Thanksgiving – Page 4 – Rise and Shine

Today is a wonderful day – a day to celebrate what we are thankful for!

The history of the Thanksgiving holiday dates back to 1621.
(From http://www.history.com) In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

Click HERE to see a cute video about the history of Thanksgiving.

Kids History: The First Thanksgiving (4 min) TV-PG

A group of children explain what happened on the first Thanksgiving.
(Picture from http://www.history.com)

To celebrate Thanksgiving, The Morning Thing and the WNZR staff shared their favorite family traditions.

Click HERE to hear our DJs share about the fun they have on this holiday.

We also have some special messages to share with YOU and your family today.
Click HERE to hear the WNZR staff members wish YOU a Happy Thanksgiving.

Looking for something NEW for your Thanksgiving table?
Check out these recipes from www.fearlessfresh.com
Chef Stephanie Stiavetti shares some exciting new twists on some of our favorite Turkey Day dishes. Let us know if you try any of these. They look YUMMY!

THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DISH: BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE IN A PUMPKIN
Click HERE for the complete recipe and directions.

INGREDIENTS

1 sugar pumpkin, or other sweet variety (not a carving pumpkin), about 5 pounds
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound mild Italian pork sausage
4 ounces elbow macaroni
5 ounces Fontina, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 ounces Gruyère, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 scallions, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Cut a circle from the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle, the way you would cut open a pumpkin to make a jack-o’-lantern, and set aside.
Scoop out the seeds and strings as best you can. Generously salt and pepper the inside of the pumpkin, pop the top back on it, place it on a rimmed baking dish (since the pumpkin may leak or weep a bit), and bake for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. If the sausages are in their casings, remove the meat and discard the casings. Crumble the sausage meat into small chunks and cook until lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Discard the drippings, or save for gravy or what have you.
Also while the pumpkin bakes, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
In a bowl, toss together the Fontina, Gruyère, sausage, pasta, scallions, and herbs.
Once the pumpkin is done baking, take it out of the oven and fill it with the macaroni and cheese. Pour the cream over the filling. Place the top back on the pumpkin and bake for 1 hour, taking the top off for the last 15 minutes so the cheese on top of the filling can properly brown. If the top cream still seems a bit too wobbly and liquid, give it another 10 minutes in the oven. The cream may bubble over a bit, which is fine.
If the pumpkin splits while baking, as occasionally happens, be thankful you set it in a rimmed baking dish and continue to bake as normal.
Allow the pumpkin to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Be careful moving the dish, as the pumpkin may be fragile. You can serve this dish two ways: Cut it into sections and serve them, or just scoop out the insides with scrapings of the pumpkin flesh for each serving. Either way is just dandy. Salt and pepper to taste.
Alternative cheeses: Fontina and Gruyère are widely available and are best used for this recipe, but feel free to try your favorite cheese. We particularly like Valley Ford’s Estero Gold or its Highway 1 Fontina, as well as Roth Käse’s MezzaLuna Fontina. If you want to try something radical, a creamy blue cheese like Buttermilk Blue or Cambozola will do nicely too.
Additional pairings for the cheese: apples, toasted walnuts, toasted hazelnuts

THE BEST THANKSGIVING STUFFING RECIPE WITH AUTUMN FRUIT AND NUTS
Click HERE for the complete recipe and instructions.

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf of dense, heavy bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (should yield about 5 cups)
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium-sized sweet onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
One 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and diced
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups stock (turkey, chicken, or vegetable)
4 fuyu persimmons, chopped coarsely
2 sweet red apples, chopped into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper for seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
Spread bread cubes evenly on a large cookie sheet. Toast until until the bread cubes have browned gently, about 20 minutes, using a spatula to flip the cubes halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Raise oven heat to 375°F (190°C).
Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Add pecans and toast for 4 minutes, agitating every 30 seconds to allow for even toasting and to prevent burning. Pecans are done when they have turned a darker shade of brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until they are translucent and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, sage and rosemary, stirring constantly for 30 seconds, then add celery, sauteing for another 2 minutes.
Add salt, pepper and bread cubes and mix well. Drizzle in stock and remaining olive oil, mixing gently until bread cubes are coated. Remove from heat and allow to soak for 5 minutes, mixing every few minutes to allow for even absorption.
Without smashing the bread cubes, gently fold in persimmons, apples and toasted pecans. Season to taste with a bit more salt and pepper, then pour the whole thing into a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

WINTERTIME SPICED CRANBERRY JAM
Click HERE for the complete recipe and instructions.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds cranberries, frozen or fresh
1 pound of sugar, divided
1/4 cup orange zest, from 5 large oranges
3 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 medium lemons
1/2 cup orange juice (or cranberry juice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon table salt (or 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure your jars are sterilized and ready to go. Defrost the cranberries, if using frozen berries. Wash and dry the cranberries, then chop them coarsely with a sharp knife.
Sprinkle chopped berries with 1/4 cup of sugar. Stir, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes.
While the cranberries are basking in their sugary bath, place a small plate in the freezer so you can test the jam for proper thickness later.
Add the cranberries, orange zest, lemon juice, orange or cranberry juice, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times until the cranberries are chunky, maintaining a bit of texture.
Pour the fruit into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Add brown sugar, butter, and remaining white sugar, stirring well to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit begins to bubble and spit. Use a skimmer to skim off any foam that forms. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Begin testing the jam for doneness. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of cooked fruit on the cold plate and place it back in the freezer. Wait 30 seconds, then run your finger through the fruit. It should be thick enough to maintain a path when you ran your finger through it. If you’d like thicker jam, place the plate back in the freezer and cook the fruit for another 3 minutes and test again. Repeat until desired thickness is achieved, but be careful about cooking too long or you will alter the taste and texture of your jam.
Remove pot from heat and use a spoon to skim any foam from the surface of the fruit. Ladle jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headroom, and process them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Unopened jars will keep at room temperature for up to 6 months. Opened jam should be refrigerated and will last two weeks.