Before I share with you one of Simple Gourmet‘s incredible Thanksgiving recipes, here are some tips they provided on hosting a stress-free Thanksgiving!

1. Shop early. (Fail! I will be shopping today)

2. Plan the menu ahead of time (Hooray! I actually did something to prepare beforehand)

3. Write out a timeline the day before

4. Make anything that can be prepared ahead of time, the day before

5. Ask friends or family members to bring dessert, side dishes, beverages, etc. to help take some of the load off one person

6.  Set the table the day before

7.  Invest in a meat thermometer (it’s the only way you’ll know for sure your turkey is cooked!)

Simple Gourmet is an LA-based company offering cooking classes broached from the perspective that food should be clean, seasonal, natural, approachable, exciting, international, interesting and dynamic! I took a Thanksgiving-themed class a few weeks ago and came away with a number of tips I can incorporate into meals beyond the holidays.  Surprisingly, the two chef team only used one oven to prepare an entire Thanksgiving meal.  Here are two of the recipes created that night:

The first is a no-cook Cranberry Lemon Basil Relish.  I am not one to eat many foods out of a can, particularly jellied cranberries which really don’t resemble the fruit in any way.  Traditionally, we’ve always made our own cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and a few spices. This recipe seems even easier since there is no need to cook it.

1 12 -oz bag of fresh cranberries

2 tangerines, cut into slices with skins, seeds removed

5-6 big leaves of basil

1 tbl of lemon zest

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 honey

1 tsp salt

1/2 red chili flake

Prep:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Place in a bowl and refridgerate at least one hour before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature (I prefer it cold).  Prepare in advance so the flavors have had a chance to come together.

Interestingly enough, I wasn’t certain I’d like the chili flakes but it’s not overwhelming and just gives the dish a bit of flair.

The second recipe I found interesting and particularly delicious was a Yukon Potato Gratin with Parmesan-Rosemary Bechamel. This dish was so popular, whatever was not consumed was taken home to be enjoyed at a later time. Here is the recipe:

5 to 6 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/2 -inch thick (with skins still on)

3  tablespoons butter

3  tablespoons flour

3  cups whole milk

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1  garlic clove, grated

1/2  cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top)

salt and pepper as needed

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot of cold water over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Drain immediately and place in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter. When melted, add the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly. Whisk in milk and rosemary. Cook, whisking often, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a couple minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss the potatoes with the sauce and dump into a 9×13 inch casserole dish.  Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and place into the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Remove and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

What are you serving this Thanksgiving?  Do you plan a traditional meal or venture to try new flavors and dishes?

If you’re in the area, check out Simple Gourmet’s fabulous cooking classes.

No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to try out a cooking class at Simple Gourmet and came back educated and inspired.

Here is a brief recap of what you can expect this Black Friday on Totsy:

BLACK FRIDAY SALES START THURSDAY AT 9AM THRU SUNDAY 9PM

1.  Kickers Family Footwear
2.  Under $10 Infant Footwear
3.  Carters Footwear
4.  $12 Toddler Footwear
5.  Singing in the Rain Event (accessories)
6.  Hair Accessories Shop (kids)
7.  Olivia & Ava Leggings accessories/kids
8.  Stephen Joseph accessories/kids
9.  Fanshoes Rain Boots accessories/kids
10. $9 Warmest Gloves and Mitts – accessories/kids
11. $10 Sleepwear Event
12. $10 Womens Footwear
13. $15 Womens Fashion Boots
14. Under $30 Cold Weather Boots- Women’s
15. Primitives by Kathy Holiday – Room Decor
16. ”The Jay Companies” Room Decor
17. e.l.f – Beauty/Cosmetics
18. Invicta Men & Women Watches
19. Mineral from the Dead Sea  - beauty/cosmetics
20. Designer Sunglasses
21. Sophisticated Style Holiday Jewelry & Gifts
22. Bubele Baby Extravaganza – newborn/infant apparel
23. i play. Extravaganza – newborn /infant apparel
24. Girls Legging Sets Under $14.00
25. Youngland Dress Extravaganza
26. Melissa and Doug
27. Toy Extravaganza
28. Book Bonanza
29. Styles By Joseph A (women’s apparel)
30. Made IT! (jewelry/accessories)
31. Tops By Isabella Rodriguez – Women’s Apparel
32. Run Run Run Handbags  - Women’s Handbags

All 32 events will be live for four days, but know that items will likely sell out.

Through the holiday weekend, Totsy will offer free shipping with the code TGIVING.  The code is valid through November 29th at 9 am EST. Don’t you just love coupon codes?

If you want to ensure that your gifts will arrive before Christmas (December 24th to be exact), be sure to order by December 4th at 9 PM EST.

Stay tuned later this week for a sneak peek at Totsy’s Cyber Monday Deals.

Disclosure: I am a member of Totsy’s Mom Committee and receive site credit to help facilitate reviews and provide honest feedback.

Photo Credit: Epicurious

With Thanksgiving less than one week away, it’s time to plan the menu and start shopping.  Since we won’t be traveling this holiday season, my husband and I brainstormed to come up with a gourmet menu that still retains some of the traditional foods our family enjoys.  As you can imagine, shopping for a Thanksgiving meal can be pricey.  And with our “foodie” menu, we weren’t sure if we could take on Walmart‘s challenge to purchase everything we needed for under $40, but we aspired to.

Here is the menu we created:

Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Gravy

Chicken-Apple Sausage and Fresh Fennel Stuffing (modified to omit the sausage)

Fresh, Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Baked Yams

Pumpkin Pie

And here are the items we purchased:

Frozen Li’l Butterball Turkey ($13.23)

Sourdough Bread Slices for the stuffing ($3.97)

Swanson Chicken Broth ($1.98) *This one is free from MSG and contains less sodium than conventional broths*

Celery ($0.88)

1 Onion ($0.16)

Fresh Sage ($2.88)

3 Sweet Potatoes ($0.90)

Bag of fresh Cranberries ($1.68)

Sparkling Apple Cider ($2.99)

1 can of pumpkin ($1.68)

1 can of evaporated milk ($1.00) *lowfat and nonfat varieties are available*

1 container of whipping cream ($2.94)

1 graham cracker pie crust ($1.78)

The grand total was just under $40 at $36.07.  However, I am still missing the fresh thyme, pomegranate juice, and fresh fennel.  I also didn’t factor in that we’ll likely have fresh bread and salad.  I didn’t purchase items such as spices, eggs, flour, etc. because we already keep a supply of those items. Apart from the recipes above, I’ll make the cranberry sauce from scratch using a few spices, sugar, and orange juice on the stove.  To accompany the pumpkin pie, I’ll whip the whipping cream with some powdered sugar in place of store-bought varieties.

This season, Walmart is making it easier and more affordable to shop for your Thanksgiving meal.  Whether you’re looking to prepare the meal yourself, or will be using some prepared foods, you’ll find incredibly low prices to fit your needs and your budget.

Through this haul, I wanted to show how you could opt for a freshly prepared meal (versus one out of cans and boxes) while sticking to a budget. Even if I had found those 3 items above that I need for the recipes, I’d still likely be at or around $40.

How will you celebrate Thanksgiving this season? Will you prepare the meal?  Do you have a favorite recipe? Weigh in here!

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

Have you checked out the recipes, and decorating/entertaining tips on Vons’ Holiday Inspirations site? I love the store’s classy, gourmet approach which stays true to the tradition of Thanksgiving. The site is a wealth of information and inspiration and includes everything from how to prepare a turkey in 2 hours (they even have an app for that!) to creating your Thanksgiving tablescape. Find out which wine will pair well with the dishes you’re preparing, how to spice up your turkey, and what to do with your turkey leftovers.

I absolutely love this recipe for Roasted Squash with Spinach and Gruyere!

Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash (about 1 lb. each)
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cups shredded Primo Taglio™ Gruyère Cheese (about 6 oz.)
1/2 cup walnut halves, chopped
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

Directions

Rinse squash and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down, in a lightly oiled 10- by 15-inch pan.

Bake in a 425° oven until squash is just tender when pierced, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze moisture from spinach. In a bowl, mix spinach, 1 cup of the cheese, the walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste.

With tongs or a spatula, turn squash halves over and spoon spinach mixture equally into cavities. Sprinkle equally with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Return squash to oven and bake until cheese melts and filling is hot in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.

If you’re out and about and need some tips or inspiration, visit the store’s mobile site for information on making your Thanksgiving special and what to do with those leftovers.

To celebrate the Thanksgiving season, Safeway (the parent company to Vons) is giving away 250 $100 gift certificates on their Facebook page. Just make the turkey laugh and you’re entered to win (details found on the Safeway Facebook page).

Win It! One of you will win a $100 gift card to Safeway which can be used at any of the company’s stores. Simply leave me a comment with a recipe or tip you found inspirational on the site (other than those mentioned in this post). Comments will close on November 27th at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a @vons_pavilions gift card @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/6pdmhmn”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post. Gift cards for review/giveaway supplied by Vons.

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winners are Jennifer R and Mary T. Congrats and Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving just one week away, our family has already started planning the menu. Traditionally, we’ve spent the holiday with my in-laws, but this year, we’re staying close to home. Rather than one household cooking the entire meal, as is typical with my husband’s family, we like to divide the cooking up, sharing both new and traditional recipes amongst all of us.

Turkey is a staple in our household and while the hubby hasn’t prepared one in awhile, he’s aspiring to re-create this Roasted Turkey with Pomegranate Sauce and Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Stuffing recipe from Chef Bobby Flay.

Creating a Thanksgiving dinner takes time, patience, and creativity. In order to enjoy the holiday, avoid unnecessary stress, and celebrate all that you’re thankful for, we strive to follow these simple tips:

1. Share responsibilities. Whether you decide that it’s easier to have a few people shop and a few people cook, or divide up the meal so that each family cooks an entire dish, sharing responsibilities takes the weight off the host and allows for culinary diversity within the meal.

2. Start early. Rather than waiting until Thanksgiving week to shop or the day of to cook, strive to accomplish as much as possible ahead of time. Reserve the day before and day of for preparing those dishes that cannot be made ahead of time.

3. Diversify the menu. While my husband’s family is uber-traditional when it comes to the Thanksgiving menu, our family is more relaxed and open to new recipes. Why not brine your turkey this year? Or serve rice pilaf in place of yams? Unless your family is set on a traditional menu, I recommend including a mix of family favorites and newly discovered recipes this Thanksgiving.

4. Consider serving the meal buffet-style. Our family prefers to sit at a table together enjoying a plated meal, as opposed to my husband’s family, where the men retreat to the couch while the women chat in the family room. Even if you decide that a sit-down meal is in order, consider setting each dish on a separate table so friends and family can serve themselves before taking a seat at the table.

5. Consider eco-friendly, disposable plates, cups, flatware, and napkins. Clean up after Thanksgiving is always a chore. Because there will likely be a large number of dishes used to prepare and serve the meal, consider using compostable, disposable tableware made from recycled materials to ease the burden of clean-up.

If you’re looking for some advice on all-things Turkey, check out Butterball’s Turkey Talk Line where you can get your answers questioned by experts.

Win It! Two of you will win a gift certificate for a turkey from Butterball! Simply leave me a comment with one tip for making Thanksgiving better with your family. Comments will close on Sunday, November 20th at 11:59 PM PST and I will need addresses Monday to ensure they reach you before Thanksgiving.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win an @butterball gift certificate @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/6ogk26m”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post. Gift certificates for review/giveaway supplied by Butterball.

If you’re planning on stopping by this Sunday, here are the deets:

When:  Sunday, November 6th from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Where: ZOOMARS PETTING ZOO
31791 Los Rios Street
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

What: Join Plum District and Creative Parties for Kids for a little turkey time, complete with complimentary face painting, games, raffles with prizes, and more.

No compensation was received for this post.  Admission to the event provided for our family.

This year, I decided to take a somewhat gourmet approach to traditional mashed potatoes with this Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Smoked Mozzarella.

Ingredients:

5 medium-sized red potatoes, peeled and diced.

3 T. salted butter

1/2 cup half and half

5 cloves of garlic

1/4 to 1/2 cup of smoked mozarella

Directions:

1.  Roast the garlic in some olive oil and set aside to cool.  Use garlic press to crush.

2. Boil the red potatoes until soft. Drain.

3.  Using a stand mixer, combine butter, half and half, roasted garlic, and mozzarella and mix until smooth.

These potatoes compliment a turkey dinner nicely and add a gourmet touch to your Thanksgiving meal.

As I mentioned last month, Smart & Final has joined forces with the California Milk Advisory Board to help local schools win cash and/or prizes towards needed supplies.  Through the “Help Our Teachers, Help Our Kids” promotion, students and families can collect Real California Milk seals from participating First Street dairy products and submit them to their teachers for entries into the sweepstakes.  Prizes include Scholastic books, and school supply gift cards and for every 100 seals submitted, teachers will receive 25 books or a $25 school supply gift card. Families should also visit FirstStreetSupportsSoCalSchools.com as Smart & Final is hosting an additional sweepstakes with 9 cash prizes up for grabs. Simply tell Smart & Final why your local school deserves to win by visiting FirstStreetSupportsSoCalSchools.com.

The recipe I created utilizes First Street Salted Butter and I made sure to grab that seal off the package! Have you cut out your coupon for $0.30 coupon off any First Street milk?

For more information about the program, visit FirstStreetSupportsSoCalSchools.com.

Disclosure: This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for  #collectivebias #CBias. All opinions remain my own.

Last week, Jennifer Garner and Frigidaire kicked off their newest campaign in LA…Time to Talk…Turkey! As a mother herself, she offered tips on how to keep family dinner a priority during the holiday season and more practical tips on cooking a turkey, storing leftovers, and controlling portions.  Also emphasized was the importance of giving back and assisting families who may be hungry this holiday season.

Frigidaire has once again partnered with Save the Children to donate $1 and a turkey for every visit to their site.  The amount of children living in poverty in the US is astounding…one in five. To date, Frigidaire has committed $500,000 to Save the Children.

When you visit the site, you can also enter to win a Frigidaire Gallery Range with Symmetry Double Ovens and view Jennifer Garner’s tips on holiday entertaining.

No compensation was received for this post. As part of Frigidaire’s Test Drive program, I receive information and other materials/assets.

Last week, Walmart contacted me to participate in their Trim the Budget, Trim the Table Challenge.  Armed with a $50 gift card, my mission was to set my meal budget, then shop for the necessary Thanksgiving food items.  Because there is no Walmart SuperCenter in our area, I set my budget to $30 to allow $15 for the turkey and fresh veggies.

Here is what I found:

Canned Vegetables: $0.94 a can (I like the low sodium varieties which are a bit more) (4)

Stuffing: $1.50 (2)

Cranberry Sauce: $0.98 a can (we like this in place of gravy) (2)

Rolls: $1.34 a package (2)

Crackers: $2.50 a box (used as an appetizer with cheese) (2)

Pie Crust: $1.50 (2)

Canned Pumpkin:  $1.23 (2)

Cider:  $2.30 a bottle (2)

Grand Total before tax:  $26.46

With the remaining $20, I plan to purchase a turkey (which costs around $15), salad, whipping cream and coffee.

Here are some of my tips for trimming your budget this Thanksgiving:

Make a list to avoid impulse purchases

Comparison shop by perusing online and print ads before shopping to save time

Use print and online coupons for regular purchases (if you use coupons for items you don’t regularly purchase, just to use the coupon, you will end up spending money unnecessarily)

When it makes sense, opt for store brands v. commercial brands which are usually cheaper

Buy in bulk, particularly when feeding a large group

Create a few simple, smaller dishes that everyone enjoys, rather than many elaborate dishes that may go to waste

Evaluate whether it’s more cost effective to cook/bake a dish versus buying a prepared version

What are your tips for a budget-friendly Thanksgiving meal?

Walmart offers competitive pricing and a wide selection of foods for your holiday cooking and baking needs.  For more information, visit your local market or their website.

No compensation was received for this post.  A gift card was supplied to facilitate this review.

This year, we’ll be hosted by our family for Thanksgiving,which means we get the privilege of cooking Christmas dinner in our home.  Since we all know how much I love to cook, the hubby has been assigned the role of Christmas dinner chef extraordinaire.

I enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, complete with turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and rice pilaf (a traditional dish in my household).  For 54 years, Butterball turkeys have been served in homes across the country.  I actually don’t ever remember eating anything but a Butterball turkey each year during one of our holiday celebrations.

If you’re looking for inspiration on cooking up your turkey this season, check out Butterball’s Thanksgiving recipes, including their Roast Turkey with Cranberry Glaze.

Ingredients

3/4 cup orange marmalade

3/4 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (14 pound) Butterball® Frozen Whole Turkey , thawed

no-stick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine marmalade, cranberry juice concentrate, maple syrup, vinegar and salt in small heavy saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently 12 to 15 minutes, or until glaze is reduced to about one cup.
2. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey; discard or refrigerate for another use. Drain juices from turkey and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey.
3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat roasting rack in a shallow pan. Brush turkey lightly with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Roast turkey for 2 hours. Cover breast and top of drumsticks loosely with foil to prevent overcooking of breast.
4. Continue roasting turkey for another 45 minutes. Remove foil and brush generously with glaze. Return foil loosely to top of turkey. Cook for another 45 minutes, or until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh.
5. Brush with remaining glaze. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

Their website serves as a valuable resource for those in search of recipes (not just turkey recipes), cooking tips, and entertaining ideas.  And if you have specific turkey-related questions, know that you can call the Butterball Turkey Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL from 8 am to 8 pm CST.

Win It! Two of you will win gift checks good for a Butterball Turkey. Simply leave me a comment with the name of a recipe you’d like to try from the site.  Comments will close on Monday, November 22 at 11:59 pm PST.  Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Like me on Facebook

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post.  Products for review and giveaway were supplied byt the company.

Recipe and image courtesy of Butterball