Happy Thanksgiving from Jen!

It is 6am and i am wishing and hoping for a Butterball radio station. It isn't that i need help with my Turkey. Think i am all set in that department. It is just very early and still dark outside, and as I unwrap my Turkey to get started, I would love to listen to others talk about food ad Turkey! NPR will have to do I guess.
What's on your menu this morning? As soon as the Turkey gets to room temperature, i will be rubbing an herb mixture under the skin (marjoram, thyme, sage and some s&p)and then coating the outside with butter. I will then stick the 20 lb. (I know, it is HUGE Turkey for 8 adults: lots of leftovers!)Turkey in a 350 degree oven (turning 180 degrees 3 times) for about 5hrs.
Is the coffee ready yet?
My sides today are surprisingly basic: mashed potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, honey glazed carrots, herb stuffing and my own cranberry sauce(please check out the video-up above and to the right-that I made) with orange zest and ginger. My Grandmother is bringing her famous Broccoli and cheese casserole. My Mom has made 2 pies: Apple and Pumpkin and my Great Grandmother Lida Baker's rolls. An heirloom recipe that was passed down to us from my Great Aunt Amanda who lived just shy of her 101st Birthday!
Mm mm...that is a lot of food! Hope I haven't forgotten anything! Oh yes, it is my daughter Zoe's 4th Birthday today!!!! So we will be having a small birthday cake as well.
I am very thankful for my family, friends: old and new, for you, the readers of my blog and listeners to my show!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Get Lost!

What I really mean is, get out this weekend and get lost in a Corn Maze!! They are all over the place this time of year. There are family friendly mazes to follow along during the day and then there are the ones for night time that are so creepy, you might feel as if Jack Nicholson's crazy character from The Shining is lurking around the corner! Whatever floats your boat!


It will also be a great weekend to head out to a local apple orchard. Some orchards apples may be all picked by now, but the stands should still be open and ready for you to pick out that perfect apple for pie or a crisp!
Pick a perfect pumpkin from a pumkin patch.

My Mother-in-law just arrived for a week long visit from sunny Florida (she only brought open-toe shoes! What was she thinking?). We'll be showing her some foliage (little bit left here in Rhode Island) and making caramel apples and warming her up with some nice soup and hot chocolate!

Here are some links to check out to get you started:
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Local Harvest
Salisbury Farm
Go New England