Copper Canyon Grill invites Silver Spring home for the holidays (Photos)

I was invited to a preview of the Home for the Holidays holiday menu at Copper Canyon Grill last evening. You can order this as a take-out meal for four with 2 days advance notice. It doesn't matter which holidays you are celebrating, either, as the deal will be available through January 1, 2016.

Anthony Peake, Executive Chef
and Director of Culinary Education
at Copper Canyon Grill, talks
about the recipes he created for
the holiday menu

The menu offers many traditional favorites, from rotisserie turkey to mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and - of course - stuffing. There's also the occasional modern dish - like bacon mac & cheese. Last night, I had the pumpkin cheesecake, which is a seasonal dessert. On the take-out menu, the dessert choices are Key Lime Pie and Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier Sauce.

The take-out meal is available from all Copper Canyon Grill locations, including Rio/Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, and downtown Silver Spring. In addition, if you're seeking a restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner, the Silver Spring Copper Canyon Grill will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

I started off the meal with a glass of a 2013 Iris Vineyards Pinot Gris from Oregon. It's pretty good, with a citrus flavor, and a score of 91 from Wine Enthusiast. You might want to give the Albino Rocca Chardonnay Langhe from Italy a try, though, because the description sounds like it is perfectly paired to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Let's start with the turkey. I'm more of a dark meat person when it comes to turkey, and especially, chicken. But the white meat was very tender on this rotisserie turkey, with a nicely-crisp skin. If you're like me, you may have had some tough white meat turkey in restaurants. That won't happen here.

For me, stuffing is the main event of the Thanksgiving dinner. You won't be disappointed with this cornbread stuffing from Chef Anthony Peake's own grandmother's recipe. It includes my one must-have ingredient for stuffing - sage.

The mashed potatoes have a traditional flavor, and it's a rich one enhanced with sour cream. There was a good balance of sweet and tart in the cranberry sauce, and you'll definitely want some extra gravy.

Green beans

Sweet glazed carrots

A nice seasoning on
the green beans

For a vegetable choice, I would go with the Sweet Glazed Carrots. I was searching for every last one hiding on the plate. The green beans would certainly fit the bill, though, if that is your personal preference. I just thought the carrots had a little something extra.

The bacon Mac & Cheese was super-rich with 3 cheeses, and finely-chopped raw onion added an extra zing of flavor throughout.

There were several fresh breads on hand from sister restaurant Stanford Grill's in-house bakery in Rockville. It seemed like the biggest hit at the table was the cornbread.

For the big finish, a huge slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake appeared. It was topped with whipped cream and a rich chocolate ganache. A fantastic finish to a delicious early Thanksgiving dinner. Why have just one a year, after all?

Roy Rogers officially announces Aspen Hill location (Photo)

Roy Rogers has officially confirmed what I reported to you back in June - Roy Rogers is returning to Aspen Hill. No official opening date has been announced for the new restaurant, which will be in the Northgate Plaza Shopping Center at 13884 Georgia Avenue.

Longtime residents will recall the old Roy's in the Aspen Hill Shopping Center, back in the days when one could see a movie there, or shop at the A&P across Aspen Hill Road...

Image via Roy Rogers on Facebook

Black students more likely to be suspended by MCPS than by Texas schools

Everything's bigger in Texas - except racial disparities in public school discipline policies, apparently. A new study by Texas Appleseed helps provide further context to a recent report that showed African-American students in Montgomery County Public Schools are 3 times as likely to be suspended from school as white and Asian students.

In Texas, there are also racial disparities in school discipline. But the Texas Appleseed report, titled "Suspended Childhood", found that black students in that state are less likely to be suspended than black students in Montgomery County. Black students in Texas are more than 2 times as likely to be suspended as whites - not laudable, but lower than in MCPS schools.

Montgomery County should consider this comparison, and some of the recommendations in this report, as it continues to struggle with a growing achievement gap. A 2014 County Office of Legislative Oversight report confirmed that MCPS had declined, and the achievement gap had widened, since 2010.

Now we know that Montgomery County students also fared poorly on this year's PARCC exams, the scores of which determined less than half of MCPS high school students are ready for college-level work.

And that superintendent search? Yeah, that search. They'll get around to it. Maybe some of the WMATA runners-up will give it go. The Montgomery County Council and Board of Education have made slouching a science.

Takoma Park residents approve new City election dates

Voters in Takoma Park approved a ballot question Tuesday that will move City elections "to the Tuesday following the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year in order to coincide with Maryland statewide general elections." In plain English, that means Takoma Park elected offices will be filled on the same days voters choose their Congressional representatives or Governor statewide.

Not all on the City Council were thrilled with the proposal, or thought it would solve voter apathy issues in Takoma Park.

Residents voted 194-72 in approval of the change, according to the unofficial election results from the City.

Stewart wins Takoma Park mayoral race

When Takoma Park Councilmember Kate Stewart is sworn in as the city's next mayor, she will represent a generational shift in political power in Montgomery County's most progressive municipality. Taking over from longtime Mayor Bruce Williams, Stewart has only been on the City Council a short time after winning a special election in April 2014.

The new mayor-elect has been a City resident for far longer - two decades, and is a principal at ConwayStrategic, a communications firm in the District. Stewart has clearly made a great impression on residents in her short term of office, as she was unopposed until the last minute, and has quickly leapfrogged several longer-serving politicians into the Mayor's office.

Also winning last night were incumbent councilmembers Tim Male, Terry Seamens, Jarrett Smith, and Fred Schultz, and new additions Peter Kovar and Rizzy Qureshi. These results are unofficial and not yet certified.

Photo via Kate Stewart for Mayor website

T.J. Maxx to open November 11 at Ellsworth Place in Silver Spring (Photos)

The newest anchor tenant at Ellsworth Place mall in downtown Silver Spring is just about ready to open its doors. T.J. Maxx has announced it will open November 11 at the retail center being revitalized by development partners Petrie Richardson Ventures and Rockwood Capital. A Grand Opening celebration will be held at the new 24000 SF store that day between 8:00 AM and 9:30 PM.

“T.J.Maxx continues to be a hugely popular and accessible retailer, appealing to a broad audience – from Millennials to Boomers – with its fashion-forward offerings and exciting, creative retail experience,” Terry Richardson, president and COO of PRV, said Monday. Richardson promised an "industrial chic" look to the mall when renovations are completed in early 2016.

Current anchor tenants at Ellsworth Place include Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, Michaels and Ross. Dave and Buster's and Not Your Average Joe's restaurants are on the way, as well.

Ellsworth Place is located at 8661 Colesville Road, and is attached via skywalk to a convenient adjacent public parking garage.

Squire's Rock Creek Chophouse applies for liquor license in Wheaton (Photos)

The future Squire's Rock Creek Chophouse has applied for its liquor license. Located at 2405 Price Avenue in Wheaton, the restaurant's hearing will be on November 19.