Happy Thanksgiving - Gobble Gobble!

As a Boston native, I thought I would share some ideas for Thanksgiving in my beloved home state of Massachusetts, and beyond. Happy Thanksgiving!

Plimouth Plantation: You just can't get any more "Thanksgiving" than Plymouth, MA! Why not take a lovely autumn drive to see where the the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared their very first Thanksgiving dinner. They ate turkey, potatoes, squash, corn, and even seafood and lobster at this first of many Thanksgiving meals. You can even make reservations to eat your turkey dinner at Plimouth Plantation! (One of these days we've got to do that...I hear you have to reserve months in advance though.) Visit the authentic village and Wampanoag Home Site to see traditional Native American Wampanoag and Colonial Englishmen and women "actors" living as they did back in the 17th century. A wonderful, historical place for adults and children of all ages.

Cook some great Thanksgiving recipes: I posted a few recipes earlier, but I suggest you go to Epicurious.com to find all the best recipes from Bon Appetit, Gourmet and many others.

Go out for Dinner: Not in the mood to cook this year? I don't blame you! Visit OpenTable.com to find restaurants hosting seatings on Thanksgiving Day!

Volunteer in a Soup Kitchen: While many of us are warm and comfortable at home eating turkey, sadly, there are many people who go without. Volunteer serving dinner at Rosie's Place or the Pine Street Inn. Or, help packing and preparing meals for those who are sick or hungry.

Buy a Pie for Charity: One of my favorite charitable organizations is Community Servings in Jamaica Plain, which delivers weekly meals to those suffering from AIDS or other life-threatening diseases. Every year their "Pie in the Sky" program sells pies online via their donated from hundreds of restaurants, bakeries and hotel to generate funds for the program. I have helped behind the scenes putting together boxes and delivering pies with this group for many years. In addition, you can contact them to bring a group of friends or co-workers to lend a hand during the week or on weekends to prepare and package meals. It is a great way to give back to the community.

Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Always a tradition in our house, watching those gigantic floats and balloons in the sky coming down Broadway in New York City. My favorites include Snoopy, Tom the Turkey and of course, Santa Claus!

Go see a movie: Every Thanksgiving, great movies come out. I am looking forward to the vampire book turned movie "Twilight" and "Australia" with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Come Christmas time, we can't wait to see "Marley & Me" starring Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson and the beloved yellow lab Marley. If you love dogs, you must read the book and see this movie!

Go Shopping! Shopaholics know that "Black Friday" is the kick-off for the holiday shopping season. If you are a bargain hunter and thrive on chaotic department stores and long lines, go for it! If you fear the mall (like I do!), then stay away on Friday, November 28th! You have been warned!

Recipe: Mel's Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Cilantro

This is one of my favorite recipes which is not only low fat, but easy to make and delicious! This makes a huge batch of hearty chili which you can serve at a dinner party, football game or warm night by the fire. You will definitely have left overs for lunch all week...Enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 lbs uncooked ground turkey breast (standard package)

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium garlic clove(s), chopped (or add 4 cloves, depending on your love for garlic)

1 large can stewed tomatoes (diced or chopped)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes (less or more depending on how spicey you like it!)

Sea salt and ground pepper (to taste)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (plus extra for garnish)

Olive oil (to drizzle)

Optional:

Shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Sliced jalapenos

Tortilla chips

Instructions: Coat a large, deep skillet with cooking spray. Cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat.
Add remaining ingredients (herbs, stewed tomatoes, beans). Cover and cook on low heat until bubbling (about 10 mins). Drizzle olive oil over the chili, and serve!

TIP: I like to top each bowl with shredded low fat cheddar cheese, jalapenos, more cilantro and tortilla chips!Andrew loves this dish and gives it two thumbs up! :)

Pomegranate-Key Lime Vodka Martinis

Have a great weekend! Enjoy this luscious cocktail recipe! :) mel

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup club soda
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/2 cup vodka
3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice (about 3 limes)
Crushed ice
Key lime slices (optional)

Preparation: Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool. Combine sugar syrup, club soda, pomegranate juice, vodka, and lime juice. Place crushed ice in a martini shaker; add about 3/4 cup pomegranate mixture. Cover and shake. Strain into a glass. Garnish with lime slice, if desired. Repeat procedure with remaining pomegranate mixture. Makes 4 cocktails.

NOTE: Key limes are perfect for this drink, but you can substitute 1/4 cup regular lime juice. Prepare the syrup a day ahead, and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to mix the cocktails. For a festive touch, sugar the rims of the glasses. (Credit: Jeff Gremillion, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2007)

I just added a Music Player!

I just added a cool music player from Playlist.com! It plays automatically so if you want to turn it off or change the song, the player is at the bottom of the screen on the right. I selected some of my favorite songs that remind me of traveling, relaxing in a cocktail lounge and enjoying life. :)

Some of my favorites are "Summertime," "Home," "Americano," "Girl from Impanema" and "Boston Girl" by my good friend Chris Trapper...Enjoy songs from Sting, Dido, Ella Fitzgerald, Zero 7, Serge Gainsbourg, Everything But The Girl, and many others!

GOOP! Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter

If you love food, travel, fashion and cooking as much as I do, I recommend signing up for Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP! newsletter. She is into organic cooking, spirituality and all sorts of interesting things... Check it out, it's great! This week's newsletter features modern, organic Thanksgiving recipes. YUM! Visit her site to sign up. (See her recipe below.)

Also, you must watch her travel and cooking show "Spain...On the Road Again" with Mario Batale on PBS. It is brilliant! Andrew and I are obsessed with it...and DVR every episode. We also love teh banter between Mark Bittman (NYT food writer) and Claudia Bassols (Spanish actress). They all bring such fun, humor and personality to their gastronomical trip around Spain. You feel like you are on the road trip with them. My sister studied abroad in Seville, and I had the chance to visit her there and travel a bit into the Andalucia region. It was heaven. Can't wait to go back and see more of Spain. Thanks Gwyneth!

Greens with Goat Cheese, Walnuts and Dried Cranberries


SERVES: 12
TIME: 10 minutes

3 small cloves garlic, pushed through a press
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons real Vermont maple syrup
1/3 red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 large heads of endive, washed, chopped
1 1/3 large head radicchio, washed, chopped
4 large handfuls arugula, washed
1 1/3 cup goat cheese
3/4 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Combine the greens in a large salad bowl. Dress with about two thirds of the dressing. Divide the greens on eight plates and scatter over the goat cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries over the greens. Drizzle each salad with a bit of the leftover dressing. Yum!

The Liberty Hotel - Escape to Boston's Newest Hotel

The Liberty Hotel is Boston’s newest luxury boutique hotel which opened its doors in the fall of 2007. The space occupies what was once the historic Charles Street Jail, built in 1851, and is a prime example of “Boston Granite Style” of architecture. I'm an events planner for a large Boston financial services company, and am in the midst of planning our annual two-day team conference at The Liberty Hotel, so I’m pleased to be able to share my review. Interestingly, my paternal grandfather worked as a deputy sheriff at the jail and my dad remembers going to visit his father at work as a young boy and being jokingly locked in a cell as a reminder to behave…or else!

As Boston has grown in popularity as a destination for some of Hollywood’s most popular films, The Liberty Hotel has become the hotel of choice for many of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities. Recent guests have included Meg Ryan and her daughter who stayed here during the filming of “The Women” and Morgan Freeman, who ate quietly each night in CLINK while in town filming “The Lonely Maiden”. The lobby is truly grand, formerly the "The Yard" where inmates worked out or socialized. As soon you ride up the escalator, you gaze up to see a gigantic cathedral ceiling with a multi-leveled catwalk and hanging wrought iron chandeliers. The walls are partially covered in rich floral wallpaper while the rest of the lobby is exposed brick. The guest rooms are decorated with subtle shades of tan and gray, the bathrooms are very Zen and luxurious. Every room is outfitted with cutting edge technology from ordering room service to web access, and is considered to be the most technologically advanced hotel in Boston. Overnight rates can run upwards of $475-675 night, so be sure to bring your platinum card (or a wealthy relative!)

CLINK is the hotel's restaurant located in the main lobby with tables nestled between original jail cells. Menu items include a fresh selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, a nod to Buzzy’s famous roast beef sandwich, warm lobster roll, grilled chicken salad, pan seared sea scallops, and short ribs.

In spring '08, celebrity chef Lydia Shire opened the modern Italian concept, Scampo. The decor is handsome and cool, with exposed brick, a great rectangular bar covered in copper and a huge outdoor patio. Her modern Italian fare is delicious, inventive, rustic food. My favorites include mozzarella with peach & pistachio pesto, beef carpaccio, spaghetti bolognese, white clam and bacon pizza fired in a brick oven, fried calamari, tagliata of prime sirloin, and a ricotta-parsley tortellaci (tortellini). The bartenders and waitstaff are professional, friendly and attentive. The wine and cocktail selection is great...be sure to order a robust Italian red wine or the house Bellini with peach nectar. Scampo is also a great place for a private party or corporate event...the service and food are top notch, and you will feel like a celebrity yourself! Scampo is a great spot for a lunch meeting, dinner with friends, or an after work cocktail. Buon appetito!

The Liberty is the happening place to be any night of the week, but especially Thursday through Saturday nights, with lines wrapping around the building to get into hotspot Alibi or the lobby bar. Guests vie for a chance to get past the velvet ropes and into the much-hyped lobby bar scene, complete with the Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame Bar.” Alibi is the cavernous bar located in the former “drunk tank” of the jail, appropriately decorated with infamous mug shots of Mick Jagger, Hugh Grant, Frank Sinatra, and Paris Hilton, to name a few. Light bar fare is served, and the drink list is unusual and pricey. Furthering the "Hollywood Hipster” vibe, Paris herself stayed here in February '08 after receiving her award from the Harvard Lampoon. So, if feel like getting “locked up” (without the criminal record) and are looking for an “escape,” The Liberty Hotel is the place for you.