A Capful of Olive Oil, Keeps the Tablespoon Away | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Some of my favorite moments in the kitchen, are discovering everyday tools for doing ordinary things. For example, using a spoon to peel ginger or a fork to pick parsley. These kitchen hacks actually work guys!!! Today, I am going to save you the trip to your measuring spoon drawer by teaching you one fun trick!

The cap to your olive oil jar, of course depending on which olive oil you are using, is generally 1 tablespoon. So, as your pan is heating and veggies are ready for sautéing, simply measuring the desired amount of oil by using the very own features of the bottle, the cap! Genius, right?

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Delectable Brownies: 6 Common Mishaps to Avoid when Baking Brownies | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Is there anything better than a delicious fudgy brownie that sticks to your fingers and teeth alike? Messier the better, in my sweet humble opinion. Regardless of whether you enjoy the crusty corner or gooey center (obviously, the center is where it’s at folks), I’ve turned to bon appetit for their 6 common mistakes to avoid when baking brownies. – Content Provided by bon appetit

1. Using Any Old Recipe:

The recipe you use matters, and here's why: Most people fall into two brownie-related categories: Those who prefer cake-like brownies, and those who want them on the fudgier side. To make the brownies of your dreams, you've got to first know which type of brownie you prefer. If you're into cakey brownies, go for a recipe that is reminiscent of, well, cake: For example, if your instructions include creaming together butter and sugar, says senior associate food editor Alison Roman, you're probably going to be making a cake-like brownie. Which is great, if you're into that. If you prefer fudgy brownies, says associate food editor Claire Saffitz, look for a recipe that has a higher chocolate and butter-to-dry ingredient ratio. 

2. Baking with Poor-Quality Chocolate:

Brownies don't require a lot of ingredients—so the ones you use should be really great. Instead of purchasing ubiquitous "baking chocolate," says Saffitz, just grab chocolate that you'd want to eat on its own. Go for the good stuff—this isn't the time for cutting corners or making due with an inferior product. And what about cocoa powder? While you can use it, the test kitchen warns against doing so casually—its flour-like properties make for a cakey batter which, although super chocolatey, is drier than the dense, gooey brownies many people aim for. Since we're talking chocolate, it's time to lose the miniature chips: They contain stabilizers, Saffitz explains, which don't melt well, and also add things into your batter that just don't need to be there. Instead, use bar chocolate and chop it into big chunks; it'll melt slowly, making rich, ultra-chocolatey brownies. Senior food editor Dawn Perry likes to use a mix of dark chocolate (around 72%) and semisweet.

3. Scorching the Chocolate and Scrambling the Eggs:

Yes, you're going to need to melt your chocolate. But don't combine screaming-hot-just-melted Guittard to your eggs, butter and sugar—it'll cook and scramble the eggs, not to mention potentially burn the chocolate. Speaking of temperature, make sure to bring the rest of your ingredients to room temperature before combining. Does it take a little planning to remove those eggs and butter from the fridge an hour in advance? Sure, but they'll combine much better than when chilly, yielding a smoother, creamier batter. Here's a cheat: If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge before beginning, stick them in warm (NOT hot!) water for about 15 minutes.

4. Going Overboard with the Add-Ins:

We've all seen brownies with intricate flavor combinations, but honestly, are you ever craving a chocolate-chipotle-raspberry-lime brownie? Pick one "extra" flavor or add-in, like chocolate, cream cheese, or nuts, and stick with it. The point here, explains Saffitz, is to enhance the chocolate's flavor—not mask it. That said, according to Perry, "No one is going to mind if you fold in some Reese's peanut butter cups."

5. Under-baking the brownies:

Under-baking makes for gooey, melty brownies, right? Wrong! Under-baking your pan of brownies means you'll be eating, well, under-baked brownies. Always follow your recipe's baking time (toothpick test doesn't work here!) and bake your brownies until they're done. The right texture is all in the right recipe; it's not about the cooking time. To make sure you don't overbake your brownies, it's worthwhile investing in a clear Pyrex pan—that way, you can keep an eye on how things are looking. What size and shape should you use? The test kitchen overwhelmingly recommends an 8X8 straight-sided square pan. It's all about the crispy corners. Besides, says Perry, "There is just something magical about that square pan of brownies."

6. Digging in Too Soon:

Restrain yourself! The brownies will continue to set as they cool down, as well as develop flavor. Plus, they slice and come out of the pan much easier when properly cooled. But, if presentation doesn't matter and your appetite can't wait, then go for it!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including my delightfully delectable espresso brownies, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

What’s your Jam? Tips for Delicious Homemade Jam | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Photo: Tiffany Lewis

When kumquats, peaches, berries and all things delectable are prime for picking, there is no better way to preserve their bounty than in a beautiful Weck or Ball jar. Today, I am going to offer some simple steps for making delicious homemade jam with the help of my favorite go-to website, TheKitchn.com.

First Things First! Before we begin, I want to note that there is a difference between canning and preserving. Today’s steps are not shelf stable, which any book on preserving can show you how to do. My version, must be kept in the fridge and is good for a few weeks, which, let’s face it, probably won’t even last that long!

Choose your Featured Ingredient! Pictured above are kumquats that I recently found at the farmer’s market, and are incredible when made into jam. Packed with a punch of twang that makes your lip pucker and neutralized with a bit of sweetness, kumquat jam is a true winner! My only ask, is that your fruit of choice should align with the season at hand. This way, you are capitalizing on the true beauty of the season’s harvest resulting in the purest, robust and sweetest flavor profile possible!

Jam at its Purest Form

Content provided by BBC Good Food

To qualify as proper jam, the finished product should contain 60% sugar, including the sugars in the fruit.

The Fruit

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

Many summer fruits make great jam.  The most popular are apricots, strawberries (and all manner of other berries such as blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and figs. The fruit will vary widely in sweetness, so be sure to taste your fruit before cooking. If it tastes tart, you may want to start out with more sugar than this recipe calls for, maybe closer to 1/3 cup.

Generally speaking, slightly under-ripe fruit contains more natural pectin than ripe fruit and ripe fruit is naturally higher in sugar and more developed in flavor. This means that, ideally, you want to have a mix of some under-ripe and some ripe fruit for your jam. But single-batch refrigerator jam is often about using up excess fruit that would go bad if you hung onto it for much longer or about taking advantage of a super sale at the market and coming home with more than you can eat. It's about keeping it simple and using what you have.

The Lemon

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

Lemon is used in jam to add acidic balance and pectin. I try to have a thick slice of lemon on hand when making my jam, which usually isn't much of a burden as lemon is a staple in my kitchen. After squeezing the lemon slice into the fruit and sugar, I then toss it into pot to cook alongside the jam. There's a lot of pectin in the rind, so this is a little nudge to help things along. (Hint: Using a piece cut from the tip of the lemon gives you more rind.) 

Fish out the lemon when it's time to transfer the jam to a jar and discard it. As mentioned, lemon is frequently used to help balance the jam's sweet/acid ratio, so do try to use it regardless of your pectin ambitions. Also, since you are boiling lemon in your jam, try to use an un-waxed, organic lemon. Regardless of what lemon you choose, make sure you thoroughly wash the outside in cold water (no soap) before using.

If you don't have any lemon on hand, you can add a small wedge of kiwi (about 1/4 of a fruit, peeled), which you can just mash in with the fruit (it won't add much flavor). A long piece of peel from a green apple (5 inches or so) will also help, but it should be removed, like the lemon, before transferring the jam to a jar.

The Sugar

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

It's hard to give an exact quantity of sugar since fruits vary in sweetness, even from piece to piece and from day to day within the same kind of fruit.  So, I start with a small amount, a ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 2 1/2 cups of fruit, and then add the lemon. After the fruit has boiled for 5 minutes, I taste a small, cooled spoonful and add a little more sugar if needed. Often it doesn't need additional sugar, but good to test.

The Salt and the Foam

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

I always add a small pinch of salt to my jam.  I find it balances the sweet and tart and seems to brings everything together, but it is optional. Also, I never skim the foam from the top of my jam. This is a habit born of laziness, but since I've never noticed a difference in the final product, it has become my method. I find that a little foam rises about midway through cooking the jam, but then it eventually cooks away. If the foam appears particularly scummy (grayish is color) I might do a quick skim, but the truth is that rarely happens.

The Frozen Spoon Test

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

1.   My first step in making jam is to put two or three metal spoons in the freezer. You will need these to check the consistency of your jam. 

2.   After your jam has boiled for about 5 to 8 minutes, it's time to check to see how it's setting up. Simply dribble some hot jam from the pot onto the frozen spoon and wait a few seconds for it to cool. 

3.   Run your finger through the jam — if it makes a clear path through the jam and doesn't fill in, then you have a good set.

More About the Set…

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

·   Jam made without pectin is generally a little runnier than jam made with pectin but it is still jam — that is, it gels into a sticky, cohesive mass when cool.  When it's hot, it will be a lot runnier so it's sometimes hard to tell if it has set enough. 

·   There are a few tricks, such as the frozen spoons previously mentioned (some people freeze small saucers instead and dribble the jam on the cold saucer to see if it sets).  

·   I've also noticed that paying attention to the bubbles is a clue. When the jam first starts to cook, the bubbles are larger and thin. As the water starts to evaporate and the jam starts to thicken, the bubbles become smaller and tighter. Also, you can't 'stir it down.' That is, when you stir the jam, it still stays in a full boil. When this happens, it's good to bring out the frozen spoon and start checking.  

The Jar

The type of jar doesn’t matter, but I always recommend choosing one that is “pretty”, like Weck or Ball jars. Make sure you thoroughly wash and dry the jars before use, but no need to sterilize them as you are not making them shelf-stable. Another good tip here, is to label the jar with the name and today’s date. I also recommend putting a “use by” date on the jar to ensure all family members know to enjoy it by then–which shouldn’t be a problem!

Basic Canning Instructions

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

1.   Freeze the spoons and prep the fruit: Put the spoons in the freezer. Cut your fruit into large chunks, discarding any pits, cores, or heavily bruised sections.  Slice a 1-inch wedge from the end of the lemon.  

2.   Combine the fruit and the sugar in the pot along with a pinch of salt. Squeeze in the lemon and then drop the rind into the pot. Turn the heat on to medium and mash the fruit a little until a chunky texture is reached. Don't mash the lemon too much as you will want to fish it out later.

3.   Cook the fruit: Bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring frequently. When a boil is reached, keep an eye on it, still stirring frequently.  

4.   When the bubbles become smaller and thicker, after about 5 to 8 minutes of boiling, start checking to see if the jam has set. Remove a spoon from the freezer and dribble several drops onto the spoon. Wait a few seconds, and then run your finger through the jam. If it leaves a distinct track in the jam, it is done. If not, keep cooking the jam and test again a few minutes later.

5.   Check for sweetness: When you test for the set, also taste the cooled jam on the spoon. Add one or two tablespoons more sugar as needed for sweetness or a touch more lemon juice for acidity. Stir it into the jam and continue to cook until the set is reached. (If the jam is set when you tasted it but you want it a little sweeter, add the sugar and cook for a minute or two to dissolve.)

How to Make Sure you Jam Sets!

Content provided by TheKitchn.com

·   Understand pectin: Pectin is the fiber that holds up the cell walls of fruits and vegetables. It exists in all produce, but some fruits have more of it than others. High pectin fruits like blueberries, apples, and cranberries don’t need any additional pectin and can be used in combination with other fruits to boost their pectin. If you’re working with low pectin fruit like strawberries or pears, there’s no shame in using some commercial pectin, as it will give the sugar more fiber with which to bond.

·   Use a candy thermometer: When you’re making jam with traditional amounts of sugar, you’re aiming to cook it to 220°F. That’s the temperature at which sugar forms a gel and can bond with the pectin (whether it naturally occurring in the fruit or you’ve added it). Monitoring the temperature can give you confirmation that you’re on the right track.

·   Watch and listen: I realize it might sound a little zen-like, but I’ve gotten to the point where I truly believe that most batches of jam will tell you when they’re done. I find that the cooking “noise” takes on a frenzied quality that sounds more like a sizzle than a gentle boil. The look of the boil also changes towards the end. Foam subsides, jam starts to gather more thickly on the sides of the pot, and it begins to splatter more violently.

·   Use a low or no sugar pectin: One of the reasons that people often wind up with runny jam is that they couldn’t bear to use the amount of sugar necessary to get a conventionally sweetened batch to set. If you’re trying to lower your sugar consumption but still want jam, try Pomona’s Pectin. It allows you to make a spreadable jam that’s sweetened with a small amount of sugar, honey, Stevia or another alternative sweetener.

·   Give it time: Jam can take up to a week to achieve its finished set. Patience pays!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Hasselback Potatoes: This Sexy Spud's Play-By-Play | Tuesday's Tip of the Day

Melissa's Produce Fingerling Potatoes | Photo: Tiffany Lewis

Hasselback potatoes are all the rage right now! Show-stopping, jaw-dropping, spectacular “how the heck do you do that” kind of rage. The best part, although so sophisticated to the eye, is that they are easy to make and just require a few tools and steps before the oohh’s and aahh’s set in. And, if you find that your giving yourself high fives–because if anyone else was there they would be the receiving end of your excitement–I don’t blame you one bit! Now, come join me on this hasselback bandwagon and let’s get cook’n! 

Where does the name hasselback come from? Although football legend Matt Hasselbeck may enjoy potatoes, the credit goes to the “Swedes — and the chefs at Restaurant Hasselbacken, in particular — for the invention of this particular style of potato. They also sometimes go under the name Accordion Potatoes or (my favorite) Pillbug Potatoes. Whatever you call it, the result is the same: a single potato, sliced into thin wedges but left joined at the bottom, baked until the layers fan out into rounds of crispy bliss.” - TheKitchn

Definition: First of all, I should make one note…hasselback potatoes are easy to make but require a little time and patience. In summary, and in its’ simplest purest form, hasselback potatoes are sliced across the entire potato from one end to the other without your knife cutting all the way through the bottom of the potato. So, when you hold up the potato, it stretches like an accordion which is why some people call this style of potato an accordion potato. Simple enough, right?

What you need:

Fingerling Potato Medley, Melissa's Produce | Photo: Tiffany Lewis

• Potatoes: Yukon are my favorite, but russet, red potatoes and my personal favorite, Melissa’s Produce Fingerling Potato Medley, will all work just as well. The fingerling will take longer to prep as they are smaller and have to be done one at a time, but they are so darn cute you may just want to take the time!

Fingerling Potato Medley, Melissa's Produce | Photo: Tiffany Lewis

• Chopsticks! There are a few things that will make this easier and they involve taking an extra set of chopsticks on your next sushi takeout order. That’s right, chopsticks! Chopsticks are just thick enough that they will act as an aid when slicing your potatoes. If you think about it, chopsticks are the perfect–cheap–option for stopping your knife blade from cutting all the way through the potato and severing it in half.
• Sharp Knife: This part is important as you want to cut through your potato in smooth strokes creating even width slices across. A dull knife is not only an unsafe knife, it can make it hard to cut through…remember, this potato isn’t cooked yet.
• Patience: This may take a while, especially if you are doing the fingerlings, so pour yourself a glass of wine, tea, coffee or beverage of choice, crank the tunes and enjoy the process.

The Spud Play-by-Play:

1.     Scrub your spuds with a potato scrubber.

2.     Starting with one potato at a time, line up your chopsticks like guardrails, on either side of the potato.

3.     Taking a sharp knife, start at one end and cut all the way across the diameter of the potato stopping when the knife hits the chopsticks. Repeat these steps, spacing ¼-inch to ½-inch apart.

4.     Repeat this process with all potatoes.

5.     Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place potatoes on top.

6.     Generously drizzle oil across each potato opening the cracks to ensure oil is coating inside the slits too! Season with salt, pepper and herbs or spices of choice if using.

7.     Place in preheated 425ºF oven and roast until crispy and “done.”

8.     Remove, allow to cool and sit back as the praise comes flowing in!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together

Kids Go Green! Easy Ways to Get your Kiddos–and YOU–to Eat More Greens | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

We’ve heard this time and time again, get more greens in your diet! Well, sometimes it’s hard for even us grown adults to follow the recommended guidelines, so how do we expect our kids to?

“The USDA's MyPlate specifically recommends adults and children over 9 eat one and a half to two cups of dark green vegetables per week. Nutrient-dense dark leafy greens are high in several vitamins and minerals, but at just 10 to 25 calories per half-cup serving, are low in calories. ‘The family of dark green leafy vegetables deliver vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, folate, vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium,’ says Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Isabel Maples, MEd, RDN. ‘So they really make the most of every calorie. These nutrients perform a variety of functions in the body, including promoting good vision, supporting immune function, acting as an antioxidant that may help prevent some types of cancer, and regulating blood pressure.’” – EatRight.Org

Today, I am turning to my friends at EatRight.org to offer some great tips when it comes to getting more greens in your diet, especially the toughest of critics, your kids!

So, what’s EatRight.org? EatRight.org is backed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their team of registered dieticians, nutritionist and experts in the field have come together for a single cause and one singular goal, educating and informing the public on ways for being at your absolute best! If you haven’t checked them out, they have a wealth of information perfect for implementing in your day to day life for being–and living–as your most perfect self!

4 Tips for Kid-Friendly Leafy Greens – EatRight.Org

“ ‘People often get intimidated by cooking and eating darker varieties of greens due to their intense flavors,’ says Academy Spokesperson Angela Lemond, RDN, CSP, LD. Try these tips for enhancing the flavor of different varieties to make them more enticing:

• Academy Spokesperson Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, says you can overcome the bitterness of collard and mustard greens by braising them "low and slow" (at a low temperature for an extended period of time), and adding a pinch of sugar at the end of cooking. Haas also says to remove the tough stems to reduce cooking time and avoid over-cooked greens.
• For kale, be sure to choose the right variety. Tougher curly kale is best for adding to soups or stews or for braising, says Haas. Tender lacinato and baby kale are best in salads.
• Preserve nutrients by sautéing greens, rather than boiling. Krieger recommends sautéing blanched greens with olive oil, onion and garlic to add flavor. Lemond recommends adding chopped nuts for additional heart-healthy fats. Haas says you can sprinkle lemon zest over the sautéed greens to brighten the flavor, but she warns not to use lemon juice, which will turn the leaves brown.
• Make a salad with tender greens such as spinach or baby kale. To expose kids to dark greens, Lemond recommends tossing together a salad made half with familiar lettuce and half with a dark green. Add a citrus-based dressing, which will help balance the strong flavor of the greens and aid in the absorption of iron found in the greens.”

Most importantly, beyond how we treat our greens to maximize–or minimize–their strong flavor profile, remember that however brave kids can be, even the toughest of kids can turn a “stink eye” to greens. Not only do they offer no sugary sweet reward, they are green and way to “adult” like. This is where our job begins in encouraging them, in a fun way, to try new things and see just how tasty those leafy greens can be…in a smoothie, for example. Bring kids to the market and get them in the kitchen with you as chances are, if they had a hand in it, they just might be more interested in sampling their “masterpiece.”

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Pancakes: Tips for Flippin’ the Best Flapjacks in Town! | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

It’s Sunday morning and your craving flapjacks but you don’t just want any flapjacks. Your mind wanders back to a few weeks ago when you were sitting cozy around a booth at your local diner cupping a steaming cup o’ joe while waiting for those fluffy hotcakes to hit your table. As soon as they did, hot maple syrup and butter quickly adorned, sleeves rolled up and it was time. Go-Time! Ok, back to reality. You are home, kids or friends are hungry and its time to show them what you got. That’s where I come in. And, don’t worry, you don’t have to tell your friends about me. Take the credit!

Turning to my friends over at The Kitchn, they have provided a roundup of their 5 tops tips for flippin’s the best flapjacks in town…and right in the comfort of your home.

Don’t overmix the batter:

·      When you mix the wet and dry ingredients together, gluten starts to develop. And the more you mix the batter, the more the gluten continues to develop. So what happens? The result of overworked batter is a stack of tough and chewy pancakes instead of the light and fluffy ones you were probably dreaming about.

·      Follow this tip: Mix the batter just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined, and there are no more visible wisps of flour. The batter will likely be lumpy, and that's okay.

Rest the Batter:

·      The resting period, which can range from five to 30 minutes, depending on the recipe, plays two roles. The gluten that was activated during mixing rests and relaxes, and also, the starch molecules in the flour absorb the liquid in the batter, ultimately giving it a thicker consistency.

·      Follow this tip: Good things come to those who wait. And, yes, that saying also applies to pancakes. It might seem trivial, but resting the batter is an important step that gives the gluten time to relax and settle down. In other words, it makes for pancakes that are more soft and tender, and this is especially important with crepes and Dutch baby pancakes. Use this time to clean up, set the table, or prep your toppings.

Start with a hot pan:

·      A sign of a good pancake, in my opinion, is one that is delicate and buttery-crisp around the edges with a soft, fluffy interior. But if you start with a pan that's not quite hot enough, instead of forming a lightly crisped exterior, the batter will start to soak up the butter or oil that's in the pan and get greasy.

·      Follow this tip: Give your pan some time to get good and hot evenly. Before adding the batter to the pan, the butter or oil should be very hot but not smoking. If you're not quite sure if the pan is hot enough, don't be afraid to make a small test pancake first.

Don’t set the heat too high!

·      High heat doesn't cook pancakes faster, it cooks them unevenly with burnt outsides. The pan needs to be hot, but make the mistake of setting the temperature too high and the bottoms are likely to burn while the inside remains raw and doughy.

·      Follow this tip: Setting your stove to the right temperature is one of the keys to great pancakes. The pan needs to be hot, but that doesn't mean the heat needs to be cranked up to high. For a well-cooked pancake with a golden-brown outside, and an inside that's soft and cooked through, keep the heat set to medium.

Know when to flip your pancakes! Not too soon and not too often!

·      You might be tempted to flip once the bubbles start to appear, but it's not quite time. Give it another minute.

·      Pancakes should be flipped once, and only once, during cooking. And as long as you didn't flip them too soon, you won't need to flip them any more than that. Flipping pancakes too many times causes them to deflate, losing some of that wonderful fluffy texture.

·      Follow this tip: Wait to flip the pancakes when the bubbles on the surface burst, and not a second sooner.

And, now that you have your technique down, try these fun tips from King Arthur and the Pioneer Woman.

Kind Arthur: Malt, rather than sugar, is what sweetens most food-service (i.e., restaurant/hotel) pancake mixes. For that typical "diner" taste, try malt in your pancakes instead of sugar.

Pioneer Woman: Secret ingredient for the best pancakes in town? Cake flour!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including my very own Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Separating Egg Whites: Back to Basics | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Today, we head into our test kitchen as I showcase a few tips on easily separating eggs. One of them even uses an empty water bottle. Yes, you heard correctly! Who knew separating eggs could be so fun! Before we get started, let’s set the foundation for first, cracking your eggs:

Where should I crack my egg:

·      Always crack your egg on a flat surface, like your countertop, and not on the edge of the bowl. Cracking your egg on the rim of the bowl can easily break and shatter the shell making it hard to “fish out” of the eggs in the bowl below.

I see chefs cracking their eggs in one hand, how do I do that?

·      Practice my friends, lots of practice!

How do I get a shell shard out of my eggs?

·      Use a clean spoon or your clean finger to remove the shell. Sometimes even a fork works! Whatever you do, don’t use the egg’s shell to remove the shard as the shell could be contaminated. Where do you think the shell sat after it came from the chicken? Just saying!

How should I store my eggs:

·      In the carton they came in or in your refrigerator’s provided egg tray. The best option is keeping them in the carton they came in as eggs quickly take on neighboring flavors and the carton helps to act as a shield and buffer.

Alright, enough of that. Let’s get crack’n…pun absolutely intended! Here are a few of the best methods for quickly and efficiently separating your eggs! I encourage you to try them all, after all, breakfast for dinner is so in vogue right now! 

Using your Hands:

What you will need:

·      3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.

·      Counter space: Clean!

·      Clean Hands: Don’t use fragrant soap as the aroma can impart flavor into your eggs.

Steps:

1.     Clean and dry hands.

2.     Crack eggs, one at a time, on a flat surface.

3.     Transfer entire egg, yolk and white, into the palm of one hand and teeter back and forth between both hands allowing the whites to seep through your fingers into the bowl designated for whites below. Be gentle or you could break the yolk.

4.     Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands to follow.

Shell to Shell:

What you will need:

·      3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.

·      Counter space: Clean!

Steps:

1.     Working with one egg at a time, gently crack the egg on a flat surface, like your countertop.

2.     Gently teeter the egg back and forth between both shells, allowing the egg white to fall in the bowl designated for whites below.

3.     Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands and counter to follow.

Using an Egg Separator:

What you need:

·      Egg separator, like the one pictured above from OXO ($5.00 at Sur La Table).

·      3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.

Steps:

1.     Place the egg separator over the bowl designated for egg whites.

2.     Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into the separator. Watch as the whites quickly seep through the spacing along the edges leaving the yolk intact. 

3.     Transfer the yolk to the bowl designated for yolks, and repeat this process.

4.     Repeat with the remaining eggs, composting the shells and thoroughly washing your hands and counter to follow.

Using a Plastic Water Bottle:

What you need:

·      1 clean and empty plastic water bottle with the cap removed.

·      1 plate

·      3 bowls: 1 for egg whites, 1 for yolks and 1 for discarding empty shells.

Steps:

·      Starting with one egg, crack an egg on to the plate below, ensuring the yolk is still intact. Note: As you get the hang of it, you can do several eggs at one time.

·      Using your empty water bottle, squeeze the sides of the bottle and gently place the mouth-tip over the yolk. Slowly release the pressure from squeezing the sides of the bottle and watch as the release of pressure works as a vacuum sucking up the yolk into the bottle and leaving the whites behind.

·      Release the yolk from the bottle by gently squeezing the sides of the bottle into the bowl reserved for yolks.

·      Repeat this process, “vacuuming” more than one yolk at a time as you get more comfortable.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including numerous recipes featuring eggs like my chocolate soufflé, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Cookie Conundrums: Troubleshooting Your Favorite Cookie Recipes for the Ultimate Outcome! | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Your given a recipe for your co-worker’s husband’s great grandmother’s chocolate chip cookie and you can’t wait to try them. You get home, precisely follow the recipe, portion, bake and patiently wait. 10 minutes later, you go in for the big reveal only to find they aren’t what you thought. Whether too cakey, flat, crispy or just plain not to your preference, they come in short. Before you toss the recipe – heck, grandma worked hard for that –  consider giving it another shot, but this time, with a few measured and precise modifications that even Bill Nye The Science Guy would be proud of! Here to help us reach that perfect cooking by answering all of our burning (hopefully figuratively and not literally) questions are our good friends at Betty Crocker.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Tough

Why?

·      Overworked the dough (especially likely with cutouts).

·      Added too much flour.

·      Used flour with too high of a protein content (e.g. bread flour).

·      Didn't use enough fat or sugar in the dough.

Fix It

·      Use a light touch; work with dough as little as possible once flour is added to avoid having the dough stiffen up as it is worked.

·      Spoon flour into a measuring cup, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour canister. Scooping compacts the flour, which means you end up with too much.

·      Try substituting pastry flour for the all-purpose flour. Pastry flour has less protein, so it develops less gluten when worked.

·      Start by adding ¼ cup extra sugar or butter to the dough. Sugar and fat are the ingredients that make a cookie tender.

Problem: My Cookies Are Hard and Dry

Why?

·      Added too much flour.

·      Stored cookies improperly.

·      Overbaked the cookies.

·      Needed more fat or sugar.

Fix It

·      Spoon flour into a measuring cup, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour canister. Scooping compacts the flour, which means you end up with too much.

·      Store cookies in an airtight container; freeze them for long-term storage.

·      Check oven temperature accuracy or bake a few minutes less.

·      Start by adding ¼ cup extra sugar or butter to the dough. Sugar and fat are the ingredients that make a cookie tender.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Pale

Why?

·      Used an insulated cookie sheet.

·      Baked at low oven temperature.

·      Under-baked the cookies.

·       Needed more sugar.    

Fix it

·      Use a heavy dull-aluminum cookie sheet. It allows heat to melt the sugar and brown the cookie.

·      Increase temperature by 25 degrees. Extra heat helps cookies brown.

·      Bake a couple of minutes longer.

·      Start by adding ¼ cup extra sugar to the dough. Sugar is a key ingredient for browning cookies.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Crusty

Why?

·      Added too much sugar.

·      Overbaked the cookies.

·       Used a dark cookie sheet.

Fix it

·      Cut back sugar by ¼ cup or use brown sugar (which has more moisture) as a substitute.

·      Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes less, or reduce temperature by 25 degrees.

·      Use a heavy dull-aluminum pan.

Problem: My Cookies/Bars Are Too Gummy

Why?

·      Added too much liquid/moisture.

·      Under-baked the cookies/bars.

·      Used too small a pan.

Fix it

·      Decrease egg amount (use yolk instead of whole egg or use 1 less egg) or add some flour.

·      Bake a couple of minutes longer. Cookies are done when the edges are firm. Bar cookies typically are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean.

·      Make sure you're using the pan size called for in the recipe. A smaller pan will make the batter too thick for the designated baking time.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Dark

Why?

·      Used a dark pan.

·      Added too much sugar.

·      Overbaked the cookies

Fix it

·      Use a heavy dull-aluminum pan.

·      Cut back by about ¼ cup sugar to prevent overbrowning.

·      Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes less, or reduce temperature by 25 degrees.

Problem: My Cookies/Bars Are Too Crumbly

Why?

·      Added too much flour.

·      Dough needs more fat.

·      Didn't let cookies cool long enough.

 Fix it

·      Cut back by ¼ cup flour to start.

·      Spoon flour into a measuring cup, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour canister. Scooping compacts the flour, which means you end up with too much.

·      Add 2 to 4 tablespoons more fat to the dough. Fat makes cookies tender.

·      Be patient and let bars cool completely before cutting, or cool cookies a couple of minutes longer.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Flat

Why?

·      Added too much fat or sugar.

·      Used all butter.

·      Baked at a low oven temperature.

·      Used room temperature/soft dough

·      Used a warm pan.

Fix it

·      Use half butter and half shortening, or reduce sugar amount. Butter and sugar make cookies spread.

·      Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes more, or increase temperature by 25 degrees.

·      Chill dough before using.

·      Place dough on cooled, clean pans to prevent early spread of cookies.

Problem: My Cookies Brown Unevenly

Why?

·      Made cookies with random, inconsistent sizes or thicknesses.

·      Baked cookies in an oven with inaccurate oven temperatures.

 Fix it

·      Use a cookie scoop to help make sure all cookies are the same size. Make sure cut-out cookies are the same thickness.

·      Check oven temperature accuracy with an oven thermometer.

Problem: My Cookies Always Burn

Why?

·      Overbaked the cookies.

·      Used a dark pan.

·      Added too much sugar.

Fix it

·      Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes less, or reduce temperature by 25 degrees.

·      Use a heavy dull-aluminum pan.

·      Reduce sugar amount to prevent overbrowning.

Problem: My Cookies Are Stuck to the Pan

Why?

·      Forgot to grease/line 

·      the cookie sheet or pan.

·      The cookies are delicate and contain a lot of sugar.

Fix It

·      Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

·      Line pans for bars with lightly greased or non-stick aluminum foil.

Problem: My Cookies Are Too Stiff

Why?

·      Added too much flour.

·      Baked dough immediately after it had removed from the refrigerator/freezer.

Fix It

·      Cut back by ¼ cup flour to start.

·      Spoon flour into a measuring cup, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour canister. Scooping compacts the flour, which means you end up with too much.

·      Bring the dough to room temperature before baking.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including dozens of cookie recipes like my brown butter gingersnap cookie, salted oatmeal coconut chocolate chip, espresso chocolate chip, thyme cornmeal cookies, and of course my ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

This Year’s New Year Resolution: More Time Around The Table Together! | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

If you’re going into 2017 feeling like this is the year you are truly going to make those New Year resolutions count, let me encourage you to add one more to the list: Finding more time to gather around the table together with those that you love!

There are countless studies that speak to the importance of “gathering” in building communities and fostering relationships, but did you know this time spent together is also a great way to stay attuned to how your children are doing at school and amongst their peers offering insight to any issues that can be addressed early on? How your adult friends are doing in relationships, at work and with their families that could potentially be addressed before a bigger issue arises? It’s amazing the power food can play in bringing people together, no matter the table, cuisine or reason at hand.

Regardless of the table, location or cuisine, there are simple ways this can be done. From coffee and a stroll on the beach, hot cocoa at the park, pizza on a sunroof overlooking the Los Angeles skyline below, or ice cream floats at the pier, it doesn’t have to be elaborate or “fussy.” In fact, it’s the simple act of using food as the vehicle in uniting that counts. What you actually eat – or sip – is completely up to you and ultimately, irrelevant to the time spent together, connecting over the conversation at hand.

Another way is through a nightly or weekly routine whether it’s Sunday supper with family and friends or school night supper where your family tightly nestles around one table sharing in the day’s triumphs and tribulations.

Regardless of where your table may be, and whom may be gathering around it, I encourage you to find more opportunities to gather around the table together with those that you love and truly relish in every moment!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Stocking the Bar Cart: Celebrating New Years with all the “Fixings"| Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Photo by Papereskimo 

When it comes to a festive New Year’s, its important to stock the bar cart with an element of sophistication while not breaking the bank – or countless hours of sleep. Today I offer my top tips for a fully stocked, festive and show stopping bar cart primed for your guests every wish.

Sips:

• To keep things simple, offer a signature cocktail that is pre-mixed and only in need of a shake, stir or few ice cubes to finish. By streamlining the bar cart – remember, less is more – you minimize clutter and spillage all while keeping your costs down. If you would like to take your bar cart to the next level, keep a supply of the basics like prosecco, whiskey, brandy, vodka, and even sparkling cider from which your guests can choose from. While on the subject of sips, consider offering a hot cider or mulled wine for those looking to take off the cold chill from their commute.

Add-Ons:

• Don’t forget tonic water, club soda and freshly squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice as well! Bitters, cherries, orange peels, simple syrup…consider your options and have fun with it. Heck, pomegranate seeds for your prosecco is another simple and festive way to take ordinary to extraordinary levels.

Glasses:

• Depending on available drinks, have a collection for glasses available for guests to craft their drinks in. Prosecco? Champagne flutes. Old fashioned? Rocks glass. 

Ice:

• Use the right cube for drink. Crushed ice simply won’t do with your scant of brandy – plus it melts faster – in your rocks glass. P.S. don’t forget that ice scoop and bucket!

Napkins:

• Always have cocktail napkins on hand. One way to help adorn the bar cart, is by using festive holiday themed napkins which are both useful and practical.

Festive Accompaniments:

• From festive colored straws, umbrellas, fancy bamboo pics skewered with olives or cherries, or really whatever may suit your fancy, have a collection of stirrers and straws to adorn even the simplest of sips.

Equipment:

• Cocktail shakers, stir sticks, strainers, muddlers, lemon or lime juicers, peelers…don’t forget the details because each and everyone make the difference in your overall success! 

Decorations:

• A small vase of flowers, Glassybaby’s, bowls of gold and silver M&M’ – don’t forget the spoon – and even outlining the bar cart with fresh garland, you immediately take your cart to a whole new level with minimal effort.  

Now that you have a fully stocked bar cart, prepare yourself for an incredible evening as you cheer to 2016 and toast to 2017!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Chargers: Style Your Table with Simple Touches of Elegance | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Quite often, it’s the little things in life that make all the difference. This phrase is no exception when it comes to setting your table. This holiday season, I encourage you to find simple ways to take your ordinary table to extraordinary levels, starting with the use of chargers. Chargers come in numerous colors, textures and styles but all in all, they add a sophisticated and “polished” look to any place setting. Think about gold, red or silver chargers for Christmas for a festive way to tie in the holiday and season at hand while adding that lovely finishing touch of elegance.

Chargers can be found at most cooking stores, like my personal favorite, Sur La Table.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Homemade Edible Gifting: Quick and Easy Recommendations for Giving the Gift of Food this Holiday Season | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

This holiday season, consider giving the gift of food! Whether homemade fudge, caramel sauce, candied nuts, or peppermint bark neatly nestled in my favorite weck canning jars, giving the gift of a homemade creation is one way to make a memorable impression.

Follow these steps to get started:

1)    Make your selection! Determine what you would like to make and try a test run. There is nothing worse than making your treats, packaging them and realizing they aren’t shelf stable, for example. This is your chance to make sure that your edible gift, truly will make a positive impression.

2)    Canning Jars: Select and purchase the appropriate size canning jar for creation – i.e. a wider canning jar for peppermint bark and fudge, and a slender jar for caramel sauce. It’s also important when considering the size of jar, to commit to filling it to the top. Make sure you know exactly how much fudge, for example, is needed to fill that jar before committing to its size. Kitchen stores, like Sur La Table, offer a great selection of canning jars while Amazon offers an even extended variety.

3)    Label: Determine how you want to label your creations. Whether using a traditional label maker, hanging gift cards tied around the top, or chalk board stickers, make sure they work with the canning jar at hand.

4)    Shop: Figure out exactly how many batches of treats you need to make to fill the chosen mason jars, make your shopping list, and head to the store!

5)    Time to Get Baking! Once you have made your sweets, make sure they are at room temperature before securing the lid. Regardless of what you have made, be mindful of where and how you store and transport your gifts. 

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including several for gifting, like my Chocolate Pecan Fudge, Foolproof Caramel Sauce, Spiced Nuts, and Peppermint Bark, to name a few, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Holiday Baking 101: How to Create a Parchment Overhang | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Come that time of year where stockings are hung, trees are adorned with ornaments and carolers are singing songs of holiday cheer and yule tidings, it’s time to dust off our favorite hand-me-down recipes for Grandma’s fudge and peanut brittle. Today, I am going to show you a super simple way to make your holiday bars and candies that much more rewarding with minimal waste and cleanup.

Step one:

Using baking spray, like Pam Baking Spray, line the bottom and sides of your square or rectangular baking dish. Make sure you reach the corners as well! The baking spray will act as “glue” to hold your parchment in place.

Step two:

Using a pencil, trace the width of your baking dish while allowing a 2-inch portion hanging over the side. This is what you will hold on to when you neatly and gently lift the bars from the baking dish. Using scissors, trim the parchment paper making sure it fits perfectly width wise in the pan without any layover, bunching or creases on the side.  If there are creases on the side, the bars will take on that shape as the batter seeps between them using the crease as a mold during the baking process. 

Step three:

Repeat this step going the other way creating, also allowing a 2-inch overhang on either side. Now, both pieces of parchment paper should be overlapping on the bottom and reaching over on all sides.  If the parchment paper keeps rolling inside the pan, turn the parchment paper upside down as sometimes, depending on how the parchment paper was stored or rolled in the container, it naturally wants to keep rolling. In this case, I lay the parchment the opposite way it naturally wants to roll, think turning it inside out against the natural roll from the container it came in. 

Step four:

Add your batter and using an offset spatula, spoon or rubber spatula, smooth the top into an even layer. If the parchment paper keeps folding into the middle, hopefully you caught this under step three, make a crease at the overhang in the hopes the heavy crease will weigh down the sides helping to secure them where they belong.

Step five:

Bake or “set” according to recipe directions.

Step six:

If baking, allow the treats to “set” for 15 minutes before lifting. If you lift to early, and before the baked goods have had a chance to “set”,  they could break or crumble. When ready to lift, take hold of two opposing side’s handles and carefully lift. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to fully cool before cutting into desired size bars. 

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including numerous utilizing parchment overhang, like my Chocolate Pecan Fudge, Peanut Butterfinger Fudge, or even my Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars,  visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning! 

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos, including a tutorial on making the most delicious – and easiest – fudge ever, solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life! 

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely, 

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Working with Endive | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

It’s that time of year where gorgeous, crisp rocket-shaped endive (pronounced, “on-deeve”) line our market stands. What to do with them and how to prepare them can be tricky but that’s where I come in. 

Shopping for:
Look for endive whose leaves are tightly closed together, bright green and white in color, firm to the touch, and with no noticeable blemishes.

Storing:
Loosely wrapped in a damp paper towel in an unsealed ziplock bag in the crisper. Remember, like your herbs, endives are a “living” vegetable and are best stored in a cool damp and hydrating environment. 

Cleaning:
The best way to clean endive, is by each leaf one at a time. Since the stem end keeps the leaves held tightly at the core, little critters can easily nudge their way inside the layers of leaves using them as a shield. 

Uses:
Thinly sliced and adorning a salad or as a vessel or shell for a filling inside (think appetizers). Endives offer a neutral flavor profile with enough structure to hold whatever nestles inside. One of my favorite uses, is with pink grapefruit, or a blue cheese, grape and tarragon salad. Yes Please!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning! 

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life! 

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together! 

Sincerely, 

Tiffany Lewis
Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together! 

Thanksgiving Etiquette: How to Attend an Unforgettable Thanksgiving Feast | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Whether hosting or attending Thanksgiving, one thing is for sure; preparing for the big feast takes planning, attention to detail and hours behind the cooktop. If you are planning on gathering around someone else’s table this year, let me offer some suggestions on attending an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast with grace and style!

Arrive on Time!

1.     There is nothing worse than hosting dinner, timing all your courses and guests are late!

2.     Do what you need to do to be there on time.  It really is the least you can do!

Bring a Hostess Gift!

1.     Don’t even think about showing up empty handed! If you ask and they say, “nothing, bring yourself” DON’T!

2.     A bottle of wine is a great start, but think about something in addition to that top shelf reserve that will serve as a wonderful memory of a delicious evening shared around the table together with family and friends!

3.     Matching fall-centric aprons for the host and self, for example, is one sure way to make a lasting impression, an especially useful one too!

4.     If they ask you to bring something to share, think about bringing your homemade creation in something lovely to leave behind. Not only does it serve as a hostess gift, it makes transporting your item that much easier without worrying about collecting it after the evening’s feast!

Ask to help!

1.     Especially with all the courses that come with a classic Thanksgiving feast, as soon as you arrive, roll up those sleeves and ask what you can do to help! 

2.     From filling water glasses, lighting the candles or decanting the wine, another set of helping hands is always greatly appreciated! 

Be Flexible:

1.     Yes! You may want to roll into your gathering with a flexible waste-band, but what I mean is flexible in terms of execution. Not everyone has a formal dining room or table so come with the intention of eating off your lap and relish in it! What really matters is that you are surrounded by family and friends anyway, right?

Dishes:

1.     We all dread those dishes, but they aren’t going to wash themselves!

2.     Whatever you do! Do not leave your host stuck with a mess! They may prefer to do it themselves, but at least help by clearing the table, scraping the food off the plates and neatly stacking the dishes for easy cleanup.

3.     Ideally, pour yourself another glass of wine, ask to borrow an apron, and continue the conversation around some soapy suds.

4.     And while you are at it, offer to take the trash out too!

Write a Thank You Note!

1.     This may seem old school, but send your host a thank you note, hand written if possible! Some traditions never die, and this definitely shouldn’t be one of them!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes perfect for that leave-behind casserole or pie dish, like my Cornbread Stuffing, Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow and Pecans, or Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Thanksgiving Grocery Shopping Made Easy with These Simple Steps | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

Before you drown a double espresso and brave the grocery story, consider these simple steps to make your trip as smooth – and quick – as possible! A true winning combination come Thanksgiving!

Creating the Space:

• The week leading to Thanksgiving, try to eat through your fridge as best as you can! With all the veggies – and that hefty bird – you need all the real-estate you can get! 

Have a Plan:

• Write a Shopping List: Don’t even think about going to the grocery store without a thorough shopping list! Check your cabinets – as well as expiration dates on those herbs – and account for items you already have replenishing with those that you don’t. Having a plan keeps you focused and on a mission at the store. It also keeps impulse purchases at bay while ensuring all ingredients are accounted for.

Often Forgotten Items:

• Don’t forget cleaning supplies, including sponges and scrubbers as well as detergent for your dishwasher, garbage bags, ziplock bags, to-go containers for leftovers, foil, plastic wrap and of course, cooking twine, meat thermometers, coffee pods for your nespresso including cream and sugar, oil, butter and jam for those steaming rolls, salt and pepper! They often don’t make our shopping list because we are so focused on the food, but boy are they important for the overall success!

Account for the Space:

• Make sure you account for where everything is going to go once home, including that 12 + pound turkey, veggies, wine, dairy, pumpkin pie, whipping cream, etc.  Once you arrive home with your groceries, you should know exactly where the turkey is going and that it is stored safely in consideration of your produce and anything else that has the potential of coming in contact with it.

Write a SMART shopping list:

• Tour Your Store Before Shopping: We all know our grocery stores, and if you don’t already have a relationship with one, I definitely recommend paying your local store a visit before you shop. This way, you can get the lay of the land and build your shopping list according to how the store “bundles” items starting with dry first and perishables last to keep them at their prime. This also gives you a nice foundation as you know exactly where the produce section is, that the wine is in the back left corner, adjacent to the baking aisle and dairy section, for example.  
• Categorize: Write your list according to the order in which you will shop (dry first, perishables and ice cream last), and in bundles. I create an excel sheet with categories: Protein, Dairy, Baking, Dry, Alcohol, Produce, and Home-Goods (Ziplock, foil, soap, etc.). This way, I can shop for everything in that category at one time.
• How to Shop: Shop for dry non-perishable items first and work your way toward produce, dairy, flowers and other “fragile” items last. Also make sure your flour, sugar and other dry items don’t get wet from those leafy greens and make sure you keep the eggs on top. And the Turkey…that should go under the cart on the “rack” or “shelf” all by itself so that it doesn’t have the potential of cross-contaminating with your produce.

Bring a Pen & Highlighter:

•  Essential!!! Cross off your list as you go and highlight those items you may need to come back for or shop elsewhere for.  I find that I shop a few stores around the holidays because I like the stock at Trader Joes, the rolls and cinnamon rolls at Blue Chair Bakery – which travel with me from Balboa Island to Seattle – and proteins and veggies at QFC. 

Bring Shopping Bags:

• Cross-body bags are the best because you can carry more and it doesn’t hurt your hands. Even if you have a few cross-body bags, it frees up your hands for a few more bags, or a double shot espresso!

Dress Appropriately:

• Comfy shoes, sweater if your store is as cold as mine, and a purse that you can wear cross-body so you don’t have to worry about leaving your cart unattended. 

Be Patient! Don’t go shopping if you’re on a tight timetable!

• Rushing through your shopping only causes panic and anxiety which is the key ingredient for purchasing the wrong item or forgetting it all together. Unless you are interested in making a few additional – and unnecessary, should I add – trips to the store, carve away a chunk of time where your shopping list has your full attention.

After Shopping, Head Straight Home:

• Don’t let your greens wilt and turkey defrost in your car! Plan on grocery shopping after all your other errands so you can quickly put things away when home.

Now that you are fully equipped to take on your Thanksgiving shopping, I encourage you to start writing your list today! It’s never too early to plan your Thanksgiving feast!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including several classic Thanksgiving recipes like my Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey, Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust, Cranberry Relish as well as Cranberry Sauce, and Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows and Pecans, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Everyday Serving Pieces for Any Occasion | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

When it comes to entertaining, I always tell my clients that serving pieces are items we collect overtime. Yes, we all need a basic inventory of serving pieces to get started, but this “basic” collection will no doubt grow as our space, expertise and desire expands. Here are a few everyday serving pieces, perfect for any occasion.

• Bowls: When it comes to serving bowls, its important that we have different sizes ranging in varying widths and depths. A shallow serving bowl can make a gorgeous serving vessel for pasta night, where a deep serving bowl is best suited for a salad. Think outside the box when it comes to bowls and don’t be afraid to repurpose and reuse.
• Platters: From oval, square and round, think about 1 of each for maximum use and versatility. A few different sizes, starting with your current entertaining style (small gatherings vs. large gatherings) and building from there.
• Serving Utensils: Make sure you have a collection of serving spoons (slotted too), forks, and tongs as well as pie servers and knives for your desserts.
• Mason Jars: These can come in real handy! From cocktail shakers, vases, hurricanes and a vessel to hold utensils for casual entertaining, not to mention a paper napkin weight for outside entertaining, mason jars constantly save the day in my household. Plus, since they are so inexpensive, consider having a collection of different sizes to add dimension for any purpose or occasion.
• Pitchers: You can use the same pitcher for water as that sweet ice tea, just make sure you have a few so that you can serve from both at the same time. When determining what size to purchase, think large enough so you don’t have to keep refilling but small enough so they easily nestle in between tablescapes and those gathering around the table together.
• Cooking Vessels and Everyday Kitchen Staples: You don’t always need a traditional serving vessel to serve from. Think about serving cheese and crackers, as well as that delicious garlic bread, right off a cutting board (if it’s a nice looking one) and soup straight from the saucepan!  Not only does it bring people together and make the entire evening more “homey”, its repurposing what you do have without anyone knowing the difference.

With this foundation of everyday essential serving pieces, you equip yourself with the necessary tools for entertaining in style!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Mason Jars: My 5 Favorite Uses | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

From canning, to serving as vases, hurricanes and cocktail shakers, mason jars are all the rage! Today, I am going to share my top 5 uses for purchasing a collection of mason jars on your next visit to the superstore.

1.     Vases: Mason jars make for great vases as they immediately add character. Consider scattering a collection of varying sizes and shapes across your fireplace mantel, dining room table, bedroom dresser or coffee table. Not only do they make a fun and unique addition, they are inexpensive and easy to wash and store.

2.     Hurricanes: Add a little sand, insert votive, light, voila! Think about an entire slew of mason jars in all varying sizes using battery operated votives if outside!

3.     Cocktail Shakers: Who needs a fancy cocktail shaker when you can use a mason jar. Insert ingredients, top with ice, secure the lid and shake. Plus, a few mason jars on your cocktail cart adds a nice youthful touch.

4.     Making Vinaigrettes: Instead of slowly incorporating your oil while whisking, that alone takes some coordination, add everything to your mason jar, don’t forget that pinch of salt and pepper, secure the lid and shake. Taste, adjust, serve! Plus, leftover vinaigrette can remain in the mason jar until the following day. Why dirty another dish, right?

5.     Shaping your graham or gingersnap crust for Thanksgiving (since it’s just around the corner) pies! Yes, this is an unusual one, but if the bottom of your mason jar is flat – as in, not indented in the bottom – simply press down in your 9” round pyrex, including the corners and sides, to give structure minus the finger indents. P.S. Since we are on the topic, and just in time for Thanksgiving, check out my recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust!

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including dozens for Thanksgiving like my famous Parker House Rolls, Cranberry Sauce and Relish, Green Beans, and even a super simple Turkey, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Quick and Easy Tips for Delicious Weeknight Meals | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

First of all, cooking during the week is absolutely possible regardless of that last minute 5:00 all-hands meeting.

The most important part is being prepared and having a plan. Anticipate the week ahead and utilize what free time you do have, however little that may be, to make a plan. Whether that plan is Blue Apron or ordering groceries through Amazon Prime, it’s getting food to your table. These two options can be done on the treadmill, while waiting for your triple tall Americano, during your lunch break or on the subway. 

Think of ordering food that can be used for several meals, like a whole roasted chicken for tonight’s supper, tomorrow’s chicken sandwich and the evening’s chicken noodle soup. Make a big batch of quinoa, vinaigrette, pasta, or whatever suits your fancy and simply toss and adorn to your heart’s content. Chop all your veggies and simply use what you need when you need it for a quick sauté or roast.

We think putting together a delicious home cooked meal after a long day’s work is such a feat, but truth be told, its absolutely possible with a little foresight and planning. And, what better way to unwind than making dinner for those that you love.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, like my whole roasted chicken and numerous vinaigrettes and soups, perfect for making in batches for the week ahead, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

The (Clever) Secret to Reserving Leftover Sauces | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

From marinara to pesto, you worked long and hard to build those flavors! Don’t waste that little leftover, however minute it may be, that could be a perfect finishing sauce for your weeknight chicken cutlet or single serving pasta! Simply freeze them in ice cube trays and re-heat in a pan for a quick weeknight sauce at your fingertips.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including a few perfect for freezing like my spicy arugula pesto, visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, for dozens of videos solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!