Thanksgiving Hotline is here!

Posted by Alexis Tirado

It's the moment we've all been waiting for...it's the annual Thanksgiving Hotline on Martha Stewart Living Radio! Starting today until Wednesday, 11/23 our radio hosts and celebrity chefs like Martha, Emeril, Nigella Lawson and Mario Batali, will be answering all your Thanksgiving-related questions! The hotline is live today, tomorrow and Weds. from 7 am EST to 7 pm EST. Call 866-675-6675 with your question or listen to the broadcast for FREE today. Just click on the player located on the right. You can even download recipes from all the chefs featured on the hotline! Happy Thanksgiving!

Can’t-Miss-Sides From Our Listeners!

Posted by Jon Costantino

On Morning Living, we put out the word that we were looking for some can’t miss side dishes for Thanksgiving, and wow, did you respond! Here are a few that were sent in:

Ann’s Garlic Cheese Grits
Ingredients:
1 cup of grits
4 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of butter
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup of milk
black or red pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 large minced garlic clove( or more if desired)

Directions:
1. Cook grits with 4 cups of water and salt according to package directions. Add the butter, eggs, milk, pepper, cheese, and garlic. Can add crispy crumbled bacon if desired.

2. Stir well until combined and pour into greased 9x13 pan.

3. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-60 minutes until set in middle.

Shirley’s Corn Pudding
Ingredients:
2 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 package corn muffin mix
1 can cream style corn
1 stick butter

Directions:
1. Beat eggs, add sour cream, and 1 can cream corn. Add corn muffin mix. Melt butter and add to mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Mary’s Cranberry Squash
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, mashed butternut squash
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup raw,halved cranberries
salt and pepper
butter

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients and spoon into casserole. Drizzle butter over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Get your bar ready for holiday parties!

Posted by Jon Costantino

On Morning Living this week, we had Jes Gordon, a leading party and event planner, on air. She gave tips on how to stock your holiday bar. She said having the right bar tools was just as important as what liquors you stock it with. So here’s a handy checklist of things you will need no matter what you serve:

Essential Bar Tools:

1. Corkscrew
2. Ice Bucket
3. Ice Scoop
4. Cocktail Shaker/Strainer
5. Colander
6. Wine Buckets (Crate and Barrel's Rapid Cool Wine Chiller)
7. Wine Stoppers
8. Decanters (Crate and Barrel's Swoon Carafe)
9. Garnishes

Also, Jes was nice enough to pass along some of her favorite cocktail recipes!

Candy Cane recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce peppermint schnapps
3/4 ounce creme de cacao
1/4 ounce grenadine syrup
half-and-half
7-Up soda

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and serve.

Cider-Tini
Ingredients:
1 ounce vodka
Cider - 2/3 of the glass full
1 ounce Pomegranate juice

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients over ice and serve.

GET MORE RECIPES

Entertaining with Martha and Emeril

Posted by Alexis Tirado

Thanksgiving is just around the corner so Martha and Emeril will be on the radio to share their favorite holiday tips with you! The duo will discuss their top notch entertaining ideas, favorite turkey recipes and much more! And we know you're brimming with questions so they'll answer your phone calls too! Tune in on Tuesday, November 17, at 4 pm EST (1 pm PST) on Sirius 112 and XM 157. The number to call in is 866-675-6675

Also, you can still ask your holiday questions during our Thanksgiving Hotline which airs from Mon. 11/23 to Weds. 11/25, the hotline is LIVE everyday from 7 am EST to 7 pm EST. Get all the guest listings for the hotline here.

Lastly, we have over 30 Thanksgiving recipes for you from our Thanksgiving hotline guests! Download the FREE Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Hotline cookbook here.

Giving back to the troops.

Posted by Katie Macpherson

Did you know that today over 1.4 million men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces, and over 24 million veterans have served in the past? In honor of Veterans’ Day, Morning Living decided to share some ways that you can support our troops. One great way to share some love is to participate in this year’s American Red Cross’ Holiday Mail For Heroes Program. From Monday, November 2 through Monday, December 7, you can send holiday cards to service members by mailing them to this address:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
Check out the program’s website for complete details.

And, if you’re interested in sending care packages to troops, here are some websites that can help you do that too!

Give 2 the Troops
Operation Gratitude
Packages from Home
Operation Shoebox

Quality Wines for Less Money

Posted by Jon Costantino

Today on Morning Living, wine expert Marnie Old,  (author of "Wine Secrets: Advice from Winemakers, Sommeliers & Connoisseurs”) took suggestions for your favorite quality wines that are priced between $10-$15. In return, she offered her insider tips on similar wines for our listeners to try. Here’s the full list-- and Marnie’s personal picks for Rieslings as well.

Listener Suggestion:                                  Marnie Says Try:

Sutter Home Moscato                                   Moscato D’Asti

Clean Slate Riesling                                     S.A. Prum “Essence” Riesling

Hayman & Hill Chardonnay                           Wente Chardonnay

Fish Eye Merlot                                           Tin Roof Merlot

Haut-Marin White Bordeaux                           Tariquet Cotes De Gascogne

Red Diamond Merlot                                     Hogue Merlot

Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay                     Concannon Chardonnay

 

Marnie’s Favorite Rieslings

Dry – Jacob’s Creek “Reserve” Riesling

Off-Dry (Sweet) – Rosemount Estate Traminer-Reisling

50 Costume Ideas with a Box!

Posted by Katie Macpherson

Planning on making an eco-friendly recycled costume this year? You can’t go wrong with a box! Our Morning Listeners came up with 50 creative costumes to make out of any old box lying around. Let us know if you’ve got any other ideas!

1. Blockhead
2. Nightstand
3. Road with a car on it
4. Geico money
5. Ballot Box
6. Lego
7. Toy Box
8. Food Box
9. Cereal Killer
10. Circus Cage
11. Dice
12. Queen of Hearts
13. Robot
14. Garbage Truck
15. Crescent Moon
16. Doghouse
17. Radio
18. iPod
19. Gameboy
20. Present

Image courtesy of ThreadBanger.

GET 30 MORE CARDBOARD COSTUME IDEAS

55 Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas!

Posted by Jennifer Sendrow

Need a last-minute Halloween costume? Get inspired by Martha’s 20 simple, no-sew outfits for kids and adults, or check out the 55 great ideas we gathered from our listeners on Morning Living!

1. Leftovers: wrap yourself in foil, then saran wrap, then label. - Judy from MA
2. Puzzled: glue on puzzle pieces all over yourself. – Vicki from VA
3. Mother Nature: wear a brown outfit, twist on some artificial flowers and have small stuffed animals pinned on as well. – Jo from PA
4. Leaf Blower: have a leaf on a wire hanging in front of your mouth and blow on command. – Megan from Michigan
5. Dead Tired: just make big dark circles and such under your eyes.
6. Scarecrow: old outfit, just add some hay around collar and cuffs.
7. Static Cling: dress in black, stick clothes to yourself.
8. Fisherman: wear a slicker and carry tackle and rod.
9. Cheerleader: use colored tape to make logo on sweater and pair with skirt, carry pom-poms.
10. Bag of M&M's: wear a clear trash bag and fill with balloons with logo drawn on them. – Diana from Michigan
11. Bag of Trash: wear a black trash bag, have stuff sticking out of the top. Nancy from Florida.
12. Mummy: wrap yourself in gauze.
13. Stay-at-Home Mummy: cover your mummy outfit with a robe, task list, carry car keys. – Elizabeth on the road
14. Bag Lady: wear old clothes and carry lots of bags. – Ron from Florida
15. Re-Gift: wear a cardboard box wrapped in gift wrap, add bow and a tag that reads “RE” – Mark from Washington, DC
16. Snowblower: have a snowflake cutout on a wire hanging in front of your mouth and blow on command. – Diane from Maryland
17. Bag of Jelly Beans: wear a clear trash bag and fill with multicolored balloons. – Marie from Indiana
18. Bunch of Grapes: pin small purple balloons to an all-purple outfit and attach artificial vines to a knit cap for top.
19. Superman: wear a suit and old glasses with a camera around your neck, but then change into tights and cape. – Percy from Minnesota
20. Crayon: wear a solid color outfit, then use black tape to create logo and bands. – Joan from Virginia

GET 35 MORE LAST-MINUTE COSTUME IDEAS

Twitter Contest: Get free tixs to see David Chang & Martha

Posted by Alexis Tirado

Here at Martha Stewart Living Radio, we are SUPER STOKED for Tuesday, November 3. Why? Martha is going to sit down with chef David Chang for an hour on Martha Stewart Living Radio! They're going to talk shop about food, his Momofuku restaurants and his new cookbook. Tune in on November 3 at 4 pm EST on Sirius 112 and XM 157.

BONUS: If you live in the tri-state area and want to attend the show at Sirius XM studios enter our Twitter contest right now!

UPDATE: Congrats to @PlumIslandCooki for winning this contest!

Boo-tiful Music for Halloween Parties!

Posted by Jennifer Sendrow

We asked our Morning Living listeners to tell us what's on their Halloween party soundtracks so we could bring you the ultimate playlist. Here it is: spooky tunes guaranteed to make your bash go bump in the night!

"I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
"Spooky" by Buddy Buie
"Funeral for a Friend" by Elton John
"Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr.
"This is Halloween" from the soundtrack to Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas
"She Wolf" by Shakira
"Season of the Witch" by Donovan
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by J.S. Bach
"Time Warp" from the soundtrack to The Rocky Horror Picture Show
"Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett
"Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo
"Thriller" by Michael Jackson
"Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult
"Werewolves of London" by Zevon

You might also mix in a few bars of the theme music from classic scary movies like Psycho, Halloween, or The Exorcist for an adult party, or let the kids jam to the themes from The Addams Family and The Munsters. For even more Halloween spirit, intersperse your songs with sounds of creaky doors, ghostly howls, and creepy screams!

Got a favorite song that isn't on our list? Suggest it here!