Falling leaves and the disappearance of the brilliant Autumn colors in many parts of the country indicate that the Thanksgiving Holidays are just a few weeks away.

We know that many of you are lining up your recipes and searching for the correct ingredients to make the Thanksgiving meal memorable and we would like to assist.

Here's what Chef Andrea has to say about the upcoming holiday.

Chef Andrea's November Holiday Recipes and Tips

It's November and over the rivers and through the woods on the way to Grandmother's house there is the beginning of a wintry nip in the air. Cups of hot, rustic soup, steaming, savory stews and fall apple dumplings served in front of a roaring fireplace help shake off the chill and create a glow of nostalgic holiday magic. At the end of the month of November we turn our thoughts and our kitchens to Thanksgiving Dinner and the beginning of the winter holiday season.

Thanksgiving Dinner is one that, for many, is filled with old traditional favorites. It is difficult, if not impossible in some instances, to nudge family and guests away from those favorites. This month, Chef Andrea has a few suggestions to rethink, revitalize and re-conceive old favorites using traditional ingredients. It's a sure thing these recipes will add magic to your holiday feast and maybe even begin a few new traditions for the generation coming.

JR's thoughts on the holiday

Having been through more Thanksgiving holidays than I can count I still am a traditionalist when it comes to this holiday which is exclusively American, truly epicurean and non-sectarian.

I anticipate and enjoy most of the day in the kitchen cooking the turkey and using some of our exceptional products to prepare hors d'oeuvres, vegetables and dessert. Then I take great pleasure in sitting down with friends to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I am a stickler when it comes to both fresh and quality. I don't compromise on either. Having been in the specialty food business for over thirty years I have experienced the best and worst of "gourmet." Though at times it does become difficult to find only the best, the search continues.

With those thoughts in mind I'd like to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving ideas with you. Some of you may remember a few items from last year, but as I wrote earlier-I like to stick with the tried and true for Thanksgiving Day.

Some of our new products such as the More Than Gourmet demi-glace fit very well into meal planning. Use the Glace de Poulet demi-glace to baste your turkey as it cooks. Basting is the key to a moist bird and the Glace de Poulet demi-glace is perfect for the task. Check it out at www.jrmushroomsandspecialties.com.

BEFORE DINNER

Since the main feature of the day for most will be a gargantuan meal of turkey with all the trimmings, you'll want to start off with some light hors d'oeuvres. Serve these light appetizers along with a fruity bubbly before dinner.

Black Truffle Tapenade Rounds - Our black truffle tapenade definitely makes for an outstanding hors d' oeuvre. Toast some good quality French bread and spread a light coating of the tapenade on top. You can also add a little crumbled goat cheese or chopped tomatoes. We warn you-the black truffle tapenade is addictive and when we serve it up at tastings - POW! It's gone in a flash. You can find the tapenade along with some suggested serving hints at www.jrmushroomsandspecialties.com

Porcini Paste Bruschetta - Here again you'll start with some toasted French bread. Spread a thin layer of porcini paste on the bread and top off with some chopped Roma tomatoes and grate a little Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top. Want raves? You'll get 'em!

Truffled Cheese (1) - Drizzle some white or black truffle oil onto fresh goat, Manchego or Gruyere cheese (if you can find cave-aged Gruyere, go for it) for a luscious hors d'oeuvre.

Truffled Cheese (2) - For an extra special treat, drizzle some of our white truffle honey over chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, or any other assertive cheese.

Chef Andrea offers this recipe for an outstanding hors d'oeuvre

Soup

It is fall and that means it is time for football weekends! Game days call for good friends sharing good food but the last place you want or need to be is in the kitchen. All of this month's recipes that require cooking can be prepared in advance and simply reheated or finished right before kickoff. Whether the party is at your home or a pregame tailgate picnic, all of these recipes are going to be real crowd pleasers.

Stuffing

Dried mushrooms will take any stuffing to a new taste level. Try using our premium wild mushroom mix as a stuffing ingredient. Reconstitute the mushrooms in warm water, or even better, Glace de Poulet Demi Glace. Drain and add the luscious mushroom and demi-glace liquid to your stuffing to give it some moisture. You can also use this same liquid from the mushrooms to baste the bird during cooking. We also recommend black trompettes, premium mix, porcini, champignons or portobellos as perfect stuffing additions. Check the mushrooms out at www.jrmushroomsandspecialties.com.

Nut oils also make a great addition to stuffings. They provide a delicious nutty flavor to the stuffing. Try adding a little pistachio, pumpkinseed or walnut oil to the stuffing for a taste that combines the earthiness of the mushrooms with the nutty flavor of the oil. They can also be found at www.jrmushroomsandspecialties.com.

Herbes de Provence is also excellent for stuffing. Add a teaspoon or two to the stuffing mix for another luscious addition. Use the herbs to enhance the flavor and help retain moisture in the turkey as it cooks. Mix a tablespoon or two of herbes de Provence (depending on the size of your turkey) with softened unsalted butter. Slide your hand between the skin and meat of the turkey to separate the two. Then smear the herbed butter between the meat and the skin.

Instead of using just plain black pepper on your vegetables, add a new flavor dimension with our five-peppercorn mix. It is one of our favorites. We use it all the time in place of any recipe that calls for freshly ground pepper. Many of our regular customers say they don't know what they'd do without it. If you would prefer to use white pepper we now have that available as well. Both are available at the link above.

ZEE BIRD

If you really want to serve a juicy turkey I am afraid you will have to pay close attention to the bird. Baste, baste and more basting is the secret. After years of trial and error I have determined that the most succulent birds I have served are the ones that have been basted every fifteen minutes. What? That's right, every fifteen minutes. Get yourself one of those basters with a bulb and squirt the pan juices over the whole bird every fifteen...okay maybe I'll let you go to twenty minutes, but no more. For the initial cooking time I like to cook my turkey breast down on a rack. Depending on the size of the bird, this might be two, three or even more hours. However, the last hour is when I turn the bird over and cook it breast side up. Cooking the bird for the greater portion of the cooking time with the breast down lets all the juices run into the breast. The last hour, breast up, will give you the nice crisply, crackly, browned skin everyone craves.

Roasting temps? I like to start off at 425 degrees for about 1/2 hour. Then lower the temp to 325 degrees for the remainder of the time. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 175 degrees.

Make a side batch of Glace de Poulet demi-glace to use for basting the turkey. The reason we suggest an additional batch is you will probably need it since the liquid from the reconstituting of the mushrooms probably won't be enough to baste over the long time the bird will be roasting.

Here is Chef Andrea's recipe for the turkey stuffing.

Chef Andrea's take on the traditional cranberry sauce is a new twist on this favorite.

ZEE VEGGIES

Mashed Potatoes: Take potatoes to a new dimension. Drizzle a little white truffle oil over the top just before serving. You can also sprinkle them with our Fleur de Sel.

Sweet Potatoes: (or yams) Our white truffle honey from Italy transforms these simple spuds into a luscious mouthful. Just drizzle a little on top. You can use our walnut oil in the same manner.

Root Vegetables: Root vegetables such as squash, turnips and even Brussels sprouts are even tastier when drizzled with pumpkinseed oil. This nutty oil is rapidly becoming a favorite with our customers.

GRAVY

When you make your gravy, add a little of our white truffle flour. This will give the gravy a delicious and interesting taste profile.

DESSERT

Some of our white truffle honey drizzled over ice cream is outrageously delicious.

Orange flower water is another winner. Splash this onto pound cake or drizzle a little over panna cotta, Sprinkle on fresh fruit.

If lime cheesecake suits your fancy, try the recipe submitted by one of our customers and found in the recipe section of our website.

Once again, Chef Andrea's gingered sweet potato pie offers a new and innovative dessert.