Tis the night before Thanksgiving and Make Ahead Gravy

I love, love, love the genius of make ahead gravy.
Love it.
I was raised watching my Grandma Edith, mid-western native and loving home cook, making Turkey gravy with pan drippings. I've done it myself of course, and learned the deglazing technique in school. The trouble is, gravy, the kind you want to enjoy, takes time.
One day the lovely words: Make Ahead Gravy (by Ina Garten) came into my world. Eureka!
It's a beautiful thing to saute a red onion in butter, add stock and a few other delicious ingredients, strain it, cool it and save it over night for the magic of simply deglazing the roasting pan and adding the liquid gold elixir to the base from the night before. Here's the best part, it happens quickly, deliciously and unlumpishly.
And, you'll finish the gravy with ease and without concern of anything other than perfection.

Try it.
Next year.

Thanksgiving, shall we? Cranberries, making ahead.

I've certainly never tried to document the Thanksgiving recipes. They are varied and wild. But, as they say in places where things get done, "Why not?"

We're two days ahead and I've already made the glaced cranberries. They are delicious, not so saucy and pretty to boot. Simple. I forgot to mention simple. They are quite easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Glaced Cranberries

Ingredients
12 oz bag organic cranberries
1 cup sugar

Directions
Set the oven to 300 degrees.
Wash cranberries in a bowl of water or colander. Pick out damaged berries. Rinse in the same casserole dish you'll bake in. Drain but don't worry about draining well.
Add the sugar and gently stir in, covering all berries.
Place in the over for 1 hour.
Don't open the oven. Don't stir.
Remove and let cool.
Refrigerate.

You'll see some sugar on the top and you can mix it into the berries carefully. It's not that they're so delicate, but in this cooking style, they have cranberry flavor and maintain their berry shape rather than settling into sauce.

They're particularly lovely on that turkey sandwich you'll be eating Friday.

Olive Oil Eggs

I'm in a delicious rut. Eggs.

I love them and they make their way into my breakfast shenanigans about four times a week. Sundays right now are for the Crustless Quiche challenge (between me and me).

But it's Monday. So, my Dear and I are enjoying Olive Oil eggs. Long ago and again a few months ago, I fell deeply, madly in love with Tuscan Herb Blend Olive Oil.

My friend Mary, owns Antica Olive Oil here in Southern California where I first tasted this magical oil. When my friend, (student and mom-of-two) CJ had a birthday, I gave her a bottle with an 18 Year Old Balsamic Vinegar. It's a simple recipe for salad and pasta. That was it by the way. Tuscan Herb Blend Olive Oil and 18 Year Old Balsamic Vinegar. Done. Easy.

And, while I love this oil on salad and as a finish for chicken, my favorite thing to do is warm it in a pan and let eggs slowly bathe their way to cooked. (Thomas Keller: slow and gentle) All they need is a bit of salt and pepper and they are a beautifully flavored feast.

The Antica Store ships olive oil if you don't find yourself in Southern California at the shop.
I think you'll want the bigger bottle.