlings or red potatoes, they don't have enough starch. Instead, reach for a good old russet potato.
• Salt the water before you put the potatoes in - like pasta, potatoes will absorb flavor from the cooking liquid.
• Start the potatoes in cold water (to avoid uneven cooking), then turn the temperature up to a boil. 
• When adding butter or cream to the potatoes, try to warm it up either on the stovetop or by letting the dairy rest at room temperature for a little bit before adding them to the potatoes, they'll absorb better!
• Don't pound the potatoes too much - if you don't have a food mill, using a regular potato masher is fine, but don't put the potatoes in the food processor!

Scratch-Cooking Recipes

Tired of cranberry sauce from a can, fried onions from a tub, and pie from a box? Try some of these recipes to add a homemade touch to your holiday meal.

Green Bean Casserole (This recipe includes baked onions, which is great for a cook who isn't comfortable with deep-frying.)

Easy Cranberry Sauce (You can set the sauce in a can so that it looks and slices like the classic gel.)

Pumpkin Pie (The crust is oil-based so that it can be pressed in the pan - easier than making one from butter or shortening.)

Unusual Sides

If you want to forego tradition altogether, here are some funky recipes that might become Thanksgiving staples!

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chile-Lime Vinaigrette 

Sweet Potato Egg Rolls

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberry Brown Butter

Simple Pumpkin Soup

Turnip Gratin

Moroccan Cooked Carrot Salad

Herbed Wild Rice and Quinoa Stuffing

Cookbook Recommendations

Whether you're looking to spice up your holiday menus or just wanting to try something different for a weeknight dinner, these recipe books are sure to please!

Barefoot Contessa Parties!: Ideas and Recipes for Parties that are Really Fun by Ina Garten

A year-round party planner's best friend! Includes a special section for Jewish holiday recipes and decorations.

How to Cook a Turkey: And All the Other Trimmings by the editors of Fine Cooking Magazine

Never be subjected to a dry bird again with this handy book that also covers appetizers!

Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Bastianich

Are you an Italian grandma (or do you wish you were?) Then Lidia's the cook for you, if you want to add a little Italian flair to your holiday gatherings.

The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Dinners and Casual Entertaining by Mark Bittman

Based on his NY Times column, this cookbook is for busy people who want to entertain with minimal fuss.

The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perlman

Based on the author's blog, includes dinner, lunch, dessert, and vegetarian options.

Thanksgiving by Michael McLaughlin

The Williams-Sonoma guide to a perfect Turkey Day (you might not need another cookbook if you've got this one).

Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday with America's Thanksgiving Expert by Rick Rogers

Is it your first year hosting the holiday or do you want to streamline your Thanksgiving experience? Then run, don't walk, to the library and grab this Thanksgiving how-to book!

And if all else fails, the Butterball corporation always has the Turkey Talk Line if you find yourself in a stuffing panic on the day.

Recipe Recommendation

Looking for something to supplement the pie next week? Are you still not experiencing the pumpkin overload that is a result of living in New England in the autumn? Do you like cookies? Do you like chocolate? Then have we got a recipe for you!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups flour
4 teasp baking powder
1 tablesp cinnamon
1/2 teasp nutmeg
1/4 teasp ginger
1 teasp salt
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin (if you're using pumpkin from a can, make sure it's just pumpkin, not the pie filling)
1 cup chips

Stir or sift dry ingredients together.
Cream shortening or butter and sugar together, then add pumpkin and eggs.
Stir in dry ingredients and then the chips.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Tasty with chocolate chips or toffee chips!  These cookies are very soft and cake-y.