The return of the dreaded 11 Commandments of a THANKSGIVING DINNER

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | Nov. 17 2005 | Carlo3b, Dad, Chef, Author

[SnarlinCubBear]

.foooood

[carlo3b]

Thank you.. What a great recipe.. Thats what happens when you do this on FReeRepublic.. Great Folks, know Great Food.. :)

[carlo3b]

Sounds like Mom is a good cook.. Her recipe are always on target!! Watch out though.. You are going to get some grief with those raisins, lots of FReeper don't cotton to raisins in food.. Ha!

[jellybean]

I'll be working on Thanksgiving day, so will miss out on turkey and stuffing this year. I'll just have to be satified reading your wonderful recipes.

[carlo3b]

I'd change the fruit cocktail to pineapple and the raisins to dried cherries or dried cranberries.

Great substitutions.. I already warned someone tonight about raisins in food.. LOL

[carlo3b]

We have to eat in between holidays, so this is what we eat in our house.. Try it because it is really so easy .. It's a real winner..

Linguine Pescadoro

• 1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can (10 ounce) can whole baby clams
• 1 (6.5 ounce) can minced clams, with juice
• 1/4 pound small salad shrimp
• 1/4 pound scallops
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

1) In a large pot of boiling salted water cook linguini until al dente. Drain.
2) Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat saute garlic in olive oil until garlic softens.
3) Add Italian seasoning, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes, black olives, and the juice from both cans of clams.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
4) Mix in canned clams, shrimp, scallops, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for an additional 15 minutes or until shrimp and clams are cooked.
Toss cooked and drained linguine pasta over seafood sauce. Serve warm.

[ApplegateRanch]

Thanks Carlo! That (with a few personal seasoning touches) is an old favorite. Great Northerns do it for me.

Question: I have a gallon jar I keep my G.N. beans in. Time before last, they were slightly hard after cooking. WIth that in mind, last time I soaked them 48 hours in plain water, rinsing & changing it three times. I then washed them a final time, and simmered them slowly (no salt) for a couple of hours before adding anything. They were still slightly hard.

Any idea why? I imagine I'll have to toss & replace them as the only remedy.

[carlo3b]

Any idea why? I imagine I'll have to toss & replace them as the only remedy.

Bad beans.. toss that batch of dried beans and start over..

Start with the freshest dried beans you can buy. Good beans are smooth and bright. Old beans show cracked seams, or are dull or wrinkled. The older the bean, the longer the cooking time, and a really ancient bean will never get tender. Store beans cool and dry, not in the damp refrigerator.

Spread on a cookie sheet to pick out dirt or gravel, then wash in a big pot or bowl. Discard any skins, shrivels, or broken bits that float. Then drain in a colander, rinse again and place in the rinsed bowl or pot, adding 1 quart of water for each cup of dried beans.

Bring the beans and fresh soaking water to a boil for two to five minutes before soaking and you need to pre-soak only two to four hours, covered. Even for overnight soaking, boiling first will help prevent the beans from souring because it destroys any wild yeasts. In the summer, soak beans in the refrigerator if you soak overnight.

[STARWISE]

This is easy, quick and so refreshing .... especially after an abundant Thanksgiving meal:

STRAWBERRY CRUNCH

Topping:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter or margarine softened, (don't use light)

Mix and spread evenly over bottom of baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown, stirring often. Reserve 1/2 mixture for top. Spread rest over bottom of 13 inch pan.

Middle:

1 10 oz. thawed strawberries
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
3 tsp lemon juice

Whip cream and set aside, combine remaining ingredients and beat at high speed for 10 minutes. Fold in whip cream and pour into pan. Add remaining topping and freeze uncovered.

Wishing a safe, joyful and healthy Happy Thanksgiving to all. Our blessings are overflowing.

[jellybean]

[ApplegateRanch]

Thanks!

Just a bad batch it is. Yet, they look fine; smooth & shiny.

The jar is kept in a pantry cabinet on the service porch, which is heated to about 50.

Thanks for the other tips.

BTW, years ago, my niece was caught in the kitchen while beans were soaking. She was stabbing them with a pin. Asked what she thought she was doing, she replied, "I'm poking them to let the gas out!"

[carlo3b]

I am so sorry to know that you will be working on another holiday, but you know I understand.. All of my high end restaurants were known for our Family Friendly Holiday Fares. Our normal prices would be reduced from an average of $100.00 a head for dinner to $75.00.. Consequently, our reservations were filled sometimes 6 months in advance, assuring we would entertain as many as 1500 people at each establishment.

That reputation insured that we would never be home for any holiday at a reasonable hour.. Our professionally decorated Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Christmas, and New Years Eve at our gourmet French Bistro's, Private Mediterranean Discotheques, or our hotel Dining Rooms would be filled to overflowing, and created a real family treat.. So although I am now retired, and enjoying my wonderful family these holidays.. In my heart I am still sweating it out in the massive hot kitchen..

At least you have FReepublic to come home to, some of us had a pissed off spouses and disappointed children, and had to grovel for the rest of the night.. I'm sure someone will pass me some cheese to go with my whine..

[Aracelis]

Three rules. Eat food. Watch football. Thank God.

I agree with some others, reverse the order and make certain you also thank the chef! :)

[Aracelis]

Good Heavens, Carlo! So many recipes, so little time! LOL! Hugs and smooches for all your efforts :)

[jellybean]

I'm sure someone will pass me some cheese to go with my whine..

Actually it won't be too bad. I should be done by about 5:30 or so. I have a frozen lasagna and Free Republic to make up for the rest.

[DugwayDuke]

Not really a recipe. More of a "how to". Too many folks are scared of making stuffing. It's really not all that difficult. Just throw a bunch of stuff in a pan. The real key is that it has to be like mud before it cooks. Any one who's made mud pies can make stuffing. BTW, my 'recipe' doesn't work as a bird stuffing. Has to be made in a pan.

[Soaring Feather]

I am doing well sweetie, and you?? A pleasant Thanksgiving to you, too.

[vharlow]

ping

[Peach]

Peach Creme Brulee! Who knew? And thank you, Carlo, for the detailed information about what kind of peaches to use. I've made many peach cobblers over the years and have wondered why some have come out better than others.

Have a wonderful holiday!

[tubebender]

You are in your best form on this great thread Carlo and it's terrific you share your culinary knowledge with us and lighten up this Forum.

Thanks for all you do for FRee Republic and have a fun Holiday...