Photo of the Day: Oheb Shalom Aids Habitat for Humanity

Local volunteers share and give thanks

Oheb Shalom congregants help the community in many ways. Our gallery shows a few.

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How to Brine a Turkey

Brining a turkey takes time and effort, but results in a moist and flavorful bird.

  “Brining” has always been the secret method that chefs use to make a moist and flavorful baked turkey. Many years ago I asked a chef why her turkey meat tasted so good, and she led me back to the kitchen’s large, walk-in cooler filled with birds soaking in a fragrant bath. I immediately got her recipe. But what is brining? There are two types: wet and dry. Dry brining is simply rubbing a turkey in a salt and herb mixture and letting it sit (refrigerated of course) for many hours (usually about one hour per pound). It's somewhat easier and more convenient than the alternative wet option, and advocates insist dry brining makes for a bird with a firmer meat texture, and the skin is sensational. Wet brining, which does seem to be the most …

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Fantastic Thanksgiving Sides

A cheesy potato casserole and delicious cranberry sauce are sure to light up your Thanksgiving dinner table.

It’s time for Thanksgiving, my favorite time of the year! Not only do you get to see family, but the food is plentiful and delicious. If your family is anything like mine, there are multiple side dishes to choose from to accompany the all important turkey. Everything from green bean casserole to sweet potato pie has been served at our table and now, I would like to share some fantastic side dish recipes that may become a part of your Thanksgiving tradition. Ingredients Cheesy Potato Casserole 3 lbs red potatoes, sliced 1 lb broccoli, chopped 1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken 1 cup sour cream ½ lb ham, sliced 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp basil ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup Asiago, grated ½…

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Food Donations Needed For Thanksgiving & Hurricane Sandy

Local food pantries struggling to keep up with the demand this holiday season.

For food pantries across Northern New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy dealt a double blow: It increased the number of families in need of assistance and shortened the span between Halloween (which Gov. Chris Christie moved to Nov. 5) and Thankgsiving, which comes early this year. Prior to the storm, the Community Food Bank of New Jersey reported more than 960,000 residents of Northern New Jersey are food insecure, meaning at times they lack access to enough food to maintain an active, healthy life.  The Community Food Bank is hosting its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive this Saturday, Nov. 17 from 9am to 2pm at the following locations in Essex County:   

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Turkey Day Leftovers Without Reinventing the Wheel

Thanksgiving shepherd's pie making the memory last a little longer

Let's face it, the day after Thanksgiving is not a day for cooking.  In fact it's hard to muster up any energy at all in the kitchen.  But chances are the fridge is stuffed with leftovers, so why not do the most logical thing?  Put it all together in a casserole and enjoy that Thanksgiving feast one more time. Shepherd's pie is nothing new and this is hardly a recipe.  The Shepherds' knew what they were talking about back in the 1800s .  It originated as a dish using up leftover meat with a mashed potato crust on top.  The dish is still very relevant today especially after Thanksgiving.   For those who like a little of everything on turkey day, this is Thanksgiving all over again but it can eaten it in front of the game (or the shows you …

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CHS Senior Takes Part in The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Lee Anderson participates in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the third straight year.

When students from Columbia High School watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, they may notice a familiar face. Lee Anderson, a senior at the school, will be making his third appearance in the parade this year as part of the Great American Marching Band. Last year, he marched and played the Sousaphone in the Great American Marching Band that escorted Santa Claus into town. He'll be reprising that role this year.  Normally, Lee plays trombone in the CHS Wind Ensemble, the CHS Marching Band and the New Jersey Youth Orchestra, and he plays tuba in the CHS Symphonic Band. Lee and the 220 musicians in the Great American Marching Band are from all parts of the country and spent the five days leading up to Thanksgiving rehearsing and…

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Food, Glorious Food

Cranberry Sauce: Turkey Topper and Table Talk

Easy to make and it travels well, bringing Garden State history to the table

When the hosts take up your offer to bring something for Thanksgiving, do it Garden State-style with homemade cranberry sauce. This dish is pretty, and almost as easy as opening a can. It also tells a story of New Jersey history, which might be useful table talk at Thanksgiving dinner. Cranberries have grown in New Jersey for centuries. One of the earliest written references is a letter from emigrant Mahon Stacy. Writing to his brother in 1680, Stacy said, "We have from the time called May until Michaelmas a great store of very good wild fruits as strawberries, cranberries and hurtleberries. The cranberries, much like cherries for color and bigness, may be kept until fruit comes in again. An excellent sauce is made of them for venison, …

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Share Your Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes!

Do you make a non-conventional dessert? Side dish? Main course? Tell us about it!

While the “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner usually consists of turkey and trimmings, we have all established different traditions through the years. That said: Do you bake or cook anything that strays from conventional Turkey Day cuisine? Perhaps it is a dessert, a side dish – or maybe even the main course. We are looking for your non-traditional recipes to share with our Patch readers. Please e-mail them (and pictures) to bfalzarano.patch@gmail.com and we will publish them early next week. And, of course, feel free to share below in the comments.

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About Town

Getting there for the Holiday

NJ Transit adds trains and buses for Thanksgiving; kids ride free all weekend

Extra rail and bus service set for Thanksgiving travelers Whether traveling over the river or through the woods, those who've decided the best way to grandma's house is by mass transit will be treated to more trains and buses this holiday weekend. In addition, according to NJ Transit officials, scores of customer service representatives and volunteers will be on hand at major facilities to assist customers throughout the holiday period with extra rail and bus service ready to roll to match Thanksgiving travel patterns. This year, NJ Transit will also once again offer "early getaway" rail and bus service  today for the benefit of customers leaving work early, and will provide additional capacity for customers traveling to Newark Liberty …

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