- Tue, Oct 16, 2012 11:14 AM EDT | CommentsBy Bon Appétit
What to do with that extra can of pumpkin during the holidays? Here are some easy recipes that go well beyond pie filling
Note: Recipe "ideas" appear below the recipe titles. When a full recipe is available, click on the recipe title to view it.
More from Bon Appétit:
10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't
15 Ways to Use Apples This Fall
Bon Appétit's Guide to Fast, Easy Fresh Meals
Fall's Most Delicious Salads
- By William Bostwick, Bon Appétit
Courtesy photo
The Thanksgiving table is defined by a golden turkey, a white tablecloth, family angst, and a festive bottle of...beer? That's right. The holiday's American roots and patchwork of flavors suit it to craft brew, which is often more versatile than wine and always more humble. Luckily, the best craft beers come in large-format packages that are worth showing off at the table.
Often fermented a second time in the bottle, like Champagne, beers such as wits (white beers) and saisons (farmhouse ales) are extra-bubbly, which means that the heavy, oversized glass and cage-reinforced cork serve a practical purpose. But the bottle is symbolic, too, of a beer to savor and, more important, to share. Maybe that's why extra-large beers--whether wax-dipped, foil-wrapped, corked, or all three--look so good. These big bottles hold brews that are often strongly flavored and just plain stronger than their lower-alcohol 12-ounce siblings. So treat them like wine. (Smaller...Read More » - Mon, Nov 19, 2012 5:10 PM EST | CommentsWine Spectator's Top 100 list was released on Monday, and lucky for us, there's quite a bit of thrill to be found in the bargain bin. The ranking is based partly on a 100-point grading system (just like in our school days) determined in a blind tasting, with only about two percent of wines earning 95 and above. (All of the 20 wines listed here earned at least a 90, making them A-students.) But the list also leaves room for the x-factor, explained Wine Spectator Executive Editor Tom Matthews. "It's not strictly about the numbers," he told Yahoo! Shine. Instead, the Top 100 is intended as a "conversation starter" about the "high points in the year and what got us excited," he said. The results are pretty thrilling, especially when a $9 Chianti outranks a $125 Barolo. If nothing else, use the list as a jumping off point to discover new wines and get out of your wine-drinking comfort zone. "Don't be afraid to explore," encouraged Tom, and at these prices we should be able to have fun doing it. "The pleasure is what it's all about in the end," he said. Cheers to that. --by Sarah McColl, Shine staff
Here are our best tips for Thanksgiving cooking, including how to achieve a crispier-skinned bird, fluffier pumpkin pie, and richer gravy, as well as guidance on what kind of turkey to buy.
Crispier Skinned Turkey
Crispier Skinned Turkey
For a turkey with skin that's crisp, and flavorful, keep a small saucepan of melted butter, whole peppercorns, sherry vinegar, and dried sage and thyme on the stove, and use a basting brush to slather the infused butter all over the turkey as it roasts, every 30 minutes or so.
See the recipe for The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey »
Fluffier Pumpkin Pie
Fluffier Pumpkin Pie
There are those who would say it's just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie - and those who can't abide the pie's dense texture. A simple way to keep all of your guests happy: Fold two whipped egg whites into the filling for an airier, soufflé-like consistency.
See the recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie »
Pecan Pie Brittle
Sweeter, Ric...Read More »- Thu, Nov 15, 2012 5:42 PM EST | Comments
What makes a perfect pecan pie -- one worthy of the Thanksgiving table? We say: everything about this one.
FOR THE PIE CRUST
RELATED: See our favorite pumpkin pie recipe, Meta Given's Pumpkin Pie.
Why? Because this recipe from Melissa Clark's wonderful cookbook Cook This Now is the essence of fall: all of the spiced, toasted, dark, and sweet notes of it. It calls for wholesome maple syrup (instead of the more traditional corn syrup), which you reduce until thick and infuse with a generous amount of spice. A splash of dark rum adds a little punch to the subtly smoky filling, and the crust is a sheer joy: tender and flaky, it's also supremely easy to handle.
It will definitely be on our Thanksgiving tables this year.
RELATED: Make perfect pie every time with our Pastry 101.
Melissa Clark's Spiced Pecan Pie with Star Anise
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 to 5 tablespoons ice water
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup Demerara or raw sugar
8 whole star anise
2 cups pecan halves
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons dark aged rum
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream or crème fraiche, for servingSee the slideshow for step-by-step instructions, and go here to save, print, or ask a question about this recipe on Food52.