Pilgrims' Progress

de·sen·si·ti·za·tion

   [dee-sen-si-tuh-zey-shuhn] 

noun

1. The act or process of desensitizing.

2. Physiology, Medicine/Medica. The elimination or reduction of natural 

or acquired reactivity or sensitivity to an external stimulus, as an 

allergen.

3. Psychiatry, a behavior modification technique, used especially in 

treating phobias, in which panic or other undesirable emotional 

response to a given stimulus is reduced or extinguished, especially by repeated exposure to that stimulus.

~~~

            Well, what do you know? It’s six days out from Thanksgiving and I’m not freaking out. Yet. About the ginormous stuffet I must prepare in less than a week. I can tell I’m relaxed this year because it hasn’t even occurred to me to locate my fountain pen in order to calligraphy the menu and after that the multiple it’s-pert-near-Turkey-Day to-do lists. I call that (Pilgrims') progress.

~~~

            For decades, my ma-in-law had the knack of feeding dozens of diners with amazing aplomb. I wonder how long it took her to lose her fear of cooking 30 items for 30 people and exactly how many years did it take her to master the skill of arranging everything on the buffet at the same time at each individual item’s appropriate temperature? I haven’t even begun to grasp that ability and probably won’t until I a) buy a turkey roaster or b) get one of those fancy-schmancy multiple oven stoves. Instead, I vacillate between two mantras:  1) even-if-it’s-slightly-too-cool-it’s-still-yummy and 2) it’s-better-than-eating-out-isn’t-it?

~~~

            Alas, my own mother is eighty years old and she still hasn’t conquered cooking for a boatload of folks. In fact, it still jangles her to prepare open-faced Longhorn Colby sandwiches, Mrs. Grass’s chicken noodle soup, and Crystal Light lemonade for four.

            Even though she does not possess high-level hostess abilities, I have managed to learn a thing or two from my mom with regards to feeding a crowd. Namely, if something can be made ahead of time, by all means, add it to the menu. To Mom, this means prepare as many items as you can two to three weeks in advance and freeze them. To me, this translates to make or bake as many items as possible two to three days out and Ziplock and/or refrigerate them until needed.

~~~

            Holy cow! We’re inside a week now. I guess it’s time. To make the list and check it twice.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

Havarti and Roasted Bell Peppers

(Adventure Girl will hog these for sure.)

Tarantini Tapenade on Toasts

(These bites inevitably yield garlic breath but Sandwich Child claims they are exceedingly worth it! Especially if there are no handsome,

available young men present.)

Shrimp Butter on Crackers

(Boy Child would weep if I didn’t make this family favorite.)

Spiced Pecans

(I find these alarmingly addicting. In fact, they may not make it to the buffet line. I might just hide them in the kitchen built-in alongside the

Pretzel-Cheddar Combos and bite-sized Reese Cups.)

Herb Roasted Turkey

(From Bon Appetit’s 1994 November issue. Why change perfection?)

Bon Appetit’s Mushroom Stuffing

(I did change perfection. Amped up the traditional flavor with the addition of celery, roasted chestnuts and scads of sage.)

Thyme-Scented Browned Butter Green Beans

(I love green beans either bright green and crisp or grey- green and cooked to death with ham bits and a whole onion. These are the former.)

Super Buttery and Garlicky Smashed Potatoes

(With regards to smashed potatoes, there is no such thing as too much butter.)

Sherry Shitake Turkey Gravy

(Bon Appetit 1994 strikes again. Note to self: Mince the mushrooms super tiny

so Boy Child can’t find them.)

Sister-in-Law’s Superb Secret Recipe Orange-Scented Sweet Potatoes

(Sometimes she even lets us keep the leftovers!)

Mom W’s Corn Pudding

(I requested this dish last year to dissuade my mother from bringing lime-Jello-with-cottage-cheese-salad. As if it wasn’t scary enough, Mom insists on serving it atop a bed of Iceberg lettuce with a dollop of Miracle Whip. I used to furtively distribute air-sick bags to my kids whenever she brought this item.)

Cranberries Jezebel

(To my amazement, I'm the only one who cares for this delicacy. The secret ingredient is horseradish. Oops!)

Mom T’s Bread

(Every year in my tummy of tummies, I pray Mom T will bring her famous potato rolls, but anymore she just shows up with sliced Italian bread in a waxed bag. Know why? ‘Cause at 84, she’s totally over cooking for the masses.)

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

(This is the only new item on the menu. The recipe is from Southern Living so I expect it to be to-drool-for.)

Pecan Crescent Cookies

(Know why these delicately delicious, boomerang-shaped treats crumble on your tongue? Because the recipe calls for two, count ’em two, sticks of butter.)

Cappuccino, Coffee, or Milk

(I suggest the former to ward off the effects of turkey tryptophan.)

~~~

          I have good news. I just took my blood pressure and checked my pulse. Neither is elevated whatsoever. Maybe I have indeed desensitized my Turkey Day Phobia. Thank you, Jesus! Now if only I could do something about my gephyrophobia; you know, bridge phobia.

~~~

(I'm curious and/or nosy. What's on your menu for Thanksgiving 2012?)

(Desensitization definition found at www.dictionary.com)

Hospitality 101

Welcome to Hospitality 101 where you'll learn to make all (or at least most) of the food mentioned in my blogpost, Hospitality Lost and Found. That post told the story about entertaining a family of five missionaries for five days at Chez Tarantini, our hundred year old house which on most days houses a family of five.

            When our company arrived that summer evening, they were met with a veritable Italian feast with spaghetti and meatballs at the center of the celebration. I was not born and raised Italian, but I married into it and soon learned that man does not live on spaghetti and meatballs alone. When you sit down to eat in an Italian home, there should be so many serving dishes on the table that there's no room for anything else.

            Today we tackle three appetizers. These are all super easy and can be made a day or two ahead if necessary. We'll start with white pizza. White pizza is my family's term for what the rest of the world calls focaccia. In case you have no idea what either is, Webster's Dictionary defines focaccia as a flat Italian bread, typically seasoned with herbs and olive oil. Bingo. We add cheese because, well, cheese makes everything better, don't you think?

White Pizza

1 batch of bread dough

(homemade, machine-made, or thawed out frozen)

2 T. olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3-1/2 c. Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

1/3-1/2 c. fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary)

Crushed red pepper (optional)

-Pour the olive oil into a small bowl. Crush the garlic cloves into the oil. Set aside while you gather the rest of your ingredients.

-Drizzle some of the garlic oil onto a pizza stone. Spread with clean fingers or a pastry brush.

-Place bread dough onto the oiled stone. Stretch, press, or roll dough to the edge. Form a rim if desired.

-Use clean fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon to dimple the dough. Brush with garlic oil.

-Sprinkle the dough with salt and pepper. Evenly administer the grated cheese. Sprinkle the herbs over the top evenly. If using, apply a light dusting of hot pepper flakes.

-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Let the pizza rise for at least 15 minutes on the the stovetop of the preheating oven.

-Bake 20 or more minutes until golden. Another way of testing doneness is by tapping the surface with a wooden spoon handle. It will sound hollow when it’s done.

-Remove from oven and smack everyone who tries to beat you to the first slice.

-Serve with dipping oil. (recipe follows)

Dipping Oil

-In a small bowl, combine 2 T. olive oil with 2 T. balsamic vinegar.

Add the following ingredients:

1 T. Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

½ t. salt

1 crushed garlic clove

1/8 t. fresh ground black pepper

1/8 t. + crushed red peppers (optional)

1/8 c. fresh minced herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary)

-Stir to combine then adjust seasonings to your taste.

-Double, triple, or gazillionth this recipe to accommodate your needs.

            Now, when we’re entertaining (or when the kids beg), I have two other must-make appetizers that I prepare. This next one is one of the easiest appetizers on the planet. I stole the idea from a fancy restaurant up Pittsburgh way.

Roasted Bell Peppers with Havarti

1/2 red bell pepper, roasted and cut in 1 ½ ” squares

1/2 yellow red bell pepper, roasted and cut into 1 ½ ” squares

1/2 orange bell pepper, roasted and cut into 1 ½ ” squares

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Havarti cheese (Don’t you dare buy “lite.”)

Crackers of your choice (We like a woven wheat option like Triscuits.)

-In a container with a lid, combine the vinegar and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Add the roasted bell pepper squares, stir and cover. Marinade in the fridge for a few hours or days.

-Slice Havarti cheese (I like to use Pampered Chef’s wavy cutter for a pretty result.). Store in a ziplock bag until right before serving.

-About an hour before company arrives, remove Havarti from refrigerator. It is key that the cheese be at room temperature. This ensures its creaminess.

-About 30 minutes before company arrives, arrange crackers on a pretty plate. Top each with a piece of cheese. Top each with a roasted bell pepper square.

-Try not to eat them all before your friends get a chance to taste  them.

Tarantini Tapenade

(This is a doctored version of a recipe that I found in Bon Appetit years ago.)

1 red bell pepper, roasted and coarsely chopped

1 6 oz. jar of artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped

½ c. minced fresh parsley (preferably flat leaf)

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

 ½ c. black olives, drained

½ c. green olives, drained

¼ c. capers, drained

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Toasted baguette slices

-Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

-Process using on/off turns until mixture is well blended and finely chopped.

-Transfer mixture to pretty bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Note: You might want to place a bowl of mints nearby. Though absolutely scrumptious, tapenade is guaranteed to give you dragon breath.

So there you  have it. Three ab fab and easy, Italian appetizers. Next time you decide to entertain, consider offering these items. Your family and friends will thank you:)