Gratitude on Thanksgiving 2017
Eric Beckman, Barnes & Conti President

It is so easy to fall into the trap of criticism, finger pointing, and anger when faced with any number of small or large challenges and transgressions in our lives. In the face of challenges, it helps to remember the learning opportunity of every situation, and look for the strength to be grateful.

Gratitude expressed even silently can turn a simple meal into a feast, a shelter from the elements into a real place, a stranger into a friend. It changes adversity into opportunity, and can leave us with a lasting positive impact. It has been said that opportunities for learning in life never end. Be grateful for the lessons.

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for all the lessons, for the friends, the family, the breath I still have, and the experiences that will last forever in memory. Stuff is nice, but it’s still just stuff.

This year we had many who suffered great losses in the wildfires of Sonoma and Napa counties. Our family was fortunate in not suffering any fire loss or even needing to evacuate. We were prepared though, and struck by how little in our home we would choose to take along if we had to run out the door with only minutes to spare. Which stuff to save? I am grateful we didn’t have to choose, but also grateful for feeling free to now move along stuff that was held as important before and seems like just clutter now.

I am grateful. Thank you.

Our Virtual Feast: For Thanksgiving this Year

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. so much in fact, that we decided to do a special edition of our newsletter and move our annual “Virtual Feast” of recipes up to Thanksgiving.

Everyone contributed not just a recipe, but an expression of gratitude; in short a virtual feast not just of food, but of giving thanks. As our expression of gratitude to you—our readers, clients, friends, and associates—we hope you enjoy at least one of the recipes.

Because of space limitations, all the recipes are available on our website, just click the title of the recipe to go the website and copy or print the recipe. Recipes with an asterisk (*) are printed at the right. We wanted

Read all the recipes online

Apple-Noodle Pudding*
Kim Barnes, Barnes & Conti CEO

“I’m thankful this year for the love of family and friends, for being part of a wonderful and creative team, for good care for my husband who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, for the fact that I can still travel for business and pleasure, and for good work with people who are eager to learn and lead.”

Kim contributed this recipe, an Eastern European Jewish Classic (called Lokshen Kugel in Yiddish) that was a favorite of her mother's. Kugel—usually translated as “pudding”— is a side dish for special occasions, and it is almost always sweet. Kim says: “We always had it instead of potatoes—when I first served it to my in-laws, I later found a note they wrote to one another wondering why anyone would serve dessert with the turkey!”

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Onions
Eric Beckman, Barnes & Conti President

Eric’s expression of gratitude is right at the top of the newsletter. Eric submitted an amazing recipe for Apple Egg Rolls with Ginger Mascarpone Cream Sauce, but we decided to save this one for our end-of-year holiday newsletter.

Eric does wonders in the kitchen with vegetables, and Brussels sprouts are the perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner. So with the promise of the apple egg rolls for next month, Eric’s classic Brussels sprout recipe is making a comeback appearance.

Original 5th Avenue Waldorf Salad
Dineen Digiacomo, Account Coordinator

“I’m thankful for my little family, our home and our neighborhood that is filled with good, hard working people who genuinely care for each other. It has been the best place for my husband and I to raise our three children, and we look forward to spending many more years here. I’m also so grateful for my supportive work family. I just celebrated my 10 year work anniversary at Barnes & Conti and look forward to many more!”

Dineen Digiacomo, our Account Coordinator on the East Coast, contributed this sweet and festive variation on an East Coast classic. Dineen says, “This recipe for Waldorf Salad was a side dish my grandmother used to make every Thanksgiving when I was a child. It’s still a family favorite today!”

Thanksgiving Dinner for Two: Pasta with Greek Meat Sauce
Joel Kleinbaum, Internet and Web Consultant (and Bassoonist)

“I’m always grateful for my wife, Barbie, for abundant good food and farmers/producers in the Pacific Northwest, and for both my co-workers and the flexibility that Barnes & Conti gives me to pursue my music performance and teaching opportunities during off hours. I’m especially grateful over the past year for the musical friends and collaborators with whom I’ve been able to perform.”

Joel says, “I hate to travel during the holidays, and Barbie and I have no family—extended or otherwise—in the Pacific Northwest. We’ve found ourselves with neither guests nor invitations on many Thanksgiving Days. A couple times, we’ve made the traditional dinner on Friday, when friends were available to join us. I’m not inclined to cook two big meals on two consecutive days, so on Thanksgiving Day I often prepare a simple meal of our favorite winter pasta with a salad. For the traditionalists among you, I make the sauce with ground turkey.” Joel uses half turkey and half beef, but you can use whatever proportion you like. This sauce can also be used for moussaka, pastitsio, or any number of more complicated Greek dishes.

Roasted Celery and Fennel Soup
Lauren Powers, SVP Business Development

“I feel so very fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful family including my 93-year old mom, my kids, Emma and Liv who are thriving in NYC, my husband, Bob, who still puts up with me, extended family that also puts up with me, friends far and near, dedicated and supportive work buddies and awesome clients. This year, we welcomed our black lab puppy, Bula; we are grateful for the laughter and distraction she brings. And I feel comforted to know we have the fortitude and resilience to persevere through trying times, learn from one another and become a better democratic society.”

Lauren says, “Soup is my favorite way to kick off the Thanksgiving meal. Not only is it warm and comforting like a heartfelt embrace, it blends together a concoction of random ingredients each designed to complement without overpowering one another, For me, that describes the perfect gathering of family and friends at Thanksgiving; we sustain and enhance one another collectively.

Each year, our family has a hard time agreeing on what type of soup should be the starter: Butternut Squash, Roasted Fennel and Celery or Wild Mushroom Soup. The kids lobby hard for Butternut Squash, my husband makes the case for Wild Mushroom with each side building powerful coalitions of stakeholders. I personally think the Celery and Fennel often gets overlooked. Mushroom usually wins out (see this recipe from our 2008 Holiday Newsletter).

I discovered this recipe when I was trying to dig up something for dinner one night at the beach. I googled the ingredients that I had in my vegetable bin. It was pretty slim pickings: three potatoes, one fennel bulb, a package of celery and a head of garlic. When I typed in these ingredients, I came across a wonderful soup recipe thanks to a food blogger named, Inpatskitchen and gave it a try. We decided it was definitely a ‘keeper’ and worthy contender for Thanksgiving. It is a lighter soup than potato soup and the roasted celery and fennel add a very special flavor.”

Thanksgiving Ideas for 2017
Heller Rathbone, Finance Manager

“Every year, the thing I am most thankful for is the same: old friends and new.”

Heller says that she doesn’t really use recipes, but had this to say about Thanksgiving Dinner:

Well, this year, I was very happy to discover that The Local Butcher Shop in Berkeley was offering heritage turkeys in six size-ranges. That meant that I was able to get a bird that would be appropriate for 6 people—the maximum I ever invite for that day.

I have started slow roasting all meats now and the turkey is no exception, Even though I love stuffing that has been cooked in the bird, since I am cooking at such low temperature, I think it is safer to cook the dressing outside.

I like lots of different kinds of dressing, so some years it may have chestnuts and apples, other years oysters, maybe wild rice, maybe with orange zest to freshen a heavy dish.

I LOVE gravy, but not what I consider the usual insipid turkey gravy, so the day before I will roast a couple of wings along with lots of whole garlic and other herbs and then use that to make the gravy. I always make tons, so I can have hot sandwiches in the following days.

Last year, I was on a Hasselback potato binge, and this year I am planning to make yams in that style. There are lots of recipes on-line to read. They are crispy and soft and buttery and cheesy. So good!

Pumpkin pie, of course, or my husband would be desolate. I go back and forth on whether it is necessary to start the pumpkin from scratch, but I think this year I think it just might have to start from canned pulp. Always made with my own pie dough. I made one this year using some sorghum flour (no toughness from gluten) and it was awesome! I think I’ll use that idea for Thanksgiving.”

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Nelson Soken, Chief Innovation Strategist

“I am grateful for the love and support of my wonderful wife, Leslie, my two children, Emmaline and Evan, and son-in-law, Chris. This past year’s highlight was a family trip to my childhood home in Hawaii to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday and to see five siblings. I’m also thankful that I get to work with the Barnes & Conti team to help client companies achieve their organizational goals and transform their culture.”

Nelson contributed a zippy, innovative take on the traditional mashed potatoes, given zing not just with horseradish, but with fresh grated ginger and red pepper flakes too!

Ginger Lemon Walnut Apple Pie
Nermin Soyalp, Project Manager/Curriculum Designer

“I am grateful for my health, yummy meals my husband, Jef Stott, cooks at home, my work and all of my colleagues at Barnes & Conti. I am about to mark my first year here! A nice way of celebrating is with a slice of toasty apple pie.”

This recipe is based on an ingredient list (and photo) that Nermin plied from her husband, Jef. Nermin says, “He doesn’t know the exact measurements” so we gave it our best shot. If you don’t have a favorite pie crust recipe, our food editor favors a flaky, buttery crust such as the recipe found here. Nermin says, “The key is the lemon and the salt which makes for a very interesting taste!”

Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread
Elaine Turcotte, Operations Manager

“I am thankful for the many and varied gifts I have been given. I am thankful for the humor and camaraderie, the faith, fellowship and love that enrich my life every day. I am thankful for the opportunities and ability to share life’s joys and sorrows along the way. As I like to keep in mind, ‘No mayonnaise in Ireland…’”

Elaine says, “I love cranberry orange nut bread, especially when it is still warm! It is a small but important part of Thanksgiving for me (and not limited to dinner). I was fortunate that my mom loved baking; she was good at it and she taught me well. I have never enjoyed cooking, but I’ve always loved to bake. Baking is special; it is for celebrating, and for giving the gift of a taste from home.”

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In this Issue:

• “Gratitude on Thanksgiving 2017,”
  Eric Beckman
• Virtual Feast & Expressions of Gratitude:
• B. Kim Barnes: Apple Noodle Pudding
• Eric Beckman: Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Onions
• Dineen Digiacomo: Original 5th Avenue Waldorf Salad
• Joel Kleinbaum: Dinner for Two: Pasta with Greek Meat Sauce
• Lauren Powers: Roasted Celery and Fennel Soup
• Heller Rathbone: Thanksgiving Ideas for 2017
• Nelson Soken: Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
• Nermin Soyalp: Ginger Lemon Walnut Apple Pie
• Elaine Turcotte: Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread
• Featured Art: “Giving Thanks,” by Horace Pippin (1942)

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Photo ©Texas Military Department, used under Creative Commons license. Cropped to fit.

Recipe: Roasted Celery and Fennel Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 bulb fresh fennel, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 2 large whole garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 medium redskin or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup light cream (you can also use milk)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Celery leaves and fennel fronds for garnishing

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place celery, fennel and whole cloves of garlic on a roasting pan. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Roast for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the vegetables begin to brown.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, cook potatoes in chicken broth until tender about 10–12 minutes.
4. When vegetables are done roasting, add them to the potatoes and broth. Let it cool a bit.
5. In a food processor or blender, puree the soup. You may have to remove some of the more fibrous pieces.
6. Once pureed, bring soup to a boil and add cream and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper if needed.
7. Serve by garnishing each bowl with celery leaves and fennel fronds.
8. If you want more celery flavor, you can add a pinch of celery seed or celery salt.

Serves 6 – 8

From Lauren Powers, see story at left.

Recipe: Apple Noodle Pudding

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. wide noodles or farfalle*
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup egg shell water*
• 3 large apples, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp butter plus some for the top

Method:

1. Cook and drain noodles.
2. Add other ingredients.
3. Place in greased casserole and dot with more butter.
4. Refrigerate overnight, if possible.
5. Bake at 350 degrees covered 30 minutes, 400 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serves 6 – 8.

*Editor's note: Egg shell water is made when eggshells are crushed and steeped in almost boiling water. Let the eggshells steep until the water cools, and strain out the shells. It turns out that eggshells and their membranes are full of nutrients. Also, the editor wants to comment that egg noodles make the best kugel.

From Kim Barnes, see story at left.

Recipe: Ginger Lemon Walnut Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• One recipe of your favorite pie crust dough. You'll need enough for a double crusted pie
• 4-5 large baking apples (Pippin or Granny Smith are recommended)
• 1 rounded tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander or allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (or larger), peeled and minced
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (or more) crushed walnuts

Method:

1. Slice the apples into 1/4 inch and cut into 1-inch pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine apple slices with lemon juice
2. Add the spices and remaining ingredients and combine well.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Divide the pie dough into two balls, with one a bit larger than the other. Roll out the larger ball of dough into a large circle. It should be about 1/8 inch thick. Place the circle of dough in your pie pan so that it hangs just hangs over the rim. Use generous sprinklings of flour to keep things from sticking.
5. Roll out the smaller ball of dough into a circle that will fit over the top of the pie.
6. Spoon the apple walnut mixture over the bottom crust fairly evenly. Cover the filling with the other circle of dough
7. Seal the dough by folding the overlap of the two crusts and crimping the dough, or just pinch the two crusts together at the edges. You'll want to cut steam holes in the top crust too. You can be creative with this part. Use any leftover scraps of dough to decorate the top, if you like.
8. Optional: you can glaze the top crust with a beaten egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon or two of sugar.
9. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes or so, until the crust is brown, the apples are tender, and the juices are slightly caramelized.

From Nermin Soyalp, see story at left.

See all the recipes on our website.

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