When it comes to preparing a thanksgiving meal, plan ahead, don't wait! Do as much preparation before the party as possible - there are some things you can do as early as two to three days in advance like our Turkey Roulade (you'll find the recipe below!) A few items going directly from fridge to oven to table can make a huge difference. Our delicious cranberry, cherry chutney can be prepared two to three days in advance along with gravy and stuffing. For some dishes like chutney, letting them sit for a few days can actually greatly enhance the taste since this allows the flavors to marry and further develop.

Place cocktail/drink glasses in the freezer one day in advance and choose a drink that can be made by the pitcher. This way all you have to do is take the glasses out and pour! If you're doing our cranberry margarita, which you'll also find below, cut small lime wheels or wedges and freeze them right in the glasses. This will serve as an attractive garnish and keep the drink chilled.

This year greet your guests with a fabulous smile and chilled drink in hand! No need to be frazzled or frantic! Remember…plan, prep, and present!

Cranberry, Cherry and Walnut Chutney

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups red wine
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 inch piece of orange rind
• 1 inch piece of lemon rind
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 inch of ginger, peeled
• 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
• 12 ounce package of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Combine sugar, wine, whole spices and citrus skins in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cherries and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and add citrus juices. Simmer until about half the cranberries pop, 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the walnuts, orange zest and nutmeg. Let cool completely. The chutney will thicken as it cools. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Turkey Roulade

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless turkey breast half, about 3 lbs
• 2 cups wild mushroom stuffing
• 10 ounces thick sliced apple-smoked bacon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a large cutting board, place turkey breast on top of plastic wrap and cut so that it opens up to one large flat piece of even thickness. Cover with additional plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of just under 1/2 inch. Remove plastic wrap from top of turkey and spread stuffing evenly over middle portion of turkey breast and roll it up, using the plastic wrap to help keep the roll in place.

On a large piece of parchment paper, lay the slices of bacon down so that they just overlap. The resulting blanket of bacon should be long enough to cover the entire length of the turkey roulade.

Lift the turkey roulade off the plastic and onto the bacon slices. Using the parchment as a handle, carefully roll up roulade, "tootsie-roll" fashion. Twist ends tightly. Place this roll on top of a large piece of aluminum foil and roll entire roulade, paper and all, with the aluminum foil. Crimp ends closed. Bake in a roasting pan with a rack for 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reads 155 degrees. Let roulade rest for 15 minutes, then slice into 1-inch slices and serve.

Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh white bread (such as ciabatta), crust removed and cubed.
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 slices of apple smoked bacon, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup Marsala wine
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in milk.

In a saut? pan, saut? bacon over medium-high heat until crisp and all fat is rendered. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and are soft, about 4 minutes. Deglaze with Marsala and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Squeeze excess milk from bread and place bread in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well, breaking up pieces of bread. Add mushroom mixture, thyme, sage, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

Cranberry Margarita

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce Tequila
• 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
• 3 ounces Cranberry juice
• 3 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a pint glass with ice. Shake and strain into a bucket glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Roasted Duck and Thai "Roti Pancakes" - Chef Nathan Frost (Veloce Cibo)

Veal Chop - Chef Sergio Santoro (Marinelli's)

Martini Glass Salad - Chef Tina Martini (Martini Time)

Autumn Sugar Creation - Chef Jean Claude Canestrier (M Resort Executive Pastry Chef)

Seafood Trilogy - Chef Armel Rafael (Terzetto)

Chilled Maine Lobster and Fall Root Vegetable Salad - Chef Michael Demers (M Resort Assistant Executive Chef)

Pan Seared Scallops - Chef Josef Pilz (M Resort Executive Chef)

Be sure to try one of these delicious signature dishes next time you dine with us here at M Resort!

With the 4th of July holiday just around the corner, we're doing "Big Bang Foods" this week on Martini Time with Chef Tina Martini here at M Resort. And since the weather in Vegas is so hot this time of year, we thought it might be nice to give you a recipe with great grilled flavor without ever having to turn the grill on. It's also a diversion from the "regular" picnic fare and is sure to impress the family and guests:

Barbecue Duck Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Chow-Chow

? 1 head green cabbage, shredded

? ? cup diced sweet onion

? ? cup chopped green or red bell peppers

? 2 tbsp salt

? 2 cups apple cider vinegar

? 1 ? cups sugar

? 2 tsp dry mustard

? 2 tsp celery seeds

? 2 tsp mustard seeds

? 1 tsp ground turmeric

? ? tsp ground ginger

Spring Rolls

? 6 duck legs confit

? 1 carrot, grated

? 1 red onion, grated

? Barbecue sauce to taste, plus more for garnish

? Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

? 8 spring roll wrappers

? 1 large egg

? Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Chow-Chow

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onion, peppers, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. The vegetables will release some of their liquid. Drain well in a colander.

In a large non-reactive saucepan, combine the remaining Chow-Chow ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cabbage mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Spring Rolls

Pull the meat from the duck legs and shred it coarsely in a large bowl. Toss with the carrot, onion, and just enough barbecue sauce to coat the ingredients. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.

Soak the spring roll wrappers in warm water for about 2 minutes, until pliable. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Lay the wrappers flat on a work surface and brush all over with the egg. Arrange a row of the duck filling (about the size and shape of a cigar) down the center of each wrapper. Fold the edges of each wrapper over the ends of the row of filling and then roll up tightly to enclose the filling.

In a large, heavy pot, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 350?. Fry the spring rolls in batches, being careful not to crowd the pot, for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Divide the chow-chow among 8 serving plates. Cut each spring roll in half on the diagonal and set 2 halves on the chow-chow on each plate. Drizzle barbecue sauce around the chow-chow and serve immediately.

We're also doing a frozen souffl? and a bubbly peach Bellini this week which are both light and refreshing for summer. If you are grilling this holiday weekend, here are a few tips you may enjoy:

- Grilling meat and fish on a bed of sliced fruit is different and creates moisture as well as flavor.

- Take the chill off of the meat or fish to ensure even cooking before placing on the hot grill.

- Peel a whole pineapple and put it on your rotisserie spit. Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and brush the pineapple with the mixture as it turns. The pineapple is done when it is soft and caramelized.

- Use cinnamon sticks or rosemary stems (remove the leaves) as kabob skewers and grill for added flavor.

Come join us this week for Big Bang Foods here at M Resort! We've got shows Thursday - Saturday at noon and 4pm!

Here at the M we've created specials for everyone - coupled or not. For the romantic twosomes, we have special Valentine's Day menus in all our restaurants if you're planning to celebrate with a dinner out. (Make reservations soon!) The food is divine and the views don't get any more romantic. Check out our special Valentine's Day menus here: here.

Now, for those unattached, we have a special party for you. It's our As Single As I Wanna Be bash inside the Hostile Grape on Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14. Wear your sexiest red stilettos ladies and go home with a complimentary bottle of wine while supplies last.

Check out all the details below.

For those of you that want to prepare something at home for your special someone, check out Las Vegas' only live cooking show - Martini Time with Chef Tina Martini. This week's show is "Valentines for the Foodie," and if you're looking to impress with your own culinary stroke of genius, get down to the show to learn, laugh and taste too. Plus, enjoy a Chocolate Raspberry Martini and get the recipe to try at home.

If you can't make it to the show, we've got a special martini for you to make at home or for you to try at one of bars. Here's our Valentine's Day martini recipe for you:

White Chocolate Cherry Martini

Ingredients:

.25 oz Cherry Brandy

1 oz White Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

.25oz White Cr?me de Cacao

2 oz. Three Olives Chocolate Vodka

Preparation:

Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with edible red rose (or petals), small chocolate heart, caramel spiral and a sprinkle of red sugar.

And don't you worry race fans and sports gamblers, we didn't forget about Daytona so have no fear. There are plenty of screens around the resort should you need to sneak away and check out the leader board.

We hope you'll join us at M Resort to celebrate Valentine's Day weekend, but regardless of your plans, your status and your situation, we hope it's a great one and wish you the best of times with your loved ones.

This isn’t your typical over-the-top Vegas show. Instead it's a completely different concept - healthy entertainment - one that is unique and refreshing. There aren't aerial acrobats spinning down from the ceiling, the studio “theatre” is likely the most intimate in the city with only about 50 seats and the “performer” well, she’s a chef and she's interested in learning about you – meaning she takes audience questions and wants audience participation. She cooks and talks while you get to eat and if you're lucky, be brought on-stage to assist with the preparation.

It's hard to believe that in a city, which many people say is the culinary capital of the world, there are no culinary stage shows based here. A lot of places have celebrity chefs - it's practically a staple in Las Vegas - which the Marnell family introduced when they owned and operated the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino - but not all these chefs are necessarily approachable. Millions of Americans watch shows on the Food Network, but while they're sitting on their couch or following along and attempting to make the dish they can't raise their hand and ask their TV questions. Plus, no one has yet invented "smell-o-vision." As an audience member at Martini Time with Chef Tina Martini, people can ask questions and even better yet - smell and taste the dish as it's being prepared. Let us be the first to say, you don't have to be passionate about cooking to enjoy the show. After all, you still get to learn a thing or two, sample a dish and drink and enjoy the buffet afterward! We think that's a pretty good deal.

We’ll catch up with Chef Tina in a later blog post, but below are the details and a special promo video for the show. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at noon. We hope you'll check out the show.

Show Dates: Thursday through Sunday

Show Times: Noon and 4 pm

Show Location: Studio B Buffet – cooking studio inside M Resort

Ticket Prices: $39.95 inclusive of tax and fees. Ticket prices include a Studio B Buffet lunch or dinner (depending on show time) AND reserved seating at the buffet immediately following the show. If you’d ever come to our buffet, you know that sometimes the line can be up to 2 hours long!

Ticket Sales: Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the iMagine Rewards Center between 8 am and 10 pm.

Guests must be age 12 or older.