Turkey dinner.

We loved planning the menu for Thanksgiving. I think preparing and cooking Thanksgiving dinner might be more fun and satisfying than eating it; of course, I'm perfectly happy to sit down to eat with our family after spending a full day in the kitchen! 

Our bird took a special bit of planning, and for the main course, we brought the sous vide machine along! Cooking en sous vide is cooking in a water bath at a very specific temperature that results in perfectly, evenly cooked food that's super juicy. It's actually really easy, but at first intimidated me. In the last year, it has become Andrew's specialty; he's made some incredible meals for us using sous vide recipes! 

After brining our turkey with apple cider, star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves, we put all the pieces in bags with sage, thyme, and duck fat, and placed them into the sous vide machine. With the water at an exact 149 degrees, the turkey was done in about two hours. But the beauty of sous vide cooking allowed everything to stay in the water bath for another three hours without overcooking (and we had the oven free!) Ahh, science! We deep fried the breasts, pan seared the thighs, and grilled the drumsticks on the grill outside, just as it was starting to snow. 

Everything tasted so good, I'm getting hungry remembering it all. Of course, we had all the traditional Thanksgiving foods to accompany our "modern" turkey: mashed potatoes, cranberries, green bean casserole, brown-butter and sage Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, baked sweet potatoes, sausage and wild rice stuffing...and this doesn't include the appetizers and desserts! I think it's a good thing we ran that morning!

Here are some more pictures from our two-day cooking and baking extravaganza:

Are you hungry now? I'm ready to eat Thanksgiving dinner all over again! 

P.S.: if you want to find out more about sous vide cooking and recipes, check here, here, and here. 

Run your giblets off.

As I mentioned yesterday, our week at home was too wonderful to fit into one post. In order to do justice to our time back in the Cities, I'll do a full week of recaps highlighting our favorite activities, from turkey to running to Christmas trees! First up: Turkey Day 5k!

After several weeks of preparing, Turkey Day 5k turned out to be so much fun. We couldn't have had better weather - it was almost 60 degrees on Thanksgiving morning. The day quickly turned, though, and by the time we were enjoying our turkey and stuffing, there was a lovely layer of snow on the ground. 

There were so many people participating - over 14,000 - that most of the run was actually spent jogging. Still, my sister and I had a great time, and even ended up running into friends of ours! 

Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving morning, if you'd like to see...

I would definitely do another 5k run in again, especially any downtown! Definitely the Torchlight this summer, but I'd love to do another one before that, maybe here in Milwaukee.  

Tomorrow on our Thanksgiving Week Recap - turkey en sous vide! 

MN Mondays: Thankful.

There is no way to describe how wonderful our weekend at home was! Each time we're back in MN, we feel like our days fly by and our to-see-and-do list is never completely satisfied...but our last trip reminded us of how incredibly thankful we are to have just the best family and friends to come home to. 

This is a short post; I'll put up plenty of pictures and tell you more about our week later, but I did want to take a minute and note what we are so thankful for this Thanksgiving. I know that the "official" day of thanksgiving was Thursday (and how is it already Monday?), but especially this year, I'm trying to remind myself daily of all that we've been given and to be thankful for it all. Our families top that list. There is, without a doubt, no more supportive, loving, hilarious, reassuring, and comforting family than ours. It's not been the easiest to be away from them these last few months, but the visits, phone calls, text messages, emails, and FaceTime dates have certainly helped. We love you more than words can say. I'm also so grateful for our trusty and dependable car, our avtochko, that has safely transported us home several times now. I'm thankful for how hard Andrew is working here, and for the opportunity for us to have this adventure together in a new place. I'm thankful to have passed the bar, for our beautiful apartment, and for our delicious cooking adventures...and of course, for our friends who keep in touch with us, from near and far. There is so much more, but I did say this was going to be short. 

I hope all of our readers had the best Thanksgiving with their loved ones, ate plenty of amazing food, and had the opportunity to relax and spend time with those that mean the most to them. I know we certainly did. 

Tonight, I'm making this spicy curry (we're looking forward to something with a different flavor profile than turkey and potatoes), and we'll put up our Christmas tree! I love decorating for Christmas, and it'll be so fun to do in our new place...pictures to come! 

Hoping your Monday was tolerable and that this week goes by quickly...I'm already looking forward to the weekend! 

Road trip time.

Avtochko (car) is packed, sous-vide machine is securely in the back seat, our bags are ready to go. As soon as Andrew is done with class we'll be on our way to Minnesota! 

I'm caving and buying coffee. It is a night drive, after all! 

See you soon, MN! 

MN Mondays: Daria visits.

We've been blessed with just the best reminders of MN these last few weeks. And by reminders, I mean my wonderful siblings who've made the brave 5-hour trek to Milwaukee to visit us! Remember last Monday when my brother visited? Well, this last Friday, my beautiful, hilarious, and oh-so-lovely sister came to visit! 

We had a low-key weekend: we made a fiesta of food, bought cupcakes (fancy ones, too - champagne pear cupcakes?!? YUM!), went window shopping and added all of J. Crew's new arrivals to our wish list, watched The Room (yes...that movie), and went out to a few neighborhood bars. It was over before I knew it, but I can't wait to see Deshie again in a few days when we're home!

Speaking of which - we're leaving for Minnesota tomorrow night! I'll be sure to post some pictures and recipes from our Thanksgiving dinner preparations, as well as some highlights from the Turkey Day 5k! We're excited for cooking, cuddling with the dog, fantastic food, and spending lots of time with those we love.

Have a wonderful few days before the holiday, and don't stress too much over those green beans and turkey. Much love to all!

P.S.: Aren't these pie crusts from Style Me Pretty just so very...pretty?!? I would so make these on Thursday if I weren't already making this!!

Green Bean Casserole.

The other day my supervisor and I were talking about our plans for Thanksgiving dinner, and our conversation turned to the classic vegetables-in-disguise side dish, green bean casserole. Love it or hate it, the Campbell's soup masterpiece has been on Thanksgiving menus for years, so much so that the white, chunky, fake mushroom stuff has practically become an institution. Now, I'm not saying I didn't like the canned soup version, topped with onion strings and masquerading as the "healthy" part of Turkey Day...but last year, we came across a recipe that trumped every green bean casserole we've ever had, and the best part: there is nothing canned to be found. 

Chef Stephanie Izard (from Top Chef and Chicago's Girl and the Goat) included her homemade casserole in her cookbook last fall, even though she, like most of us, grew up with the canned version. I can honestly say that it tastes so close to the recipe we are all familiar with, but a MILLION times better. The little bit of spice from the sambal gives it this nice kick, and there's nothing better than lots of fresh mushrooms (we've substituted white button mushrooms for the maitake; they're easier to find). 

If your Thanksgiving table is incomplete without the Campbell's casserole of old, venture beyond the canned beans and soup this year, and make this instead with bright green beans and beautiful mushrooms. And an added benefit of all this fresh, non-canned goodness: you won't feel so bad going back for seconds (or thirds). 

PS: Have you donated today??? 

Green Bean Casserole (Stephanie Izard, adapted from Girl in the Kitchen). 

Yield: 6-8 (generous) portions

For the mushroom soup:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pint button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, at room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons sambal paste 
Salt 
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and garlic and sweat by cooking until the shallots are translucent, for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sweat them for 5 more minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms. Whisk in the milk and continue whisking for several minutes to avoid lumps. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking often. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the soup has the consistency of canned mushroom soup. Season with sambal, salt, and pepper. Thick soup is best for the casserole, but if it's too thick, thin with additional milk.

For the casserole:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh maitake mushrooms, broken into small pieces
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1 shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Add green beans and blanch by boiling them for about 2 minutes -- until they are bright green and barely tender. Put the beans in the ice bath and drain. Place them on a paper towel to dry. In a large bowl, combine the green beans, mushrooms, and soup base. Mix well and transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes, until thoroughly heated.

For the crispy shallots:

Oil for frying
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 shallots, very thinly sliced into rounds
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a fryer or heavy-bottomed pan with high sides, heat the oil to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch while casserole is baking. Toss the shallots in the mixture, then shake well in a sieve to remove excess flour. Add half of the shallots to the fryer and move them around with tongs while frying, to avoid clumping. When lightly browned (this only takes a bit more than a minute), strain and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining shallots. Top the casserole with the crispy shallots and serve.

Photo: Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans (1962), via BBC. 

Give to the Max Day: CHEREMOSH!

I am so, so excited to post this. 

Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble is Minnesota's best Ukrainian dance group...okay, the only Ukrainian dance group, but that doesn't make them any less incredible. I'm slightly biased, because my family has been involved with Ukrainian dance for over 50 years and Cheremosh has been at the heart of it all. Three generations of our family have danced or taught dancing (or both) with Cheremosh, and the group is definitely something I cherish. 

Cheremosh has shared our Ukrainian culture with communities throughout the Twin Cities, Chicago, Canada, and beyond. The ensemble is the one and only Minnesota youth dance group that's committed to promoting Ukrainian dance while teaching young Ukrainians about their heritage and bringing the rich and beautiful traditions of our ancestors to life on stage. 

That's why I'm thrilled to announce that Cheremosh is taking part in tomorrow's Give to the Max Day! On November 15, thousands of non-profits around Minnesota raise money for their organizations; Cheremosh is finally eligible to take part. By making a donation, you are contributing to the preservation of Ukrainian dance in Minnesota and ensuring the continuation of a wonderful and important organization. Your donation could also be the one that leads to a $10,000 Golden Ticket! At the end of the day tomorrow, one donation from across the state will be randomly selected for an extra $10,000 - how amazing is that? Think of all the costumes that could purchase! 

Visit Cheremosh's site to learn more about the ensemble and to make your gift to our dancers. Pass this on, and don't forget to mark June 14, 2013 in your calendars: Cheremosh will be performing their annual concert at the Cowels Center for Dance and Performing Arts in Minneapolis! 

Photo credit: Olenka Verezovska (spring 2012). 

MN Mondays: Marko visits.

This was a particularly fun MN Monday, as we had a MN visitor! My brother drove down for a short trip yesterday afternoon, and we thoroughly enjoyed having him stay with us, even if it was just for the day. It was great being able to drive around and show him the city; we also went out to a new place for dinner, called Stack'd, where Marky had a burger with foie gras and truffle butter! Burgers + beers + brat (brother in Ukrainian!) = excellent weekend! 

We have simply the BEST two weeks in store for us, which kicked off with Marko's visit. We were so glad to have him here yesterday and today...then my sister is coming this Friday and staying all weekend...and then three days after she drives back, we'll be heading home for Thanksgiving!!! It's quite exciting to have this much Minnesota love around and waiting for us! We are very thankful to be on this adventure here in Milwaukee, but are always so glad to be surrounded by friends and family, whether that's here or in the Cities. 

With that, I'm off to go running. That Turkey Run is coming up quick! 

They're from Minnesota.

Yet another reason to love Parks and Recreation - in last night's episode, Ben tried to explain his parents to Leslie and gave her advice on how to keep them placated: 

Well, they're white people from Minnesota, so hockey, fishing, skiing, sailing, and after a few drinks, put on a Prince album. Don't mention the Green Bay Packers or the state of Iowa.

Excellent. I love this show. Oh, Minnesooooooota, you'll always be home!

Photo via: Entertainment Weekly's Pop Watch. 

For the kitchen: herbs.

Cooking with fresh herbs brings dishes to a completely different level, one that's bright, vibrant, and full of flavor. I'd love to be able to bring in bunches of fresh rosemary, thyme, basil from outside to use in my kitchen...but unless you have your own garden this likely is a bit of a luxury (actually, it's a near impossibility if you rent, like us, and have no private outside space). For now, we improvise, wrapping up fresh herbs that we bring home from the store with wet paper towels and then sealing them in individual plastic bags; they'll keep in the fridge a surprisingly long time that way. But just for fun, here are some inspirational photos to get you growing (hah!) inside your kitchens.

 Photos via: Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, and apartmenttherapy.com

Blue is the color...

Congratulations, Mr. President! 

As I've mentioned before, we're definitely a House of Blues, but in more ways than one. After what has seemed like a never-ending campaign filled with negative ads, ridiculous and oftentimes hostile Facebook posts, and constant commercials for both parties, Barack Obama was reelected to the presidency. YES! 

Here are some more photos from last night (and here, like the ones above, both from the Chicago Tribune). And with all the electoral maps and state-by-state, county-by-county analyses from last night, the wonderful simplicity of this site says it all. 

We were cheering on Obama here in Wisconsin, and were thrilled to see our new state go blue. We closely watched all the proposed amendments at home, as well, and this morning we're both proud to be Minnesotans and happy to see so many other important social issues being brought to light. Obama's speech last night was inspirational and moving, but we expected nothing less than an amazing and unifying address. Even though I was almost sleeping, it was something I knew I couldn't miss. 

Here's to hoping that both parties can now move on and work together to get things done, and of course, to four more years! 

MN Mondays: A Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving.

Confession: nothing gets me more excited for Thanksgiving than walking into Williams-Sonoma. And with less than three weeks to go until Turkey Day, I'm just itching to make it out to W-S as many times as I can, but visiting the website is a good substitute (they have so many great recipes!). The store is filled with gorgeous cookbooks, knives, cast iron pans...it's definitely our happy place, and we get inspired to cook something new each time we're there. 

Whether it's July or the beginning of November, the mulled cider smells of that store always make me crave Thanksgiving dinner. When we were little and growing up, my mom always hosted Thanksgiving at our house. The preparation for this food-filled, family friendly holiday always included a trip (or several!) to Williams-Sonoma where we would pick up Thanksgiving essentials, including pumpkin butter, the annual Thanksgiving Guide, and a few new "kitchen toys" that we knew we just had to have to make the perfect meal. Every year she set a beautiful table and cooked her heart out, and it's no surprise that Thanksgiving dinner has become one of our favorite holidays. I'm also not surprised as to why I love hosting dinners and parties so much: I know I learned it all from her! 

Last year, Andrew and I hosted both our families at our apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. While it wasn't always the easiest to cook for nine people in our tiny kitchen, everything turned out wonderfully; we cooked all day and spent time with our favorite people, which to us, sums up a perfect day. This is a picture of our fridge last year, stuffed to the doors with everything we made from scratch, from turkey stock, to green bean casserole, to crème brûlée!

We absolutely can't wait to go home for Thanksgiving, and will be trying something spectacular for the turkey this year: SOUS VIDE! We first attempted this last year for our "Thanksgiving Round 2" that we made in March (yes, March), and Andrew, my sister, and I all agreed that this was the best turkey we've ever had. When we were home last weekend, we started discussing the details of Thanksgiving dinner, and after little to no argument, Andrew said he could be persuaded to bring along the sous vide machine so we could recreate that turkey. And of course, we'll have (THE BEST) stuffing, our homemade version of green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes: all the classics that make dinner so much fun. 

What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods - are you sticking with the tried-and-true recipes or will you be making something new, perhaps a classic with a twist? I'm getting hungry just thinking about all the possibilities! 

Happy Monday, friends! 

At the museum.

Yesterday, we spent part of our late afternoon at the Milwaukee Art Museum, one of the most beautifully designed museums I've ever seen. It's so modern and contrasts starkly yet perfectly with the lake on one side and the downtown buildings on the other. 

We could have spent hours there (best part: every first Thursday is free!); the rooms' collections flowed seamlessly from 16th century tapestries to Picasso's roosters, from Rodin's sculptures to 1960s pop art. This piece below: it's made entirely out of buttons and glue! 

One of my favorite exhibits was one showing how closely connected Disney movies are to more formal artworks. The exhibit compared familiar (and to us 90s kids, iconic) images of Disney characters next to their animators' original inspirations, found in ancient Greek art, Impressionism, and Japanese silk screens. How great is this?!? They also had easels and art stations for little ones to create their own masterpieces and then display them on a wall along with other "future artists'" work.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Thursday; we'll definitely be back.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!