Area restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinners in 2016

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Watiporn

Getting the family together for a sit-down meal, even at the holidays, can be difficult, and preparing the meal itself can be time consuming. Having your Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant is becoming more and more popular in many places, including here in Buffalo. These are a few of the Buffalo area restaurants that are serving meals on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2016.

• 31 Club, located at 31 North Johnson Park in Buffalo, is accepting reservations for its Thanksgiving Day three-course sit-down dinner from 1-7 p.m., including choice of soup or salad, main course and dessert. Call 716-332-3131 for reservations.
• La Galleria, Southwestern Blvd. near Abbott Rd. in Orchard Park, will feature a Thanksgiving buffet from 1-6 p.m. with turkey, ham, Chicken Supreme, Italian sausage, stuffing, squash, potatoes, desserts and more. The cost is $27.95 for adults, $12.95 for children 5-11 and children under 5 are free. Call 716-648-4880 for more information.
• Gate House Grill, located at 8220 Main St. in Williamsville, will offer Thanksgiving dinner from 2-7 p.m. –cost is $18.95 per person. Dinner will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered corn and cranberry sauce, plus dessert; a scaled down version of their regular menu will also be available. Call 716-585-0338 for reservations.
• Acqua, located at 2192 Niagara St. in Buffalo, will offer a traditional Thanksgiving Day feast from noon-6 p.m. Cost is $28.95 for adults, $15.95 for children 5-12 and free for children 4 and under. Call 716-874-5400 for reservations.
• Bella Vista Ristorante, located in the Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls, 7001 Buffalo Ave. in Niagara Falls, will offer a Thanksgiving buffet from 2-8 p.m. Cost is $22.95 for adults, $11.95 for kids 4-11 and free for kids under 4 – call 716-299-0344 x 2335 for reservations.
• The Radisson, at 100 Whitehaven Rd. in Grand Island, will serve up a Thanksgiving Day buffet from 1-6 p.m. featuring turkey and ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, soups, salads, vegetables and desserts. Cost is $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors, $13.95 for children and free for children 4 and under – for more information and to make reservations, call 716-773-1111.
• Samuel’s Grande Manor, 8750 Main St. in Clarence, will be serving a Thanksgiving buffet from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The buffet will include more than one dozen hot dishes including turkey, carved roast beef, pork tenderloin and Seafood Newberg. Reservations are required – call 716-634-8425 for more information.
• The Italian Village, located at 6354 Transit Rd.in Depew, offers a Thanksgiving buffet from noon-7 p.m. with roast beef, baked ham and turkey, plus breaded pork, sausage with peppers and onions, stuffed shells, vegetable medley, soup and salad, a dessert station and more. Cost is $22.95 for adults, $13.95 for kids 6-13 and free for kids 5 and under – for reservations, call 716-634-1804.
• Orazio’s, located at 9415 Main St. in Clarence, will serve a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. featuring carving station (prime rib, ham, turkey), stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, a pasta station, dessert station and more. Cost is $28.95 for adults, $16.95 for kids 3-10 – call 716-759-8888 for reservations. 

Fall fun 2016: U-pick harvests in WNY

credit: Wikimedia Commons/
Scott Bauer-USDA

Fall in Western New York is about craft fairs, fall festivals, haunted houses, and trick-or-treating – and local farms offering “u-pick” opportunities for families, giving kids and adults the fun of picking crops in the garden without all the work of tending the garden itself. Here are just a few of the area’s pick-your-own-harvest spots – take a road trip this weekend!

• Stonehill Orchard, 2356 Shirley Rd. in North Collins (14111), offers u-pick and already-picked apples and grapes; open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – call 716-337-2380 for more information.
• Meadows Farm, 10459 Prospect Rd. in Forestville (14062), offers u-pick and already-picked apples; open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – call 716-965-2674 for more information.
• Becker Farms, 3724 Quaker Rd. in Gasport (14067), offers a variety of fruits and vegetables available in store, plus a u-pick pumpkin patch; also offers homemade baked goods and fudge plus on-site winery and brewery. Visit www.beckerfarms.com or call 716-772-2211 for more information and hours.
• Blackman Homestead Farm, 4472 Thrall Rd. in Lockport (14094), offers u-pick apples, pumpkins, grapes, winter squash and pears (in season). Check out www.blackmanhomesteadfarm.com or call 716-434-7116 for more information.
• Murphy Orchards, 2402 McClew Rd. in Burt (14028), offers u-pick apples, pears, pumpkins and more; visit www.murphyorchards.com or call 716-778-7926 for more information and hours.
• Greg’s U-Pick, 9270 Lapp Rd. in Clarence Center (14032), offers u-pick berries (in season) and pumpkins. Call 716-741-4239 or visit gregsupick.com for more information.

A great source for finding pick-your-own areas in Western New York and throughout the United States is www.pickyourown.org; some of the information is not updated, but it will give you addresses, phone numbers, and websites when applicable. Also check out www.nyapplecountry.com. 

National Buffalo Wing Festival: September 3-4, 2016

Aerial view of the Buffalo Wing Festival
credit: buffalowing.com

The 15^th annual National Buffalo Wing Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4, at Coca Cola Field in downtown Buffalo. The annual celebration of Buffalo’s gift to the food world features live music, eating contests, a kids’ zone and, of course, lots of chicken wings. LaNova Pizzeria and Wing Company will be this year’s inductee to the Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame.

New this year is the VIP Party Deck, located in the right field bleachers (21-and-over only). Tickets are $25 for a two-hour period, and gives ticket holders a free beverage, free samples, private seating, a private cash bar and 15^th anniversary mug, plus much more.

The US National Wing Championship will once again feature some of the country’s best competitive eaters, including Joey Chestnut and Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas. The main event is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. Other competitive eating contests scheduled throughout the weekend include the Amateur Wing Eating Championship, the Buffalo Buffet Eating Championship and the Triple Atomic Hot Wing Eating Contest.

Admission is $5 each day and free for kids 8 and under – food tickets are $1 each. Hours are Saturday noon-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-7 p.m. Find out more at buffalowing.com. 

Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival: July 14-17, 2016

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/IceHawk33

The Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, July 14-17 along Hertel Ave. in Buffalo, with live entertainment, contests, cooking demonstrations and plenty of delicious Italian food.

Entertainment on the Main Stage includes performances by the Joe Di Angelo Band (Thursday at 5 p.m.), Formula Band (Friday at 7 p.m.), Allegro (Saturday at 7 p.m.) and Jack Civilletto (Sunday at 7 p.m.) among many others. Other activities include the Buffalo Italian Idol competition, the Celebrity Charity Cheese Building Contest (Sunday at 1 p.m.), the annual Bocce Tournament and demonstrations on the Galbani Cooking Stage throughout the weekend.

The Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily – find out more about the festival and get schedules as they become available at www.buffaloitalianfestival.com.

BfloGirlBake: Holiday baking and cooking hotlines

Need help with your pumpkin pie?
credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Apolonia

It’s that time of year again – food being purchase, food being made, food being consumed…let’s face it, the holidays are all about food! Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving on your own for the first time or need a great recipe – or a tip – for the perfect apple or pumpkin pie, there is all kinds of help out there for you. Here are a few “holiday hotlines” that will give you the tips you need.

• King Arthur Flour’s Thanksgiving Guide has all you need to know about great holiday baking – survival tips, a “head start” list, ideas for making ahead and freezing, and of course tons of recipes – there are even some gluten-free options for the guests on your list.
• The Cirsco Pie and Baking Hotline – 1-877-367-7438 – is back for its 10^th year of on-call support to help people master their desserts. In a recent survey conducted by the company, pie bakers revealed that their biggest challenge is making a crust from scratch (52%), followed by knowing how long to bak it (20%) and perfecting the filling (18%).
• The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is open through December with Butterball experts available by phone (1-800-288-8372), online chat or email. The website also features several how-to articles and videos and recipes.

BfloGirlBake: Amish Cinnamon Bread

I looooooove cinnamon, so when I saw a recipe one of my friends posted on Facebook for Amish cinnamon bread, it was a must-try – especially since it made two loaves! I did make one adjustment for my personal tastes – I added vanilla, because it’s sweet bread and it needs vanilla…it just does!

Amish Cinnamon Bread (adapted from Recipes, DIY & Cool Stuffs on Facebook)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk (make your own – 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice, add milk to make 2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Grease two loaf pans (or line with parchment paper). Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. 

Cream together butter, 2 cups sugar and eggs. Add buttermilk and vanilla, stir. Add flour and baking soda, mix well. In a separate bowl mix remaining sugar and cinnamon. 

Fill each loaf pan half-way (1/4 of the batter in each pan), then sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top. Add remaining batter evenly to each pan, then sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture; swirl top with a knife or spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 20-30 minutes before removing.

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Celebrate fall 2015: U-pick harvests in WNY

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Scott
Bauer-USDA

Fall in Western New York is about more than craft fairs, fall festivals, haunted houses, and trick-or-treating. Many local farms offer “u-pick” opportunities for families, giving kids and adults the fun of picking crops in the garden without all the work of tending the garden itself. Here are just a few of the area’s pick-your-own-harvest spots – take a road trip this weekend!

Stonehill Orchard, 2356 Shirley Rd. in North Collins (14111), offers u-pick and already-picked apples and grapes; open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – call 716-337-2380 for more information.

Falcone Farms, 1707 King Rd. in Forestville (14062), offers u-pick apples (September 3 through November 1) and Concord grapes (September 20 through October 20), as well as some already-picked produce; open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – call 716-965-2503 for more information.

Meadows Farm, 10459 Prospect Rd. in Forestville (14062), offers u-pick and already-picked apples; open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – call 716-965-2674 for more information.

Becker Farms, 3724 Quaker Rd. in Gasport (14067), offers a variety of fruits and vegetables available in store, plus a u-pick pumpkin patch; also offers homemade baked goods and fudge plus on-site winery and brewery. Visit www.beckerfarms.com or call 716-772-2211 for more information and hours.

Blackman Homestead Farm, 4472 Thrall Rd. in Lockport (14094), offers u-pick apples, pumpkins, grapes and pears (in season). Check out www.blackmanhomesteadfarm.com or call 716-434-7116 for more information.

Murphy Orchards, 2402 McClew Rd. in Burt (14028), offers u-pick apples, plums and more; visit www.murphyorchards.com or call 716-778-7926 for more information and hours.

Greg’s U-Pick, 9270 Lapp Rd. in Clarence Center (14032), offers u-pick berries (in season) and pumpkins. Call 716-741-4239 or visit gregsupick.com for more information.

A great source for finding pick-your-own areas in Western New York and throughout the United States is www.pickyourown.org; some of the information is not updated, but it will give you addresses, phone numbers, and websites when applicable. Also check out www.nyapplecountry.com. 

2015 National Buffalo Wing Festival: September 5th and 6th

credit: buffalowing.com

The 2015 National Buffalo Wing Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 5^th and 6^th at Coca Cola Field in downtown Buffalo. First held in 2002, the festival serves up more than 500,000 wings annually.

The festival features contests, entertainment, the Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant, and wings and other food items from nearly three dozen restaurants and vendors. Among the restaurants scheduled to participate this year are:

• Anchor Bar – Buffalo
• (716) Food & Sport – Buffalo
• Brick House Tavern – national chain
• Hot Rod Café – Connecticut
• LaNova – throughout Buffalo area
• Legend Larry’s – Wisconsin
• Quaker Steak & Lube – national chain
• RuChDa - Atlanta
• Slider’s Grill & Bar – Connecticut 

Other food vendors include Chrusciki Bakery with Buffalo Angel Wings and Lloyd Taco Truck.

Day one of the festival will include two Amateur Sauce-Offs (Creative and Traditional) and the Amateur Wing Eating Championships, along with the Buffalo Buffet Bowl Eating Contest and the Healthy Zone Recipe Challenge. Day two will feature the Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant, the US Chicken Wing Eating Championship, the College Wing Eating Competition and the Hot Buffalo Wing Eating Contest. Entertainment will be provided throughout the weekend by the Heavenly Chillbillies.

Admission to the National Buffalo Wing Festival is $5 each day – children 8 and under are free. Food tickets are $1 each; beer, soda and bottled water can be purchased throughout the stadium for cash. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Improve in the kitchen: Strawberry Santas

Thanks to the folks at Driscoll’s for contacting me with this opportunity. All experiences herein are my own.

I love strawberries…and blueberries…and raspberries…OK, berries in general. The folks at Driscoll’s offer up some of the best berries in the business – great taste, large berries and sturdy packaging that I can reuse for seedlings! A few weeks ago, I was contacted about trying out their Strawberry Santas project/recipe (it’s a little bit of both!) – find the recipe here.

credit: Driscoll's

Of course, I had to try them myself, and, as usual, this led to some kitchen improv: I couldn’t find chocolate wafer cookies, I couldn’t get blueberries and I’m not a huge fan of cream cheese. Enter peanut butter cookies left over from holiday cookie trays, blackberries and ricotta cheese.

This was attempt No. 1 – it’s not perfect, and not nearly as cute as the ones from Driscoll’s…but I will not let that stop me! I’m going to try them again!

There are some other great recipes at the Driscoll’s website – look for other ideas in future posts!

Food Nostalgia: Bread ‘n Butter Pickles

One of my most vivid childhood food memories is of my grandma’s (“Grammy”) bread ‘n butter pickles. The stuff in the jar is good, but there’s always something that makes homemade better (sorry, Vlasic).

I had often thought, especially after I started vegetable gardening, about asking my mom if she knew where the recipe was but 1) I kept forgetting and 2) I knew it would take a while to make them.

One day, I was sorting through the many food-related emails I’ve signed up for and found Homemade Microwave Pickles from Mr. Food – and they looked like bread ‘n butter pickles! I printed the recipe out, took it over to Mom’s and she went and found Grammy’s recipe. When we compared the two, we discovered most of the ingredients were the same (Grammy’s had a few flavor extras like peppers and garlic), but the microwave recipe had its benefits – 1) it was faster and 2) it had a smaller yield.

A couple days later I picked the perfect cucumber to test the recipe out.

I think Grammy would be proud J

the finished product

Microwave Bread ‘n Butter Pickles (adapted from Mr. Food):

• 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes at 80-percent, stirring halfway through. Cool pickles before covering and chilling for at least two hours before serving.

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Saucy: Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

‘tis the season…for loads and loads of cherry tomatoes!

I have this problem: you see, I enjoy growing things like tomatoes for my mom and dad to enjoy – the problem comes from the fact that they, too, grow tomatoes. That means I need to find 1) someone else to give them to, or 2) recipes to use them in.

Brooklyn Farm Girl posted this recipe recently and it sounded like the perfect excuse to use some cherry tomatoes – and enjoy the end result! Since I was testing it out, I cup the recipe in half – I also switched out jalapenos for green peppers from my garden, and the basil was also from my garden J The taste is a little smoky, and the texture is like marinara – I’m enjoying it as a dip for my toasted ravioli and mozzarella sticks!

Oven-roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce (adapted from Brooklyn Farm Girl)

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 green pepper – seeded and diced
• 1 Tblsp. olive oil
• Dash of onion powder
• A few fresh basil leaves
• Dash of garlic salt
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Spread tomatoes and peppers in single layer in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with onion powder. Bake for 35 minutes, until tomatoes look wrinkled.

Let tomato mixture cool, then add to a food processor with basil, garlic salt and salt and pepper as desired. Blend until smooth.

Use immediately or store in airtight container for use in the next couple of days – also freezes well.

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Improv in the Kitchen: Summer Popsicles from Litehouse Foods

A couple of months ago, a wonderful representative from Litehouse Foods contacted me about some luscious-looking fruit and herb popsicles and offering me a sample of their products. In the heat of summer, popsicles sounded perfect!

I received this beautiful package (samples?!?!) with nine super-useful freeze-dried herbs. There was one problem: they arrived in the midst of three of the busiest weeks I had all summer!

Finally, this past weekend, I made a list of the few ingredients I needed to try a couple of the pops. At my first grocery stop…completely forgot about the list. Luckily, there was another grocery store in my travels that day, so I stopped there, list in hand. I’m not sure if I wasn’t looking in the right place, but I couldn’t find mango or pineapple juice (I would think it would be in the aisle labeled “juice”?).

That’s when you improvise: I found mango-pineapple juice blend!

To try the pops, I halved the recipe Litehouse Foods provided and created Mango-Pineapple-Strawberry Lemon Pops (this made two 3-oz. popsicles):

• 1/6 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Litehouse Instantly Fresh Lemon Grass
• 3/4 Tablespoon blue agave nectar
• 1 cup mango-pineapple juice blend (Ocean Spray Wave)
• A few strawberry chunks

Mix water and lemon grass in a small saucepan; add agave nectar and simmer. Let the mixture reduce for 2-3 minutes, then set aside until it returns to room temperature.

Pour mango-pineapple juice into a cup with a pour spout, then add syrup mixture and stir. Pour juice mixture into popsicle molds, leaving approximately 1/2-inch of space at top. Add fruit, then insert popsicle sticks or lids. Freeze for two to four hours or until frozen.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Herbs are unique – they’re freeze-dried, and you can use them just as you would fresh herbs. Among the samples I received: Lemon Grass, Ginger, Basil, Chives and Thyme. The only problem with them that I’ve come across so far: I haven’t been able to find them in any Amherst stores! The website does have a list of stores where you can find them in other states, and they are available on Amazon.com.

I found a few other recipes I’m eager to try on their website – look for those soon, now that my crazy summer is winding down!

Thank you Litehouse Foods for the recipes and the sample products – this recipe was inspired by a Litehouse Foods recipe.

Quick comforts: Easy stovetop mac-n-cheese

When the winter weather gets beyond cold – like -22 with the wind chill! That’s just nuts! – comfort foods like macaroni and cheese are beyond perfect. Creamy cheese and pasta – can it get better? Not for me!

credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

This stovetop mac-n-cheese, adapted from this recipe by Erica Lea on Buttered Side Up, is quick, simple and warm enough for these cold Buffalo nights that seem to be never ending…a lot like our snow this season – I feel like I’m in a perpetual snow globe: the minute the snow stops, someone shakes things up and it starts snowing again!

Stovetop mac-n-cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces pasta of choice (I used a multi-shaped pasta)
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine (note: if you’ll be warming leftovers up in the microwave, you may want to cut this back a tablespoon or two – there was a lot left over after warm-up!)
• 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons cream

Cook pasta according to package instructions and to your preferred softness. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add butter to the pasta while hot and cover the pot to allow butter to melt a bit. Uncover, add cheese and cream, and stir. Put the lid back on and let it sit, stirring every couple of minutes (note: it will take about 6 to 8 minutes for the cheese to become “saucy”). Serve immediately, storing leftovers in the fridge. To reheat on the stovetop, add a little more cream to the pot. To reheat in the microwave, put the leftovers in a microwave safe plate or bowl and heat at 70% for 75 to 90 seconds.