![Add an Antipasto Platter to Your Thanksgiving Table]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 17, 2020 | FOOD
I grew up in an Italian family, so Thanksgiving was a beautiful mix of the all-American must-have foods on the table: a scrumptious stuffed turkey with all the dressings, a side of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes smothered in butter, green beans with almonds on top, cranberry sauce, and of course many pumpkin pies to feed the 30+ people at the table for dessert. All of this was our family’s way of following the American Thanksgiving tradition, however, because it was a celebration we also had the typical Italian party foods at the table, too: some sort of pasta like lasagna or pasta with meatballs and for appetizers there would be some sort of antipasto platter to munch on until the big dinner was served.
So, for this Thanksgiving or any other holiday celebration coming your way, you can add a really lovely Antipasto platter with a variety of halal deli meats, some olives, Sicilian capers, cheeses, and pickled peppers (pepperoncini). All you need is to slice some rustic Italian bread thinly and leave it off to the side for guests to make their own mini sandwiches.
For more information and instructions on how to put together this Antipasto Platter, get my cookbook, My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, Lifestyle Inspiration.
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 21, 2017 | American, By Cuisine, Entertaining, Thanksgiving
America is gearing up for the foodiest of all foodie days of the year, Thanksgiving!! It is by far my favorite foodie holiday, too. The food is always good and real and seasonal, at least that’s the way I grew up experiencing it. It seems like the one time of year everyone puts in so much effort towards the quality of the food and the menu and the sourcing of ingredients. It’s also the holiday that taught me how to really cook. One year my mom just handed me the Williams-Sonoma Guide to Thanksgiving (it was a booklet) and I made just about every recipe in it. From then on, I was in charge of the food and it was magnificent!
I know what some people say about Thanksgiving…it’s loaded with historic context that makes it controversial and I know it’s not an Islamic holiday. I also know that some people just want to spend the day off with their families and eat some really great #halal turkey with other traditional and often times their own ethnic dishes and side dishes. I choose to enjoy the opportunity to celebrate time with my family and enjoy a holiday that is part of my American culture.
When I was growing up, we always had a very Sicilian type of Thanksgiving. Of course there was turkey on the table, but you bet there were also a few trays of lasagna or mastociolli as a side dish and pumpkin pies were found among Sicilian cookies on the dessert table.
That said, everyone has the dinner they want or like, and over the years I’ve come to really appreciate making things from scratch because they taste better and the entire feeling of the day and the dinner seems so much more special by putting in the work to make it both beautiful and delicious.
Let’s start with soup…
Pumpkin Saffron Soup is silky and elegant- perfect for guests who are expecting something other than your run-of-the mill dinner soups. It makes Thanksgiving special.
Pumpkin Saffron Soup
Fig, Pine Nut, Garlic & Herb Stuffing is one of the most flavorful stuffings I’ve ever made for the turkey. Figs are abundant now in the Fall and pine nuts are a bit of a splurge but their nuttiness makes it so worth the addition. Be sure to make your own croutons, too (recipe below).
Fig, Pine Nut, Garlic & Herb Stuffing
Homemade Croutons. Thank me later. Yes, they are worth making homemade.
Homemade Croutons
Now for the turkey. Ah, the BIG bird. Do you really need to make such a huge amount of meat? Yes and no. Yes, if you’re having a large crowd and NO if you’re not- it’s as simple as that. For a small crowd you can go with one large turkey breast that you can roast and slice for 3-4 people.
This recipe below for roasting a chicken, but it’s one you can emulate with a turkey by following the cooking time and temperature for the size of the bird you’ve got on hand. Of course you can also make a chicken instead….but that would be veering way off the turkey day menu now, wouldn’t it?
Classic Roasted Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables
Creamy Mashed Potatoes are one side dish I simply cannot go without on Thanksgiving. And they have to be creamy. That’s why I love this recipe.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Gravy. Don’t skimp on the good stuff- and that means making it with your own turkey’s fat, seriously.
How to Make Gravy
Cranberry Sauce with Apples & Pears. Do.not.skip.this.dish. If you’ve only ever had the canned stuff, you don’t know what the real stuff is supposed to taste like. Once I made it for the first time from scratch (reluctantly and not expecting to like it at all), it became my favorite side dish and one that I cannot fathom not having with the turkey and mashed potatoes. They just go so well together because they’re seasonally growing at the same time.
https://myhalalkitchen.com//cranberry-sauce-apples-pears/
Winter Salad with Cranberries & Nuts. Yes, salad belongs on the Thanksgiving table, and when you add some fresh cranberries it makes all the sense in the world.
https://myhalalkitchen.com//winter-salad-with-cranberries-nuts/
Pumpkin Pie. Just because…and not from the can, please. But if you have to that’s okay as well. Follow the same method.
Pumpkin Pie Not From a Can
For a list of more recipes, check out this new post.
![5 Tips on Hosting a Holiday Gathering at Home]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 23, 2016 | Celebrations, Cooking Techniques & Kitchen Tips, Entertaining
All holidays are a wonderful opportunity to get together with friends and family, and typically have us paying a little extra attention to our living spaces since we’ll be trying to accommodate more people than are usually in our home. I’ve always loved Thanksgiving, maybe because it’s one holiday that is so food-centered and it’s a great opportunity to make a huge bird! But, with all the focus on food, if you’re the one hosting it there’s also a lot more to think about in terms of your home’s environment. That can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be if we’re somewhat prepared and think about about the details that can simply make our guests feel more relaxed because they see us as more relaxed in our own home.
- Clean up Your House. Why is this so important? Clutter is stressful, yes. Too many things around can leave us mentally drained, yes. Everything we have has to be cleaned, maintained and we also often worry about things breaking and costing us more money. That alone is a discussion to write about, but cleaning up for guests is another thing- it amounts to having some respect for the people you’ve invited into your home and into your world. If they see a dirty or messy space, they can almost feel the stress of the environment, which isn’t very comforting. I know it can be a challenge, especially at the last minute between work and kids’ activities and trying to cook a big meal, but ask the kids to help out, ask your spouse, ask family, or hire help if you can. It will make you and your guests feel so much better.
- Prepare as Much as Possible of the Food Ahead of Time (if not ALL of it). I used to be the kind of cook who would be okay with dinner cooking as they arrived. And then when I designed my kitchen to be an open kitchen style, I really had more of a reason to clean everything up before people came, which could only happen if most of the dishes were done or already set in the oven and left me time to clean up the workspace. It makes the environment feel so much more inviting and you are also able to focus on your guests rather than be distracted with more cooking. If you have any last-minute additions to make to things like salads, most guests are happy to help and talk at the same time. Now that can be fun and relaxing.
- Have a Comfy Space for Guests to Sit & Relax. I feel like there’s nothing worse than spending hours and hours at someone else’s house and being uncomfortable. Whether the house is too hot or too cold (and you didn’t dress appropriately), it can make for a not-so-fun experience. As a host or hostess, it really is up to you to read your guests to see how comfortable they feel. No, you’re not a hotel, but having guests is an honor and joy so make them as happy as you can while they’re under your roof. If you really want to spoil them, be sure to have the most comfortable furniture and invite them to relax and sit in it. In this case they may never leave!
PAVO 132″ SLIPCOVERED 3 PIECE REVERSE SECTIONAL IN DYNO NATURAL
This Pavo sectional from Arhaus is such a beautiful, cozy set to have in your family room. Toss some oversize throw pillows and fuzzy blankets to welcome your guests with warmth and coziness and let them retreat after the Thanksgiving meal, watching movies and sitting around talking and catching up with one another, maybe even taking a nap. The section shown above comes in a variety of colors and fabric types, too.
- Have Some Activities for the Kids. I don’t have kids, but whenever I have guests over I try to make sure I have something for the kids who are coming: coloring books and crayons are almost always winners, treat bags, puzzles, soft toys, etc. Why? Because you never know which kids will come alone, which parents won’t bring something for the kids to stay occupied, or which of your own kids’ toys just won’t be entertaining enough – and that can mean a visit cut short by parents who want to make sure the kids aren’t unhappy or bored at your house.
- Keep the Pets Happy, Too. This can mean a lot of things. Dogs and cats are especially notorious for either being annoyed by guests or terrified by them. They can also be a little too happy to see new people (though not always the cats, I have had many cats from friends and family members’ homes jump all over me for some reason). Almost always it’s other people’s dogs who are pretty eager to introduce themselves. I don’t mind it as long as the pets don’t bite, but if you have guests with allergies or a fear of animals it can be a pretty uncomfortable situation and combination of people and pets. The best thing to do is to keep your animals in a happy, safe place for the duration that your guests are visiting and also tell your guests a little about the animals just in case they do come face to face with them and get afraid, jumpy or just a little too close. Hissing cats and barking or biting dogs are not something everyone is used to.
Do you have anything to add? Please share your own tips and ideas on being a good host or hostess in the comments below.
