Design2Share Holiday Wish List: Holiday Goodies from Williams-Sonoma

Word Association

Ho Ho Ho = Assumption Abbey Fruitcake

Holiday Petit Fours = jingle bells

deck the halls = Cranberry Wreath Cake

 

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Play It Safe or Go Wild: 2 Celebrity Chef Turkey Recipes

Jay Johnson - Well if you ask me, any turkey that you don't have to personally prep, fuss over, roast, carve, serve, and clean up after is the best turkey ever. But if you're in the situation of having to host the annual Best Feast Ever, perhaps you should consider some great turkey recipes.

I searched online for recipes that really stood out, and I narrowed my list down to two options. There's still time to shop and prepare, so never fear - or feel free to save these for next year. Both recipes are from celebrity chefs, so I reason that they don't want to ruin their reputations with duds. Further: I chose one because it looked safe and the other because it looked wild and extraordinary. Which do you prefer?

Alton Brown's Turkey

Celebrity chef Alton Brown wants you to know that his recipe may be superior to others for one reason. "It's scientific and foolproof." Hmmm. That does appeal to me. If I'm trying a new turkey recipe, I'll go for one that helps compensate for my first-time mistakes. It's tough to practice a new turkey recipe before Thanksgiving, yet it's uncomfortable to experiment with your houseguests and family on the Big Day.

Start out with 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the Brine:

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the Aromatics:

1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Click here for the full recipe and prep directions. (See top photo for Alton's glorious final results.)

Bobby Flay's Turkey

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the famous "throwdown" cook, offers an amazing way to prepare turkey that just seems to be lightyears in the seasoning and spice department above other recipes. Here are the ingredients for his Black Pepper-Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey.

For the Turkey Glaze:

1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses
3/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

For the Turkey:

1 (about 15 pounds) fresh turkey
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth

Click here for the full recipe and demonstration video (plus his Wild Rice/Goat Cheese Dressing).

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Fall Food - and Halloween Spider Treats

Irwin Weiner ASID - Happy Halloween, all you gremlins, ghosts, and ghouls out there in the blogosphere! We wanted to give a nod to everyone who's feverishly planning their party costumes (I just dropped a bundle on accessories to go with my 1980s-themed costume - and they're pretty hideous, if I do say so myself).

But "not hideous" is the concept of eating seasonally - eating what's grown locally and deliciously natural to celebrate the season. (No fair splurging on out-of-season food that's been jetted-in from Timbuktu, with a carbon footprint the size of Manhattan.) Carpe Season is a food blog that celebrates seasonal food, like the delicious Corn Chowder with Chilies (see top photo) ... and Minnesota blogger Liz has a way of photographing and writing about favorite recipes that she discovers in cookbooks. Check out her Fall Menus to enjoy some seasonally-appropriate food with a twist - I also loved her My Fall Cooking Playlist (music she likes to play while cooking during this gloriously crisp season) - and enjoy the following video with the Carpe Season duo of Liz and her husband Eric creating some spookily delicious (and totally junk food) Halloween Spider Treats!

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All You Need to Know to Set Up a Great Cheese Party

Matt Armendariz / Matt Bites

Irwin Weiner ASID - Summertime entertaining should be simple dimple. It's time to move at a slower pace, enjoy life, and simmer down. Cheese plates are the perfect accompaniments or solo stars at any summer gathering, and in this wonderful video, you'll find everything you need to know from photography-blogger-foodie Matt Armendariz - he helms one of our favorite blogs, Matt Bites. Watch him style his food shots, pair condiments with different cheese themes, and make some great recommendations for your next party or family-and-friends impromptu gathering. Remember: keep it simple, take cheeses out of the fridge an hour before you serve (leave the brie out longer and let it get super mushy and ready to dip crackers directly into the tasty goo), and add some delish chilled white wine for the perfect summer party.

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