Taste of Home November 2017

1. Get the cover look! Turkey whisperer (and Senior Food Stylist) Kathryn Conrad’s go-to garnish: Toss 1 pound whole small carrots and two halved lemons in a splash of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 20 minutes at 475°, stirring once. Arrange around the bird. Delish. 2. For the love of good fats, high fiber and you, our registered dietitian nutritionist rounded up this issue’s most heart-healthy standouts. Look for the stamp. 3. I just got back from a chunky peanut butter showdown. Our staffers grabbed spoons and sampled several brands to declare the peanut butteriest! tasteofhome.com/peanutbutter HEART HEALTHY…

On Thanksgiving morning when I was a little kid, my mom answered the phone with a chipper “Gobble gobble!” The pre-company house spiff was in high gear. The phone cord stretched to its limit as she swept the miscellanea on the kitchen counter into a shopping bag to stash in the hall closet (pro tip!). Turkey Day was a time to clean, cook, give and love with wild abandon. At our house: My Scandinavian great-grandpa, dapper in a leather wingback chair (we marveled that he was born in 1899). The cousins living it up with sparkling grape juice at the kids table (a handy how-to, page 63). Grandma Betz’s pies and Grandma Mitchell’s Sugar Plum Bread (recipe on page 62). We called it the less posh-sounding “prune bread” back in…

Hi! As a new member of the Taste of Home team, I’m thrilled to be part of this wonderful community of home cooks. Truth be told, I have plenty of room to grow in the kitchen. But I love food— especially for its power to bring people together. When we sit down to eat, we talk. When we talk, we connect. So my goal in each issue of the magazine is to help deepen those connections by linking you to lots of inspiration across all of the Taste of Home channels. Enjoy! Taste of Home LIVE ! HAPPIEST holiday tour It’s not too late to catch our Taste of Home LIVE Happiest Holiday Tour. This full lineup of delicious recipes, cooking tips, demonstrations and numerous chances to win great prizes…

HERE’S OUR HAPPY ROUNDUP OF ALL THINGS TASTY AND HOMEY Poached Pears with Orange Cream These light, sweet pears are the perfect ending to a big holiday meal. Poaching them in the same wine you’re serving at dinner makes a nice transition to dessert. —Julianne Petrasko, Taste of Home Designer Prep: 10 min. • Cook: 45 min. + cooling • Makes: 2 servings 2 firm medium pears 11/2 cups water 1 cup dry red wine or red grape juice 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream 2 tsp. confectioners’sugar 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest 1/8 tsp. orange extract Additional grated orange zest, optional 1. Core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears; cut 1/4 in. from bottom to level if necessary. Place pears on…

Thanks for Taking Me to the Moon Peanut Butter Moon Pie Turn a peanut butter sandwich into dessert, add some marshmallow whipped cream and MoonPies, and you’ll have a kid-friendly treat with a little grown-up flavor. —Jenna Hunterson Makes: 9½-inch pie GRAHAM CRACKER PIE SHELL 13/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted FILLING 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese,at room temperature 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not all natural) 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract MARSHMALLOW WHIPPED CREAM 1 cup heavy cream, chilled 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar 1 cup marshmallow creme 4 MoonPie Minis, halved crosswise, for garnish 1 Tbsp. grated bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, for garnish 1. For the pie shell: Preheat the oven to…

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW This combo of baking ability and British humor is a wonderful (and mouthwatering!) way to spend an afternoon. Seasons 1-3 on Netflix. ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN As always, Anthony Bourdain inspires shock, awe and cravings with his strange adventures into the world of food. Seasons 1-8 on Netflix. CHEF’S TABLE: FRANCE It’s not just frog legs! French cuisine is rich in flavor and texture, and this show lets you explore it all through the minds of experts. Season 1 on Netflix. BOOZE TRAVELER This hilarious show tracks Jack Maxwell as he scours the world for interesting and unique alcoholic creations, sipping his way through decades of boozy history and culture. Seasons 1-3, travelchannel.com TOP CHEF If competitive cooking is your game, this is your show.…