A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Tips

Check out Mrs. Cubbison's Thanksgiving Tips website for all of your Thanksgiving questions.

She covers tips for the turkey straight down to the leftovers. 

 Facebook: Mrs.Cubbison's 

Top Thanksgiving Shortcuts

Thanksgiving Shortcuts 

Stuffing Mix

 Stovetop or Trader Joe's Brand

Canned Cranberry Sauce 

Ocean Spray or Grown Right Brand

Biscuits

Pillsbury or Robinhood Brand 

Piecrust

Nilla or Keebler Brand

Pumpkin Puree

Libby's or Farmer's Market Brand

Cornbread Mix 

Jiffy, Sylvia's or  Bob's Red Mill Brand 

Special Holiday Flava Tunes

A Twist on Traditional Holiday Food

Check out these "How To" videos by my favorite culinarian couple

 The Neely's 

in lieu of Thanksgiving: 

Deep-Fried Turkey 

* This is the recipe I use for my Mac minus the bacon, parm and chips. It's amazing!

Q: Who is going to try these recipes? Let us know! Send pics to theflavainyaear@gmail.com for a feature 

Cake n Wings Kickstarter Project Update

The ladies from Cake n Wings have officially launched their Kickstarter Project. Check out their pitch video "Restaurant Wives."

Visit their Kickstarter Project page to donate! We support them 100%!

Check out our interview with the Cake n Wings ladies here! 

Q: What do you think about their "restaurant wives" pitch video?

Republic Restaurant Review

Pan-Asian Cuisine at its Supreme

All New York diners are aware of the ubiquitous noodle bar and Pan-Asian restaurant trend, and due to New York’s plethora of Asian fusion eateries, it can seem rather daunting to chose where to gorge on rice noodles, curries, and various lychee cocktails.  Republic, conveniently located right off Union Square, is one of Manhattan’s better Asian fusion spots, offering delicious soups, noodles, sashimi, and cocktails in a spacious, ultra-modern atmosphere.  The restaurant is modeled off of a London noodle house with its minimalist, sleek interior and diverse amalgamation of Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisines. 

Sit at the streamlined, wooden bar and order one of Republic’s fabulous drinks before your meal.  The cocktails feature inventive and delicious twists on commonly served drinks, like an Asian-styled sangria with pears and apples, and a mojito gin medley with cucumber, simple syrup, and loads of floating lemon and lime slices. 

Republic’s dishes are both elegant and hearty. The salmon sashimi salad features fresh, thin slices of glittering orange salmon lovingly garnished with mint and shallots. 

The soup dumplings are tenderly wrapped packages of luxurious pork broth, bathed in mild, chili-infused oil. 

Lime chicken soup is served in an oversized bowl brimming with silky rice noodles in citrus and cilantro infused broth.

Republic is cacophonous—its large hall brims with diners and their accompanying echoing voices.  It is not unusual for dining parties to share a long wooden table with one or two other groups.  This communal ethos is part and parcel of Republic’s charm, and feels more than acceptable amongst the restaurant’s chic interior and sharp food.  The wait-time to be seated is typically minimal, and the service is exceptionally quick.  So, if you’re looking for a lively and inexpensive restaurant to sample the bright flavors of Southeast Asia, look no further than Republic.  

Cuisine: Pan-Asian

Price: $

Address: 37 union square west New York, NY 10003

Conducted by Sarah T.

Lesson on Piracy

This is not our usual pace, but being that we are a Food and Music blog, I believe this post is necessary for our half music side. A lot of us are guilty of Piracy.  Last Tuesday, the popular Canadian Hip Hop artist, Drake's new album "Take Care" was leaked exactly one week before the official release. FYI, I did not listen. I will wait until Tuesday to purchase the most anticipated album on itunes. -Celeste

Is Piracy Dead?

When this question is asked, most answer no. With technology moving as fast as it is now, it becomes too easy to take whatever you want. The problem comes from no one purchasing the actual files to make readily available for the general public. If no one is buying the product, whether it is music, movies, audio books, software or the like, then there is no one to "hack" the file and upload to bit torrent or full download sites.

What most do not realize is that in order for the public to get their hands on the "free" merchandise is that someone somewhere must actually pay money to receive the initial file. After the first purchase, the product can be uploaded to a file sharing peer to peer site. Without the first purchase there is no way for it to become available. More and more companies are offering free versions of their product. Each free version is a shell of what the full version can do. Sadly, the free version is more than enough for the general users. If you need the paid for full version, it usually means you either own a business or work for a big business that has the funds to make such a purchase. No need for a "hacked" version of it.

With that said, there are still a few ways to get the product out without the first purchase. Many illegal black markets sell code breakers or password by-passers for cheap. These, in the wrong hands, can seriously compromise the security of different companies. With these one can break into the main computer undetected and take any files that they want. Only the elite of hackers want to take that kind of risk. Things like this have serious charges attached. Hefty fines and long jail times have curbed this activity to an extent. 

Will piracy ever die? I honestly do not think it will. As with anything, if the demand is high enough and worth the risk, someone will take the challenge. More secure anti-theft software will defend for a short time, but eventually will fall short. For every anti-theft, anti-virus, and security system that comes out, the hackers will always be at least one step ahead. Keep developing new software and deeper encryptions.

Q:Will piracy kill piracy in the long run? 

Written by Ryan

BET Music Matters

Monday Night Football Dip

Quick and Easy Dip

Ingredients

1 Pound ground beef

1 Jar of Pace Chunky Salsa Medium

1 Jar of Tostitos Salsa con Queso Medium

1 Bag of Tostitos Scoop Chips

1 Non Stick Pot

1. Cook ground beef in non stick pot on medium heat

2. Drain ground beef once cooked

3. Add jar of queso to ground beef; stir keep on stove on medium heat

4. Add 75% of salsa jar; stir (add more if preferred)

5. Remove from heat

6. Serve on plate with scoop Tostitos Enjoy! 

By Yanet

Sunday Morning Inspiration

Must-have Pantry Items

Pantry Staples

Olive Oil is a healthier choice, it can lower your cholesterol, fight off cancer causing agents and heart disease. It tastes great and it has many uses. 

Garlic is the all-around go to! It can be sliced, diced, minced and crushed to add flair to a variety of meals.

Stock or broth is a great option for soups, casseroles, and sauces. You should have at least one box of chicken, vegetable, and beef on hand.

Spaghetti sauce should be somewhere in one of your cupboards. It is great for the "I don't really feel like cooking nights." You can whip up some pasta and pour jar spaghetti sauce over it in minutes. Voila! Dinner is served! Pick up a few jars whenever they are on sale at your local grocery store.

How can we have spaghetti sauce without pasta? Pasta has a long shelf life and they are always on sale. Stock up on your pasta. Use your 2 other pantry items (garlic and spaghetti sauce) to make a quick and easy meal.

Dry beans are inexpensive, easy to make and they are loaded with nutrients. Keep a variety of beans in your pantry.

Rice of course is the most versatile food. It last super longer and there as many different types. It can be used as a side dish or as a main dish. Keep a bag of whole grain, flavored rice, and white rice in your pantry.

Canned Tuna may not taste the best, but it is a pantry staple. Buy water-packed tuna for a healthier choice.

Peanut Butter is a great source of protein. It can be used on sandwiches,on vegetables, fruits, and in smoothies and dips. 

Canned Tomatoes should be kept in your pantry in a variety of forms such as diced, crushed, whole-peeled, and even pureed. Most dishes call for tomatoes be prepared!

* According to TLC, cooked tomatoes are better for you than raw tomatoes because the heat increases the levels of antioxidants. Did you know that?

Source: TLC Cooking

Flava Tunes

Brief Flava Buzz

Chick-Fil-A donated close to $2 million to anti gay groups.

A restaurant in Berlin is serving up food that was only available to Caveman.

22% of fish purchased is mislabeled.

Fake maple syrup is being sold. Beware!

Lady Gaga's family is planning to open a restaurant in New York.

McDonald's introduces all-breast meat chicken mcbites.

Starbucks lightened up their brew with blonde blends.

Paula Deen is selling butter flavored lip balm as well as Butter Cream and Key Lime. 

Inmates in Idaho have been hired to harvest potatoes. It gives them an opportunity to make money and learn a trade.

Sources: Huffington post, Delish

Flava Tunes

This video is super cute. Hello to ever made this!