Stop by our carving station on 3/17/13 in the Plum Kitchen and you’ll find the following selections to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:

All Natural Niman Ranch Flank Steak | Crusted with Herbs, Garlic, and Mustard and served with Smithwick Beer and Candied Shallot Demi Glace  $19.99/lb

Traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage | Slowly braised Sy Ginsberg Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots  $14.99/lb

Guiness & Lamb Stew | All Natural Leg of Colorado Lamb braised in Guinness Beer, Beef Stock, fresh Rosemary and Thyme, with Carrots, Onions, Celery, Red Skin Potatoes, and finished with Sour Cream and fresh ground Black Pepper  $19.99/lb

Bangers | All Natural Pork Sausage with Caramelized Onion Gravy  $6.99/lb

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie | Garden fresh vegetables tossed in Bechamel Sauce, topped with signature Mashed Potatoes and baked till golden brown  $10.99/lb

Roasted Root Vegetables & Brussels Sprouts | Carrots, Parsnips, Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts roasted with Herbs and Olive Oil  $9.99/lb

Chomps | Smashed New Potatoes with Garlic, White Cheddar Cheese, Scallions, and Sour Cream  $8.99/lb

Here’s a Checklist that’s sure to make this Thanksgiving is as Easy as Pie!

Print This Checklist

Getting Started:

Choose a menu.
If you’re ordering a fresh turkey, do it now; if you’re buying a frozen turkey, you still have time, but don’t wait until the last minute. Remember: It’s best to allow four to five days for it to thaw.
Floral centerpieces finish off a well-set table. Florists are busy this time of year, so order flowers now.

4 Days before Thanksgiving:

Compose a shopping list, and purchase all nonperishables. Wait until the day before Thanksgiving to buy salad greens, fresh bread, or seafood.
If you’re baking pies for dessert, make the dough for the crust, roll it out, lay it into pie plates, and freeze. Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Plan ahead to allow a full day for every 4 pounds of turkey being thawed.

2 Days Before Thanksgiving

Homemade stuffing often calls for stale bread; cut and cube the bread now, and set the cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
If using cloth napkins or tablecloths, iron them now.
Make the cranberry sauce; a couple of days in the refrigerator will give the flavors time to develop.
Prepare the serving pieces, plates, flatware, glasses, etc.

1 Day before Thanksgiving:

Defrost pie dough; assemble and bake pies.
Make the giblet stock for the gravy.
Make the vegetables and side dishes that require baking, such as casseroles, and reheat them tomorrow; or assemble them today, and cook them right before dinner.
Peel the potatoes, and then refrigerate them in a pot of cold water.
Pick up the fresh turkey from the market.
Prepare the stuffing, but leave out any raw eggs until you stuff the bird.
Set the table tonight or first thing in the morning.

Thanksgiving Day:

9:30 am: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, and allow it to sit for 1 hour .
11:15 am: Preheat the oven, and stuff the turkey.
11:30 am: Put the turkey in the oven, basting it every half hour.
Noon: Chill the white wine.
1 pm: Make the mashed potatoes. Closer to dinnertime, place them in a heat- proof bowl and set them at the back of the stove over simmering water.
3 pm: Whip the cream for the pie; prepare the coffee, but do not brew it until    about 20 minutes before it will be served.
4 pm: Check the temperature of the turkey at the thigh, which is the thickest part. If the thermometer reads 165 degrees, remove the turkey from the oven. If not, check the temperature every 15 minutes until the bird is done.
4:15 pm: The turkey will need to sit for 30 minutes prior to carving. Take advantage of the break to make the gravy and any last-minute vegetables. Remove stuffing from bird; transfer to a baking pan. Bake until stuffing reaches 165 degrees.
4:30 to 5 pm: Call everyone to the table. Start the coffee maker just before sitting down.

Print This Checklist

Most of us are lucky enough to have someone in the family willing to fire up the grill and throw on ribs, steaks, veggies, or even fruit (grilled peaches anyone?) for a delicious backyard BBQ get-together.  Friends and family gather to enjoy the familiar BBQ smell in the air that says, “Summer is here.”

If you’re looking for some side dishes to bring to your BBQ table, we’ll have the following combinations on our Signature Salad Bar this weekend:

Classic Potato Salad

Creamy Cole Slaw with a touch of caraway

Mesa Grilled potato Salad

Chick Pea & Arugula Salad

Mexican cucumber Salad

Thai Slaw

Vegetarian Bulgur

Whole Wheat Pasta chicken Caesar Salad

If you aren’t prepared to fire up the grill and are craving sweet, BBQ goodness we can still help!  The Plum Kitchen will be serving the following items on the Carving Station by noon on Saturday,  Sunday, and Monday:

All Natural Baby Back Ribs with housemade BBQ sauce, Sweet Chili Glaze, or savory Dry-Rubbed. $16.99/lb

All Natural Niman Ranch BBQ Beef Brisket $15.99lb

Gulf shrimp & grilled Andouille Sausage Mac & Cheese $10.99/lb

All Natural Fried Chicken $8.99/lb

Mouth watering yet?  We look forward to helping you celebrate the start of summer with good food!

Available Saturday, May 12^th & Sunday, May 13^th

Let Mom know how much she means to you and treat her to a delicious meal at home.  Just stop by the Plum Kitchen’s Carving Station and pick up a few of savory dishes for the family to enjoy.  Don’t forget a bottle of wine or champagne to celebrate all the Mom’s in your life this weekend.

All Natural Niman Ranch Herbs Marinated Grilled Flank Steak with Balsamic Shallot Demi & Arugula Pesto $19.99/lb

Ancho Chili Rubbed All Natural Niman Ranch Roasted Pork Rack with sautéed Apples & Nectarine Salsa. $14.99/lb (A2 & BLM Only)

All Natural Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Beef Brisket with Sweet Onion Marmalade. $15.99/lb (WB  only)

All Natural Bell & Evans Chicken Marsala $13.99lb

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese | Sweet lobster meat, Mezze penne pasta, creamy Asiago & Parmesan Cheese béchamel, sweet lobster meat, panko crust topping $19.99/lb

The Plum Kitchen will have a delicious Cinco de Mayo spread available for you to celebrate this holiday the best way we know how–with food!  Selections will be available at the carving station on May, 5th 2012:

All Natural Bell & Evans Ancho Chili Rubbed Grilled Chicken breast roasted tomato sofrito sauce. $13.99 lbs.

All Natural Niman Ranch Pulled Pork Carnita with bell peppers, sweet onions, & crispy tortilla strips $14.99 lbs.

All Natural Niman Ranch Ancho Chili rubbed Roast rack of Pork with sautéed apples $14.99 lbs. (BLM & A2 only).

All Natural Spicy Chorizo Meatballs stuffed with Queso fresca $ 9.99 lbs.

All Natural Chicken Taquitos $10.99 lbs.

All Natural Niman Ranch Smoked Beef brisket with Mole Sauce $15.99 lbs. (WB Only)

Mojo Marinated Grilled Flank Steak with citrus Salsa & coriander demi $19.99 lbs. (BLM Only)

Kidney Beans & Brown Rice. $8.99 lbs.

Refried beans $8.99 lbs.

Chef de Cuisine, Len Schneider, makes Honey Lime Glazed Salmon for the team at Fox 2 Detroit.  (Get the recipe below)

Honey Lime Glazed Salmon: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Honey Lime Glazed Salmon

w/ Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

For this recipe you will need (4) 8oz. portions of Salmon with the skin removed. Keep these under refrigeration until the time of use.

For the Honey Lime Glaze:
(Prepare ahead of time, and chill before use)

2T Garlic, minced
½ Cup Lime Juice
1 Cup Honey
1 Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
1T Olive Oil

In a medium hot sauté pan, heat the oil. Add the minced Garlic and cook until tender. Do not allow to brown. Add the Lime Juice and reduce by 1/2. Add Honey and bring to a simmer. Smash the Chipotle with a knife and float it in the simmering glaze for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to chill.

For the Quinoa & Black Bean Salad:
(Prepare ahead of time, and chill before use)

Ingredients:

3 Cups, Quinoa, cooked, chilled
½Cup, Black Beans, canned, rinsed
½ Cup, Sweet Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen
¼ Cup, Roasted Red Pepper, small dice
¼ Cup, Carrot, small dice
¼ Cup, Cucumber, seeded, small dice
¼ Cup, Tomato, seeded, small dice
¼ Cup, Garlic Expressions Vinaigrette
2T Parsley, Chopped
½t Cumin
½t Kosher Salt
½ t Black Pepper, ground

Method: Prepare all ingredients and gently fold them together in a mixing bowl. Will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Executing the Honey Lime Glazed Salmon:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pre-heat sauté pan over medium heat
3. Gather the Salmon, 2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt & Pepper, and honey lime glaze.

In an oven safe, non stick pan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers.

Liberally season the salmon and when the oil is hot, place into the sauté pan presentation side down first.

Cook the salmon for 1-2 minutes until it is golden brown and flip over. At this point you will brush about 1T of Honey Lime Glaze on it and place it into the oven. It will take approximately 10 minutes to cook. At least twice during the cooking, you’ll want to brush a bit more glaze on it. Once the salmon is done (about 140 degrees) apply one final touch of glaze on it.

To serve:
Spoon about 6oz of Quinoa & Black Bean Salad on to a plate. Place Salmon, offset, on top. Garnish with Lime. Enjoy.

Join us for a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration!

Enjoy a traditional feast from our Carving Station in the Plum Kitchen on Saturday March 17^th, starting at 11:00am.  Featuring the best Corned Beef and Lamb Stew from here to Ireland!!

Herb, Garlic, & Mustard Crusted All Natural Niman Ranch Flank Steak

Accompanied with Smithwick Beer & Candied Shallot Demi

$19.99/lb

Traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage

Slowly braised Sy Ginsberg Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots

$14.99/lb

Guinness & Lamb stew

All Natural leg of Colorado Lamb braised in Guiness Beer, Beef Stock, Fresh Rosemary and Thyme, Carrots, Onions, Celery, Red Skin Potatoes, and finished with Sour Cream and fresh ground Black Pepper

$19.99/lb

Bangers

All Natural Pork Sausage with Caramelized Onion Gravy

$6.99/lb

Vegetarian Sheppard’s pie

Garden fresh Vegetables tossed in Béchamel Sauce, topped with Housemade Mashed Potatoes and baked until golden brown

$10.99/lb

Roasted Root Vegetables and Brussels sprouts

$8.99/lb

Chomps

Smashed New Potatoes with Garlic, White Cheddar Cheese, Scallions, & Sour Cream

$8.99/lb

We’re developing some new salads for our ‘grab & go’ section in the Bloomfield Plum Kitchen.  Eventually, we will implement at all of our store locations.  Let us know what you think:

Vegetarian Berry Salad with Apple Maple Vinaigrette

Vegetarian Santa Fe with Buttermilk Peppercorn Dressing and Crispy Maize.

Mixed Berry & All Natural Chicken with Goat Cheese Crumbles and Peach Berry Dressing

Vegetarian Thai Salad with Shredded Cabbage, Soy Vinaigrette, and Peanuts.

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Can’t make it to New Orleans this week? Not to worry! Executive Chef Randy Weed has put together a Mardi Gras menu for you to enjoy on February 21st, or as many call ‘Fat Tuesday’.  Everyone may have their own traditions for Mardi Gras, but we invite you to celebrate with food–prepared Cajun style.  Menu is available on February 21st at the carving station.

Check out the menu:

French Quarter Beignets Dusted With Powdered Sugar $5.99 lbs

Cajun Seafood Balls with Tomato Remoulade $8.99 lbs

Made with Shrimp, Crab, salmon, corn, white rice, & Cajun spices

Cajun Red beans & Rice $8.99 lbs.

Made with white rice, red kidney beans, tomato, spices, & scallions.

Shrimp & Chicken Etoufee $14.99 lbs.

Made with All Natural Bell & Evans Chicken, Andouille Sausage, Shrimp, onions, celery, bell pepper, smothered in a classic sauce.

Creole Jambalya $15.99 lbs.

Made with Shrimp, Ham, Bell Peppers, Onion, Celery, white Rice, Herbs & Spices.

Blackened Salmon $25.99 Lbs

Mashed Potatoes $5.99 lbs

And of course, don’t forget your Paczki: