American Diabetes Association Approved Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and you probably already have your menu planned for the big feast. There’s sure to be a turkey with stuffing, buttery mashed potatoes and your Great-Aunt’s famous macaroni and cheese. We wait all year for these beloved dishes and tomorrow we will finally get to dive in for seconds, or even thirds! But while these foods have been specially prepared and full of love, they also can be full of things that aren’t very good for us such as sugar and salt.

Did you know almost 30 million Americans have diabetes and 86 million more have pre-diabetes or are at risk for type 2 diabetes? It is a growing problem with a reasonable solution: eating better. And you don’t have to compromise healthy ingredients for great taste. In honor of November being American Diabetes Month, the American Diabetes Association has teamed up with Philadelphia-area chefs to create some special, diabetic-friendly dishes to help keep you and your family happy AND healthy this holiday season.

Chef Barbie Marshall, a finalist on Hell’s Kitchen Season 10, roasts a Quarry Hill Farm heritage bred turkey to make a Roasted Turkey Roulade with Vegetable Gravy, rather than flour gravy. Learn how to make it here.

Chef Guillermo Pernot of Cuba Libre makes a Braised Calabaza in Cuban Sofrito and Almond-Chocolate Picada, a perfect substitute to cholesterol-heavy mashed potatoes. Here is his recipe.

Instead of a typical side dish, Chef Delilah Widner, director of the Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Experience, whips up a lightened “I Can’t Believe It’s Mac & Cheese!” baked macaroni and cheese. You can find her recipe here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chef Alison Barshak will be at DiBruno Brothers Sampling Absolutely Lobster®

AbLob Brochure-2

Swing by Di Bruno Brothers at 1730 Chestnut Street this Saturday, November 15.  Chef Alison Barshak will debut Absolutely Lobster® between noon and 2:30 p.m. and there will be samples.

Absolutely Lobster® is a groundbreaking approach to better-than-restaurant quality frozen lobster tails. The tails and artisanal butter sauce are a one-of-a-kind, patent pending product. They go from freezer to fork in under three minutes and are preservative free with no growth hormones. Absolutely Lobster® tails are caught fresh off the coast of Maine and split, cleaned and frozen all within 36 hours of the catch. Di Bruno Bros. will be selling the tails in their freezer case!

Already have plans this Saturday? No worries. In addition to the tasting at Di Bruno’s Rittenhouse on November 15, Alison will be serving up her tails the following Saturday, November 22, during lunch at Di Bruno’s at The Franklin, 834 Chestnut Street.

Alison is no stranger to seafood. She was opening chef for the launch of Philadelphia’s famed Striped Bass. Five years ago, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia and delved into product development, creating fabulous value-added seafood dishes for nationwide clients like The Fresh Market, Costco, and Harris Teeter.

Stop by, see an old friend and indulge in a succulent taste of Absolutely Lobster®!

Phillip’s Cook, Crack & Eat

Whether you’re a seafood lover, aspiring chef or simply looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon, Cook, Crack and Eat has something for everyone. Join Chef Paul Drew as he hosts this fun-filled and educational event at Phillips Seafood Restaurant in Atlantic City, NJ.seafood-plateau-13

Cook, Crack and Eat is a series of interactive and entertaining cooking classes. You can sign up for one or even both! Each class includes a demonstration by the Chef, followed by lunch and wine tasting with the fabulous company. Check out the classes being offered this fall like our Clam Bake November 15 and Feast of the Seven Fishes December 6!

At our Clam Bake Nov. 15, you can learn how to shop, select & whip up our favorite one pot meal.  Features whole Maine lobsters, snow crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, potatoes & corn. And on Dec. 6, get into the spirit with Chef Paul as he dishes up the authentic Feast of the Seven Fishes along with some festive Specialty Cocktails!

You won’t want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind experience! Join Chef Paul Drew for this year’s Cook, Crack & Eat series. The cost is $65 per class. Classes begin at 11:30 a.m. Space is limited, so register early by calling 609.348.2273. Phillips Seafood Restaurant is located in The Pier Shops at Caesars, One Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. For more information, visit their website at www.PhillipsSeafood.com.

Pet Valu Donates Over 500,000 Pounds of Kitty Litter!

British Shorthair red tabby and tabby-tortoiseshell kittensDuring the month of October, Pet Valu asked their customers to help local shelters in need with their Kitty Litter Drive. Customers were able to purchase 40 lb bags of Kitty’s Best Litter at their local store to donate for only $6.99.

The result of the drive was an unforeseen 553,360 pounds of donated kitty litter! The litter will be delivered to local animal shelters as Pet Valu continues to help animals in need.

Animal shelters often have to find ways to care for their animals with minimal resources and overcrowded spaces. With the help of Pet Valu’s devoted customers and all of the litter that has been donated, kitties in shelters will have cleaner and healthier places to live while they wait to find their fur-ever homes. Go Pet Valu!

Guy Fawkes Day at The Yardley Inn!

guy-fawkes-day-800x600-01“Remember, remember, the fifth of November!” – So goes the idiom of Guy Fawkes Day, a day of remembrance for the failed Gunpowder Plot in London on November the fifth, 1609.

In honor of Guy Fawkes Day, The Yardley Inn located on East Afton Avenue in Yardley, PA, will be hosting a special lunch and dinner special with an all-British menu featuring delicious traditional favorites sure to impress even the most discerning English palate. Options include Ploughman’s Platter or Scotch Egg with a homemade hot sauce, followed by either a chicken, bacon, or mushroom pie with mashed potatoes, or a Sunday roast with bubble and squeak. For dessert, guests can choose either a pear trifle or a sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream with drizzled toffee sauce.

Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. for $16.95 a person, while dinner begins at 4:30 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. for $26.95 a person.

Visit www.yardleyinn.com or call (215) 493-3800 for more information or to make a reservation. The Yardley Inn is located at 82 East Afton Avenue in Yardley, PA.

It’s Time to Throw Out Those Razors Again!

00200e_aa069a9bf67717a522c8cd372cfdaaed.png_srz_p_970_215_75_22_0.50_1.20_0

With the newly brisk air comes the welcoming of the month of November.  Every year men look forward to November to have some fun and raise some money and awareness for cancer.  No-Shave November is quite simple; the goal of the month-long event is to embrace your hair, which many cancer patients lose, by throwing out your razor.

This widely known event originated in Fall of 2009 by two friends, Rebecca Hill and Bret Ringdahl, as a way for everyone, no matter the age, gender, or amount of money they have, to donate money as means to fight cancer.  In 2013 the No-Shave movement teamed with the American Cancer Society to ensure the money was distributed to those in need.  Everyone out there has hair to grow, so why not take the extra few bucks you would normally spend on a hair cut or waxing and donate it to a great cause.

No-Shave November benefits all those out there who battle cancer every single day.  For more information on how to donate visit the official website here.  This is an easy way to give back and think about all the time you’ll save getting ready!

Pet Valu 2015 Calendars are Out!

14886676995_aa3a8588a8_oThe judges have spoken and the 13 picture perfect pets have been chosen for Pet Valu’s annual calendar. Calendars are available in your local Pet Valu in mid-October for only $5, just in time to make the purrfect stocking stuffer during the holiday season. All proceeds go to support groups that help put an end to animal cruelty.  With the help of this fetching calendar, you can make sure to stay organized in 2015.

Join the fight against animal abuse and help animals find a home this holiday season. Pick up a calendar at your local Pet Valu and support worthy charities. Making a difference has never been this adorable!  For more information, please visit www.petvalu.com.