Santa Brought Me a Second Husband: Gunter Wilhelm!

I don't often shop at Whole Foods because of the steep toll it takes on our bank account, but whenever I do go I like to play Count-the-North-Face-Jackets. I'm telling you, the next time you're in Whole Foods or R.E.I. or some other outdoorsy or earth-friendly shop, do it. 1/3 of the people there will be wearing one. Also try to notice how good everyone looks! Healthy and smart.

Besides brushing shoulders with the eco-minded, North-Face-donning elite, another reason I love Whole Foods is their gorgeous produce section. I have never seen a more pristine display of fruits and veggies as exists in one of their Northern Virginia locations that I was at last week. It was like the Garden of Eden for tree huggers and everyone there seemed to be under its spell. World's freshest onion, ma'am? How about a few completely unblemished zucchinis? A variety of yam that actually crisps when you roast it? Perhaps one of these intriguing, pokey little green things you've never seen before? Don't mind if I do! I imagine something like this kind of internal dialogue happening in all of our minds as we peruse the kaleidoscopic pyramids of glory.

Finally, I love Whole Foods because they do things like wrap their deli meat in brown paper like so:

Thanks to Shawn's co-workers for giving us a gift card to Whole Foods as a congratulations on the arrival of baby Louisa!

Makes me feel legit.

Speaking of things that can make you feel legit, I got the knives of my dreams, the 11-piece set from Gunter Wilhelm, for Christmas from my awesome parents-in-law! I may or may not have cried a few happy tears when I opened them. Anyway, Gunter Wilhelm is now my second husband since he's the only man other than Shawn that I plan to spend the rest of my life with. These German-steel beauties have a lifetime replacement warranty! *sigh* I'm in love.

Aren't they gorgeous? Am I spoiled, or what? Here I am about to take my first slice with my first GW knife. (I kept thinking how big and boxy the Santoku was until I realized I was using the Asian Cleaver. hahaha  I have a lot to learn still, apparently.)

The Taj Mahal of cutlery. I felt like I was going to chop right through the cutting board! If you want to test them out, Gunter Wilhelm tours various Costco locations and sells them there at a generous discount.

Happy New Year! Anyone have any exciting resolutions?

The World's Best Apple Pie - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy..."

Kate and I are sitting at the window listening to Christmas music and watching the neighbors come and go as we wait for pie #3 to finish baking. Actually, that's what I'm doing. Kate's more interested in the buttons on my shirt. She's also endlessly fascinated with my mouth. She likes to take her index finger and press it against my lips, which makes me laugh because it reminds me of the scene in "Dumb and Dumber" when Jim Carey similarly hushes Lauren Holly and dramatically tells her, "Shhhh. Just go." My life isn't perfect, but sometimes in my mind I think it is. Nobody has everything and everyone has challenges. Many I know are suffering pains or worry that, realistically, aren't going away anytime soon. My own family that I grew up in is currently experiencing its most difficult struggle. So, just like I imagine is the case for many of you, this holiday season brings a mix of emotions. But that's why I appreciate that there are still some moments when I feel nothing wanting. It's its own kind of little miracle, don't you think? :)

Speaking of nothing wanting, are you ready for a recipe that will knock your wooly, wintry socks off? I think I started making this pie about 5 years ago. I've probably made it 30 times, and I haven't made any other apple pie recipe since I discovered it, because why would I bother when I have the Superman of all apple pies? This is a photo of me making a couple of pies back in my single days for a special dinner with some friends.

Me in Fall 2007 making The World's Best Apple Pie.

Okay! Here you go!
................................
Toffee Apple Pie (The World's Best Apple Pie) Adapted from this recipe by Marles Riessland
Serves 8

Ingredients
Pie Crust:
Choose your own favorite recipe, buy good pre-made dough, or make this one. (Honestly, I buy mine most of the time.)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening, chilled
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg, beaten

Filling:
6 cups apples (Primarily Granny Smith with a blend of other crisp (not gritty) apples)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purposeflour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter

Streusel Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoon butter
9 ounces of English toffee bits or peanut or pecan brittle, crushed (Marles suggests chocolate-covered toffee or brittle, but I'm a purist when it comes to this recipe and feel that the toffee alone makes a classier dessert and a less-cluttered taste.)

In your baking isle, look for Heath English Toffee Bits

Directions

Pie Crust:

Chill all ingredients, including the flour and vinegar. Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In another bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough.

Filling:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Peel and slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and add apples. Toss to mix. Add vanilla and cream. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add apple mixture and cook approximately 8 minutes, to soften apples. Turn into pie shell.

Streusel Topping:
Combine the flour and sugar. Mix in butter with fork until coarse crumbs, or until the mixture starts to resist the fork. Stir in the crushed toffee. 

Sprinkle over pie.

Pile up the streusel up against the rim of the pie crust to help seal in the juices.

Create a small vent in the center of the streusel.

Add top crust. Seal, flute edge and vent top. 

Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40 minutes longer.

Janna's Notes: 

• This pie has a tendency to want to release its juices while baking, so make sure to seal the top and bottom crusts together securely (a little bit of water and a pastry brush helps), and place a cookie sheet under the pie while baking in the oven to catch any disobedient filling. 
• As with most pie crusts, this one is finicky, but worth trying. For an easier option, though, you can always use purchased, ready-to-bake pie crusts.

................................

For Zora who ate his apple pie with a slice of sharp cheddar. We love and miss you.

I won't be back until Monday so I can focus completely on my family for Christmas. But you'll come back, right?? :) May your next couple of days be merry and bright!

Hosting Tips- The Easiest Way to Get Your Glass to Sparkle

I know you're probably thinking, This is a hosting tip? And to that I say, Absolutely! Lighting is your best friend for creating ambience, and windows and mirrors are its sidekick. Just a couple of weeks ago, Shawn and I pulled up to a friend's home to return some baby gear we'd borrowed. It was just after sunset and their curtains were open to display the Christmas tree they were decorating. It was lovely, and it got me thinking: At nighttime especially, windows create beautiful reflections of light, and it adds something to the mood you're trying to create. Since you never see more lights during any season than you do at Christmas, it's the best time to make sure your glass is sparkling. Don't wait until Spring!
On the same note, don't neglect your mirrors. Most people notice their bathroom mirrors and make sure they're clean, but they may overlook their decorative ones. You want those to be sharp and standing ready to do their job. Your guests probably won't say, Now those are some clean windows and mirrors, but that doesn't mean they won't notice the special atmosphere.

During college, I worked as a maid for a year and I got the inside scoop. So, here are the two secrets to piercingly clean glass. Other than your Windex (or whatever your go-to cleaner is) use:

• NEWSPAPER. Not paper towels, not rags, newspaper. No, the ink will not get on your glass. Trust me. They will be squeaky clean and totally streak-free.
• Beware of direct heat. It was cause streaking. When cleaning your bathroom mirrors that sit directly under wall-mount vanity lights, for example, don't turn on those lights. Use lights from the next room to see what you're doing, or bring in a lamp. 

My final tip. Don't just stand back and give it a once-over to see if it's clean. Glass is tricky, so examine your work from all angles. You'll be surprised by how much you may have missed. 

Now, go to it! An hour of work and your house will be a stand-out this weekend!

Classic Hot Chocolate and Whipped Cream

I think for the most part, I know a good thing when I see it.. or taste it. However, I've never been a big fan of whipped cream which most people love, love, love. Most kinds that I've tried don't have much of a taste, and definitely not enough taste to be worth the calories. Store-bought? Blech. Both my mother and mother-in-law make very good whipped cream, though, so I know I can't write the stuff off altogether. And I think that when it comes to hot chocolate, whipped cream really does add something nice in terms of aesthetics, texture, and taste. I want to serve upstanding versions of each with Christmas breakfast, so I did some playing around in the kitchen to see if I couldn't nail down a great, classic hot chocolate and whipped cream recipe that I can use then and in the future. There's no English Toffee, Irish Cream, peppermint, orange, cinnamon, or other flavorings. I wanted to make sure I got the foundation perfect so that I can just add a dab of those flavorings whenever I feel like it and know it'll come out just right. 

Before I give you the recipes, let me say that when it comes to hot chocolate, the cocoa makes SUCH a difference. Some are sweetened, some unsweetened, and all have varying degrees of bitterness. You're really going to have to taste, taste, taste as you're making it to get it right. BUT, if you want to use the exact kind of cocoa I bought, you can follow the recipe below and it should come out the same as mine. Kapeesh? Good. :)

................................

Classic Whipped Cream

Serves many :)

Ingredients

2 cups cold heavy cream

2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Begin whipping the heavy cream with a mixer on high speed. After about a minute, with mixer still going, slowly add in powdered sugar, and whip until it gets nice and fluffy, and will hold its shape very well. (Don't go too crazy, though, or it'll start to be like butter.)

................................

................................

Classic Hot Chocolate

Serves 1 thirsty hot chocolate lover

Ingredients

2 cups milk (whole milk makes it richer)

5 teaspoons Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa

4-5 teaspoons sugar

Directions

Combine cocoa and sugar and set aside. Pour milk into a small sauce pan, add cocoa/sugar mix, and whisk to combine. While stirring, heat over medium heat until it begins to steam. Remove from heat or turn it down to low to keep from burning.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa for looks.

................................

Just a touch of whipped cream if you'd prefer...

...or pile it on for something especially creamy and decadent!

Don't forget to share your Christmas breakfast recipes under yesterday's post!

Your Table to Mine- Christmas Breakfast!

Comment below with your favorite Christmas morning eats!

Today I'm pulling up a chair to your breakfast table. Really, I'm so flattered you've invited me over for such an intimate holiday meal! I'll be sure to wear my best flannel pj's.

When my mother-in-law and I talked a couple days ago about how I could contribute to all the Christmas feasting (besides eating, which I'm only too happy to do,) we settled that I should take on the breakfast and dessert so she could concentrate on the dinner. I have something in mind for dessert, but I'm pretty open to ideas for breakfast. Since it's the lesser of the meals, perhaps you're planning it last-minute as well and could benefit from others' recipes too?

My mom always serves scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, her amazing coffee cake, fruit cocktail, and orange juice. What about you? Comment below with your favorite Christmas morning eats, and maybe they'll show up on someone else's table this Sunday!

Edible Christmas Gifts- Dulce de Leche Brownies

Hola! We're baking brownies from scratch and putting in some unexpected latin flavor, just for fun! This time we're borrowing from the very talented Mr. David Lebovitz. Normally I wouldn't have changed one of his recipes, but I accidentally read one of the ingredients incorrectly and I think it came out better than when I did it as instructed. So you'll be getting my very slight adaptation of David's brownie recipe found in The Sweet Life in Paris. For the dulce de leche recipe, he borrowed from The Perfect Scoop.

First...
................................
Dulce de Leche

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).

Pour one can (400 gr/14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt.

Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate. 

Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary). 

Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, whisk until smooth. 

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Warm gently in a warm water bath or microwave oven before using.

................................

And now for the...

................................

Dulce de Leche Brownies

Makes 12 brownies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (115g) salted or unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 
1 large egg

2 large egg yolks
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (140g) flour
1 cup Dulce de Leche (or Cajeta)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).

Line a 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. If it doesn’t reach all the way up and over all four sides, cross another sheet of foil over it, making a large cross with edges that overhang the sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with a bit of butter or non-stick spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the egg and egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla, then the flour.

Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Here comes the fun part.

Drop one-third of the Dulce de Leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining Dulce de Leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. 

Use a knife to swirl the Dulce de Leche slightly.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The brownies are done when the center feels just-slightly firm. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Storage: These brownies actually become better the second day, and will keep well for up to 3 days.

Janna's notes: I have used Ghirardelli cocoa, both sweetened and unsweetened, and even plain old Hershey's cocoa to make these, and they've come out great, but pretty different each time. But, depending on how sweet or rich you want these to be, I either recommend the Dutch-process or sweetened Ghirardelli for the best taste.

Also, David calls for three whole eggs. The first couple of times I made them using just the yolks, and they were gooey and wonderful, but I think whites from one egg is good to help give the brownie structure.

Finally, and this is important, make sure you do not melt the chocolate too quickly. You'll know it's done correctly because the chocolate will be very shiny. You'll know you heated it too quickly if it looks dull.

................................

Your choice of chocolate and cocoa will make all the difference. Be thoughtful in terms of quality and level of sweetness. Just keep in mind that the dulce de leche will already make the brownies pretty sweet.

Pour yourself some milk 'cause they're almost done, and your guests are counting on you to do some final taste-tesing, of course. :)

Want to make things even easier on yourself and less expensive? Just make batches the dulce de leche, jar them up, wrap some red and white twine around the rim of the lid and mark with a little tag that says,

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

(See Whoopie Pies)

It's Sunday!

The first Saturday in December, tree hunting!

Sunday's have always been a special day for my family. We'd spend the day together going to church, playing games at home, napping(!), and having a particularly nice Sunday dinner, of course!  Now that I have my own family, we carry on the same traditions. To make sure it stays that way, I've decided that on Sundays, I'll either post something about the Patterson clan or take the day off from blogging altogether. I hope you'll appreciate the personal touch instead of missing the food/hosting/music. Really, the reason any of that matters in the first place is because they're ways to elevate the time you spend with people you care about, right? Right!
With that said...
Christmas is just a week away! And Hanukkah begins at sunset on Tuesday! Shawn's brothers just flew in yesterday, so we'll be getting together with the family again this evening for one of those amazing Sunday dinners I was telling you about. And, let me tell you, their mom is a fantastic cook. The woman even makes her own rolls from scratch. Anyway, I hope today and this week for YOU and YOUR loved ones has lots of special moments... and lots of good food. ;)

A pint-sized tree for our pint-sized girl's first Christmas.

Poor baby was ready to go home... but what a fun day overall! Merry Christmas!

We Have a Guest! And She's Giving You 10% Off!

You all know how much I love a guest, but THIS guest is one of my very favorites. Besides being a cherished friend of mine, Brittany Jepsen is also an interior designer with phenomenal talent and her own, unique sense of style. She is the creator of the popular blog "The House That Lars Built" and its affiliate Etsy shop, an illustrator for the newly launched Kinfolk Magazine, and she has even been spotted within the virtual pages of British Vogue! Impressive gal, eh?

Here are some of my favorites swimming around her blog these days:

Top- Candy Lights; Bottom Left- Flapper Trees; Bottom Right- Door of the Week

Like I said, talented.
Why is she guest posting on a food blog? So glad you asked! Today she's here to introduce her new line of kitchen products which feature her Language of Flowers paintings. (Perhaps you'll see something you want to put inside someone's stocking!) K, enough from me. Let's all give a warm welcome to Miss B.! (Yay!) (Woohoo!)

(P.S. The captions below are by me, lest anyone think Brittany's in love with herself.)  :)

................................

I'm always on the look-out for conversation pieces like this. Such great personality! My calendar hangs in the kitchen, and so does my mom's. Anyone else?

Hello all! Janna is too kind to invite me here today. I think the world of her and couldn't be more stoked to see the fantastic, culinary creations she's doing with Eats and Beats. Funny thing, I'm not very handy in the kitchen, but I love me some kitchen accessories. In fact, I think we have a collection of 5 or 6 oven gloves in our household, but, really, don't you need only two at most?  Well, I love them so much that I decided to focus on them for my latest collection, Language of Flowers. Language of Flowers is an ode to the Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken at the time. The poem is written in the form of the wreath on the design and each flower reveals one more part of the missing puzzle. You can try to decipher it yourself, or find out the riddle upon receiving the item in the mail (muhahaha!). The collection includes an oven glove, tea towel and wall calendar. I'm offering a special discount to all you Eats and Beats readers during this holiday season. Enter EATSANDBEATS at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Language of Flowers oven mitt and tea towel from The House That Lars Built

Tea towel (left) and wall calendar.

Happy cooking (and looking good in the kitchen!)

Brittany

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts: the dinner plate villain of children everywhere. Why such a bad rap? Well, I didn't grow up eating them, so I had to take my chances as an adult in order to find out. I prepared and ate them for the first time just two years ago, and I must say, I have no idea where all the negative press is coming from.

The first time I cooked brussels sprouts was for a Winter dinner party, because I wanted to use a seasonal vegetable, and, as we know, the cold weather provides a limited number of options. Since I was aware of their reputation, I chose a modified version of Guy Fieri's "Bumped-Up Brussels Sprouts" which had enough other strong flavors to overpower any unsavory ones that the sprouts might produce. I liked them enough that this past Thanksgiving I chose to go with something that would enhance rather than hide their natural flavor. Nothing does that better than your basic salt and pepper. My guests loved them, and they were so easy to make that I knew I had to share the recipe with you. Try them out for this year's Christmas dinner or other Winter social. Hey, I might make them for my next snack!
................................
Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds brussels sprouts, well-rinsed and dried
4 tablespoons quality olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut of stem part of each sprout and, using just your hands, remove any undesirable outer leaves. Slice down the middle from top to bottom, once. In a mixing bowl, roll the sprouts with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Transfer to a baking sheet (with a lip) and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, turning the sprouts once or twice for even cooking. Once out of the oven, taste, add any extra salt desired, and serve immediately.
................................
Note: Even though the prep work for this recipe is very light, if you're making this alongside a more complicated menu and want to save yourself some time, consider doing the washing and cutting the night before like I did for Thanksgiving.

Check back tomorrow for a very special guest blogger with some holiday gifts up her sleeve!

Edible Holiday Gifts - Whoopie Pies

Some months ago I read an article that referred to the cupcake as the still-reigning "little darling" of the pastry world. I have to wonder, though, if the whoopie pie isn't tugging at her pigtails. They're popping up everywhere, and I couldn't be happier about it since we both hail from the Northeast. My mom's been making them for as long as I can remember, and hers is the only recipe I use when making them myself. Actually, they're the sole reason I keep shortening in the house.

When it comes to recognizing friends, neighbors, and co-workers during the Holidays, it seems that most people opt to do it with food. I can see why! It's financially-manageable and offers the personal touch that's so meaningful this time of year. Instead of the traditional fudge or cookies, why not go for something more unique this year and give whoopie pies! I did some experimenting to see if I couldn't give mine a holiday makeover and I don't think they turned out half bad!

................................

Whoopie Pies Adapted from a recipe by Tammy Blais 

Makes about 18 pies (if using 1 teaspoon batter per cake)

Ingredients:

Cakes

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks (room temp)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

5 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups powdered sugar

2 egg whites (room temp, not beaten)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 dash salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease cookie sheet.

For the cakes: Cream shortening and sugar. Then add rest of ingredients and mix until combined. Depending on what size you want your pies to be, drop batter on greased cookie sheet in amounts ranging from 1/2 teaspoon for mini pies to 1 heaping tablespoon for large pies. Try to drop them into as clean a circle as possible so that they bake nice and round. Bake for about 10 minutes.

For Frosting: Mix all ingredients and beat on medium-medium high speed until fluffy, about 10 minutes. Put in between 2 cakes. 

................................

Notes: Sometimes I opt to make an extra 50% of frosting just so I have plenty in case I dye too much one color and need more of another. 

To make the ones in the photos I divided the frosting, keeping some white and dyeing some a pale, icy blue.

To do the stenciled pies, simply place the stencil on top of the whoopie pie, and, holding a flour sifter about 1 foot above the pie, add a small amount of powdered sugar into the sifter and shake over the pie. Don't over do it or you'll end up piling too much sugar onto the whoopie pie.

Extras: Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie Stencils, 10-inch icing bag and smallest round tip available, Blue food coloring, Nonpareils, boxes, shredded paper, and white & gold berries all purchased at Michael's. Sifter for sprinkling powdered sugar.

Ideas For Use: These would make a great decorative piece for a dinner table. Put them on display on a cake stand (or 3) or set each one in its own box and place one in the center of each guest's plate. If your kids or other relatives are staying with you for a night or two, place one (wrapped) onto their pillow or bedside to show them how much you've been looking forward to their visit. Make extra the week before Christmas in case any unexpected gift-bearers drop by. You'll be ready to exchange. 

Playlist- Classic Christmas

Happy December 1st!  My early Christmas gift to those of you who celebrate the holiday is this playlist for you to dip into from now through New Year's Day.

The cold weather seasons are my favorite. I know; I must be crazy, right? But if you think about it, I think you'll see that I'm right. ;) It's not even just that the big holidays are during this time of year or that with Fall comes the best fashion, though those really are a big part of it. I love the cold and the snow, too. I love to shovel snow. I like it when my ears and nose get nippy. I far prefer to sleep in a room that's on the cold side than on the warm side. It's really the only time of year when the weather gets "bad" enough (except in extreme cases, of course,) to force everything and everyone to slow down and spend time with family and people that matter most. It storms in a way that leaves everything bright and beautiful. (Can you tell I grew up in Vermont?)  Babies and toddlers are dressed in snow suits too puffy to allow them to move properly. It's adorable. Clever snowmen. Hot chocolate. Decorations. New York City. Peppermint. The look and smell of wood-burning fireplaces. And everyone becomes so darn neighborly. I cannot imagine ever, ever, ever living long-term in a place that doesn't see snow.

Then, of course, there's Christmas. Since before Kate was born I've been picturing her name on a stocking and dreaming about how cute she'll look in her pajamas on Christmas morning. I'd go on,... but I'm pretty sure you get the picture. On to the playlist.

This collection is made up of old classics from before the 1960's. Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Kay Starr, Lou Rawls, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Judy Garland, plenty of Ella Fitzgerald, and, of course, Bing Crosby. Find the playlist in the righthand menu to stream directly from "Eats and Beats" or click on the link below to go to Grooveshark where you can adjust the list however you'd like to fit your preferences. Then enjoy it with your family and friends while you serve up some wassail!

Classic Christmas

It's All Gravy

There is nothing I've feared more about making Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner than the gravy. Even though there's less of it than almost anything else you prepare, people love their gravy. And some people pour it over half their meal, which means that if you don't do it well, you could potentially be ruining half of someone's Holiday dinner. Humor me for a moment while I tell you about the first two Thanksgiving meals I made...

Thanksgiving #1
Age: 17
Location: Provo, Utah

Playlist - Contemporary Holiday

Many of you choose not to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. If that's you, wait until Friday to read this. For those of you who're like me and feel like Christmas tunes help you celebrate Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve as well, this playlist is for you. I will be posting a collection of classic songs in the near future, but for now I wanted to offer you something more fresh and unique to set the tone of celebration for you and your guests. With artists like Coldplay, U2, Katie Melua, Colbie Caillat, Mindy Smith, and Michael Bublé, it's got to be worth giving a listen, right?

Listen either by clicking on the link at the bottom of the post (and then click "play all") or by pressing the play button of the "Contemporary Holiday" gadget in the righthand menu.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Contemporary Holiday