Hey There, It's Christa!

The Countdown to Thanksgiving Has Officially Begun!

Confession time: It's only November 3, and I've already poured through the latest issues of Food Network Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Everyday With Rachael Ray and Better Homes and Gardens, not to mention a few cookbooks in search of the best Thanksgiving recipes.

Yes, I absolutely adore making Thanksgiving dinner...every single course of it. Really, it's like the Super Bowl of meals for the home cook, and I look forward to (and start planning) for the big day several weeks in advance.

Hence all those magazine articles...

Now I'll admit, if I had to cook for a whole army of people (usually, we have 2 or 3 guests aside from Will and I), I might not feel the same way. But because there's just a few of us, I love the challenge of trying to get everything done in time in our very tiny, apartment-sized kitchen.

This year, I cheated a little and ordered a smoked turkey (Will has always extolled the many virtues of a smoked turkey, so I surprised him by ordering the one from East Texas that Oprah likes), so that will definitely make things easier cooking-wise since the turkey tends to take the longest (and ours already comes all ready to go). But if you're making your own, I highly recommend Sunny Anderson's recipe for turkey with peach rosemary glaze. I made this last year, and it was delicious.

So without having to do all the roasting myself this year, that will leave more time for the my favorite part of the meal—the sides!!

While it's definitely not rocket science by any means (although I definitely add my own touches from the original recipe), Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without green bean casserole. So I will make that, along with garlic red mashed potatoes and gravy (a once-a-year indulgence), homemade cheddar buttermilk biscuits, homemade sausage and cranberry stuffing and, of course, I'll serve all that with Barefoot Contessa's old-fashioned cranberry sauce. I love this stuff sooo much that I wrote a review of it on Crate and Barrel's website, the only place where you can get it. Trust me, it's way better than the stuff with the can imprint still on it.

As far as dessert goes, I'm still deciding what I want to do. I'll definitely make something pumpkin-y, but maybe I'll offer something else, too (an apple tart, perhaps?), so I'm still brainstorming that. Thankfully, I've still got, oh, 23 days left, but it's never too early to start, right?

So now that I've revealed mine, what are your must-haves for Thanksgiving dinner and why? Also, any good dessert recipes I must try pronto?

Book Comment: "Italian for Beginners"

On my list (and yes, I really have one) of places I absolutely, positively must visit before I die, Italy has always reigned supreme (with Greece being a close second).

Since I can't just hop on a plane to Rome on a moment's notice (I'm hoping that Will and I will take a planned anniversary trip there in the not-too-distant future instead), I have to live vicariously through episodes of Giada DeLaurentiis' "Everyday Italian," my favorite movie "Roman Holiday," and now, "Italian for Beginners," some of the best escapist literature I have read in a while.

Not only is it clear from the get-go that the author Kristin Harmel really loves her subject (Italy), but the characters she has created here are thoroughly enjoyable, too. Even with the safe, bubble-like existence that she has expertly created for herself, (the clear antithesis of how I like conducting my own life) it's still difficult not to relate to leading lady Cat Connelly's plight. In fact, after the whole debacle with her mother and her fractured love life, you can definitely understand why going to Italy on a whim is a serious leap of faith.

But, of course, that's when her life story truly begins as she experiences love, heartache and reconnection (not to mention the requisite haircut that's a symbol of her new-found independence) during her own "Roman Holiday." And for fans of the Audrey Hepburn film (yes, like me!), there are plenty of parallels between the movie and "Italian for Beginners" that are so fun to discover along the way.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The 10 Best Things About Fall

I know, I know...when Fall arrives in Minnesota, well, it's officially one step closer to six months of winter which for the record, is no fun at all. Not one little bit.

Even with that ominous event always lurking in the back of my mind, it's impossible not to love this amazing season that's way, way too short in my humble opinion.

Simply put, it's spectacular for a number of reasons—reasons I'll explain in "Letterman Top-10 list" style right here, right now.

Coming in at #10: No more shorts or capri pants. Given that I have ghostly white legs that don't tan, and I'm not a tanning salon kind of girl, I'm don't exactly love wearing shorts or capri pants. But when it gets hot—really hot— in the summer months, what choice do you have in the matter? 

You just gotta own it like Anne Hathaway does. Or give it your best shot, anyway.

Sadly, my legs hate the sun so much that I still have "redneck socks" (a.k.a. seemingly permanent tan lines) from a bad sunburn I got two years ago while sitting by the Four Seasons' pool in L.A. for 20 minutes. Yeah, 20 minutes and unsightly tan lines to show for it two years later. Goodness knows how bad it would've been if I'd stayed out any longer...

#9: Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils. Sure, roses are a great gesture of romantic devotion, but I always loved it when Tom Hanks' character tells Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail (via e-mail, of course) that he'd send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if he knew her name and address.

I must confess that line gets me every time. Yeah, I'm a dork who loves school supplies...and I haven't set foot in a classroom (other than as a guest speaker) for years now.

Every fall when kids are getting their new backpacks, glue sticks and Jonas Brothers' notebooks, it's my tradition to pick up a few new school supplies (for the office, of course), too. There's just nothing like a bunch of new pens, cute notebooks, paper clips and post-its to make working at home feel more tolerable, lemme tell ya.

#8: Soup, Soup and more Soup. On a chilly day, there's nothing more delicious with crackers or a crusty piece of bread in my opinion. Whether it's butternut squash, a hearty bowl of chili or simple tomato basil, count me in. And making it myself? Well, that just makes the experience more fun.

#7: Better Movies, Actual Must-See TV. After reviewing dud after dud at the box office this summer,   fall movies couldn't arrive fast enough. And I'm thrilled to pieces for new episodes of "The Office," and "Castle," too, which beats re-runs any day of the week.

#6: Are You Ready for Some Football? We Banisters have been for months now. And thanks to Favre signing with the Vikes (yes, I'm finally getting used to it), we have three teams (the Packers, Vikings and Cowboys) to root for. Fun, fun, fun.

#5: Scarves, Scarves, Scarves. I adore scarves, but I've never figured out a way to wear them in the summer without looking ridiculous. But in the fall? No problem at all. I'm already excited about sporting all my favorites, Burberry and otherwise.

#4: Two words: Halloween candy. Do I really need to explain this?

#3: Beautiful Scenery: Anyone who knows me well knows that nature and I don't always get along, but ultimately, who can deny the  beauty of fall? I absolutely love the changing leaves, the crisp feeling in the air and taking long walks with Will with such a gorgeous backdrop.

#2: Pumpkin spice lattes. Yeah, I still love my caramel macchiatos, but once these babies arrive in stores, I simply can't get enough. So delicious.

#1: Special occasions. But what takes the proverbial cake when it comes to fall is all that I get to celebrate...Will and I's anniversary (October 8). Will's birthday (October 13). My mom's birthday (October 21). My pal Krista's birthday (October 23).There's certainly no shortage of fun (or cake) in the Fall months, that's for sure...

Book Comment: "Under the Table: Saucy Tales From Culinary School"

I had a truly frightening dream the other night. Instead of writing, I'd decided to quit the biz and enroll in culinary school. And as I was getting ready for my first day of my new career, I was sweating bullets because I was convinced I'd forgotten how to use a whisk.

Really, a whisk?

Thankfully, when I woke up, all was right with the world, and I had a writing deadline that morning to prove it.

Now anyone who knows me well knows how much I enjoy cooking. Hands down, it's one of my favorite hobbies. Not only am I a bonafide Food Network junkie, but I read cookbooks just for the sheer fun of it, fawn over a ball of fresh mozzarella as if it were my own child and can't wait to get to a new city just to see what its restaurant scene is like.

But as much as I love to cook, I'm not likely to make an actual career out of it. I mean I have no interest in learning how to take a chicken apart properly (ewww!) or making my own pastry without the help of my food processor, so I'm guessing culinary school probably isn't for me.

I must say it was pretty fun living vicariously through Katherine Darling's experience in Under the Table, though. Without even getting my apron dirty, I got all the benefits of a culinary education without any of the hassle. Like me, Katherine used to work in publishing. But one day, she decided to jump ship (probably not a bad idea considering how bad the biz is in NYC these days) and try to parlay her love of cooking into an actual profession.

And I couldn't give her more props for doing so because that's a gutsy thing to do—especially when you have to go into some serious debt to do so. Unlike Julie & Julia, Katherine doesn't learn to cook the French way by whipping through her copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Instead, she goes the old-school route and has the memories of many wrecked omelets to prove it.

While there's nothing particularly flashy about Katherine's actual writing style, she does know her way around a good story, and there are plenty of memorable ones along the way. That, along with some mouth-watering descriptions of what she's making (complete with a few great recipes to boot) make this a really engaging read. So if you're into foodie memoirs, I'd highly recommend it.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, however, I'm still glad my dream was just a dream. I'm not sure I'm professional cooking material—even if I do feel pretty confident with a whisk. :)

Hangin' With Julia

After seeing Julie & Julia this summer (three times, no less), I was the movie marketer's dream customer.

Not only did I purchase a copy of Julia's fabulous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (and no, for the record, I haven't made anything from it yet), but her biography, My Life in France as well. And I'm thinking that if I didn't already own a copy of Julie & Julia (I even blogged about it a few months ago ), I'm sure I've would've picked one of those up, too.

Gotta hand it to those product placement folks, their tactics worked brilliantly on me.

In the past couple of weeks, I've enjoyed reading both. While I'm pretty sure I'm never going to make an aspic, (the whole jello-molded meat concept just doesn't sound so appetizing to me...sorry, Julia) I'm excited about trying a few of her recipes in the not-so-distant future. As for her biography, it was thoroughly enjoyable with all the warmth and funny anecdotes about being an American living (and cooking) in France that you'd expect. Her writing is unfussy yet effective because I felt like I was right there with her for the journey's duration.

Much like Julie & Julia, My Life in France also celebrates a wonderful marriage between Julia and Paul, two eccentric little oddballs who found incredible joy together (even if her parents wished for someone else for her). Since marriage gets such bad P.R. in so many books and movies, it was refreshing to read about a relationship that was really working, even fun! That's a message that Will and I have been trying to get out for four years now, and it's one that really resonates in the pages of My Life in France.

I especially related to what Julia wrote on page 93 when she is visiting Italy for the first time with her family and Paul couldn't join her..."Paul and I liked to travel at the same slow pace. He always knew so much about things, discovered hidden wonders, noticed ancient walls or indigenous smells, and I missed his warm presence. Once upon a time I had been content as a single woman, but now I couldn't stand it!

While I still love traveling, I've found that it's really difficult (something I never expected, to be honest) to thoroughly enjoy being wherever I am (even NYC, L.A. or Scotland) when Will isn't there. Simply put, it's just not the same, and it's good to know that I'm not the only one who has ever felt that way.

My First Official Cooking Class: Making Pasta From Scratch

Well, I've finally redeemed my Valentine's Day present from Will...a gift certificate for a class from the Cooks of Crocus Hill school in St. Paul.

And no, he wasn't dropping a hint about my cooking prowess, I promise. :)

See, I've always talked about wanting to take a class, and Will, being the great listener that he is, decided that might make a really fun gift.

He was definitely right.

On a side note, since I think he'd love seeing that sentence in print, I decided to give it its own paragraph.

Back to my class, we learned how to make pasta and delicious accompanying sauces. Chef Antonio walked us through the process of making pasta dough (which wasn't too bad, aside from all that kneading), and then we used a pasta machine to form the homemade fettuccine.

I must say I have an entire new respect for pastamakers because while the process isn't particularly complicated, it is time consuming. With patience not really being my strong point, I was wise enough to foresee that I won't probably be doing this at home any time soon. We don't exactly have the counter space anyway...

Even more fun than making fettuccine was making homemade pesto tortellini and fragrant ravioli. Now that's a process I can get behind. While some of my tortellini were a little more free form than others, I couldn't have been more proud when none of them broke open in the boiling salted water.

My favorite dish of the night, however, was the two-sauce cannelloni with prosciutto, mushrooms and a mountain of grated parm. I was definitely full by the time they served this (the last pasta course), but somehow, I was able to enjoy each and every delicious cheesy bite—a highlight of what was an amazing introduction to cooking class.

Here's hoping I get all Julia Child and take another one (pastry, perhaps?) in the future.

Barefoot Contessa Wouldn't Have Approved But...

On Saturday night, I had a dinner party that Ina Garten (a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa) definitely wouldn't have approved of.

In fact, I violated several of her back to basics rules of entertaining...and no, that doesn't mean that I skipped the good vanilla.

But these were doozies in her book nonetheless..

Not only did I not make anything in advance (I did everything only mere hours before), but I actually served dishes that I (gasp!) never made before (but always wanted to).

And everything actually turned out great.

I debuted lasagna rolls (a recipe by Giada with a few new touches of my own), homemade garlic bread and mini orange ricotta chocolate cheesecakes for dessert.

Now I'll admit, I was a little nervous about the cheesecakes since a water bath was required so they wouldn't crack in the middle. Not only have I never cooked anything that required a water bath, but I'd never used a silicon muffin tin before. Fortunately, the silicon made everything easy breezy, so count me a new fan. The cheesecakes came out of the pan perfectly and looked really cute arranged on my cupcake pedestal.

Other than wasting a lot of money on ricotta cheese, prosciutto and a special muffin tin, really, what was the worst that could happen? If dinner turned out bad, I still could've ordered pizza, which I'm guessing with wine, still would've been a crowd pleaser.

But I do have to say, making this dinner was a lot more fun and maybe, just maybe, I'll break Barefoot's rules again sometime soon, who knows? Hmmm, what to try next?

My New Favorite Discovery: Williams-Sonoma's Chili-Lime Rub

Part of the fun of cooking is experimenting with different spices and flavors—a pinch of this, a teaspoon of that and seeing what works and what doesn't.

And when you're trying to be a little more health-conscious about eating (not always an easy thing for food lovers like Will and I), you're constantly trying to find ways to add as much flavor as possible without packing on the calories. Lately, I've really been loving how citrus juice and zest brightens up the flavor of dishes. Just a squeeze of a lemon or lime or a little of their zest really does so much for boring ol' chicken or vegetables, lemme tell ya. It's an entirely new dining experience that really opens up the ol' taste buds.

But I have my dear friend Krista Bergstrom, who has recently discovered a serious passion for grilling, to thank for my favorite new discovery: Williams-Sonoma's Chili-Lime Rub. While we were perusing all the lovely cooking supplies at the Williams-Sonoma at Mall of America, (seriously, I wanted everything in sight) she told me about this particular rub and how it tranforms anything you put it on—veggies, chicken, etc. In fact, I'm pretty sure she even bought two containers of it.

So on her recommendation (and because I love limes sooo much, so really how could it be bad?), I gave it a try and have absolutely loved it. I've put in on new potatoes, fresh string beans, red peppers, chicken, corn on the cob, pretty much everything but my morning breakfast cereal. With a perfect hint of lime and a not-too-strong, not-too-weak chili presence, it's simply divine and will make your summer grilling taste all the better, trust me.

You Had Me At Banana Pudding...

While I still have a little TIVO envy, thanks to my sister, there really aren't that many TV shows I would "tape" week after week to justify the purchase anyway.

Sure, I still watch "LOST" (but mostly online since I'm usually at movie screenings on Wednesday nights) and "The Office" from time to time and have recently gotten into "Castle" (although the jury is still out since I'm not sure I really love it enough to keep up), but that's mostly it—unless it's NFL football season, of course.

With the exception of my Food Network shows, of course, which are more "educational" than anything, right? I absolutely love watching Giada, Ina Garten (a.k.a. Barefoot Contessa) and still tune in to Rachael Ray from time to time. On a side note, I think I'd like Rachael more if she didn't call the potatoes "kids." She always takes about "throwing the kids into the pot." And call me crazy, but I don't think it's nice to throw your kids into a boiling pot of water...good thing she doesn't have any, right?

And now there may be another show in my cooking repertoire. Before I tuned into Giada yesterday, I saw that they replaced Sandra Lee's "Semi Homemade" (thank goodness 'cause her elaborate tablescapes and cocktail time drove me absolutely crazy...just watch and you'll agree...promise) with Sunny Anderson's "Cooking For Real."

Maybe it's because she made banana pudding, an absolute favorite of mine, but I thought it was a really fun, informative show. Not only did the food look mouthwateringly good, but she had a pleasant presentation that wasn't annoying in the least. In other words, some pretty good TV that might inspire what I make for dinner...something Will won't mind in the least.

Mmm, Paninis!

While it seems like everyone else on Planet Earth has been raving about the Wii or iPhone they got for Christmas this year, my favorite new technological wonder has to be the panini press that my sister Lindsey got me.

As someone who despises cold sandwiches with a passion, it's a speedy way to make a tasty toasted sandwich that's decidedly more gourmet.

And when Will raved that my inaugural Italian panini was "the best panini he's probably ever had," that high praise makes me all the more excited to invent new, even better varieties. So take that, Panera!

For my Italian panini, I spread basil pesto on crusty ciabatta bread (which I will definitely have the bakery peeps slice for me next time—that was some serious work for my string bean arms and ill-equipped knives) and added a slice of Italian salami, provolone cheese, Roma tomatoes and baby spinach drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and Italian seasoning. Then about three minutes later, it was all yummy and melty and delicious—basically, the perfect light lunch.