Thanksgiving prep and event day scenario

So the Thanksgiving weekend is upon us, and I'm excited.  Preparations began on Wednesday with a trip to the grocery store for turkey (I feel bad for those poor souls that haven't bought one yet). Since then, I've been planning away, from the menu right down to event day execution (that's right, I pulled together an event scenario for this).  
      
In an extremely nerdy way, I'm proud of my schedule. Let's hope the execution goes accordingly. See below for what my Sunday will look like (those closest to me who've already seen this think I'm completely insane).
      
Please keep your fingers crossed for me! If things work out, I'll share recipes (let's just say a great deal rests on Martha's shoulders as well).


And if I don't post again this weekend - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


Menu:
- Turkey (|20 lbs!)
- Brown butter brussel sprouts
- Hearty garlic greens (swiss chard, kale, mustard greens)
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Mac and cheese
- Sweet potato foccacia
- Apple dessert 
- Carrot cake 
- Small pumpkin tart

Friday, October 8

- Brine the turkey


Saturday, October 9

- Clean the kitchen

- Bake the carrot cake

- Bake the coconut cookies for PL

- Prepare fire place for bread dough

- Clean out the dishwasher

- Prep cooking area

- Wash second cooking board

Game Day: Sunday, October 10

Timing	Task
7:00 a.m.	Wake up!
7:30 – 7:40 a.m.	Start fireplace
7:40 – 8:30 a.m.	Prep for apple pie cake Flour mixture Carve apples Etc.
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.	OVEN in use for apple pie cake 1.5 hours
8:30 – 9:10 a.m.	Cut and caramelize sweet potatoes Stove
9:15 – 9:35 a.m.	Sweet potato focaccia Preparing bread dough
9:35 – 9:55 a.m.	Dough rises
10:00  a.m.	Remove apple pie cake from oven
9:50 – 10:05 a.m.	Prep focaccia dough
10:05 – 10:35 a.m.	Let dough rise
10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Grate gruyere for focaccia
10:35 – 10:50 a.m.	Focaccia Preheat oven to 400 F Finish topping focaccia
10:50 – 11:20 a.m.	Bake focaccia
10:50 – 11:20 a.m.	Mac and cheese Grate cheddar and parmesan Store in container
11:15 a.m.	Preheat oven to 330F for turkey
11:30 a.m.	Roast turkey 20 minutes/lb @ 325F (330F) 20 pounds = 6.6 hours
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon	Lunch
12:30 p.m.	Prepare Brussels sprouts Wash and cut
1:00 p.m.	Cut chives / herbs for mashed potatoes Wrap garlic into foil Prep garlic for garlic greens
1:30 – 2:15 p.m.	Prep all garlic greens Wash, etc
3:00 p.m.	Throw wrapped garlic into oven
3:15 – 3:45 p.m.	Stuffing Cook sausage Add celery and onion
4:00 – 4:30 p.m.	Put mac and cheese together
4:30 – 5:00 p.m.	Prep potatoes Wash and cut into smaller pieces Start boiling water
5:00 p.m.	Boil potatoes and remove garlic from oven
5:15 p.m.	Round convection oven - prepare
5:30 p.m.	Preheat small toaster oven to 400 F Mac and cheese
5:45 p.m.	Put Mac and cheese into toaster oven Remove foil from turkey to allow skin to brown
5:45 – 6:15 p.m.	Remove potatoes from water Mash potatoes Add ingredients (except for chives) Keep warm on stove
6:00 p.m.	Prepare garlic greens for cooking Cook partially Place on top of stove to heat (under foil)
6:10 p.m.	Preheat round convection oven to 350
6:20 p.m.	Put stuffing into round oven
6:30 p.m.	Remove foil from Mac and cheese – continue to cook
6:45 p.m.	Remove turkey from oven to rest Cooked = 170F in thickest part of leg (unstuffed turkey only)
6:45 p.m.	Remove mac and cheese from the oven
6:45 p.m.	Pre-heat oven to 450F to brown butter
6:45 p.m.	Place cooked focaccia on top of oven to heat up
6:55 p.m.	Brussel sprouts Place butter into oven
7:00 p.m.	Remove butter and toss in Brussels sprouts
7:05 p.m.	Remove stuffing from the round oven
7:10 p.m.	Toss water onto Brussels sprouts
7:15 p.m.	Make the gravy
7:15 p.m.	Carve the turkey
7:17 p.m.	Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven

###

Unionville Arms Pub & Grill

I've been living in York Region most of my life and sadly, I have only been to Main Street Unionville once (yes, there are times when I am a country mouse). J and I were both bored and decided to go to Starbucks for a coffee - from there, we sat and brainstormed where to go for dinner.

The problem I've always had with living in the suburbs is the lack of food selection. No, wait - it's the lack of non-Asian food selection.  If I were craving Chinese/Korean/Japanese food, I'd definitely hit up the 905. When I'm craving anything else, the options are far more restricted. Sure, there are franchises and chain restaurants, but there are times I just want something different - be it food or atmosphere.

After much hemming and hawing, J and I went to Main Street Unionville and settled ourselves into a booth at Unionville Arms Pub & Grill. The atmosphere was great. For a Sunday night, I was surprised to see the restaurant full. It was warm, friendly and had a variety of people - families, couples and everyone else in-between - including other single gals like us.

The menu is typical pub fare, so J had the roast beef dip and I had the roast beef dinner (alert: I was NOT counting calories today) with Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and asparagus.  

And this is how it went...the Yorkshire pudding (which, BTW, is one of my most FAVOURITE things to eat, even though it's probably 1,000 calories a piece) was disappointing. It was cold and dense. The roast beef was good enough, and the mashed potatoes were amazing (if the mashed potatoes weren't good, this would've been an angry post). The corn was sweet, but undercooked, while the asparagus was limp and overcooked.  

I didn't try J's roast beef dip, but she said it was bland.

The service was friendly (however, our server wasn't at the top of her game). Having said all this, this is one of those rare times where I'll actually go back to the restaurant in spite of the food.  

The mood and atmosphere counted for a lot and really contributed to the experience - which, overall, was a really positive one. I would go back because of the vibe, but the food really was part of the background, and definitely not the main attraction.

Restaurant rating: Would go back occasionally.

Golden goodness a.k.a. theatre popcorn

It's the smell. That smoky, buttery smell that permeates the entire place. The calorie-laden, diet-busting, throw-out-all-the-benefits-of-eating-salad-for-five-days-straight treat, which I will describe as golden goodness that can only be found at movie theatres: theatre popcorn.

I know it's not the healthiest snack out there. And while there is no nutritional information available anywhere, it's pretty safe to say that a medium (okay, fine, large) bag of single (or double) buttered bag of popcorn is at least 800 calories - WAY more than I should ever consume in one sitting.  

(In an effort to save a few dollars during my student days, I once brought a bag of microwave popcorn to a theatre. It was NOT the same. While bringing in Kernels Popcorn can be a yummy and healthier substitute - it's still lacking somehow).

There's something so sinfully indulgent about theatre popcorn. Watching a movie without having popcorn is like going to a barbecue and only having a green salad. While it's been done (even by me), it's just not right somehow. Popcorn completes the cinematic experience.

A friend - let's call her J - and I are big fans of theatre popcorn. Actually, the way I go at popcorn is almost unladylike (I won't speak on behalf of J). I don't understand how people can eat popcorn and not get it all over themselves. I don't exactly jump into the bag, but it still manages to get everywhere. Even if I eat it one kernel at a time. (This adds to the cinematic experience).

Okay - I'm the first to admit that it's disgusting and leaves an oily film on your hand that won't go away without a proper shower. But when it's hot, fresh and fully buttered, it's almost irresistible. Almost.

(And for the record, I didn't have any popcorn tonight.)

Partners for life - ham and cheese

Mmmm....ham and cheese...Turner and Hootch, peanut butter and jam...the perfect partners in crime. Sure, egg, mushroom and mustard join the party occasionally, and it can be nice to have junior sidekicks, but ham and cheese are forever. Especially when cheese has melted and draped all over ham.  

Be it a panini, whole wheat bread, or baked Hong Kong style with cream and rice, ham and cheese are the perfect pair.

Now, I understand that ham and cheese can be too overwhelming (salty) when served on their own. But they are always the main show, the main feature.  They are the reason why rice, bread and rice welcome additions.

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to catch up with ham and cheese over breakfast with my cousins. Ham and cheese were disguised in a gummy (Cora's) crêpe. Egg and ketchup were also there.

The crêpe was okay, the egg was good, but the ham and cheese?  Divine. 

Seafood quinoa salad

I've been trying to wean my parents off white rice for awhile now (it's tough when you're Asian). They don't like brown rice, and my mother isn't a fan of anything whole wheat. Enter quinoa. I love quinoa, but I needed to find a way to make it somewhat rice like. My solution? Warm seafood quinoa salad, cooked in a saffron broth.

The result? Clean plates and request for seconds. What more can a cook want?

Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients for broth
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of diced white onions
- 1/2 bulb of garlic (diced)
- 3 lobster tails
- 1 piece of salmon (approximately 1/2 pound)

Ingredients for the salad
- 1.5 cups of quinoa
- 0.5 cups of diced white onions
- 1 cup of fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
- 10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 sweet green pepper (chopped)

Directions for broth
- Bring the chicken stock and water to a boil.
- Add onions and garlic - letting it simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Add the lobster tails - they'll cook very quickly, so keep an eye on them.
- Remove the lobster tails from the broth.
- Separate the lobster meat from the shell.
- Add the shells back to the broth and let it simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Chop up the lobster meat and set aside.
- Bring the broth back to a boil - place the salmon on a strainer or a ladle and then submerge it in the bubbling broth.
- Use a fork and flake the salmon to check if it's cooked - if it's pink and flaky, remove it from the broth. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low.

Directions for quinoa
- Bring about 3 cups of broth to a boil
- Add the quinoa and the onions
- Wait for the mixture to boil
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook the quinoa until the liquid evaporates (approximately 12 minutes)
- Remove the quinoa from the heat and fluff it.
- Let the quinoa sit (with the lid on) for about 15 minutes.

Directions for the salad
- After the quinoa has sat for 15 minutes, add the fresh ingredients (pepper, tomatoes, and parsley).
- Add the chopped lobster and the salmon.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix everything together (the salmon should flake apart).
- Enjoy.

(I also added cooked corn - sliced off the cob).